Article reposted with permission from News From The Bow. Views expressed are those of News From The Bow.
Welcome to the May 2011 Issue of News From the Bow
Gas prices in the US now average $4 per gallon. Diesel fuel costs even more. America is at war in Iraq, in Afghanistan, and has just deployed drones (and their missiles) to Libia in what is increasingly being described to as a quagmire. Our multi-trillion dollar national debt grows by tens of billions of dollars every day. Standard & Poor’s warned investors last week that, unless congress can come up with a long-term financial fix, the US may soon lose its “AAA” rating and be forced to pay more to finance our debt. CBS News reports that the nation’s mood is at the lowest level in two years.
This brings me to the reason for discussing how bad things are. I realized last week, during a walk along the shore, that our hopes and our dreams as Americans have been tested before, and remain very much alive. A prior generation of economists also predicted global financial catastrophe during the great depression. This country has survived, among many other challenges, its revolution, a Civil War, two world wars, Korea, Vietnam, and 9/11. What appear to be insurmountable difficulties today will probably be footnotes of American history tomorrow.
The accompanying photo, taken during my walk, is a bit grainy and washed out, like many of our perspectives of the future. It contains a statue, some pilings, and a park’s watery edge. Afloat, to the right in the shot, lies a barge with a few small boats belonging to a local club. The vessel on the left is an anchored visitor, below deck to avoid an unseasonably cold breeze.
As I snapped this photo a young man and his family stood near. This father, holding his two young children, shared his optimism with me (a sentiment not often heard these days). “It’s a beautiful day. Things are about to get better” he said. We sensed the promise of spring.
And the meaning of the photo became clear. We were standing before the most recognized symbol of freedom in the world, the Statue of Liberty. The small boat club just offshore represented local community values. The lone boater’s pioneering, self-reliant spirit, which resides in us all, was evident. The young dad and I agreed. It was good to be in America.
During tough times it is important to remember that our greatest gifts are the precious rights that others now fight for around the world. We are a nation of individuals with freedoms fundamentally protected by our Constitution. We are free to express ourselves individually, like the boater at anchor in the photo…to venture alone…to take risks with the promise of reward. Our protected rights to pursue happiness bring together many groups including boat clubs, political parties, and religious organizations. We have reason to be optimistic.
And then the young dad, his family, and I moved on. We had been inspired to realize the promise of spring.
This Issue’s Contents
In this issue we are proud to present:
- Welcome to Mack Boring: an interview with Steve McGovern and his team about the past, present and future of marine engines, and the boatbuilding industry
- Boating Innovations Worth Mentioning: the title says it all
- Technology Pulls: A bit of Original Nautical Poetry
- Ignorance is Bliss: A reminder that luck can be welcome onboard
- Unusual Additions to Our Boating Palate: reviews of flashing charts, a unique line of boat stoves, and the latest electric outboard
- From the Parts Department: with John Conlan’s take on commissioning and maintaining your boat’s fuel supply
Thanks for joining us today. We welcome your comments and participation, and invite you to send both our way. Have a safe and joyful spring on and about the water!
Stu Hochron
Email: Editor@NewsFromTheBow.com
More great articles like this can be found on News From The Bow.
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