Visitations

Sunrise, a 31' Southern Cross cutter built in 1976

I got a visit! Well, actually more than one. First, some lovely young students from Auburn on a Christian mission in Apalachicola came to see me--I don't know if they came for my soul or for my wisdom, but I liked them. Then, Sylvia, the wife of my great friend Martin Lamarque came with Sara Smith and her daughter Sara Elena. I got to show them the sights of Apalachicola, which really is a sleepy fishing village with an overlay of tourists (just like Mexico). Lots of fun! I got a good photo of the boat from the deck of Up The Creek Raw Bar.

My son Adam and his partner, Dana, came to visit several weeks ago and we took the boat out on the river. Almost to the railroad bridge, we anchored for a swim. At the bow with the anchor let out, I told Adam to juice the engine in reverse, thus 'setting' the anchor. When we went to leave, I wanted to motor up to the anchor instead of winching all the way. The engine ran, the transmission spun, but the propeller did not! Evidently, going into reverse was the last turn for the nut holding transmission and propeller shaft together--it spun off and we were dead in the water. So, we had to sail home, which was really lots of fun.

I bought a new nut for $8, then I had to buy a special, low-clearance socket for it in order to put the boat back into working order. Getting all these parts took weeks, but finally I put it all together. I finished just before Sara, Sylvia, and Sara came to visit, but they did not want to take a little cruise. At any rate, I am ready for hurricane season!

The notions on my mind these days are the madness in Ukraine and the cruelty in Gaza. It seems that everyone wants to blame President Putin of Russia for both the civil war and the downing of the Malaysian airplane. It is clear to me that our State Department, with the aid of European financiers, helped engineer the coup that eventually instigated the separation of the Crimea and the intended separation of the ethnic-Russian Eastern Ukraine. Those people did not want anything to do with the Kiev government, and considering rhetoric at the time, anti-Russian language edicts, anti-Russian hate speech, who can blame them? One of the secret elements of the pact that created the Kiev government (or kleptocracy) was a clause allowing the Ukraine to join NATO. So, it is no wonder that Putin would seek to protect his seaport and his borders. What else would these geniuses expect? So, World War III might be just around the corner, a boon to American neocons and arms dealers, well, at least until we all blow up in a nuclear holocaust!
As for Gaza, the chutzpah of the Israelis is remarkable. They are practicing genocide on a small scale, but they practice it all the time, year after year. They claim self-defense, but that is pretty hollow. Somehow, they excuse their own evil by referencing the Holocaust, which makes no sense to me. I believe the true aim and strategy of Israel's Likud government is to drive all the Palestinians away or kill them all, whichever comes first. And, I find this reprehensible and unacceptable. The fact that our government gives them so much support disgusts me.

Tomorrow evening, Gwen Graham, the Democratic candidate seeking to unseat U.S. Representative Steve Southerland is appearing at a town hall meeting (literally in the town hall). I plan to attend and ask some gad-fly questions. These Democrats for the most part are too timid to tell the truth, although I believe that with some truth they could win.