Sunday, September 30, 2018

Tired


The Captain is tired.

Tired of the endless onslaught of Facebook posts, shared news stories, and memes about the hearings for the new Supreme Court nominee.

Captain’s Note: It is the policy on the Banana Winds to not mention the names nor display the photos of convicted and/or alleged rapists; they don’t deserve any more attention than absolutely necessary.

Captain’s Note #2: Out of necessity, President Trumpf is excepted.

The Captain has many friends who are politically active, and many others who are politically vocal on Facebook. So when I open up my newsfeed in the morning, I am assaulted with a barrage of photos of the nominee’s sweaty, crying, angry face.

And I’m tired of it!

Understand, it is not that I am not sympathetic toward women who have been sexually assaulted. But right now I just have too many friends talking about it.

The Captain doesn’t have a vote here!

And you don’t have to convince me. I think this guy is an over-privileged slimeball and doesn’t need to sit on the highest Court in the land.

Even if he didn’t attack Dr. Ford as a teenager, I still think he’s an over-privileged slimeball and doesn’t need to sit on the highest Court in the land!

You don’t have to convince me!

So on Saturday the Captain was ready to “go dark” for a few days – to relax and to let this stuff blow over.

Captain’s Note: I did this last year after the election of President Trumpf too.

When I do this, I notify my friends of what I am doing and why. Then I change both my Profile Picture and the Cover Photo on my page to black.

“The Captain is not in.”

But as I was about to go dark yesterday, a friend changed her Profile Picture to a black box.

I knew right away it was about something.

She’s one of those politically vocal people I mentioned above.

Not wanted to dilute whatever she was doing, and not wanting to be confused with her cause either, I sent her a messaging asking about it.

It was a secret, she told me.

Captain’s Note: Honestly, mates, what good is a protest if no one knows what you are protesting?

But since we’re friends – and friends don’t keep secrets – she told me the what it is about.

Women were being asked to go black to stand in solidarity with sexual assault victims… to “disappear”, as so many men seem to want women to do.

She followed up today with an article by a woman saying, “Don’t do this!” The writer’s argument was that since this “protest” is not tied to an organization or letter-writing campaign, it cannot be productive.

WTF?!?

And she quoted someone else about how using a “black box” for this protest might offend “black” people.

WTFWTFWTF!!!

At the risk of “mansplaining”, I assured my friend that she is free to protest whatever the hell she wants; she doesn’t need an organization to tell her to do it.

I further noted that most of my “black” friends are not really “black”, but rather beautiful shades of brown. I don’t know how they might be offended by changing a Profile Picture like this.

Captain’s Note: Perhaps the Captain should ask one of them some day.

Nonetheless, I assured her that whatever she does, someone will criticize her for it so she might as well follow her heart.

This is why the Captain is tired.

So I suppose I will have to find some other way to signify that I am taking a break from Facebook.

But if you are a Facebook friend and are reading this, please review your personal page. Have you been over-sharing recently?

Let me suggest this: if you have posted or shared six or more items per day concerning this Supreme Court nomination and the circus that has grown up around it, understand that you are part of the reason I’m checking out for a while.

Perhaps you should cut back…

It’s not healthy.

Not for the Captain… and probably not for you either.


Saturday, September 22, 2018

Update Update

For those mateys who are following the never-ending saga of The Tiki Hut, rejoice with me for today I successfully removed the fresh water tank.



Unfortunately, there were no additional cracks in the tank. 

Which means either there is a leak somewhere else in the system or the Flex Seal didn't hold.


 A new tank is already on its way.


Just in time to winterize her!

Dammit!

But that's not what I want to talk about today. Today I want to talk about politics.

There are Congressional hearings going on right now to confirm a new Supreme Court  nominee put forth by President Trumpf.

This after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) refused to even consider President Obama's nomination two years ago.

So the emotions run high about this one.  

The Evangelical supporters of Trumpf are counting on him helping to overturn Roe vs. Wade, the ruling that made abortion legal in America. 

Time and again the Evangelicals & Republicans have demonstrated that they love the unborn child... but not the one that has been born.

Apparently, once you are born, you are on your own.

As the confirmation hearings were coming to a rapid close, a lone voice spoke up.

A woman claimed that this judge attempted to rape her when they were in high school.

The reactions to this claim have been predictable. Trumpf supporters have attacked her for waiting 30 years to come forward; they are suspicious of the timing.

Evangelical leader Franklin Graham has even pronounced that the candidate's alleged rape attempt is "irrelevant". 


Irrelevant!


Captain's Note: This is not my Christianity!

As with the President himself, Evangelical leaders are willing to overlook literally EVERY sin of their candidates if those candidates are willing to further their agenda.

Those who hate Trumpf and his proposed candidate insist she be heard.

Are we afraid of the "truth"?


The obvious answer here is "Yes"!

So why did she wait so long? 

Well, if recent cases are any indication, no one would have listened to her 30 years ago.

One can look back to the case of the Stanford University swimmer who was caught in the act of attempting to rape an unconscious co-ed. He got 6 months and only served three months.

The judge felt the boy had so much "future potential"...

No consideration for the girl's future.

The boy claimed he just wanted "outercourse"...

I shit you not.


More recently, the grandson of a former Virginia governor had his rape conviction reduced to a misdemeanor; no jail time at all!


Seriously, guys, if you can't look at a woman like this and not have violent thoughts toward her, you have a problem! You need help!

So 30 years ago at a high school party, where alcohol allegedly flowed in abundance, a 15-year-old girl was allegedly forced into a bedroom by two older boys - of legal age - where one groped her and attempted to remove her clothes.


He was unsuccessful because, allegedly, he was too drunk.

The victim said nothing - except to friends, and to a therapist several years later. 

But when she saw her attacker being considered for a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court, she felt the need to speak out.

Thirty years later.

Knowing she would be doubted. 

Knowing she would be belittled.

Knowing she would be attacked.

She had nothing to gain.

And she has been doubted. Belittled. Attacked. As is popular in this polarized day and age, people have made death threats toward her and her family, to the extent that she and her family have left their home and moved to a safe, undisclosed location.

And she awaits an opportunity to tell her story.

Is 30 years too late to wait?

Surely what happened in high school should stay in high school...

Boys will be boys...

But here's the thing: If this woman had felt she could report such an attack 30 years ago and be believed, this candidate would probably not be sitting here today being considered for the Supreme Court. 

With a felonious assault on his record, he would not even be considered for judgeship.


Here's the Captain's advice for the ladies out there: if you are assaulted, make some noise! Immediately! Don't feel ashamed - it is not your fault! Report the assault. Collect evidence. Make notes. Tell friends. Don't let a guy go free because you are embarrassed.

That boy could one day be a Supreme Court Justice. 

Or the President of the United States.

  


 

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

It'll Be Easier, He Said

When last I left you, dear mates, the Captain was pondering how to remove the busted freshwater tank from The Tiki Hut. 


After careful thought and some libations, it was determined that it would be easier to remove the wall panel on the cabin interior that to dismantle the water and electrical systems that are blocking the aft end.


The wall panel appeared to be painted plywood. A couple screws held it in place. No problem.


Ha!

The fuzzy stuff on the wall was simply glued up, so that was no problem. Then I removed the two screws at the top, thinking that would release the panel.

Ha!

It didn't budge. 


The panel had been sealed at the bottom and port wall side with fiberglass.

It took the Captain five hours to get to this point.


The goal is in site. Another hour or so of working in the hot, cramped space and the tank will be free.

Ha! 

Captain's Note: Tomorrow be International Talk Like a Pirate Day! Yer Captain is expectin' ter be up to his eyebrows in work so I might not get back to you here to celebrate with you! So lift a glass to yer Captain sometime tomorrow - and I'll lift a glass to you! 

Huzzah!

 

Monday, September 10, 2018

Frustrations


The Captain is taking the day off; long week ahead.

So what better to do than work on The Tiki Hut!

What a relief that the cloud cover held the temperature below 70 degrees until well after lunchtime. It’s too early for Fall, but a great day to work on a boat!

As mentioned in a previous blog, her latest problem is the freshwater tank.

It leaks.

Despite patching two large, visible cracks in the 50 20-gallon tank, it still drained completely over the Labor Day weekend.

Correction: When the Captain disconnected the lower hose today about a gallon of water drained into the bilge.

So once again, standing virtually on my head, I crawled into the engine well and disconnected the hose fittings, straps, and bracing that held the tank in place.


Then I pulled.

Dammit!

Here’s the thing about boats.

Yer Captain learns something new almost every day…

As a boat of this nature is assembled, it is built from the inside out.

Which means the water tank was first to go in, followed by the engine, the hoses, the electrical system, and everything else they could feasibly cram into the engine well.

All that to say, without some major disassembly, that freshwater tank is not coming out!

At least in one piece…

But if I cut the old tank into pieces to remove it, how will I get a new tank in there?

Fortunately, The Tiki Hut offers other perks while the Captain ponders this dilemma.


Captain’s Note: Add to the frustration that the marina WiFi is not stable today. Searching the internet for parts has been a royal pain in the ass!

Addendum: While enjoying an extended Cocktail Hour at The Tiki Hut, pondering this perplexing situation, the Captain had an amazing idea.

I say amazing because there was enough Southern Comfort involved to be flammable!

A quick exploration of The Tiki Hut’s cabin confirmed my idea: by removing a wall panel from the interior, I should be able to slide the water tank forward through the cabin! Then I can replace with a like size!


And maybe perk up the interior just a little bit more in the process!

Yay!

But the day is late and the sunlight is already fading. A task for another day…