Monday, April 30, 2012

Monday Musings - April 30, 2012

1. April is over, already? It seems as if it only just arrived. And here comes May, wow!

2. The pool is open, bring on the 80 degree temperatures.

3. If I lived in Florida or south Texas, I wouldn't have to spend a whole day opening my pool. Anyone want to offer me a fairly good paying job in South Florida?

4. Families with members in very different places in their lives create natural tension.

5. Cats are wild cards. They do what they want.

6. The O's are in a tie for first place in the AL East with Tampa--and the best part is that they have a 1.5 game lead over the Yankees who they play tonight. O's fans may finally have a team to believe in.

7. Chili is a fun food and chili competitions bring out the best in cooks.

8. Vacation planning is constant it seems. I just returned from one and am already planning my next.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Thank-you Shout Outs

In reflecting on the logistics of my recent vacation, I realized that in there were a couple of people who, behind the scenes, worked really hard to make the experience a success--and they didn't even get to enjoy the "land the mouse built" in person.

So P&T -- thanks for getting up at 4:30 AM to drag us to the airport and watching the animals while we were away. I know Makayla appreciated the mini-vacation. And thank-you too for being there when we finally wandered back into the airport and dragging us home.

I know sometimes that I especially forget to thank the behind the scenes people who work hard and make things successful.

Thanks

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Green

The color of Spring. The color of life.

I really noticed how the leaves have filled out on the trees the other day as I was driving home from work and it seemed that the highway was nothing more than a trail leading into the forest.



Green is peaceful and provides the perfect counterpoint to the color of the sky. It also provides a great background for flowers. Like this gardenia I happened across while in Orlando last week.

I look out my window now and see full green trees and bushes. I live in seclusion now--apart from the world, protected by the screening of the leaves of green.

Bring on the green and let the outdoor living begin.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Friday, April 27, 2012

Fourth Amendment Alert


In Maryland police take DNA from accused suspects--who are not convicted without probable cause--and do not see that as wrong. The article Maryland Law Enforcement Agencies Still Taking DNA Samples, as reported in the Baltimore Sun, details the latest insidious assault upon our Fourth Amendment right to protection from unreasonable searchand seizure.

I have copied the Fourth Amendment here: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.


The court told them to stop--and they haven't. I read an editorial, Court of Appeals vs CSI which thinks the practice is a justified expedient because they are solving other crimes by violating Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure. Although the end (convicting perpetrators of crimes) seems to justify the means, it is still a violation of our rights.

The author writes, For starters, the majority opinion conflates the presumption of innocence afforded to a defendant prior to conviction with his expectation of privacy. Judges Mary Ellen Barbera and Alan M. Wilner correctly note in their dissent that arrestees' expectations of privacy are diminished in far more intrusive ways than the collection of DNA by means of a cotton swab rubbed for a few seconds inside their cheeks. They are subject to thorough searches of their bodies and possessions (including strip searches, an intrusion the Supreme Court recently blessed), and are observed in states of undress by police and fellow detainees while in jail.

But collection of DNA is an intrusion and a means to collect evidence without probable cause to be used against people--to convict them. The line between authorized intrusion for safety and security and intrusion with the intent to collect evidence may be a fine one--but it is a line that must be protected.

Sure it means the police have to work harder to develop probable cause--but hey, that is a good thing. The down side is that the erosion of Fourth Amendment protections will become so complete that ultimately our personal freedoms will be just a memory of what past generations used to have.

We must protect our rights and freedoms and be aware of the forces in our society and government which seem to want to protect us from ourselves.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Random Things

Today, some random things.

1. The neatest T-shirt phrase I've seen in a while: "Careful or you'll end up in my novel."

2. I walked about 122,846 steps in 8 days (according to Chris's pedometer). At 2200 steps to the mile, that is almost 56 miles in 8 days.

3. Disney employs 65,000 people--and they all smile (mostly).

4. I think Makayla was upset at me when I got home after my vacation--she walked by me and straight to Patrick. I felt very unloved.



5. Yesterday there were four teams tied for the MLB AL East lead; today only two and the Orioles are one of them! The Yankees aren't.

6. I saw the sign "Find of the Day," and thought it was good advice. Find something new, unique, or memorable about every day.

7. I am very dependent upon a good internet connection.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

There's No Place Like Home

"There's no place like home," so the line from the Wizard of Oz goes as Dorothy is reunited with her family after her adventure.

I, like Dorothy feel much the same--even though I traveled with some of my family--it still feels good to return home with hundreds of photos and many memories of the past 8 days. It was a long vacation--but it still passed too quickly as all vacations seem to do.

It would be grand if I could stay on vacation and not return--but then I would miss the small whines that Makayla makes as she sits next to me in the morning reminding me that the last corner of the toast is hers. And then too, I would miss pool opening Saturday--which, coincidently is Saturday! And I would miss so many other things in my life that are as I have made them o allowed them to be.

The great thing about getting away is returning to rediscover how much I missed the routine and seemingly mundane things in my life. Ii is a rediscover because I seem to appreciate being home more after each trip I make--even to places so close to my vision of paradise.

It will take me the rest of the week to catch up.



But the time away was worth it. And so was all of the planning that made the trip a huge success--thank you to Nicole and Chris, you pulled it off!

OK--shake off the cob webs and get back to work!


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Down Day, the End is Near - Day 7

Day 7 was a day to relax by the pool and enjoy the warmth of the sun of Florida. It was made all the better by reading the reports of cod and snow in the north.

I may have gotten a sunburn. Yay! I know that is almost heresy, but I did sit in the sun for a couple of hours.

I sat by the hot tub and enjoyed the bright blue sky and the sun bathing the pool area with its warmth.

It was awesome for the next to last day of a long trip.

Dinner at the Grand Floridian was awesome--what a resort. I want to stay there next time.



During our time in the evening, I had the chance to watch the Disney Train depart a station.It was interesting to watch the steam engine prepare to depart. And nostalgic.


We closed out the day at the Magic Kingdom. The sky was clear blue and the setting sun made the castle seem as magical as some think it is.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday, April 23, 2012

Monday Musings - April 23, 2012

Disney/Universal Studios thoughts this week

1. Bring your own wine. Disney's selections are mediocre at best.

2. Talk to the attendants--they usually have a pretty funny and somewhat sarcastic sense of humor.

3. Can you imagine having to deal with tourists like yourself every day?


4. Find fun in the long lines.

5. Is there really any reason to run from one attraction to the next? I thought this was supposed to be a vacation.

6. Pray for rain. Then everything slows down.

7. Plan time to sleep in (past 7 AM).

8. Funniest thing I heard: The attendant had just completed her spiel about how rare it was for something to happen, we should feel very lucky. I said something like--until the next group arrives. She laughed and said "Every three minutes all day and who has to listen to it over and over again? I do!"

9. If the internet is free (which it is) then the connection is going to be a problem.

10. If you have to run, you probably won't make it anyway.


11. Sometimes the funniest things, weren't meant that way.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Observations of Tomorrowland - Day 5

Our return to the Magic Kingdom was mostly devoted to exploring and becoming reacquainted with Tomorrowland.

Tomorrowland remains a 1970's vision of life in the future. It has become tarnished and is in need of a total make over. The marquee ride remains Space Mountain--which while nostalgic, is a far cry from the spectacular roller coasters deployed in the 40 years since it first hit the rails.

I first visited Tomorrowland during 1973, two years after the park opened, and it was a magical place expanding the mind and thoughts of the future. Now, it is dated and old. Gone is Alien Encounter replaced by Stitch's Great Escape--no difference just a different character.

I note, as we walked around the larger Magic Kingdom, that Fantasyland is under going a major reconstruction. I only hope that Tomorrowland is next.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Saturday, April 21, 2012

The Noise on the Bus


It took an eternity to get from our resort to the place we had reserved for dinner. One leg, on a Disney bus, was done amid the most noise of screaming children and adults talking I've the screams that I have ever experienced in my life. It was awful. And the the arrival announcement came on and added to the din. I have been near jet engines which were quieter. It is better now though. We are waiting for dinner and enjoying some evening libations. It could be worse, it could be better but it isn't.

My Zimbio
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