 |
| Pensacola Beach, sometime in late January 2013 |
It has been a while since I read Allen Josephs'
Ritual and Sacrifice in the Corrida. So long in fact that it almost escaped notice again. Forgive me, book, it has been six years since my last reading. Why did it jump out at me then from my bookshelf, with its unassuming spine, sending shivers down mine? I open to the prologue, and it hits me. "Inspiration and Aspiration." Those words sound familiar somehow. Oh yes, my last post. And now the words that struck my frozen sea six years ago while I sat listening to the author's lecture:
"A book, the axe to chop the frozen sea inside, as Franz Kafka once reputedly remarked, can have a strange and not altogether logical genesis." Well put, Dr. Josephs. Your taurine dream described in such vivid detail in your book's prologue, sunk deep within my subconscious, gave me an idea, fantastic though it may be. Tonight on the local news, there was a brief segment about the
Blue Angels. The sequestration deadline, pushed back to March 1, is looming on the horizon, and the locals are restless about it. The Blue Angels' shows that leave millions of dollars in their wake and wow tourists and locals alike may soon be on the chopping block.
Now, I "axe" you: Is that necessary? Well, maybe, from a practical standpoint, since this country simply cannot continue to spend more money than it makes. Some sacrifices need to be made now and then, just to keep things going, right? They aren't always pretty or pleasant, but there they are, keeping us on our toes, trying to
outrun the bulls and gals in Congress and stay one step ahead of whatever it is they leave behind them. Is a Bull Run on the beach more doable than the Blue Angels? On second thought, I'd rather have the Blue Angels than a Bull Run on Pensacola Beach.
Pamplona can keep those bulls running right where they usually do, and we'll continue to let the Blue Angels fly high. If the bulls and gals in D.C. want to chop something, let them work on cleaning up the stuff they leave behind and keeping their own houses in order. Sacrifice, indeed!
You may not agree with me but I'm fine with axing the Blue Angels. Having lived thru the aftermath of an air show gone wrong (Ramstein Germany-August 1988) you couldn't force me to attend an airshow. Even when I did attend airshows I was a bit fearful and I do think it a tremendous waste of money. My job was aviation related but that only made me realize just how precarious the airspace is controlled, IMHO. That is not to say politicians don't waste even more on other things but I won't be unhappy to see them go.
ReplyDeleteThanks for adding your perspective, Tina. Truth be told, I'm a bit fearful of the shows myself, but not so much for what's going on in the air. The hordes of people attending them make me break out in a sweat. Florida heat and humidity are nothing compared to that effect.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous beach - I'm drooling over the warmth on this cold gray day. I'm with Tina on the Blue Angels. There is an air show here every year at the now former naval air station in the town where I live and where Tina grew up. It is exciting to see the planes but it strikes me as a frivolous waste of fuel and the practice noise is very disruptive for a week. I'd like to see military tax dollars spent on security not flashy shows.
ReplyDeleteSarah, I know that the air shows are costly, but they are a great marketing tool for the armed forces, a source of pride for many veterans, a valuable tourist attraction for cities like Pensacola, and free entertainment for many families with low-to-moderate income who can't afford much else these days. Besides, precision flying is a moveable art form. Personally, I think picking on the air shows is a political power play. There are many not-so-dramatic ways to save an equivalent amount of money in the military budget. The military has an ungodly number of contracts with suppliers that bear looking into for cost-cutting. Thanks for your opinion. I wonder if anyone else out there shares mine?
ReplyDeleteNooo!!!! Not the Blue Angels! They're a fixture in Pensacola and in June... That can't happen.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping for the best. And I really like that Kafka quote! :o)
Hope your'e doing great~ <3
Yay! I'm glad that you share my opinion, Leigh. Once you live near the Gulf, the warm, salt air and water get to you somehow. Yes, I'm doin' great. Thanks for asking.
ReplyDeleteHi there, I happened upon your blog from another blog and the "Blue Angels" title hooked me in :)
ReplyDeleteMy dad was in the navy and we lived on the Naval Base in Pensacola back in '78. The Blue Angels used to fly over all the time and I loved it. They would get so close that the dishes would shake in the hutch.
If they do away with the air shows, I think it will be a real shame and will really put a crimp into the area's economy. Pensacola is a great place to live and deserves better.
Great things you’ve always shared with us. Just keep writing this kind of posts.The time which was wasted in traveling for tuition now it can be used for studies.Thanks annovi
ReplyDelete