A New Era has begun...

**El Capitan** · January 20th, 2009, 09:54 AM

A truly moving Inauguration of our 44th President.

It's now official, the dawning of a new era has started it's engine, and we're about to embark on a journey of untold vistas.

Regardless of your political beliefs, my only hope is that we've all taken something away from the various inaugural speeches, and in our own sort of way found something to act upon within them. At the end of the day, this is what WE are all about...here, at sea, and around the globe. As we do here at gCaptain, reach out and lend a brother, or a sister, a hand.

No matter where we reside, we have to realize that we are a global industry. WE need to work together to advance our profession since we certainly can't wait for someone to fix our industry, nor can we seek a fix, unless we're willing to undertake the work ourselves. If nothing else, I believe we've all taken the first step by all of us meeting here; to share, to assist, to advise, to participate. Let's make what we do here, worthwhile.

In the meantime, I hope we take a moment to reflect, and mull the words spoken today as a point of inspiration.

Congratulations America...

**trekleader** · January 20th, 2009, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by El Capitan

Congratulations America...

Amen to that...

**john** · January 20th, 2009, 10:49 AM

El Capitan,

A great day indeed!

May I take a moment to make a request? It is clear that President Obama's focus is on motivating Americans to work hard in service of their country. I have started a new thread (LINK) where members can list opportunities to lend a hand to their fellow mariners.

For those who did not catch it, here is his Inaugural Address:

**john** · January 20th, 2009, 11:43 AM

hmmm......

**Robert** · January 21st, 2009, 11:18 AM

Great idea John!

**Capt. Nemo** · January 22nd, 2009, 12:32 PM

We've certainly begun a new era. From listening to the press and the liberal talking heads, Obama's presidency would eclipse the second coming of Christ. Is this guy a mortal human being or some super hero?

So what if he's half black. He's half white.too, isn't he? I truly don't care what he's half of. He's being made out to be a rock star and he ain't sung anything yet.

I sure hope he's half of what he's being made out to be. If he is, he'll be good for the whole world.

Bush damned sure isn't hard to replace. You could put a wooden dummy in the oval office and do as well, or maybe better. At least a wooden dummy wouldn't make any bad decisions on his own.

I just hope Obama doesn't give it all away.

Fire at will...or Nemo, as you wish.

Nemo

**timflan** · January 22nd, 2009, 02:22 PM

Captain Nemo, never mind the talking heads.

Just listen to what President Obama says. HE knows this ain't gonna be no walk in the park!

Rational or not, I'm feeling a lot more optimistic now.

**_guest** · January 22nd, 2009, 08:50 PM

It was more than enough to view the socialist banner John put up as "The photo of the day".

Please don't forget that HALF OF US did not vote for this a$$hole.

What is with the political kick this site has gone onto lately?
WELCOME TO GULF CHAT 2!
No wonder the numbers have fallen off lately.

**Capt. Nemo** · January 23rd, 2009, 05:33 AM

Originally Posted by timflan

Captain Nemo, never mind the talking heads.

Just listen to what President Obama says. HE knows this ain't gonna be no walk in the park!

Rational or not, I'm feeling a lot more optimistic now.

I haven't heard him "say" anything that makes me think he's anything but a run-of-the-mill politician who's been elected because of a bunch of politically-correct hype about race and diversity and how wonderful it is that a non-white person can be elected to the highest office in the land.

I don't care if he's a green skinned Vulcan or a munchkin from Oz. Can and will he do the job or is he just another in a long line of professional panderers? Time will tell. And I don't share your "optimism". What do you base a lot more optimism on?

Nemo

**john** · January 23rd, 2009, 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by _guest

It was more than enough to view the socialist banner John put up as "The photo of the day".

Please don't forget that HALF OF US did not vote for this a$$hole.

What is with the political kick this site has gone onto lately?
WELCOME TO GULF CHAT 2!
No wonder the numbers have fallen off lately.

First I didn't post that photo to the homepage... I am not the only person working on gCaptain.

That being said, I did create the image, and write This POST which explains our lack of backing a candidate prior to election day. The truth is I've been a registered republican since day one and I volunteered extensively for McCain in 2000, a man I have met and respect personally but did not endorse or vote for this year. The reasons are numerous and include his opposition to the jones act, a topic important to me in a depressed economy. The offshore industry has been lucky not to have lost nearly as many jobs to flags of convenience than deep sea but that is only due to the power and support of protectionist policies by southern representatives.

The reason the logo was on the homepage is not for our support of Obama the candidate (he simply showed too little knowledge of or support for maritime initiatives to gain our support) but for Obama the President.

Some notes:

This country is in crisis and needs everyone's help and support.
Incident and deaths rates among mariners are on the rise while our, like the rest of the country's, jobs are in jeopardy. Our industry is in crisis and needs everyone's (including Obama's help and support).
He has shown great support of improving our countries transportation infastructure. We remain optomistic that this will include marine transport.

Obama knows very little about maritime affairs. Does that mean we kick him off the ship or be supportive and help him learn?

So here it is in no uncertain terms: gCAPTAIN SUPPORTS OBAMA

That being said, you're right, this thread doesn't belong in the Maritime News section so it's being moved to Offtopic, an area created for political, random and offtopic commentary. -John

**timflan** · January 24th, 2009, 08:55 AM

Originally Posted by Capt. Nemo

I don't share your "optimism". What do you base a lot more optimism on?

Oh, little things like having a president who is intelligent, articulate, and who knows something about constitututional law, for starters. I know...I must be nuts!

Don't confuse my optimism with the worshipful fawning you sometimes encounter. I hear people say stuff like "He's going to make everything perfect!" (that's an actual quote from election night), and I want to grab them by the shoulders and shake them. I mean, for God's sake, he's only the president! It's a powerful position, sure, but just as in military operations ("no plan survives contact with the enemy"), "no platform survives contact with the Congress".

I doubt this is necessary, and it shouldn't be relevant, but I'm not a Democrat. Nor am I a Republican.

But as long as I opened that can of worms, I'll say that I think the two parties do a great deal of harm to the clarity and coherence of the public debate, and to the quality of governance we receive. We either need more parties (Europe style), or none. With two, you get this ridiculous pandering for the 51st percentile, and it forces our multidimensional political issues to align along one single artificial axis. Republicans, for instance, or obligated to support simultaneously that evolution couldn't possibly produce the complexity we see in the world around us, AND that the free market, operating without any sort of guiding hand, is the best way to manage the complexity of the economy.

If you support either one of the parties "down the line"; if you vote straight party ticket; if you love one and hate the other and get upset about it; if you never find yourself agreeing with some element of what the opposition says or disagreeing with something one of yours says; you've been duped. Each party's mish-mash, hodge-podge collection of platform positions are not coherent or internally consistent. They're putting on a big show, and it looks like a struggle between two big movements, but it isn't. It's just a show.

But I digress. I think Obama seems like the sort of guy you'd want to work with if you had a difficult problem to solve. That's all it is, really. So I feel more optimistic.

**Father of Evergreen Cadet** · January 24th, 2009, 06:45 PM

Been there, done that, got the T-shirt,
Do you remember Tony Blair?
He was our great hope with all the charisma of your new boy and filled us all with hope and optimism,
That things will change for the better,no sleaze. no corruption, something for everyone.

That was the line we were fed and 37% of us swallowed it. Yes, that is all the votes he needed due to our archaic voting system.

Now 10 years later the promised land paved with gold turned out to be an alchemists nightmare,the country is bankrupt financially and morally and we're like a novice on the black ski run to hell (going downhill fast with no control and heading for oblivion).

So don't pin too much hope to your masts just yet,they'll probably get blown away at the first storm you encounter.
Remember they're all politicians and only care about Power, themselves and money.
Take care over there, good luck from this Limey

**Capt. Nemo** · January 25th, 2009, 04:46 AM

Originally Posted by timflan

Oh, little things like having a president who is intelligent, articulate, and who knows something about constitututional law, for starters. I know...I must be nuts!

Being glib and photogenic doesn't equate to being a good leader. Or maybe now it does.

Time will tell. Mark 47 months from now on your calendar and get back to me. We'll know a lot more then.

wangfei · February 10th, 2009, 11:00 PM

This clock projects the time, date, or temp on the wall or ceiling http://www.liangdianup.com/clocks_1.htm some people call
it a ceiling clock but I call it a digital projection clock. I got the black one because at the time that was the only color
they had. But now they have them in black and also in white.

**Robert** · February 11th, 2009, 09:25 AM

I'm continually amazed at the diligence of spammers to get into places!

**_guest** · November 3rd, 2010, 05:32 AM

It's now official, the dawning of a new era has started it's engine, and we're about to embark on a journey of untold vistas.

Regardless of your political beliefs, my only hope is that we've all taken something away from the various acceptance speeches, and in our own sort of way found something to act upon within them. At the end of the day, this is what WE are all about...here, at sea, and around the globe. As we do here at gCaptain, reach out and lend a brother, or a sister, a hand.

No matter where we reside, we have to realize that we are a global industry. WE need to work together to advance our profession since we certainly can't wait for someone to fix our industry, nor can we seek a fix, unless we're willing to undertake the work ourselves. If nothing else, I believe we've all taken the first step by all of us meeting here; to share, to assist, to advise, to participate. Let's make what we do here, worthwhile.

In the meantime, I hope we take a moment to reflect, and mull the words spoken today as a point of inspiration.

Congratulations America...

**seadawg** · November 3rd, 2010, 06:48 AM

WTF??all from a member who has logged two posts??I for one am "inspired"!!

**personally always consider these "events" as "you vote one bum in and vote one bum out..they do their hokus-pokus and they turn your life upside down"!!

**New Orleans Lady** · November 3rd, 2010, 12:29 PM

For what it's worth,,,,I did not vote for Obama,,,,but, I think he's doing a reasonably good job, considering all the adversities,,,,and I think, when he got behind closed doors, in the Oval Office,,,some facts, came forth, which put some roadblocks, on his goals,,,,facts, which the ave joe, can not be told for our national security, which btw , is fine with me. If he continues, I will vote for him,,next time. { the poor guys hair, is turning grey,,,ya know he s trying his heart out} I do hope tho, they get the voting out of ACORN's Hands.

**RkyMtn Paul** · November 3rd, 2010, 08:48 PM

{ the poor guys hair, is turning grey,,,ya know he s trying his heart out}

Every President from George Washington (as noted in diary of John Adams) has aged significantly in that Post. There is great stress involved, regardless of your political position. "No man who ever held the office of President would congratulate a friend on obtaining it." John Adams, 2nd POTUS
I think, when he got behind closed doors, in the Oval Office,,,some facts, came forth, which put some roadblocks, on his goals,,,,facts, which the ave joe, can not be told for our national security, which btw , is fine with me
There are many things put forth by this administration that are not a part of national security which he has been slowed, if not stopped, by. These would fall under his pledge of 'transparency'?
If he continues, I will vote for him,,next time.
If he continues, he will certainly be a one term President. Hillary won't stand for it. LOL