Annapolis Capital Punishment

I enjoy editor Tom Marquardt's columns on Sunday. Perhaps you will as well.
See for yourself at www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/06_08-17/OPN">www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/06_08-17/OPN">www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/06_08-17/OPN
Maybe one day he or another editor or reporter will refer someone to Capital Punishment as CP does regularly with The Capital, but CP ain't holding his breath....

Speaking of The Capital, you might want to check out what it says about the ongoing golf course issue. Once again we see how the city and the county and their two chief executives just can't get along and can't cooperate. This really makes me sad and angry and disappointed that these two governments and their top elected officials just can't seem to act like grownups. We expect a lot from them. We pay them a lot. We give them our power. Now Mr Leopold and Ms. Moyer--grow up! Stop being at odds and figure what is best for we the people. Hullloah! www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/06_08-35/TOP

Here is a headline plucked from today's paper..."Woman rescued by Annapolis fireboat two miles from shore." From time to time I comment on various nautical themes since CP is a professional sailor. I only hope I can stay out of such news stories. For example, this one concerns a woman without a life jacket, in the water, fallen from a sailboat, out in The Bay, in a storm......but here is what I cannot understand:

"The sailboat she was on lost power and went adrift in the storm, officials said. At 9:25 p.m., a person called to report the woman overboard in the bay."

The sailboat lost power? Went adrift? I assume this means the engine failed, but how does a sailboat lose power, unless there is no wind? One only goes adrift if one is not anchored and not sailing, or in some cases, it is known as lying a hull, but that's another story (see Adlard Coles, Eric Hiscock, Hal Roth, The Pardeys etc for more...)Since storms generally mean wind....duhh..why could the woman not sail? The reporter should have said "the sailboat's engine lost power"...but this is not an emergency. What does that have to do with her falling overboard? Okay, so she got tossed overboard. This can happen, but how? Why? How come no lifejacket? How dumb can this person be? We want to know more. Perhaps there will be a follow-up story. But it gets worse...The Capital reports that "While the Natural Resources Police towed the disabled sailboat to safety, other crews searched the area." The boat was towed? That means,....duhh...it was still floating, which is what boats are supposed to do, which is why you always stay near the boat...so...duhhh...why did this sailor not do that? Dis she really get thrown that far from the boat and lose it? And how big was the boat anyhow? Was she unable to reach the boat? Climb aboard? Was she alone? If the boat was being towed to safety (is that place named "Safety" marked on a nautical chart somewhere?) does that mean the boat was endangered? If so, from what?
www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/06_08-53/TOP

We are glad the sailor is safe. I am available for sailing instruction and coaching--and I think she could use my services. But please, wear your PFD!!!! Otherwise you are PFD...as in pretty ======= dumb.