Travel Tuesday Report

Ships at Anchor
Chesapeake Bay, MD
March 24, 2026

 We were fortunate. Our travel day was mostly the same as any other travel day. It was a beautiful day for flying!

There were no lines for security screening  (TSA-pre) at PBI Concourse A/B. The line for regular screening was not as long as I have seen it in the past. The actual process for security screening was smoother than normal. We were relieved, but we cleared security almost two hours before our flight and were lucky to find space in a lounge to grab some drinks and lunch while waiting to board. 

It is important to note, that we arrived at security about 1:20 PM on a Tuesday for a 3:15 PM flight. We were not there during the morning rush, thankfully. But, the iFly app was accurate about the wait times. 

Gate B5 @ 2:54 PM
Palm Beach International, FL
March 24, 2026

Now about Southwest.

The airline has cheapened itself in an effort to adopt a new profitability standard to please ownership. That is sad. Losing "Bags fly Free" and choosing your own seat as you boarded were two things that made Southwest a preferred airline for many travelers. 

Check-in was smooth at PBI. Boarding was confused and people stood around like on so many other airlines with multiple numbered boarding groups. Although we chose our seats in advance, I still got to ride in the center seat for most of the flight. I am getting used to being in the center seat. The FA's were great, but apparently the new boarding approach takes longer and Southwest has not updated their ground stop times as we were 22 minutes late departing, mostly due to the slower boarding process. 

It should be noted that Chris and I checked two bags and I only had a backpack while Chris only had her purse. That meant we did not experience any shortage of overhead bin space, as has been reported by many people. 

Baggage remains a problem in Baltimore. It is incredibly slow and believe it or not confusing. We were originally told that bags would be on carousal 6, but at the last minute were moved to 8. We waited a good 20 minutes for our checked bags. 

And that was our travel day. We arrived safely--which is the most important thing, and the lines and waiting were mostly normal despite the partial government shutdown which has prevented TSA personnel from being paid.

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Travel Tuesday

 Travel day has arrived. Ugh. 

Projected Wait Times
Palm Beach International
March 24, 2026

With everything being reported on the airport security front, Chris and I are more trepidatious than we have likely ever been before about flying. I suppose we are fortunate not to be traveling from one of the "big" airports, but PBI can still be a nightmare under the wrong conditions.

The security forecast looks good, until, of course, it doesn't. I am happy to be flying mid-day as usually there is less congestion than for the early morning flights trying to get out right after the TSA lines open. 

I have read that the Wait Times projections are woefully inaccurate. For example, BWI was showing a 20 minute wait time on Sunday which in actuality was over an hour as multiple checkpoints, including TSA-pre, were closed there. 

I suppose I need to write my senators again and implore them to do something for the good of all Americans and accept the Democratic deals rather than continue to blindly follow the urgings of our increasingly reckless president. TSA personnel are suffering because Republicans do not want to make ICE agents conform to accepted police standards. Funny part is, ICE is funded through the big bill passed last summer--they are getting paid while TSA personnel are not!

Well, and that's how it is this Tuesday morning. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - March 23, 2026

 1. Monday has arrived again and with it the start of the workweek. This is the fourth and penultimate Monday of March. There are 40 Mondays remaining in 2026. 

Railroad Drawbridge over Loxahatchee River
Jupiter, Florida
March 22, 2026

2. We were blessed with a couple gorgeous weather days for the weekend. Temperatures made it into the 80s for our enjoyment under clear skies with low humidity yesterday. I managed a 19-mile ride on yesterday over a modified route. Along the way, I took a great image of the railroad drawbridge over the Loxahatchee River from the Florida A1A bridge. I was out a bit earlier than normal and the traffic was light.

3. Chris and I are departing on a trip to Baltimore for Easter tomorrow. We are very concerned about the situation at the airports due to the Congressional standoff and now the threat of ICE deployments. We are going to be arriving almost an hour earlier than normal, I hope there is room in the lounge once we clear security. I am already checking projected TSA wait times. 

4. Today [Sunday, March 22] the administration announced ICE agents will take the place of some TSA agents, although as the former national security officials at The Steady State note, the legality of moving ICE agents into TSA positions isn’t clear. Tonight Trump admitted he is not interested in any deal with the Democrats to fund the Department of Homeland Security unless Democrats also agree to the SAVE America Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and to vote, and which is widely understood to be a measure designed to suppress voting. Trump also includes in the measure an end to mail-in voting, and an attack on transgender Americans. (Letters from an American)

5. ICE personnel, including agents from Homeland Security Investigations, are planning to be at 14 airports, according to a document obtained by The Times. The airports include Newark, Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta, New Orleans, Houston and Phoenix, as well as Kennedy and LaGuardia in New York. (NY Times)

6. Today in History. On March 23, 1839, the initials “O.K.” are first published in The Boston Morning Post. Meant as an abbreviation for “oll korrect,” a popular slang misspelling of “all correct” at the time, OK steadily made its way into the everyday speech of Americans.

During the late 1830s, it was a favorite practice among younger, educated circles to misspell words intentionally, then abbreviate them and use them as slang when talking to one another. Just as teenagers today have their own slang based on distortions of common words, such as “kewl” for “cool” or “DZ” for “these,” the “in crowd” of the 1830s had a whole host of slang terms they abbreviated. Popular abbreviations included “KY” for “No use” (“know yuse”), “KG” for “No go” (“Know go”), and “OW” for all right (“oll wright”).

Trump delays strikes on Iranian power plants after ‘very good’ talks with Tehran - CNN

LaGuardia closed after deadly collision - CNN

Oil plunges after Trump postpones strikes on Iranian power plants - Reuters

French far right fails to win in major cities in boost to mainstream rivals - Reuters

North Korea's Kim Jong Un reappointed as president of state affairs, KCNA says - Reuters

Ukraine has enough diesel for March, but April uncertain, says consultancy - Reuters

Trump has no one else to blame for surging gas prices. Polls show Americans know it - MS Now

Jeffries tells President Trump to 'keep his reckless mouth shut' after enemy comment - FoxNews

‘A Mass Disaster Nonstop’: Inside the Turmoil at Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s C.D.C. - The New York Times

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Funding a war against ourselves

 So let me get this straight--

Because the administration botched the Iranian campaign and allowed Iran to choke the world by stopping the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz:

Trump lifted sanctions on Russian oil, and then

Trump lifted sanctions on Iranian oil at sea.

This will allow Russia to get more cash to fund the war against Ukraine and provide the Iranians with better intelligence to kill Americans.

And Iran will get money to fund its defense against the US and Israeli attacks. 

This makes sense, how?  

Or as one Iranian researcher wrote: "America is funding a war against itself." (Raw America)

Whatever genius came up with this blackhole of an idea ought to be removed from office. Just saying. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Springtime

Spring Arrived!

Happy first full day of Spring! The season arrived yesterday during the late-morning and is finally in place and hopefully will help us to shake off the Winter doldrums and darkness. 

Something I am concerned about shaking off is the Iran War. Yup, despite the lack of an official declaration from the Congress, we are at war. How do I know? Simple--the administration is telling us that we need to expect to suffer. 

Gas Prices
Juno Beach, FL
March 20, 2026

Wait, I have to suffer to support a war that I don't approve of? Do not misunderstand me, I support our military 100 percent, but the war is a needless drain of national treasure and focus. People are suffering right now in America because of affordability issues--and that includes food, medical care, and housing. These are things at the very bottom of Maslow's hierarchy. The war exacerbates the situation.

I am not amused by National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett suggested that Americans will feel economic pain during the Iran war. He stated on CNBC that the increased prices from the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz were “the last of our concerns right now,” acknowledging the impact on consumers. (Independent)

In fact, this is the first war America has entered in modern times without majority in support. - The Guardian

Make no mistake about it, I am not a fan of the President, I believe that is fairly clear from my occasional rantings, but getting us involved in a war without a plan tops almost anything he has done to destroy America's position in the world. 

Why should I be happy about feeling pain to support a war that we should not be in? And I don't like being told to, effectively, suck it up, especially when the value of my retirement investments is dropping like a rock thrown from a rooftop.

Well, at least it is Springtime.


-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Project Hail Mary - Movie

 While the big release for the movie is today, for some reason our local theater began showings yesterday. Chris and I were at the sparsely attended first showing at 2 PM yesterday. 

We both had read the book by Andy Weir and were concerned that the movie would have a difficult time with the subject. We were both pleased with the resultant movie. 

It is great!

David Rooney writing in The Hollywood Reporter describes the movie as follows:

‘Project Hail Mary’ Review: Ryan Gosling Proves He Can Have Chemistry With a Rock in Thrilling Space Odyssey Warmed by Humanity and Hope

Sandra Hüller also stars in Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s sci-fi epic based on the Andy Weir novel about a science teacher who finds an unusual ally in a mission to save two worlds.

Gaerth, writing in Skewed & Reviewed, relates the following about the movie:

I could not say enough great things about this movie as it was an experience that was not only moving but stayed with me long after the film had ended and one that has made it one of the best films of the year and a genre classic in the making.

The movie was true to the book, about as well as can be expected. The film begins as abruptly as I remember the book beginning and the sense of disorientation adds to the realism of the movie with the intent of the mission becoming clearer as the main character remembers more of how he came to be on a spaceship headed into deep space light years away from Earth. It is science fiction, yes, but not the fantastical kind. It is believable, or at least the movie made me accept the situation and the solution. 

I laughed, I had tears, and I felt the danger. Similar to The Martian, another book by Andy Weir made into a great movie, Project Hail Mary is gritty and real. Ryan Gosling does a great job with the character.

Chris and I are making plans to see the movie again.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

The New TV

 

Empty TV Box in Garage
Tequesta, FL
March 19, 2026

We finally decided to purchase the new TV we have been looking at for months. Having been tracking the price from a number of outlets, I was finally presented with a really good deal and we, to use an expression, "pulled the trigger."

What is the feature of the new TV we are most excited about? It has anti-glare technology. We will no longer have to watch TV while trying to avoid or look through the glare from the lights or windows!

But I'm not writing about the TV search and the purchase, it is about what happened after the monster was delivered.

We upgraded to a 65-inch class and were not fully prepared for the size. Fortunately, Chris was available to help move the TV from the box to the blanket covered kitchen table where the assembly process was completed.

So what did we experience during the installation process? First-off the instructions, suck!. They were all images and did not explain what the parts were or where they should be installed. The drawings were not very helpful and required a lot of interpretation. It was a real problem when I had options.

Newly Installed TV on the Wall
Tequesta, FL
March 19, 2026

Second the new wall mount, which was purchased separately, was also a disaster. The assortment of bolts to support installation did not contain one of the perfect length for the TV and even building the spacers up, there were not enough washers of the correct diameter to properly secure the mount to the TV frame. I had to go to Ace Hardware for additional washers (4/$.45). I had wanted to get bolts of the correct length, but they did not have them. It wasn't the money, it was the wasted time divining a plan that really bugged me. In the end, it worked and I was able to secure the mount to the frame in preparation for wall mounting.

But wait, there's more! 

When it came time to actually place the TV on the wall, I realized that I could not ask Chris to help because the TV is large, awkward to handle, and heavier than I could reasonably expect her to sling around. Fortunately, I was able to phone a friend who came to the rescue. Thanks Cody! 

The wall-mounting process actually went very well, we only had to change the height of the TV on the mount once! I had done a great job affixing the wall portion of the mount and leveling it!

But then came the final assault on the new TV--getting all of the streaming services working and understanding how the new TV works. 

Of course, now there is a game of musical TVs. I was confronted with the conundrum of which older TV to replace with the one that formerly was in the location of the new one. I put it in our bedroom with the intention of moving the one to replace the very old and small TV on the veranda, but Chris informed me this morning that the TV now in the bedroom is too big (it is a 55-inch) and she wants the old 41-inch TV reinstalled. Ugh! My roll down plan is officially trashed. The good news is that I had not yet performed the remove-and-replace operation on the veranda.

As an added benefit, today I get to take the packing materials to the recycling center. They are too large for the regular pick-up and I want them out of the garage!

I am looking forward to veggie-ing in front of the new TV this morning. And since baseball season is upon us, Go O's and Arundel High!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Yesterday I Learned (YIL) - Alum Cline Explosion

 

Alum Chine Explosion
Curtis Bay, MD
March 7, 1913

While watching the WBC final last night, as Team USA snatched defeat from the jaws of victory to a very hungry and enthusiastic Venezuelan team, I learned something really interesting. I learned that on March 7, 1913 the explosive equivalent of a tactical nuclear weapon (350 tons of TNT) detonated in Curtis Bay near Baltimore.

The full story is posted at: 

350 Tons of Dynamite Explode in Curtis Bay

This story was written during 2022 and based on a 2020 article written by Rick Forgo. 

Alum Chine
Undated Photo from Maritime Journal

I had thought that the collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge during March 2024 and the Great Baltimore Fire of February 1904 were the only significant disasters that happened in and around Baltimore.

But then I learned about the Alum Chine explosion. The freighter Alum Chine was at anchor near Curtis Bay being loaded with 350 tons of dynamite bound for Panama and the Canal construction when a fire started and the cargo detonated. 

One of the worst worst maritime disasters in Baltimore history occurred when a stevedore aboard the British cargo steamer Alum Chine accidentally set off a blasting cap in the ship’s hold that ignited 350 tons of dynamite on Friday, March 7, 1913. The resulting fire set off a series of earthshaking explosions in the Patapsco River that killed 33 men, injured another 60, and shook buildings as far north as Philadelphia. (Rick Forgo Article about the Disaster)

So, how did this excursion into history come about? Well, it is my son Patrick's fault. He did some research about a local cemetery and discovered that some victims of the explosion were buried there. But of course, we knew nothing of the explosion and that started this foray into history. 

Curiosity is a good thing. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

St Patrick's Day 2026

 Happy St Patrick's Day

Who doesn't like a chance to party? 

Sadly, it is going to be very cool and possibly rainy today which may dampen the celebrations, but whomever heard of a St Patrick's Day party being rained out? 

It might happen. 

In other activities, I completed my NCAA Men's Basket Ball Bracket in preparation for the tournament beginning. Of course I selected Syracuse as the next national champion. Oh wait, Syracuse is not in the tournament? Really? I guess that was a dream. 

OK, I selected UConn as the eventual champion. If it goes like most years, UConn will be eliminated during the second round and my bracket will be totally busted by the end of the round. 

Braggart's statement of the day (for which I cannot comprehend the purpose):

Jimmy Carter… How did his attack work out in Iran? Not too good. I think ours is slightly better. (on X and The Washington Post)

Does he know Jimmy Carter died? Jimmy Carter never attacked Iran, there was, however, a failed attempt to rescue the American Embassy hostages.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - March 16, 2026

 1. Good Monday! (or Happy Monday as one of my former bosses used to say) It is the third Monday of March meaning there are 41 Mondays remaining in the year. The Iran War/Conflict/Excursion/Incursion (pick one) is in its 17 day of frustration and ineptitude.

Fishing on the Loxahatchee
Tequesta, FL
March 15, 2026

2. Made it out for a ride yesterday and came across this solitary fisherman in his boat on the North Fork of the Loxahatchee River. Not the calmest day for fishing, but a great start to a Sunday for both of us. 

3. Cheers for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. They made it into the finals with a nail-biting 2-1 win over the Dominican Republic last night. All of the runs scored in the game were solo home runs. 

4. Although the administration appears to be trying to convince Americans that the U.S. military’s destruction of the Iranian military means the U.S. has won the war, Iranian leadership needed simply to continue in power to declare victory. Then, blocking the 20% of the world’s oil that flows through the Strait of Hormuz would give them leverage over the war’s outcome. (Letters from an American)

5. I have grave concerns about statements made by our Secretary of Defense. One in particular, that the SECDEF made last Friday morning in the Pentagon briefing comes to mind. According to a transcript of the briefing, Hegseth said: “We will keep pressing, keep pushing, keep advancing – no quarter, no mercy for our enemy.” (The Guardian) Let's be real here, while he was likely grandstanding because he doesn't know any better, but as the SECDEF he needs to temper his enthusiasm for war and killing. What he said is a war crime! Period. And it is not the first time that he has suggested the US forces should engage in war crimes. I am, frankly, appalled that senior leadership does not understand the seriousness of the business of war.

6. Today in History. The United States Military Academy—the first military school in the United States—is founded by Congress for the purpose of educating and training young men in the theory and practice of military science. Located at West Point, New York, the U.S. Military Academy is often simply known as West Point.

Located on the high west bank of New York’s Hudson River, West Point was the site of a Revolutionary-era fort built to protect the Hudson River Valley from British attack. In 1780, Patriot General Benedict Arnold, the commander of the fort, agreed to surrender West Point to the British in exchange for 6,000 pounds. However, the plot was uncovered before it fell into British hands, and Arnold fled to the British for protection.

Israel says it has plans for three weeks of war as airstrikes pound Iran - Reuters

Zelenskiy says Ukraine wants money, technology in return for Middle East drone help - Reuters

China's economy builds early momentum in 2026 as global risks mount - Reuters

Trump ramps up calls for help reopening Strait of Hormuz - CNN

For Subscribers US gas is now at its highest price since the inflation crisis - CNN

6 airmen killed in Iraq plane crash remembered with emotional tributes - CNN

The cost of Trump’s Iran war is even more infuriating than it sounds - CNN

Spring break crackdown: Southern towns roll out alcohol bans and new restrictions - FoxNews

Republican rebukes FCC chair’s threats to revoke broadcast licenses over Iran war - The Guardian

‘Triple-threat megastorm’ to scatter snow, high winds and thunder across US - The Guardian

A 16-Year-Old Soccer Star Arrives After Impressive 23-Minute Display - The New York Times

Final note: Take a moment today to remember our military personnel, especially those deployed to the Middle East. Pray for them and especially for the families whose loved ones have paid the ultimate price.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL