The Dreaded Asian Carp claims its first victim

[Mike Bolinger]

Ya know, things were bad enough in Chicagoland with the freight slow down and wintertime and all. Then to top things off extremists like Jennifer Grandholm and her cronnies started lobbying to have vital waterways shut down.
I stuck it out as long as I could and tried to make people see the light on several websites including this one in regards to helpfull ways to control the spread of this stupid fish without taking such detremental measures such as totally shutting down waterways transportation in the Chicagoland area.

I guess you just have to know when to cut your losses.

I called my port captain for my 24 hour check in prior to starting my two week hitch and he informed me that he had no work for me until the following week because freight was so slow. And then the cherry on top of the sunday was that they are talking about shutting down O'Brian lock this spring for two months to install "carp screens" on the wickets.
This is in additon to indefinate 5 or more day per week closures to both of the locks that are also supposed to be started this spring was just more than I could take.

What am I supposed to tell my mortgage company? "I'll get back with you when the idiots running the show remove their heads from their anuses."

Everything happens for a reason though, this I truley believe. They forced me to make a move to ensure the survival of my family and it turned out to be one of the best moves I have made in a long time.

I now have excellent job security and the Asian Carp does not even factor into my life anymore.

So for all the mariners still working in Chicagoland I sympathise with you but my advice to you is cut and run.

And to all the extremists who caused me to almost form an ulcer while trying to make a living up there I hope the Asian carp takes a giant crap right in your picinic baskets.

Best wishes

Captain Mike Bolinger

[john]

I jsut listened to the "debate" on this topic on NPR. But they had only one guest and he was a research scientist. Seems like the debate should be 2-sided.

I'm leaving for sea tomorrow (so it's unlikely I can respond to this thread) but what is the best solution from a mariner's perspective?