OFF THE CUFF: Politics affect weather

— Well, the month of February is finally over, all 29 days of it. Another leap year is gone and, with it, the confusion of resetting those so-called automatic watches and clocks. Almost!

I received a new watch last Christmas. Not an expensive one, but one that does have numerous gizmos which in turn have numerous results if you push, or pull, the wrong button.

You know where I’m going. I’ve pushed a few of the wrong buttons. Make that, apparently, a lot of the wrong buttons. Which ones I have no clue. It may take the entire month of March to get back on track but I have confidence I’ll get there - after a few more side-tracks, of course. If I could just find that instruction sheet!

But back to Leap Year. This one is one for the books - at least for the books every 28 years. This year’s calendar showed five Wednesdays in February, an occurrence that last occurred (how’s that for use of lots of C’s and R’s) in 1984, and it won’t reoccur again until 2040.

Frankly, I can’t remember what happened on Wednesday, Feb. 29, 1984, and I sure won’t be around in 2040. This information is one of those tidbits that makes for interesting discussion and contemplating - and wondering who took the time to come up with the information.

So much for Leap Year, this year - except for the upcoming elections. Talk about a convoluted process this year, at least in the Republican fold. Every month, week, day (sometimes several times a day) sees new projections, possibilities, but unfortunately very few positives. Talk about the three Ps.

Make that four Ps. I forgot the critical one: The Polls.

I dare say most of you have had your share of interruptions at dinner time by a ringing phone and the excited voice of a pollster asking for your expert opinion as to who you think should be what and sometimes why.

One thing is certain, the winning “candidate” of most importance this year is “The Pollster.”

The only thing that would make it worse, or better, would be if there was a contest as to who the Democrat candidate will be.

Oh, well. It’ll all be over in a few months and then we can settle back to normalcy, whatever that is.

There is probably one certainty: After next November the weather should get back to normal.

Since all the campaigning started early last year, I’m convinced all the hot air and blow-harding is what has disrupted the global weather patterns. Hence, the freaky weather all of last year - and the disruption is continuing; i.e., the extremely warm, windy weather of the past couple of months.

Look for a continued unsettled spring and summer and then, about the first of September, look out! I hate to think of the possibilities!

One other thought. Maybe that’s why the presidential elections are just held every four years - on Leap Year. Combining most of the hot air and blow-harding in a oneyear time frame is something to be thankful for.

After Nov. 6, may there be peace until 2016.

Dodie Evans is the editor emeritus of the Westside Eagle Observer and may be contacted by email at [email protected].

News, Pages 6 on 03/07/2012