Peace, Freedom, education and Surfing.The battleship Potemkin.
Having spent a life time on the beaches of the blue planet and of the many near and distant shores, Venice California is home and most familiar. I became aquainted with an art vender whom arrived everyday from Glendale. He said he was Russian yet I knew he was Arminian as soon as the Glen- left his lips, and before he could finish -dale I shouted, “Hyastan!” The look of surprise was noticable even though he wore dark aviator sunglassses. Ak is his name and he lived for many years in Moscow. I mentioned Gorkey Park, Glasnost , perastroyka and detante in one breath. Remenents of my brief Russian language and culture training courtesy of a tour of duty in Cold War Berlin. Ak noticed my surfboard. “Ahh yes, Potemkin”, I said lovingly of the 12′x20″ board. Ak again looked surprised. “What do you know of Potemkin?” We proceded to have a great conversation on Russian history and film making. Ak then wrote in Crylik Potemkin on the deck of the board.
Educate yourself, put down the video games, the dope, the booze the pornogaphy, the gangsta life, all the worthless garbage. Let us celebrate our humanity, creativity and goodness. I will leave it up to you to explore and discover who,why,how,and what is Potemkin.

