Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

Tee-hee...I couldn't resist sharing this with you. I stopped-off at Portsmouth the other day and bought a few items (i.e. more blankets - its been so very cold these past few nights). Also, I treated myself to Private Eye, the British satirical magazine. The cover photo was so good, I felt compelled to reproduce it here for your pleasure.

The steady march of the nanny (state)

As Britain prepares to introduce ID cards, with biometric data used to verify the identity of the individual subject (Britain doesn't have citizens, they are 'subjects' of a monarch), it may be timely to ponder on the steady erosion of our liberties. Increasingly, we are handing over more and more of our freedoms to the ruling political classes. In a post-9/11 world, we seem to be willing to do away with cherished values and liberties.

When these shabby measures are introduced, it is typically done with the 'innocent people have nothing to fear' mantra. This is false. Undoubtedly, the criminal classes will find a way around the new technology rapidly - possibly (probably, in fact) by creating an industry in ID card pirating!! And if international criminals and terrorists can fake passports, etc., I'm sure they will quickly overcome whatever obstacles are presented by ID cards.

Of course, the recent experiences of terrorism in the UK have involved British citizens who did not mind their identities being known after the fact. So, who will these cards impede?

Ordinary people, of course! They will be subject to new laws making it illegal for them to be out and about with no ID card (otherwise, how could the scheme work?). I have always thought that it is a terrible mistake to unnecessarily criminalise people. And it is a terrible slap in the face for hundreds of years of human progress, when we find our rulers taking our freedoms and converting them to criminal acts.

Go East, Young Man...

As I pass another dark night of the soul with only my little wireless for company and the dying embers of my stove for warmth, thoughts arise of spending some time ashore. Its been a while since I enjoyed the company of others (apart from the welcome hails from passing boats), and I'm a bit unsure of my ability to truly immerse myself once again in the society of man.

In recent weeks, as the horizon shows yet more water and little else, I have taken great comfort from this web log. Thank God in His mercy for satellite communications, allowing me to fire off these little missives - a sort of 21st century message in a bottle!

Anyway, I've been weighing up whether I should pass some months (a year, even) amongst my fellows. My fear, I suppose, is that I will not be able for it - too used to solitude, you see. And my greater fear is that I will like it too much and not want to set sail again. That, for me, is captivity and death.

As I consider these things, the only place which appeals is Japan - Tokyo, to be specific. I've never been to this exciting and mysterious place - though I've heard much about it over the years, of course.

In Tokyo, the old and new stand side-by-side, with huge office buildings dwarfing tiny zen temples. I think I would like that. Of course, I will have to learn the language. Can't get away with the usual trick of using english, but raising my voice and gesturing.

And culturally, Japan is very different from western countries - quite a challenge, I imagine.

Anyway, I will continue to mull it over. If any of you can advise me, I'd be delighted to read your comments. You can mail me at: egbertblah@gmail.com or just post a comment here.

The question is, I think, do I want change for change's sake - or do I truly need the company of my fellow men to survive, to prove to myself that I exist as more than these thoughts. More than this message in a bottle.

They're Not All Locked Up

A little speck on this morning's horizon turned out to be a sizable vessel, bursting at the seams with marine biologists and environmental scientists. A nice bunch, they drew up close and invited me on-board for some food and a few glasses of rum. Before I departed we said a little prayer together, to the Gods of the sea, asking for a safe return to dry land and clement weather (I put in my usual unvoiced request for a nice cabin-girl also). The captain - a solid Norwegian fellow named Kanute - gave me a little bundle of goodies to take back with me. When I unwrapped the kind offering I gasped with delight. Some rare treats there were indeed - two pouches of Captain Black (an exquisite pipe tobacco), a little box of Belgian chocolates, a sturdy pen-knife with their company logo on it and (joy of joys) several newspapers. 'Tis rare for me to get a newspaper on the day of publication.

As is often the case, one news story stood out and played on my mind for the remainder of the day. I felt compelled to write this post and share it with you.

I don't imagine that I have very many readers - I mean, who cares what an old salt thinks, right? But I have a sense that there are one or two who glance at this an odd time. So to you, my friends, I direct a gaze of bewilderment. The story which fills me with such confusion and awe is on the front page of The (London) Independent newspaper. The headline reads Bush: God told me to invade Iraq. According to a soon-to-be-aired BBC documentary, Bush told Palestinian leaders in 2003 that he was acting in accordance with the word of God. Now - to be clear - there is nothing wrong with a fella reading the bible and taking it seriously. And there is nothing wrong with a fella living his life in a way that he thinks accords with the wishes of the almighty. But Bush (apparently) thinks that God is talking to him. He is quoted as saying that God told him: 'George, go and end the tyranny in Iraq.' Seriously. Of course, the fact that he subsequently brought tyranny to Iraq doesn't factor in this man's thinking.

Now, as we all know, many people have felt the hand of God upon them and this has spurred them on to accomplish feats of magnificence and enormous good. And I don't mean to be disrespectful to anyone's faith -- BUT, it seems to me to be unlikely that God wanted tens of thousands of innocent people to be destroyed by American weapons of mass destruction and an entire country to be thrown into poverty, social unrest and chaos. It seems to me to be equally unlikely that, if God did want to do this, he would a) entrust the task to someone so inept; and, b) need any help. As recent weather phenomena in the US have illustrated, God has a lot of ways and means to do damage without needing to call up the village idiot in Washington.

I suppose I would say that every man's thoughts are his own, and it is not a crime to hear God talking to you, even if he is saying brutal and terrible things. However, when you start to kill people, based on the suggestions of voices in your noggin, we have a problem. And when you are the most powerful man on earth, who presides over a fearsome war-machine, and answers to no-one (except, presumably, to God in his head) and you start to attack other nations, based on these voices, then the world has a problem. And not for the first time, I am glad to be at sea - far, far away from Bush and his voice-of-God.

Something interesting & lovely

Shiver (what's left of) me timbers! Its been a cold, long day and its becoming an even colder, longer night. So, imagine my delight when I stumbled across something interesting and well produced on the 'net. I saw a blog by a lovely girl called Amanda. She is involved with a project called Rocketboom - I suggest you go and take a look: www.rocketboom.com

It really cheered me up!