Ah SpawBach (again as Tristam would have called you...):
I was a teanage warfrat when Tristam was on the bum in New York in the early days of South Street Seaport, good to know others remember him.
Yup Brendy, it is an Alice in Wonderland world, and we poor sods who work - get hurt and wet. Did you ever hear the Phil Oachs song, "The men behind the guns"? It would be a good tribute to the men of the Kursk to post it.
All the best,
Larry