Bio Hazard Discovered and Reported

A foul odor has been wafting across the yard around my house for the past few days. I had thought it might be decaying plant matter from the recent rains because I could not determine an exact location. The odor seemed to move around from place to place. As I tried to locate it, it would disappear.

Sewage Making the Creek White

Last evening, the persistent stench smelled like raw sewage and I took the situation more seriously. I suspected that the light industry up the hill behind my house may have been illegally dumping down the hill causing the odor, and so I went to find the source.

It, sadly, did not take long to discover the true problem and I could not imagine the severity of the situation. As soon as I reached the normally pristine creek behind the house from which the frogs which love to swim in my pool probably come, it was immediately evident that there was a major raw sewage leak. 

Sewage in the creek

The stream was white with the raw sewage and the smell was strong, but not overpowering. I went back to the house, although I did not yet know the source of the sewage in the stream. I called the emergency number for Howard County utilities. I alerted my neighbors to the situation and searched for the source of the contamination.

Broken Sewage Pipe

The cause, it turned out, was a  broken pipe in the stream spewing sewage unabated. The pipe had probable broken during the last storms as the ground under it appeared washed away. I called the county and updated them with the location of the sewage and waited for their imminent arrival.

Why a sewer line was run through the middle of a creek, I will never understand, it just seems like bad planning. The county took immediate action to abate the discharge and I expect that over the next few days that they will be making more permanent repairs. Interestingly, I was told that the sewage line that broke was scheduled to be moved from the creek. 

I guess they didn't get to it soon enough.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - August 31, 2015

1. It is the last day of August! Wow. The year and the summer is flying by.

2. Sometimes what we think is fact is in reality interpretation based upon biases.

Denali

3. Mount McKinley is going to be restored as Denali.

4. Oil is headed below $40 per barrel. Rejoice for $2.00/gallon gas!

5. The Orioles have apparently packed in the season by losing 6 of 7 games on their most recent road trip, and 10 of their last 11 games. To say their performance is disappointing is an understatement.

6. NFL preseason football is an inferior product. The league needs to do something.

7. The tragic death of a fan at an Atlanta baseball game is a sobering reminder of the dangers associated with stadiums. Prayers for his family.

8. Interested in some of the history of birthright citizenship? Read about Wong Kim Ark, a cook during the late 1800's.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Don't Look into the Mirror

Mirror, mirror on the wall--

I had a a sobering experience the other day as I happened to look into the mirror. 

What made this day different from others was that I had my glasses on and the mirror wasn't fogged over from a recently completed shower. It was afternoon and i had not shaved because I was working around the house doing projects.

When I looked into the mirror, everything was clear--clearer than it had been in many years. I could see details on my face that I had not noticed in a very long while.

I am not going to go into the long details of what I found on my face as I viewed it with increased clarity, but it was such a shocking experience that I have vowed to never again look at my self in a mirror while wearing my glasses.

Growing older is not something I think about on routinely and it is really difficult when I am confronted with the evidence that, despite my best efforts, it is happening. When I was younger, I wanted to appear and act older, that lasted until I passed the age that I always wanted to be. Now I want to be younger again. 

But, I still want to retain all of the my experiences!

Isn't that the way of life? I seem to have a  hard time being happy right where I am.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Snorkeling in the Caribbean

I never published the two other snorkeling videos that I made from our vacation this summer. 

One was of our first adventure on Grand Turk and the other was off a beach in Aruba.

Of the three snorkeling adventures we did this summer, I would say that the Aruba snorkeling off the beach was the best. It was also the least expensive since we just took a taxi to the beach, rather than participating in an organized tour.

I'm still playing with the color balance on my GoPro, but it seems to be getting better. There were huge differences in filming tactics between the Grand Turk and Aruba. For Grand Turk I had the GoPro on a head strap the entire time and it was mostly on. I couldn't aim it well and I got a lot of useless video.

For Aruba, I carried the GoPro on a strap and only filmed cool and interesting stuff. I made editing the collected images much easier. It took hours to reduce the Grand Turk adventure down to three minutes, and I'm sure it could be further slimmed. Editing Aruba was much faster, as was Curacao which I published earlier.

Starfish in Aruba

I like a few scenes in the Grand Turk video because the GoPro catches the the water entries off the boat and we did see a shark. The problem with the shark is that since the camera was on my head, I didn't capture the perfect images of it, at least in my mind. Additionally, every time I use my handheld camera, it shows up in the video, which is a bit annoying.

The Aruba video has a really neat scene of an eel trying to get at something in a hole at the bottom of the bay in which we were snorkeling.

And so, as summer comes to an end, I present the answer to every kid's first day of school question: What did you do this summer?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Mid-Summer Pool Woes

It happened almost overnight, it seemed.

I have a nasty algae growth in my pool. It is worse because I misidentified it early on and theater it wrong. 

Now, it is everywhere and the pool is closed undergoing algae eradication.

Ugh. I've never had a problem this bad, but I have read this particular algae, mustard algae, loves rough surfaces and since my pool surface is old it can be especially favorable for the growth of this somewhat chlorine resistant type. 

My Pool Being Treated

Fortunately, I caught before it really took over and I should be able to get the pool reopened before the weekend. At least the pool color is not born or green. The image is of the pool after I brushed it down and applied the treatments. As for more pool activities, with morning temperatures in the 50's and afternoons in the low 80's, I'm not sure how much more swimming season actually remains.

I miss laying on a floatie in the pool--which, frankly, I have not done much of this year at all.

I expect a few more sunny afternoons are all that are left of the season.

I'm hoping for at least one more pool party.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

My Take: Signs of a Disintegrating Society

I know, the title is a bit ominous this morning. The news lately has really been in a downward spiral and it has caused me to pause and wonder, "How did we get here?"

Yesterday's senseless shootings in Virginia of the news team not only while they were on air, but also covered by the shooter on social media and then, I am told, he used social media to document his suicide is perhaps the most senseless act of violence I have been made aware of, and in a letter to explain or vindicate his actions he wrote, "Jehovah had told him to act."

ISIL's Plan to Take over the World

The killings yesterday in Virginia were even more senseless than the almost daily executions conducted by ISIL in the name of religious purity. Our news media is doing a great job shielding us from the reality of what millions of people face on a daily basis. We need to be more aware of what is happening across the globe rather than being so myopically focused upon a presidential election that is still over 14 months away. There are more immediate needs.

And then there is the loss of trillions of dollars of value around the world as the Chinese economy's bubble bursts and reality sets in that insular economics can no longer be sustained. The problem? Our economy is linked to theirs and we didn't even realize it.

Perhaps the fabric of society is unraveling.  People no longer are getting the moral guidance about how to act in trying situations. The "anything goes" approach has taken over and situational ethics has progressed to the point that if I can rationalize my actions in my head, then they must be justified.

The compass of life is spinning wildly.

Yes, I did just connect murder/suicide, ISIL, and China in one article.

People are searching, in the wrong places, to answer the timeless question about the meaning of life. Not finding a suitable answer, they are acting as if they are the center of the universe and no one else matters.

One of the lead articles in the Washington Post this morning asks: Will America Finally do Something to Stop the Gun-fueled Carnage? It proposes increased gun control laws, but I maintain that is not the answer.

People need to be taught to think about others and the impact of their actions upon those around them. Think before acting.

In Howard County, Maryland,  where I live, we have a program called Choose Civility. I have not been a big fan, especially when I get cut-off on the road by a car with the bumper sticker on it, but I am seeing the value in a program to begin to help people discover how to interact with others around them.

We need more civility to stem the disintegration of our society.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Orioles Grasping for Help

Mired in a six game losing streak which has seen them fall below .500 and move farther from the lead to 8 games out of first place, the Orioles' season is slipping away.

During this most recent stretch, the Orioles have lost 4, one-run games and have not had either the offense, defense, or pitching necessary to make a serious run in the division.

And it is not just the current losing streak that is rapidly drawing the season to a close. The Orioles have been terrible on the road this year, winning just 25 of 63 road games for a .397 winning percentage. That is not going to work, despite having a .597 winning percentage at home even after dropping their last four in a row coming off the last home stand.

There are just 37 games remaining in the season. The division is all but out of reach because they would need to win 27 (.730 winning percentage) of those games to have a reasonable chance at the division.  There is an outside chance at a wild card entry into the post season, as the Orioles are only 2.5 games out of the wild card. But in reality, none of that matters until they begin to start playing baseball as a complete team. MLB.com gives them a 12.9 percent chance of making the post season.

To say that I am disappointed in the performance of the team is an understatement. This team has demonstrated a knack for late game heroics in the ninth inning which come up short, I am afraid that same thing may happen with the season--a late charge that sees them wind up just outside the playoffs.

But hey, it's baseball. I love baseball but get frustrated when good teams don't play up to their potential.

Let's Go O's! Make a run and make us proud, again!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

School Begins

The kids are back in school here in much of Maryland.

Lucas giving gifts to us as he
got off the afternoon bus

Yesterday was day one of a journey that will not end until June 2016. 

Jax and Ethan Ready for Day 1

It was also the beginning of a 13 year journey for my youngest grandson Lucas as he began kindergarten. One of those important milestones on the road of life. 

Ethan and Jackson continue their journey's in fifth and second grades. 

They are all getting so big. 

I was able to visit with each of them yesterday afternoon after day one and found them all excited about the beginning of the new school year.

Luke made some nice gifts for everyone. He rides a bus, although the school is close, it crosses a main highway and there are no sidewalks. 

Luke Fresh of the Bus with Gifts

Ethan is on the safety patrol this year. He remarked that he gets to open doors for people--he felt like a doorman.

Jax was just excited to be home and was recovering from having a wart removed from his foot. He had named the wart "Bob." I wasn't too amused and am happy not to be associated with a wart on his foot anymore.

The funniest thing that happened was when Lucas thought that he had forgotten his lunchbox. He turned around and was in a total state of concern. He put his hands to his face, similar to the scene form "Home Alone" and stated he forgot his lunchbox. It was safely in his backpack, however, and he was greatly relieved. 

Day One is over and now it is into the routine. 

Way to go guys!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - August 24, 2015

1. The weekend is gone. Sometimes I think I work harder on weekends than I do during the week.

Makayla on the Couch

2. Makayla was on the couch the other day, relaxing. She gave me a look which seemed to say, do you really have to take a picture of this?

Patuxent Greens at Dawn
August 23, 2015

3. There is something mystical about greeting the new day on the golf course. Yesterday out Tee Time was before dawn and we arrived in time to warm up. It is hard to hit balls on the driving range and have no idea where they are going.

4. The Orioles certainly did not help their quest to repeat as American League East Champions by losing four straight games to the Minnesota Twins at home over the weekend. They are now 6.5 games out of first and headed to Kansas City to face a team which traditionally gives them trouble because they match up well. I am feeling the post-season slipping away.

Orioles Park at Camden Yards
August 19, 2015

5. Continuing the baseball theme, I snapped a realign interesting image of a rainbow over Camden Yards last week. I had hoped it was a sign of rebirth and renewal, alas, it was not to be. 

6. It looks as if it is going to be another rough day for the stock market. I wish that China would get their act together. My retirement funds are taking a nosedive!

7. Here is an interesting read from August 18, 1939, the review of The Wizard of Oz. Hmmm.

8. On this day, August 24, 79 (yup that is 79 as in 79 AD), Vesuvius erupted. 

9. OK, I just have to mention the birth of the twin pandas at the National Zoo. Really exciting for panda watchers of all ages. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Replacing a Window

Completed and Installed Window

It is amazing how the plans for some days get changed.

Yesterday, I was going to fix the frames around some windows that had deteriorated with age, only to find that one was in such a bad state of rot, that I wound up replacing the entire window because too much of the window was constructed using untreated lumber which had come into contact with the ground and dampness.

Ugh.

I had never replaced a window before. It was a bit daunting, the idea of tearing out a window and making a hole in the house that either would need to be filled by the window that I was installing, or an emergency call to a professional installer.

One of the Old Window Trim Pieces

Did I mention that it was a basement window behind a bush? A lot of fun to deal with. 

But, after only two trips to Lowe's and Home Depot, the project was complete.

Yay!

My first window!

Sadly, the reward for good work is more work and I have been informed that the other two basement windows must now be replaced in order to match the one that I installed.

Nice work Bob!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD