October 12, 2008. 18:30 PDT. Viewed from our deck facing W-SW.

Attribution: Mike Harding

Via Respectful Insolence and HT: David.

I’m a big fan of the “moose and squirrel” – so you can imagine how distraught I was when I saw the masthead below….Noooooo! Not Bullwinkle!!!!!!!

U.S.S. Potomac (Roosevelt’s former yacht)

It’s so easy to take the place you live for granted and today, I’d like to replay a great day my daughter and I had in and around San Francisco. Someone wanted to do a treasure hunt today, and I wanted to see some of the aerial escapades available at Fleet Week. So, I put together a number of clues that sent us from Montara into San Francisco and beyond.

At each point along the way my daughter had to keep an eye out for a word that started with a particular letter and when she found it that would account for treasure. If we found enough treasure, there would be a sweet treat at the end of our quest. We started off looking for a train that started with the letter “B” – sure enough, she suggested BART which we caught in Daly City. The next clue was to hit the station that started with an “E.” After looking at the system map with me for a bit, she came up with Embarcadero. Bingo.

Next stop was a building that started with the letter “F” – you guessed it (and so did she,) the recently renovated Ferry Building where we had a delicious lunch at the Golden Gate Meat Company (she loves BBQ pork.) We stepped out of the Ferry Building looking for a clue that floated and started with the letter “S” and after some searching found the Sonoma, a Golden Gate Ferry that would take us to see our next clue (also an “S”) enroute to our next clue destination (starts with an “L”.)

We got on the Sonoma and started cruising north along the SF waterfront when we saw our next clue in the air, the Snowbirds, a precision flying team from Canada. They gave a great show and our view from the open top of the ferry was spectacular as we moved north past Fisherman’s Wharf, Alcatraz, and Angel Island. My daughter didn’t get that one by name, but she did say the answer had to be the airplanes (she was right.)

We then worked on what our destination would be, the place that started with an “L” and she didn’t get it until the horn of the ferry horn tooted and the announcement from the crew we were landing in Larkspur. Our next clue started with the letter “B” and we simply got off the ferry, went around the side, and got right back on to return to San Francisco. As on the way there, we had a great view of the airshow and we saw an airplane with two wings, a bi-plane (our B clue which took a little hint to get.) Our final clue and the clue that represented the treasure started with a letter “C” – we looked around the ferry to find it and I’m happy to report that she did, at the snack bar, a giant chocolate chip cookie!

We didn’t hang around to see the Blue Angels, she was tired and wanted to head home. But we did see some great aerial displays, some great old ships (like the liberty ship S.S. Jerimiah O’Brien and the U.S.S. Potomac, Franklin D Roosevelt’s former yacht, steaming around,) several Navy ships and Coast Guard cutters, and the Golden Bear, a training vessel of the California Maritime Academy.

My daughter had a great time and relayed much of the detail to her mother upon our return. I had a good time too and have to say, I really enjoy this area. There’s so much to offer and enjoy. We’re really lucky to be able to have these experiences.

This morning while waking two questions popped into my mind about Senator McCain:

• Why is he campaigning?
• In Tuesday’s debate he claimed “I know how to fix the economy.” Well, how do we do it?

On question one, McCain claimed that he was suspending his campaign to put country first and solve the financial crisis. I don’t know if he’s paying attention, but the crisis is still raging full force. So, why exactly is he campaigning when the mission is not accomplished? Could it be that he was not serious about his assertion that the country needed his strong leadership to emerge from the financial funk? Or perhaps it’s the more obvious political stunt. I hope in the last debate, someone asks the Senator this question.

As for question two, based on McCain’s assertion that he knows how to fix the economy, end the war, find Bin Laden, etc. My question is how? If you know this, why haven’t we heard the answer from Senator McCain? Is he saying “elect me and I’ll show you?” Or perhaps he thinks he knows how and he thinks he’s demonstrated the answer already? Or perhaps it’s the most obvious answer, he doesn’t know but thinks most Americans will let that pass as long as he says he knows?

The economy is falling down around our ears and in recent campaigning in Ohio, here’s the closing argument from McCain’s Campaign in Wilmington:

So you know, Ohio, from now until Election Day, you’re gonna hear our opponents go on and on about how they’ll, quote, fight for you. But since my running mate won’t say this on his own behalf I will say it for him. And that is, in this campaign there is only one man who has every really fought for you. The only man who has ever really fought for you and the only man with courage.

And for contrast, here’s Senator Obama’s close from the Dayton rally:

Together, we cannot fail. Not now. Not when we have a crisis to solve and an economy to save. Not when there are so many Americans without jobs and without homes. Not when there are families who can’t afford to see a doctor, or send their child to college, or pay their bills at the end of the month. Not when there is a generation that is counting on us to give them the same opportunities and the same chances that we had for ourselves.

We can do this. Americans have done this before. Some of us had grandparents or parents who said maybe I can’t go to college but my child can; maybe I can’t have my own business but my child can. I may have to rent, but maybe my children will have a home they can call their own. I may not have a lot of money but maybe my child will run for Senate. I might live in a small village but maybe someday my son can be president of the United States of America.

Now it falls to us. Together, we cannot fail.

The contrast couldn’t be more clear. If McCain had something to offer, he would have offered it by now. In fact, McCain is downright addled. As I’ve said before, this election is over.

Paul Hipp, well done! Quite a laugh while bringing the point home. Finally, a little smile in the midst of this mess…HT: Ray