World Citizen's Thoughts - Blogithttp://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/worldcitizen/A world citizen, veteran of travels to forty-plus countries, tells sea stories and thinks thoughts.hourly12000-01-01T12:00+00:00Three very short stories from Poems and Sea Stories by James B. Ruddhttp://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/worldcitizen/657122BLUE ANGELS, BRITISH LIEUTENANTS, AND ADMIRAL’S NIECES After three years in the Asia, I asked the Navy where Icould go, if I stayed in another three years. The Navy said Saigon orNaples. I had been to Saigon already, but not to Naples. So afour-star Admiral endured a starry-eyed Lieutenant in...Three very short stories from Poems and Sea Stories by Jame B. Ruddhttp://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/worldcitizen/657121BLUE ANGELS, BRITISH LIEUTENANTS, AND ADMIRAL’S NIECES After three years in the Asia, I asked the Navy where Icould go, if I stayed in another three years. The Navy said Saigon orNaples. I had been to Saigon already, but not to Naples. So afour-star Admiral endured a starry-eyed Lieutenant in...GRAVITYhttp://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/worldcitizen/655893GRAVITY Gravity we take for granted. With it we all stick to earth. But then we contend, For some special spot on the surface. And meanwhile forget, Gravity was given to everyone. So it takes another war to remind us, That we all have to be someplace. Gravity requires it.A CONGRESSMAN, A GUNRUNNER, AND A CUP OF TEAhttp://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/worldcitizen/655888A CONGRESSMAN, A GUNRUNNER, AND A CUP OF TEA Dan was in my office in Subic a few days before. He told astory about playing with a handgun in the swimming pool as a kid. He and hisbrother took turns shooting at each other like fish in a barrel to see how deepthe bullets would go. His face was...JOYhttp://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/worldcitizen/655858JOY Joy is everywhere. We can try to avoid it, Even turn our back against it. But joy will track us down and trap us, In our own laughter, At a baby’s giggle or a friend’sjoke. Joy pervades even the darkest moments of our lives. The death of a loved one brings back fond memories and funny...http://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/worldcitizen/655856ONCE, ONCE UPON A TIME Once true love rang it in. But only just that once. Once it rang the ship out of port, Headed back to war again. Once it was the party of the year, Dancing in a hilltop villa garden, Italians in their tailored elegance, And the ring of crystal touched atmidnight. A toast to...A TREE FOR ALL OF UShttp://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/worldcitizen/655855A TREE FOR ALL OF US Your twisted trunk of beauty, Bears the ravages of time, A city bears its name today, Because Athena made of you, Her chosen gift to the mortals, Recounted still in Grecian myth. The dove of peace and hope began, By flying back to Noah, A symbol from your branch, That spoke...THE ANCIENT DELIGHT OF LUNAR LIGHThttp://www.blogit.com/Blogs/Blog.aspx/worldcitizen/655854A full moon glows again tonight. Why is it so mesmerizing? Physics tells us t hat shared gravity. Between the earth and moon keeps them both on track, A s they circle each other and fly their annualoval, Around our star. Maybe moonlight is hypnotic becauseit really is sunlight, And a mirror of...