Excederin Headache #79

Zebulon, NC

I came across this scene today and took the pictures below.  It happened on the I95 overpass in Smithfield, NC.  

In the picture, you can see the driver letting the air out of the tires.
The boat was not damaged so the driver must have stopped in time. But if the driver was that alert,  I can't help wonder what he was doing out there in the first place.  The minimum clearances on I95 must be published someplace.

The Other Guy's Side

Zebulon, NC

The debate over abortion has continued for many decades following Roe V Wade.  I consider myself lucky to be ambivalent on the issue and thus able to view the dispute from above.  I see the validity of the views of both sides.  It all rests on a single fact; a fetus is or is not a human being.  There is very little room for a middle ground compromise on that question.   You are either yes or no.  There can never be reconciliation between groups divided on that question.

Yesterday, after listening to the  Steptoe Cyberlaw Podcast for the 80th time, I had an epiphany (i.e. epiphany. a smart-sounding word for realizing you've been practically retarded for quite some time). I realized that pro and anti government views are almost exactly analogous to the abortion issue.  The key question is: do you consider the government as our ally and trust it to act in our interests, or do you believe government to be our enemy and unworthy of trust?  I never saw that clearly before because I'm not ambivalent on that issue. I am deeply immersed the anti-government side.

The trigger to my change of heart came from listening to the "shop talk" of Stewart Baker and his partners on the podcast.  They sound very well informed, sincere, rational, and skilled at predicting the future.  Their views are one-sided but not rabid. Yet I find almost everything they say and do to be offensive.  I once referred to Baker as The Great Satan.  Why? Because I see government insiders as a bigger threat than the bad guys.   Their anti-bad-guy tactics carry anti-liberty baggage.  

I'm probably even guilty of false thinking in my zeal to oppose them.  I'm willing to fall for the trap of thinking the enemy of my enemy is my friend.   But wait! That's not true.  There really are terrorists, foreign governments and regular crooks out to harm me.  They aren't my friends.  I do want protection from bad guys, but I also feel oppressed by my protectors.

I believe that the pro-goverment side is also guilty of false thinking in their excesses of zeal and loyalty.  They think that even when they're wrong they're right because of good intentions. They think government should be trusted because they trust themselves.  They think that people who don't trust them are lunatics. Misdeeds are explained as "bad apples" that should be weeded out if only someone (not me) blows the whistle on them.   They never acknowledge how serious the injuries they cause to liberty are.  They believe that parties injured by government deserve what they get. They never admit that governmental bad behavior is systemic to the extent that some sectors do more harm than good.

The perfect poster boy for both sides is Edward Snowden.  He is either a true American hero, or a heinous criminal.   Very few people are ambivalent on Snowden.

So, am I a member of a lunatic minority?  Not at all. according to the latest Gallup Poll, 49% of Americans think as I do.  But also according to Gallup, a substantial body of Americans are more concerned with other bad guys are thus willing to give government a free pass to do whatever it takes.   Gallup Poll citations to support both views are below.

So, what is the bottom line?  What should we do about it?  I think that the two views can never be reconciled.  We must live with the split until the pendulum of public opinion swings strongly one way or the other.  In the recent past, and for the forseeable future, the pendulum is stuck at close to 50-50.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/185720/half-continue-say-gov-immediate-threat.aspx

http://www.gallup.com/poll/167672/terrorism-iranian-nukes-considered-greatest-threats.aspx

Just Do It

Zebulon, NC

Well, it was a long hard drive to get here.   We had a last minute surprise.  Our grandaughter Sara and great-grandaughter Anna asked to hitch a ride to Dave & Cathy's house where they are going to visit for a while.  Naturally, we are delighted to have their company.

On the other hand, our car was already stuffed full of camping gear, yet Sara has tons of baby equipment.  Fortunately, we could use the canoe as a cargo trailer.  We did that.  I had a bit of fear of being stopped for driving a Beverly Hillbillies type of vehicle, but it all worked out fine.

Before that, I got a call from a W28 owner, and would be cruiser.  He wanted to ask questions about cruising.   Libby and I did our best to answer his questions.   After the call, I realized that his real problem was simply reluctance to take the plunge on such a non-orthodox life style.  I wished I had said to him Just Do It!

Cruising is not for everybody.  That applies to couples and to single people.   They can talk to others, and ask advice, but in the end the only way to know for sure is to try it out.   The magic number seems to be two years.   After two years of cruising, you will almost surely be certain.  Cruising is or is not for you.   If not, then you can give it up and try somethings else.  If yes, then you can finish cutting the ties to land-based life such as houses, cars, and storage bins, and do so without trepidation.

Part time cruising is also a perfectly viable solution for many people.  Indeed, by my estimate, 80% of the cruisers we meed do it part time.   It also seems that after 10 years of full-time cruising, Libby and I are gradually slipping into the  part-time model.

Just about the only choice that I can say is almost always wrong, is to sit home dreaming about living the cruising life, but not actually doing it.  Once again: Just Do It.

Sigh, End of Summer

South Burlington, VT

Wow, it is hard to believe that it is time to leave.  The summer went by fast.   We had a wonderful time.  Jen and Pete were very gracious hosts to allow us to stay for such an extended time.  Thank you very much.

If we had Tarwathie here, we would have departed two weeks ago.  But now it's time to go anyhow.  Our rough agenda is:

• More family visits.  First with Marilyn in Mechanicville, then John, Cheryl, grandkids and great granddaughter near Rome, NY.   Then to North Carolina to Dave & Cathy's house.
  
• Libby wants to spend a week or two on Dave's garden.  I want to go on a canoe trip with Dave.
  
• Head south, camping along the Blue Ridge Parkway.  I have dreams about seeing the parkway in full fall colors, but that may not happen.   I hope that Dave will let us leave the canoe with him over the winter.  Perhaps he could use it for additional trips.
  
• Reunite with Tarwathie in Green Cove Springs.  I have (at least) two boat projects to work on before the spash.
  
• Splash and start heding south in Florida.   We would like to attend a Westsail Rendezvouis in Cape Canaveral on November 6.
  
• We will most likely spend Thanksgiving in Vero Beach and Christmas in Marathon.  Then we are back into our winter life on board.

Every year I write on this blog that end of summer (and end of winter) is a bittersweet experience.  It is true.  We hate to leave, but we miss Tarwathie, and we look forward to next winter's life onboard.  We are very lucky people to enjoy such a fun life style.

1001 Pots, A Visit

South Burlington, VT

During our recent trip to Val David, Pierre took us to the village to meet his friend, Kinya Ishikawa.

Kinya is a true character.  The kind of person that we all delight in meeting.  He has found his way to do the things he loves doing in life, and he is happy with that.

Kinya is a prolific potter.  He is also very generous.  He helps teach autistic children.  He also sponsors the 1001 Pots festival in Val David every year.

Kinya offered us tea.  As we sat he described coming to America, then to Canada.   He also said that he found a secret place, 500 miles north of Val David where one can find a special mushroom much desired in Japan, and worth a small fortune.  Kinya said that he was getting too old to drive there.   Libby started to offer to drive him, (typical Libby).  He replied, "Thank you, but then I would have to kill you."

Kinya's 1001 Pots garden is a wonderland of artistic imagination.  I recommend it as a tourist destination to anyone who can visit that areas.

Kinya Ishikawa 

His teaching studio

Libby and Pierre enter the 1001 Pots Garden

Kinya lit this smoky fire to welcome us

Love this roof.  Kinya says it is beautiful in winter.

Even the paths are paved with pottery.