Today's Thuds are highly specific, and are agressive, all of them being the sound of my "Clue Bat" connecting with dense skulls.
Thud the First redounds to the City of Portland Planning Division, which is in the process of ginning up support from the Left to take over political hegemony of the Willamette River, which bisects Portland. Note that the Willamette River is both Federally and State of Oregon protected and regulated, but no matter to the City, which demonstrates here that they want to assume control. As I spoke of in Friday Foibles recently (Foible #2), I did complete the fisk of the City's Grand Plan. you can see it here:
So, off it goes, but I'm not done on this subject. The Yacht Clubs, who collectively (through their memberships) own hundred of millions of dollars worth of property in this burg, are supposed to have a voice, the Columbia River Yachting Association, speaking for them before Star Chambers such as the "Healthy Rivers" office of the City. In the past several years, that org lost it's two most effective members, Jim Schwitter and Richard Rydman, who used to ably represent we power boaters' interests, so now the CRYA is barely a shadow of it's former self, and I was told NOT to bring this matter to their attention by my Club's representative to the CRYA.
Fine, I won't. There are over 85,000 powerboats registered in the tri-County Portland Metro area, and if I can put together a PAC to represent them, I need no more than 10% of those boat owners, each paying a $10 annual donation to the PAC, to be in business representing the interests of power boaters. I've put together my business plan for the PAC, discussed it with a Big Name in both the local TEA Party and the AFP, and have support there. All I need now is to have a Corporate Constitution written, get my incorporation papers filed and my IRS tax status applied for, and I'm off to the (boat) races. Considering the wealth (word used in it's FULL capitalistic sense) of executive talent available amongst local boat owners to help me fight the advancing take-over of the River by the Green Movement, and the potential resources available, I smell napalm on the morning air. It smells like Victory!
Thud the Second is the sound of the "Clue Bat" connecting with the cranial shell of the local (Gresham, OR) version of the Occupy Movement. They have tried to get going in my suburbian City, but we're mostly surviving and more conservative out here, 15 miles East of Portland, so the Gresham version of the Flea Party is struggling. I gave an AAR and simultaneous warning to them via the Letters section of my local blatt.
Thud the Third is the sound of Reality connecting with European Socialism, as in the heavy bill for that political folly hitting the floor of empty vaults in almost every European Union member country's Central Bank. This article contains the news. Note that the ECB and the member Central Banks are again going to try to "monetize" (socialist-speak for printing fiat-money) their gargantuan debt. At best, that buys time, but since the only proper use of that time is to convince the European populations it is past time to dump Socialism, and that can't be done in most cases, so the European economic situation is terminal. The US stock exchanges, which breathed a HUGE collective sigh of relief at this "solution" yesterday, are having buyer's remorse today. Personal stake: my eldest daughter and her hub are touring Austria and southern Germany for the next two weeks, but hub assured me he has sources of moolah there in case the Euro collapses while they are visiting the empty shell of Western Civ.
Thud the Fourth ought to be the sound of a Federal Judge's gavel crashing own on the cult called Scientology. This report is probably more truth than fiction, given previous reports on the cult-behavior of the Scientologists, so if I'm a Federal Judge, I find Probable Cause that the cult HAS engaged in kidnapping and slavery, and I order that the cult expose all it's members to an immediate examination to see if they are living aboard that hulk of their own free wills. I order a Search Warrant based on my findings, and have a Federal Marshal's unit take over the ship (or a Navy unit if it is outisde the 3-mile limit). Based on the return of the Warrant, if evidence supports the suspicions of civil rights vioations, I order the Marshals to impound the vessel.
Thud the Fifth is the sound of a steam explosion, not exploding tofu, as the Portland Fire Dept finally "solved" the big mystery that made the national news a few days ago. It happend exactly as I said at the time.
Stay thirsty for knowledge, my friends, and you will avoid the sound of the "clue-bat" hitting YOUR cranium.
Two yacht clubs, a few hours of sun, the well stocked fridges and liquor lockers of about 3 dozen boats, and the party attitude. Those are the ingredients for a good time on the river. It helps to have a
It's too bad I can't stream some video from this spot. It's dynamic. There are things moving on the river always. The water rolls by, pleasure and commercial boats cruise by, some stopping at the floating restaurant
Cool, rainy at times, but the camaradie makes it worthwhile. There is a really HUGE yacht club here with us, most of their boats are in the 45-70 foot class. Most of ours are in the 28-35 foot class, but both of our groups are having fun, and that's what river life is about.