Estimated reading time: 12 minutes
This kayak review is on the Pelican Clipper 100X, a ten-foot one-person sit-in recreational kayak. This kayak is one of a series of recreational kayaks with common features, produced under the Pelican brand.
Author: <span>Ron Charest</span>
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Way back in Elementary school civics classes, I learned the supposed genius of American government was “checks and balances.” That the separate but equal branches of our government, Legislative, Executive and Judicial, would guard each other against overreach. In theory, if one branch attempted to take actions in violation of our constitution, the other branches would block those actions.
But, recent events have shown that those checks and balances only work if government officials actually take action. So, today, I wrote another letter to my senator asking why he even bothers to come to work.
So today, the 47th president of the United States of America will be sworn in. This should be a day for celebrating our American tradition of a peaceful transfer of political power from one leader to another. Our peaceful transfer of power that has been the foundational principle of our nation for 233 years.
With one exception. That exception was our last presidential transfer in 2001. During that transfer, the outgoing President launched an autocoup to overturn election results and remain in power, against the will of us voters. That president failed to overturn the results. But he was never held accountable for destroying our legacy of peaceful transfer of power, nor of attempting to overturn the will of us voters.
Today, that man is once again taking power as our president. In any other nation, he would be in jail – or executed. That he is now returning to power is our American day of shame for those of us who still believe in Democracy.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
I’ve recently added another seemingly popular answer to my Quora account. This time, I had the opportunity to describe one of the very few instances when I was happy to see a police officer. My story also describes when a person received a very direct, and very sudden, Karma response to their actions.
My story is one example of a case when Karma really bites.
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Another one of my Quora answers seems to have hit the mark. Given the number of upvotes, and response comments, I thought it was worth sharing on this humble blog.
The question was “Is it true that the longer you stay in the military, especially as an officer, it will be harder to transition to the civilian world when you get out?”
My answer described my difficulties in making my transition from Navy to Civilian life. Spoiler alert: My answer is a resounding “Yes!“
Estimated reading time: 16 minutes
As I get ever closer to retirement, in what sometimes feels like running up a down escalator, I continue to mentally replay career flashbacks both good and bad. Part of replaying these flashbacks is gaming out how I could have changed bad events to come out different. For some events, as often as I’ve replayed them, I’ve never been able to game out how results could have been different.
One of those events was dealing with a client who openly scorned me from the first day we met. Over the ten months I worked for her, I was never able to gain her trust. Nothing I did was ever good enough.
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Yes, it’s Christmas time again. Another season of being jolly and having good will towards men. And being we’re in a post-patriarchy world, lets have good will towards women also. But we’re doing all of this goodwill in a Silent Night while Santa Claus flys through the skies.
So, I think it’s time for some Christmas Eve jamming music.
Licensed under CC-CC0 1.0
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Until now, I’ve never had any direct experience with living under authoritarianism. However, through both my first and present wife I’ve learned what that life is. Although I grew up in a democracy, I now recognize the key difference between authoritarianism and democracy.
It’s all about living in fear.
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Last Christmas my oldest nephew, Terry, gifted me a one-year subscription to “Storyworth.com.” This is a service designed to get people writing about themselves, in response to questions the subscriber selects. Storyworth poses a new question every week, and at the end of the year compiles all answers into a book.
I’ve been pretty good about answering the questions. Some have forced more introspection that I’m used to. Which is probably a good thing. One question that I’ve just finished answering deserves to be posted here, in consideration of the current wave of national xenophobia.
This is my answer to the question of “Who Inspires You?”
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