All we could do was wait. We all knew the Big Hibiscus was coming from its tropical roots south of Okinawa. The flower, in full bloom, had already hit Kagoshima and was now headed our way. Who ever imagined the hibiscus could be such a violent flower?

It seems the idea to start naming typhoons has been a blunder. This typhoon, officially designated as "big," was named Chaba, which means Hibiscus in Thai. You would think they would be more careful about naming typhoons after flowers. Victims of Chaba will never be able to enjoy the beauty of a hibiscus again. And the hibiscus ought to sue the meteorological authorities for libel.

I can think of a few more appropriate names for typhoons, such as Hemlock, a poisonous plant. Or, if they must stick with plants, how about simply Big Weed?