Oakland, California

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I believe this is the apartment building we lived in when my ship, the USS Peregrine, was in overhaul in the Bethlehem Shipyards in San Francisco, California.

421 Simonton Street, Key West, Florida

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We used to live upstairs over this store when I was in the Navy. The entrance was in the center where the indented doors are. You walked through a courtyard and then up some stairs. No air conditioning. Jalousie windows. This was when I was on the USS Peregrine. I am now reading the Alex Rutledge series of detective stories written by Tom Corcoran that take place in Key West. It is fun to read about all the places I used to know and visit.

123 Broad Street

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This was my home when I was growing up. I lived here until I finished college and joined the Navy.

115 North Salem

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My grandfather's house in Sumter, South Carolina. My dad and his 8 brothers and sisters grew up here. We all gathered every Sunday at my grandfather, Popoo's, house. I have many fond memories of being there with a multitude of cousins and all my aunts and uncles talking at the same time,

The Complete Kaisei Voyage Blog

Project Kaisei Cruise Blog by Karen Hawes

Day 28 S/V Kaisei: The Voyage Ends/The Journey Begins

Project-Kaisei - Sailing Vessel Kaisei

What does a blog about sailing vessels, what people do with trash, and an airplane nicknamed "Rivet Ball" have in common? As always truth is stranger than fiction and as is often the case these days Facebook plays a role. My cousin, Robert L. Brown, a retired teacher, active historian, and former Air Force Officer was at one time a crew dog on a plane flying out of a small island in Alaska, an island called Shemya. "Rivet Ball" flew out of the single runway on Shemya and along the Russian coastline capturing electronic intelligence and evidence of Soviet ICBM launches. The weather was terrible and landings were always a challenge. On one of those landings in bad weather "Rivet Ball" encountered slush and ice on the runway preventing the braking needed to stop. "Rivet Ball" slid off the end of the runway and ended up a twisted and broken bird but her crew escaped with minor injuries. King Hawes and my cousin were fellow crew dogs on the broken plane and have remained friends ever since. Recently I encountered King on Facebook and knowing the connection to my cousin we became Facebook friends. It was then that I learned that he has some very talented daughters, the youngest, Karen is maintaining a the blog Open Waters where she is documenting her experiences on the sailing brig Kaisei. The excerpt below is from her blog.

Kaisei Meets New Horizon

Just a quick update, because internet access is a little iffy out at sea. . . I’m traveling west and north, on the brigantine Kaisei – a tall-mast ship with Ocean Voyages Institute. We’re over 1,000 miles from nearest land, taking a short swim break in the deep waters. The crew of 25 are enjoying a much-needed break from the long days and short nights – or long nights and short days (depending on what shift you’re working)!

I’m onboard as the medic, engineer, and computer geek/website assistant to the blog for Project Kaisei – Sailing Vessel Kaisei. There’s a second ship, the New Horizon, which is also working with OVI on Project Kaisei.

Obviously, I’m also onboard for my exploration of trash, for Trash Trip. The fact that I’m out at sea, searching for the plastic vortex of trash, is a dream come true! I have known about the gyre but never imagined it possible to reach. We have seen plenty of bits and pieces of trash along the way but we have yet to encounter the elusive island of floating trash. The gyre is a big place and we’re a small vessel. If and when we do encounter it I can only imagine how that will feel!

Find pictures and updates about our ship at the blog for The Kaisei and I will post my own updates when I can and when I return. Thanks to all who have contacted me so far – I will reply when I’m back on land

Florida decrease in population a good thing or bad?

In my humble opinion this could be, in the long run, the best thing that has happened to our state in decades.  The reality is that no society can live on growth forever.  it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that we live with limited resources.  Food, energy, water, all are limited.  We have been living beyond our means for half a century now.  It is time for Florida, the US, and the world to stop counting on growth to pay for everything and for everyone to realize that there is a certain population that is sustainable.  We passed that level a very long time ago and the continuing degradation of our environment is the result.

For Florida, 'end of an era' of population growth - USATODAY.com

Last month came the most jaw-dropping announcement of all: The state that made population growth the linchpin of its economy for more than 60 years lost a net 58,000 people this year, according to newly released estimates for April 1.

"It's the end of an era," says Robert Lang, director of the Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech. "Florida represents an entire postwar vision of the good life — palm trees, low cost and no taxes, just easy living. They could turn it around, but in the short haul, it's paradise lost."