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SUBSTANCE OR SEMANTICS ?

After over 40 years of living in the United States NAUTICAL LOG is still confused by this country, which language they speak and what they are saying.   The 'policespeak' used by police spokespersons each evening in the News leaves one staring in baffled amazement at the screen.   Acts of vandalism are now described as domestic terrorism and of course since 9/11 everyone in uniform is a hero.  US Police Departments seem unable to deal with or solve any situation without a gun in hand.  Just this afternoon we have had yet another case of "the Officers were forced to fire" of course that leaves just their opinion of the incident since the person involved is deceased.   Yet the Federal Officers seem to able to deal with situations without all these "forced to fire" incidents.  Winston Churchill talked of two nations divided by a common language but it is also much more, an entirely different cultural approach to problem solving.  


The English (US) NAUTICAL LOG is still learning and maybe without spell check could not write.  Looking through past Posts there is a mixture of English (UK) spelling and English (US) spelling however as long as the point is made does it really matter.  Also many Americans have little or no knowledge of geography that it is impossible to answer some questions.  My classic so far this year was a neighbor, holding a Masters Degree in Education, whose son is fighting in Afghanistan asking me if her son would be able to see "The Queen" during the Elizabeth Windsor visit to Ireland "because everything in Europe is so close together".  For once NAUTICAL LOG was speechless!!! 


Mind you it is not that much different on the international scene, nobody seems to know what they are doing, make decisions or plans to correct that inability or particularly care about doing so.  Extraordinary behaviour by international bankers while visiting America with its mind boggling multi-standards for personal behaviour in the first place. Just this week we have had yet another weepy US Congress politician holding a news conference to try and 'spin' his way out of his scandalous personal behaviour - he lied about it for over a week.  There must be a folder prepared in the US Congress Press Office ready for these occasions - how many have we had now?  Facebook® and Twitter® seem to have zapped peoples brains!!


As to World Governments who knows what they are saying but then that's their whole idea to be brilliantly not understood.  Where we seafarers are concerned the most troubling issue at present is piracy.  The amount of paperwork that has been generated is voluminous and the reports are classics in legally correct English of the British, United States, Australian, Indian and Vatican versions covering all aspects of the issue.  Nicely phrased as they are when one is finished reading them one has learned absolutely nothing whatsoever and they do even less to solve piracy.


Why is this when the US and EU can quickly gather NATO forces and attack, destroy property and kill citizens of the sovereign nation of Libya because they do not like its methods to solve internal problems.  What the Irish would call "The Troubles" in their classic ability with language.  Yes the stated reason was humanitarian, so if that is true then equally well piracy is a humanitarian issue of equal importance under International Law.  No problem with those NATO Governments to find some laws to cover the Libya issue, get those forces assembled and release the Dogs of War.


Indeed you are right reader NAUTICAL LOG is really pissed-off these days and holds in complete contempt those who call themselves World Leaders.  The Joint Press Conference of our Kenyan-American President a truly excellent speaker and mumbling Merkel yesterday did not add to ones joy.  Enough already, lets open a beer and relax - Sláinte!!


Good Watch

Please remember the seafarers held captive by pirates off Somalia.  At present not much is being done for y'all and it is time to consider not manning ships transitting HOA.

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