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The Gov making the high seas safe for all

3K views 33 replies 13 participants last post by  tigerregis 
#1 ·
#27 ·
I agree that political discussions have no place on this forum. Hell, we can't talk about sailing without getting mad at each other, let alone politics.

But, since you've opened the nominations for worst president, I have to second the nomination of Lyndon Johnson. He campaigned against Goldwater, claiming that if Goldwater was elected, he would get us into a war within 6 months. (If Eisenhower had already gotten us into the Vietnam War, as some like to believe, nobody at the time knew about it, because Johnson's campaign strategy was to play on the public's fear that Goldwater would get us into a war.) Sure enough, 6 months later, Johnson commenced our first major involvement in the Vietnam war. Before the end of his term, the allies had well over a million troops in Vietnam, many of whom were US draftees. Johnson was so frustrated by the continued escalation of the war, and his inability to stop it, that he appeared on national television one night and announced that, if nominated by his party, he would not run for reelection, and if elected, he would not serve another term as President. He made a complete mess of that war, he knew it, and he quit at the end of his first full term, leaving it to Richard Nixon to figure out a way to get us out of it. That is the definition of failure.

I know it's difficult for some to imagine, but history will ultimately be much kinder to Richard Nixon, who ended the bloodshed in Vietnam and who opened up relations with Communist China, which, as we all can now see, after the passage of 35 years of history, is rapidly becoming the next great economic powerhouse of the world. Despite his impeachment, those will be seen as Nixon's towering achievements.

For those who are so ungracious in their opinions of President Bush, he too will fare well in the long-term vision of history. The opposition will be seen as a pack of snarling dogs, acting out of a blind rage, and he'll be seen as a man who led the nation where it needed to go, even though it didn't want to go there, and that is the definition of greatness.
 
#28 ·
Proportionally speaking, you are much more likely to be aided by a merchant vessel or another recreational vessel than the Coast Guard. And, while I am discouraged by the fits and fumbles they seem to be making, I am old enough to realise that that is how the government operates. When you think government-think post office. Not to denigrate the USCG, but their license testing center is in Oklahoma! This was obvoiusly a political decision, as all government decisions are, and should shock no one. They'll get it right eventually as they have lots of my money to make mistakes with!
Given my opening statement, I think it prudent that we equip our boats not only for our own safety but for the safety of other vessels we may encounter. This may be as simple as carrying 100' feet of spare dock line/anchor rode that might be employed in towing another vessel out of danger. Extra medical supplies would qualify and I'm sure others will have ideas about this as well.
However foolish, and poorly equipped, other boaters may be our obligation under the law and traditions of the sea begins the minute we step on board. Always having a VHF tuned to Ch. 16 may allow us to save a life-even if we feel we're in an area where we don't "need" the radio. If in trouble, we'd all like to think that others are ready and willing to respond. The responsibility begins one boat at a time, starting with our own. Nuff preachin'
 
#29 ·
Yep. Nuff preachin. Nuff politic-in. It's all enough to drive an honest sailor to drink!

Thanks for the gracious comments on my long post above...didn't mean to rattle on for so long.

Here are some pix to put a few images to those earlier times, and to later ones as well.

Happy holidays to all.

Bill

Pix are at:

http://gallery.wdsg.com/view_album.php?page=1&set_albumName=Legacy

Click on each one twice for full resolution.

B.
 
#30 ·
Gov't

btrayfors, took your advice. drink in hand. Just for info, I once knew a Cdn soldier who was on the IJC looking after the DMZ with the Poles and Indians. He told me that the Poles looked after the Russian interests and the Cdns the US's.That left the Indians to play the neutral role. Do you have any info on this time and place? Thanks
 
#31 ·
#32 ·
Re: from Giulietta:

" here we go again with the dixie Chicks thing. 4 weeks ago someone threw that over here, and I still didn't get it."

"Do they sing bad or something??"

This is what I love about Sailnet, a Portugese gentleman sailor wondering just who the hell are the Dixis Chicks and what does this have to do with sailing. Giulietta - here is an article on the subject. I'm Canadian so I'll stay out of any discussion regarding the Chicks.

Cheers and good luck.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/21/arts/music/21pare.html?ex=1305864000&en=d22d01ca294bc426&ei=5088
 
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