The weak English translation of the MIT Costa Concordia report made me wonder about the use of English as a more universal communication system. While driving to a project, I was listening to National Public Radio, and there was a bit about Voice of America broadcasts. I never realized that Voice of America programs cannot be broadcast within the United States, since, in essence, they are government propaganda. However, if there is a specific request for VOA information, a recent law change has now made it possible to broadcast VOA segments in the United States.

Oddly, the factual quality of VOA is not bad, and probably much better than some of the commercial networks we all are subjected to. Actually, VOA’s efforts at truth during WWII had a major beneficial impact on the whole scope of the war. Regardless, the most interesting point in the NPR broadcast was their reference to Special English, which may be a path to better communications in international shipping.

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The world is filled with anniversities, commemorations and memorials.

IMO also has special days and September 29, 2011 will be World Maritime Day. It would be easy to be cynical about yet another "special" day. But if there can be a national pickle day, or even a day that commemorates the Irish, it is simply a non brainer that each year we stop for a minute and contemplate the effect of martime on the world. This year the day will take special notice of piracy and the effect it has on today's maritime commerce. 

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