Monday Musings - December 31, 2018

1. It is the last day of 2018. As we reflect go the year behind us, here is hope that 2019 will be much better for all of us.

2. I find it hard to believe that my end of the year vacation, eleven days off, is coming to an end after tomorrow. I have very much enjoyed being off from work, but I am ready to get back into the thick of things.

3. It is good to get a few little projects accomplished around the house. There always seems to be something to do, but knocking a project off the list gives a feeling of accomplishment. 

4. The NFL regular season ended yesterday. Here is the final installment of the family NFL weekend results. It is is important to note that two of the family teams ended as Division Champions and are hosting playoff games next weekend!

  Ravens (10-6) defeated Browns 26-24. Ravens won AFC North
  Cowboys (10-6) defeated Giants 36-35. Cowboys won NFC East
  Steelers (9-6-1) defeated Bengals 16-13
  Redskins (7-9) lost to Eagles 0-24

5. What are you doing for New Years Eve? Please be careful and do not drink and drive. Call a Lyft or an Uber. Most areas appear as if there will be rain.

6. When do you take the Christmas decorations down? This coming weekend will find our decorations back in the box for another year.

7. The government shutdown continues. It is unfathomable to me that they believe that they can run a country in this manner. Our leaders should be ashamed of themselves for their pettiness and lack of desire to lead the country forward while the rest of the world leaves us in the dust.

8. Today in History. On this day in 1999, the United States, in accordance with the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, officially hands over control of the Panama Canal, putting the strategic waterway into Panamanian hands for the first time. Crowds of Panamanians celebrated the transfer of the 50-mile canal, which links the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and officially opened when the SS Arcon sailed through on August 15, 1914. Since then, over 922,000 ships have used the canal.

Headlines

Trump Digs In, Darkening Hopes for a Deal to End the Shutdown - The New York Times

Empty Homes and Protests: China’s Property Market Strains the World - The New York Times

How a Crackdown on MS-13 Caught Up Innocent High School Students - The New York Times

China factory activity shrinks for first time in over two years, 2019 looks tougher - Reuters

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

Today, we're taking a break from the concerns and the bustle of the work-a-day world. But we're also making a new beginning... Let us renew our faith that as free men and women we still have the power to better our lives, and let us resolve to face the challenges of the new year holding that conviction firmly in our hearts. That, after all, is our greatest strength and our greatest gift as Americans. 


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD