Senator Kerry of Massachusetts, aided & abetted by Senator Snowe of Maine welcomes the Commandant of the Coast Guard (Select) and emotes at some length. Unfortunately, from a maritime point of view, he says thing that everyone in the room knew before they were 20 years old. Here's the link: http://commerce.senate.gov/hearings/032002Kerrynom.pdf

Comes today a call from an active U.S. mariner -- an endangered species if ever there was one -- listing the large and growing booklet which he, and apparently all mariners, must carry when they go to sea.

Truth in blogging: I asked for this phone call. A couple of weeks ago, there was a puff piece on the glorious things that ISO has done for the merchant marine. I forwarded the article to various sailing mariners and got an email back saying, "You're marking me sick to my stomach."

Further truth: it wasn't a puff-piece; the author stopped (I hope he stopped) just this side of donning a gap-blue dress & knee pads.

Anyone wish to comment on the added safety or business efficiency resulting from all this good stuff?

And some drivil from a Journalist -- someone who, by definition, is not entitled to have an opinion:
CNN.com - Ships to lose their femininity - March 20, 2002
http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/sailing/03/20/lloyds.sex/index.html

My first post -- SECDOT shows that lawyers & bureaucrats use statistics like a drunk uses a lamp post: not for illumination; for support.
http://happyfunpundit.blogspot.com/?/2002_03_17_happyfunpundit_archive.html