Showing posts with label History. Show all posts
Showing posts with label History. Show all posts

Friday, October 20, 2023

Plying the Intracoastal and Finding History

Former Presidential Yacht Honey Fitz
Jupiter Island, FL
October 19, 2023

 Chris and I took our friends out on a pontoon boat yesterday to see and enjoy the sights along the intracoastal waterway (ICW). 

We checked out a different boat for the day than my usual deck boat. It was a pontoon boat and it was perfect for the six of us, plus Finnegan, to enjoy a day on the water. 

Godfrey Pontoon Boat
ICW
October 19, 2023
As we were exploring the ICW, we came upon a piece of nautical history that has only recently arrived. We passed the former Presidential Yacht, Honey Fitz. There she was, tied up along the ICW for us to enjoy. It is funny that I recognized it immediately. Historically, Honey Fitz, which was given that name by President Kennedy, served five presidents: Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon. It was recently purchased and restored making it post-restoration debut at the Palm Beach Boat Show this past March.

Chris and Finnegan Aboard our Boat
ICW near Jupiter, FL
October 19, 2023

Our vessel for the day was not nearly as elegant, but it provided reliable transportation as we explored the ICW and visited a sandbar in the Loxahatchee River before finally landing on a beach to enjoy the mid-day sunshine.

Finnegan accompanied us for the day and enjoyed being out on the water. He was a very good dog and never needed to use his live preserver. 

I found that the pontoon boat is not nearly as agile as the deck boats I usually check out, but for a group of people to be comfortable and enjoy a lazy day on the water, pontoon boats are the way to go.


-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL 

Tuesday, February 14, 2023

Valentine's Day 2023

 


Happy Valentine's Day!

Yup, it is mid-February and the day none of us dares forget is upon us. 

I bought a card! Well, and there might be some flowers this afternoon.

It is a good day to remember the ones we love and also our close friends who help us over the hard times. 

Sometimes it is good to review the history of the days we celebrate. I invite you to read about Valentines Day on Wikipedia. A short excerpt follows:

Numerous early Christian martyrs were named Valentine.[16] The Valentines honored on February 14 are Valentine of Rome (Valentinus presb. m. Romae) and Valentine of Terni (Valentinus ep. Interamnensis m. Romae).[17] Valentine of Rome was a priest in Rome who was martyred in 269 and was added to the calendar of saints by Pope Gelasius I in 496 and was buried on the Via Flaminia. The relics of St. Valentine were kept in the Church and Catacombs of San Valentino in Rome, which "remained an important pilgrim site throughout the Middle Ages until the relics of St. Valentine were transferred to the church of Santa Prassede during the pontificate of Nicholas IV [1288 - 1292]".[18][19] The flower-crowned skull of Saint Valentine is exhibited in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Rome. Other relics are found at Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church in Dublin, Ireland.[20]


-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Thursday, May 5, 2022

Cinco de Mayo 2022

 


Happy Cinco de Mayo 2022!

Let the festivities begin as my favorite foreign holiday arrives. 

Cinco de Mayo is actually a holiday in Mexico--but it is more widely celebrated here in the U.S. 

Many people wonder why I enjoy the holiday. Well, it is one of those holidays, complete with a celebration, which although considered minor by many has incredible significance to the American experience. 

Cinco de Mayo is NOT Mexican Independence Day, which is celebrated during September, and it also is NOT a Mexican Federal Holiday. The Battle of Puebla where out-manned and out-gunned Mexican forces defeated a larger French force (sounds a bit like Ukraine and Russia), was also not a turning point in the War, which the French ultimately won. The Battle of Puebla, however, may have helped prevent the Confederacy from winning the American Civil War. 

An excerpt from a History.Com article, titled How Cinco de Mayo Helped Prevent a Confederate Victory in the Civil War, provides the historical perspective. 

Some contend that the year-long delay of the French invasion gave Abraham Lincoln’s generals just enough time to win decisive Union victories before Napoleon could provide upgraded artillery and munitions to the Confederacy. 

“By the time the French occupy Mexico City in June of 1863, the battle of Vicksburg was already underway," says Eric Rojo, a retired U.S. Army Colonel and commander-in-chief of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States, an organization composed of descendants of Union officers in the Civil War. Rojo points out that the Battle of Gettysburg was about to begin and that Union victories were "signaling the beginning of the end" for the Confederacy. “Even if French were able to set their supply lines by mid-1863, it would have made very little difference in the outcome of the Civil War.”

So I celebrate today not only for the fun and revelry, but for the true historical significance of the Battle of Puebla and in memory to the brave Mexicans who played a role in preserving the Union and these United States.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Tuesday, December 7, 2021

Eighty Years

 

Sailors, planes and a huge ball of fire and smoke atwreckage-strewn Naval Air Station, Hawaii, following 
one of the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941.
The LIFE Picture Collection/Shutterstock



A date that will live in infamy forever.

 - Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Eighty years ago today the Japanese Empire conducted a largely successful surprise attack upon the the U.S. forces stationed in Hawaii that brought the United States fully into World War II.

2,400 Americans were killed and another 1,200 wounded during this surprise attack which began before 8 AM Hawaii time on a Sunday morning. 

Pause today and think about how lives were transformed in just a few minutes as the idyllic tropical islands were transformed and thrust onto the frontline of the world at war. 

The attack on Pearl Harbor remains an event that must never be forgotten, not so much for who conducted the attack, but more because of how and why it happened.

Take a moment today and read or reread an account of the attack in memory of those who served and lost their lives, whose world was turned upside down within a few moments on what served as a gateway for the U.S. to fully engage and enter World War II. 


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday, November 28, 2021

Outlaws and Doctors

Photo by Patrick Doan

 My family, which came to America during 1629, has a checkered history. Yesterday my son Patrick visited the grave of a long dead Revolutionary War relative and it reopened a chapter in our family's history that we probably should forget, but it is incredibly interesting and at times confusing. 

The site of Levi Doan's resting place, along with his cousin Abraham, is just outside of a Quaker Cemetery near Doylestown, PA. They were part of the Doan Gang, a group of five brothers and one cousin who supported the British during the Revolution by spying on the American forces and stealing horses to support the Redcoats. But they were very complicated. The stories make them sound like a cross between Robin Hood and common thieves. 


The following story, from the referenced history of the gang, shows how the Doan's were more than common thieves and murderers:

A young mother whose husband was with Washington at Valley Forge could not obtain a travelling pass from the British in order to buy food for her children. Despite repeated petitions to the British leaders, the pass was not forthcoming. Spurned on by the cries of her hungry children, she finally set out for the mills along a series of back roads that would keep her from the sight of the British sentinels. The woman was so exhausted from hunger and the long journey that she was near death the following day when she endeavored to return home. Burdened by her sack of flour, she struggled along the road, periodically dragging her cargo through the woods to skirt the British guards along the way. Suddenly she was stopped by a man. She immediately assumed from previous descriptions that he was one of the Doans. She told him of her husband at Valley Forge and her hungry children and the stranger, Moses Doan, gave her his purse with all the money he had in it. He then warned her of another sentinel just ahead on the road and disappeared before she could thank him. She pressed on and was almost home when a British guard challenged her and demanded a pass. When she could not produce it, he demanded her sack of flour which the woman, weak from her journey, gave up meekly. At that moment Moses Doan appeared from the woods. She knew it was Moses by his clothing but his demeanor was quite different from the man she had met only minutes before. He shambled over to the soldier like an old man and asked that he return the woman's flour, even offering twice its value in gold. When the guard refused and then threatened to arrest Moses, he seized him by the throat and told the woman to grab her flour and run. As soon as she was safely away, Moses drew a pistol and shot the guard in the head. Instantly, the alarm went up from the guard house and along the line of pickets. Moses escaped into the woods where he found his horse and rode for the safety of the river. Before he was to finally escape he would shoot another guard and kill a British officer who was in the lead barge pursuing him across the Delaware. Having failed to capture him, the British soldiers later attributed his escape to supernatural reasons which served to further escalate the legend of Moses Doan.


Sometimes as we search for family history, we find more than really want to know. I was encouraged, however, since the Doan's who settled in Buck's County, PA, were from Israel's side of the family. My branch is from his brother Daniel who became a respected Doctor in the Barnstable, Massachusetts, area near where the family came to America. Daniel married Constance (Hopkins) Snow whose mother, Constance Hopkins, came to America aboard the Mayflower. Yes, they were both named Constance.

So wet are not all outlaws! Just a few of us!


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


Friday, April 16, 2021

Discovering History in my House

Junghans Ships Clock
M/V Usarmao on Reverse

 I have clocks. Many sizes and kinds from small alarm clocks to towering grandfather clocks. And wall clocks. While stationed in Germany with the Air Force, Chris and I began collecting clocks and I learned how to repair them. So we would buy non-functional clocks and I would make them run again. At one point I though it would be a good second career, but that urge has passed. 

One of the clocks in my collection is a ships clock made by Junghans--a solid German clockmaker to this very day. The clock measured about 7 inches across the case. Oh yes, the clock works.

I never though too much about the clock or if it had ever been on a particular vessel until the other day when Patrick and I were talking. He asked if I knew what ship the clock may have been associated with. I remembered there was some almost unintelligible writing on the back of the clock and we turned it over to find M/V Usarmao written on the back. I remember looking at the back when I bought the clock and Have to admit I was not familiar with the designation M/V (not being a sailor) and thought it was someone's signature or the name of the owner. 

SS Usarmao
In Dar es Salaam
Date unknown
Now, however, many decades later I recognize the M/V as either Motor Vessel or Merchant Vessel. So, of course, we immediately checked the internet and discovered that the M/V Usarmao has a history as a passenger and cargo ship and was last operated by the German Navy before being scuttled in 1944. The ship was built in 1920. The website has some interesting history of the vessel and the location of the wreck.

The website reports:

Passenger ship requisitioned by the German Navy to base crews and supplies. 12/09/1940: Sunk by Allied aerial bombing in the port of Bordeaux. Then handed afloat. 25/08/1944: Scuttled by her crew in Lagrange, Gironde (France) Read more at wrecksite: https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?2083

Fascinating. I have this piece of history connected to a ship that was part of WWII action.

OK, now for the disclaimer. 

I have no idea if the clock is genuinely from the M/V Usarmao. All I know is that the name, for some reason, is written on the back of the clock. I do not remember where Chris and I purchased the clock, it was likely from a flea market in Germany. No mention at the time of purchase connected the clock to a ship. Although my German is pretty poor and even if the seller mentioned the history of the clock, I did not understand it. 

So, I will live with the illusion that the clock is in fact from the ship. There is a serial number on the clock which may provide a definitive clue, should I wish to pursue it. 

History in my house! Wow!


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


Thursday, August 6, 2020

75 Years Ago Today


Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park
Wikipedia
Seventy-five years ago today at 8:15 AM local time in Japan, the first atomic weapon to be used during conflict detonated above the city of Hiroshima, Japan. 

On this day seventy-five years ago, the United States became the first, and thankfully so far, the only country to use these most powerful weapons that mankind has been able to produce. It devastated the city of Hiroshima and three days later the second atomic weapon devastated Nagasaki, Japan. Many of us know even the names of the weapons that caused the widespread devastation and destruction-- Little Boy and Fat Man. 

In remarks at the ceremony, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan delivered a cautious statement in which he vowed to gradually work toward the elimination of nuclear weapons.

“As the only country to have experienced nuclear devastation in the world, this is our unchanging mission to step by step and steadily advance the efforts by the international community for a world free from nuclear weapons,” he said. He added that nuclear and non-nuclear states should pursue “common ground” to address severe security challenges.
(Hiroshima 75th Anniversary: Preserving Survivors’ Message of Peace - The New York Times, August 6, 2020)

We should remember the devastation of these two bombs and continue to work to ensure the world can be free from the threat of the use of nuclear weapons. The explosion in Beirut yesterday, reminds me that devastation of our society and planet is always close at hand as long as nuclear weapons continue to proliferate. According to one article, the explosion in Beirut yesterday measured 2.75 kilotons. The bomb dropped on Hiroshima was estimated to be between 12 and 15 kilotons. 

Take a moment on this anniversary of the devastation of Hiroshima and pray for peace. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Friday, March 20, 2020

Encouragement from the Past


I watched movie set during WW2 the other day, no it was not Patton

Churchill studies reports of the action that day
with Vice Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay,
28 August 1940, © IWM (H 3508)
I was, however, reminded of the dire circumstances being faced by the British, especially after Dunkirk, and I recalled a very famous speech made by Winston Churchill to demonstrate the resolve of the British people in the face of Hitler's armies. So I went and found a transcript to read.

It was an inspiring address--but it was the last paragraph which spoke to me. As I hunker down now, alone but yet still inextricably entwined with my community I felt a sense of encouragement in reading the words and changing, in my mind, references to the Germans to COVID-19. And even the very last sentence apparently still rings true given what is happening with COVID-19 across Europe.

Winston Churchill's complete address delivered on June 4, 1940,  to the House of Commons, titled We Shall Fight on the Beaches is at the link.

I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made, as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our Island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necessary for years, if necessary alone. At any rate, that is what we are going to try to do. That is the resolve of His Majesty’s Government-every man of them. That is the will of Parliament and the nation. The British Empire and the French Republic, linked together in their cause and in their need, will defend to the death their native soil, aiding each other like good comrades to the utmost of their strength. Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God’s good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old. 

I highlighted a couple of really important points that the Prime Minister made.

We must each do our part and we must also consider how the actions we take today could affect ourselves or others tomorrow or in two weeks.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Return to the Flagler Museum


Christmas Tree in the Main Room
Flagler Museum
Palm Beach, Florida
November 13, 2019
I do enjoy good museums and the Flagler Museum in Palm Beach is a good museum. It provides a detailed look into the Gilded Age and how the very upper crust of American Society lived. 

Christmas Tree in the Drawing Room
Flagler Museum
Palm Beach, Florida
November 13, 2019
Unlike when Chris and I visited during out last trip here, the museum is now decorated for Christmas. That surprised me a bit when I first entered, but then upon reflecting a bit, it made sense. The decorations were not lighted--that happens after Thanksgiving. 

It was nice to tour the museum again after seeing it only a few months earlier. I was able to go deeper into some of the exhibits and gain a better appreciation for Henry Flagler and how he created modern Florida in his vision. The key was building a railroad to connect the villages of St Augustine, Palm Beach, and Miami. He then built the Overseas Railroad to connect Key West to the mainland. It was an extension of the Florida East Coast Railway. 

As it rained during most of the day which precluded going to the beach, visiting the museum was a great way to spend time and gain a better appreciation of history as well. 

I recommend visiting the Flagler Museum. It is a must do when in the West Palm Beach/Palm Beach area.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


Sunday, November 3, 2019

The Santa Maria


2018 Replica of the Santa Maria
Baltimore Inner Harbor
November 2, 2019
It was sitting the Baltimore Harbor last night and I recognized her as soon as I saw her tied to the pier. 


2018 Replica of the Santa Maria
Baltimore Inner Harbor
November 2, 2019
It was the full scale 2018 replica of the Santa Maria, Columbus's flagship of the squadron that with the Nina, Pinta are famous for carrying the discoverer to the "New World."

Discovering history through the replicas is a fantastic thing. The Santa Maria is only about 161 feet in length. That is roughly one tenth the length of Oasis of the Seas at 1186 feet. Oasis is a ship that Chris and I have had the pleasure of sailing upon a couple of years ago. The crew of the Santa Maria was estimated to be between 35-45 men. Who sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in a small wooden ship. 


Looking Down on the Main Deck
2018 Replica of the Santa Maria
Baltimore Inner Harbor
November 2, 2019
She is beautiful, however, The woodwork is amazing and the ship appears sturdy. It, of course, is a floating museum. It is important to understand the conditions that the crew faced on a daily basis. It was not a lot of fun to be a seaman during the late 1400's. Life was tough and perils were found everywhere.

Yet, the small ships and crews found their way around the world. 

I enjoyed coming aboard and exploring the portions of the ship that were open to the public. I was amused that the ship was sporting extensive Halloween decorations, some of which are evident in the images that took. 

It was an enjoyable time delving into history. And after visiting the ship, Chris and I proceeded to enjoy the festivities adorning the Baltimore Inner Harbor for the remainder of the evening.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Tuesday, July 16, 2019

50 Years Ago - Apollo 11



I remember the launch of the Apollo 11 mission to land men on the moon vividly to this very day, even though I was only 13 years old. I was excited about the greatest adventure in the history of humankind. For the first time, humans were planning to set foot on something other than Earth.


Today, we begin a period of remembering what happened 50 years ago. At 9:32 AM EDT, July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 launched and the journey began. 

While it seems like ancient history to some, to many others of us the launch, the risk, the journey to the Moon by the brave trio of Neil Armstrong, "Buzz" Aldrin, and Michael Collins; was as if we were making the trip along side of them.

The hopes and prayers of all Americans traveled together with the three astronauts. 

Take some time this week to pause and reflect about one of the greatest achievements in human history, and something that has been replicated by no other country on the planet. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, Florida

Monday, July 30, 2018

Monday Musings - July 30, 2018





Church in Harper's Ferry from the Railroad Bridge
July 29, 2018
1. The last Monday of my favorite month of the year has arrived. August is waiting in the wings for a grand entrance on Wednesday.
Fence Lining the Sunken Road
Antietam Battlefield
July 28, 2018

2. Chris and I spent a weekend immersed in history. We walked the Antietam Battlefield as well as wandering around Harper's Ferry.

3. I am glad the rains stopped for the weekend. We enjoyed a concert by 1964 the Tribute at Big Cork Vineyard on Saturday night. What a great idea, hold a concert on the grounds of a vineyard with a generous supply of great wine available!

4. The rains are expected to return this week. Sadly. I was enjoying the sunny skies.

5. Our dogs and cats are tired of Chris and I taking off for the weekend. I think they will be happy when remain are home for a while. 


1964 The Tribute
Big Cork Vineyards
July 28, 2018
Truck Loaded with Bushes Ready for Recycling
July 30, 2018
6. Despite the travel, Chris and I managed to remove three unsightly large bushes from the side of the house. Their time had come and it is now time to refresh the appearance.

7. On this day in 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signs Medicare, a health insurance program for elderly Americans, into law. At the bill-signing ceremony, which took place at the Truman Library in Independence, Missouri, former President Harry Truman was enrolled as Medicare’s first beneficiary and received the first Medicare card.

8. Joke for the Week: Why shouldn’t you write with a broken pencil? Because it’s pointless.

9. The Orioles just won three games in a row all by scoring 10 runs or more and, weirdly, they had 15 hits in each of the three games. That has to be some kind of record. The three successive wins have lowered their projected season losses to 113! They are over .300 in winning percentage for the first time in a long time and are making a push to get out of last place in MLB.


Headlines

G.O.P. Faces Another Midterm Threat as Trump Plays the Shutdown Card - The New York Times

Air marshals have conducted secret in-flight monitoring of U.S. passengers for years - The Washington Post

'Happy with tariffs': Steel industry emerges as trade war winner - CNN


Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week


"But if we remember that freedom rests, and always will, on the individual -- on individual integrity, on individual effort, on individual courage, and in an individual faith in God -- then we will have met the challenge of our generation and brought our great nation safely through our turning point in history."
Address Before a Joint Session of the Iowa State Legislature in Des Moines, February 9, 1982

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Fire Sank the Titanic?


The conspiracy theorists continue to be alive and well even over 100 years after the tragic sinking of the Titanic.

A new article posits that a coal fire in three-story high bunker next to the boilers and in the vicinity of where the iceberg collided with the ship may have weakened the hull and contributed, or caused, the vessel to sink.


Wow. 

An article in the New York Times yesterday titled Coal Fire, Not Just Iceberg, Doomed the Titanic a Journalist Claims

The article presents an interesting view of the cause of the disaster. The coal fire allegedly began three weeks before the ship departed on its fateful maiden voyage. 

David Hill, a former honorary secretary of the British Titanic Society, who has been studying the cause of the sinking since the 1950s . . . “It amazes me how this ship still captures the global imagination. It was not the worst-ever catastrophe at sea. But it is the one everyone remembers.”

There have been many theories about the titanic, including one that maintains that it wasn't the Titanic which sank, but its sister ship the Olympic. 

Well, there probably isn't any possibility of proving one way or the other whether the coal fire, who knew, contributed significantly to the tragedy. I do find it interesting that the ship sailed with a coal fire raging--but, it was a different time.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday, July 4, 2016

Monday Musings - July 4, 2016


1. Happy Independence Day! (and it's a holiday too!)

2. Mondays that fall on Tuesday are the toughest days of the week.

3. John Adams wrote that the Fourth of July "...ought to be celebrated by pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other..."

4. There is something great about starting the day on a golf course, even if I'm not playing very well.

5. We enjoyed fireworks yesterday in advance of the expected storms this afternoon. The whole neighborhood seemed alive with explosions and bright displays, almost as John Adams intended.

6. Some places are rescheduling the fireworks--it is possible to get three nights of fun and explosions.

7. Many dogs hate fireworks.

8. Enjoy your fourth and be safe.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday, May 23, 2016

Monday Musing - May 23, 2016


1. It rained so much over the weekend that I was greeted by a man at my door yesterday afternoon inquiring about the availability of gopher wood. His name was Noah.

2. I played nine holes of golf yesterday morning in the rain. We were supposed to play 18, but came to our senses half way through.

3. It has been so cold and rainy that many of us are beginning to wonder if we relocated to Seattle in our sleep?

4. Historical thought of the day, from the Washington Post: Hamilton’s great fear was that American democracy would be destroyed by demagogues who would “mouth populist shibboleths to conceal their despotism.” 

As of May 22, 2016
From ESPN.com
5. The Orioles have the best record in the American League. There is no time for celebration, however, because the team with the second best record is .005 behind and in second place in the division. 

6. I realized that I don't actually hold newspapers in my hands to read them anymore. I read them on line. I miss the smell of newsprint with my coffee in the morning.

7. My lawn needs to be mowed. That is something that cannot be done in the rain.

8. Maybe the Vietnam war is over! According to the Washington Post, "The Obama administration announced Monday that the United States would fully lift a longstanding U.S. embargo on lethal arms sales to Vietnam, a decision that reflects growing concerns about China’s military clout and illustrates the warming bilateral ties between the former enemy nations."

9. Does anyone else remember when Vietnam was written Viet Nam?

10. The forecast for today is 70's and chance of a thunderstorm. At least it will be 15 degrees warmer.  

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday, March 21, 2016

Monday Musings - March 21, 2016


1. Maybe it really is springtime? Despite an ominous forecast, this weekend's storms did not bring sub-freezing temperatures or snow (other than a few flakes mixed with rain).

2. While is Sarasota last weekend, I saw the ultimate vanity plate on a car. An image of the car itself! States with only rear license plates can be a lot of fun.

3. March Madness, as the NSAA Men's Basketball Tournament is called, is truly underway. My bracket is totally busted, but my alma mater (Syracuse) and my hometown favorite (Maryland) are still in the dance having made the Sweet 16. 

4. Chris and I watched the movie Room over the weekend. We recommend it. Brie Larson won the Best Actress Oscar and she turns in a great performance.


5. I noticed that the trees are beginning to green. Yesterday I saw definitely hints of green on the formerly bare branches. 

6. Maryland's first tournament game was a classic tale of the turtle and the hare. It pit the Maryland Terrapins against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. The turtle won again!

7. The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament and a well timed TV broadcast Orioles Spring Training Game provided some much needed relief from the political primary season over the weekend.

8. The President is in Cuba! I think that it is fantastic that we are finally recognizing that Cuba is not an enemy but that they can be a partner.

9. On this day in 1871, Stanley began his search through Africa for Dr. Livingstone which ended about 8 months later with the Stanley uttering the now immortal words "Dr Livingstone, I presume?"

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Heroes Around Us


Reading the news is often a depressing experience, but yesterday, I read a story about a previously unknown piece of American history and realized that there are heroes living among us.

The news article was about a now 100-year old woman who was an experienced post-WWII spy--and is only now coming out from behind the cloak and dagger.

The article published by The Daily Beast begins, "Capt. Stephanie Czech arrived at the U.S. embassy in Berlin wearing civilian clothes, as always, and delivered the report she’d been carrying to the intelligence section. The war may have ended, but Czech was still working, undercover."

I am pleased that people can keep secrets like this for so long, but secretiveness of the intelligence business often deprives the rest of us from appreciating their tales of intrigue and sacrifice. As I read the story, I noticed that Captain Czech was a child of immigrants and was allowed to perform such important duties for the United States.

The current political discussion about the value of immigrants to our society needs to be placed into context by stories such as this. 

Sadly, probably because she was an agent and a woman, the recommendation to decorate her for her actions has languished for 70 years. Fortunately, she is still alive and can finally be recognized for her service to our nation.

We can finally say thank-you to a true American hero.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Friday, November 13, 2015

In Need of Another Vacation


The Blue Hole, Belize
I have been getting email about planning future vacation destinations and cruises.

Specials, discounts! 

Except, none are for next summer. They all want me to leave tomorrow or next month!

Oh I wish that I could. The ultimate escapism.

Cathedral Cove, New Zealand
I would love to be cruising the Caribbean while Winter arrives in the North! I looked at the temperature graph for the upcoming week in Key West. It varies between 80 and 85 degrees! That, by the way, is the low and the high!

Perhaps the darkness, the rain, the gloom, and the too cool temperatures are beginning to get to me! I even see that snow is beginning to creep into the forecasts of cities around me. 

Brrr!

It is November after all! The news were talking about the November Witch yesterday providing frigid weather to the mid-section of the country. The same witch that may have been responsible for the wreck of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, which was 40 years ago. 

Well, after all, it is almost Thanksgiving and time for the bad weather to begin affecting activities. Darkness and bad weather. What a combination.

Find me a warm, sunny beach somewhere with gentle waves breaking along the coast.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Patriots and Patriot Day: Reflection


Yesterday was a solemn day of remembrance. Officially, it was National Day of Service and Remembrance of those who lost their lives during the September 11, 2001 attacks. 


It, as a day, does not come with the distinction of a national holiday along with time off to reflect, but rather, it is a day to pause and remember in our homes and places of work as we are going through our lives. That is how the day happened, right in the middle of life.

I find it hard to believe that 14 years have passed already since that day. Many of us pause to remember where we were those short few years ago, but there is already a generation of Americans who were not even born yet, or were far too young to recall the terror of that day and the time. 

And we must remember. We must not forget. 

Every year as we pause on September 11th at 8:46 EDT, we should rededicate ourselves to the Patriot Spirit and put service before self, even if only for one day. I hope you did, yesterday.

And maybe again today.

And tomorrow.

Think of how our country and our world would be changed!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Saturday, July 4, 2015

Happy Independence Day

The Spirit of Independence lives still, I am sure.


Every holiday season the articles appear reminding us that the stories and anecdotes that we use to characterize our holiday experience are not true.

The Washington Post published Five things you think you know about July 4th that are wrong this morning. 

I knew most of them and I have always been a little amazed that we don't celebrate Independence Day on July 2nd, but the Declaration of Independence does say July 4th and I guess it just makes it a bit easier.


Then there are the 9 Things you may not know doubt the Declaration of Independence provided by the History.Com. 

It is good to take a few minutes to review history and remember the heroic deeds of our forefathers. We should celebrate that the American Experiment, as it has been called, continues to live and thrive. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD
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