random quip

Following the daily news, one could get the impression that land is the center of life on earth. Indeed, people live on land, and societies develop and thrive on land. Often people forget that two-thirds of the planet is covered by water, and the seas play a crucial role in defining the global order, its political and security issues, and economic opportunity. By looking for causes rather than chasing effects, mankind would realize that our feet — and overall destinies — are wetter than we may imagine. The most difficult maritime challenge today is, therefore, educating the public to the importance of the global maritime commons and teaching them about the security implications of the seas. -Admiral Valter Giradrdelli, Chief of the Italian Navy-