The only thing on the news today is all about the typhoon currently battering the coast. I always find the coverage of natural disasters like this kind of stupid. During this time of year, typhoons hit the coast of Korea-- Every. Fucking. Year. And everybody runs around acting surprised, marveling at the wake of destruction left in its path. It happened last year and the year before that-- why is everybody surprised? It's going to happen next year, too. You would think people would learn, but it happens in the southern states, too and the reaction is the same.
One of the Chinese detainees was just told he had to pay a $35,000 fine or his boat will be sold and he will have to spend two years in jail. Today's lesson-- don't fish in Korean waters if you're not Korean. The other boat owner detained in a different cell has to pay $65,000 for a total of $100,000. It's no wonder that confrontations between the Korean Coast Guards and Chinese fishermen often become violent. If faced with losing my boat and a $100,000 fine, I'd put up a fight too. Of course, I probably wouldn't be illegally fishing either, if that was the risk. The problem is the crews of the ships of no idea of their location or relevant laws. They are uneducated laborers who know nothing but fishing and the trouble they find themselves is under the direction of the captains and companies who really don't care about the fate of a couple of peasants. It's a story as old is civilization itself and unlikely ever change. Better man than me have tried and I'm no Marx or Lenin or Jesus Christ.
JA was supposed to visit today and bring me some books. I guess he's not going to make it. This place really is in the middle of nowhere so I'm not surprised. Disappointed, but not surprised. There's always tomorrow.
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