A Week Ago

I cannot believe it has been a week since we celebrated the 250th Birthday of America.

It seems like it was a long time ago . . . 

In a place far, far away

Yet, it was just a short week ago, or so the calendar says. 

Why do I feel that the holiday was somehow stolen from us? That the celebration was muted. 

But it was a great celebration. 

And we need to remember the celebrations as the Dog Days deepen. It is already a very hot summer. 

According to Duck.ai, here are some of last week's news highlights:

Key News Highlights from Last Week

Political Developments

• Election Assistance Commission Changes: President Trump removed the last members of the bipartisan Election Assistance Commission, dismissing two Democratic commissioners and allowing a Republican member to resign. This move has raised concerns about the future of election oversight.
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Environmental Issues

• Wildfires in Spain: Spain is currently facing severe wildfires that have resulted in at least 12 fatalities. The situation remains critical as efforts to contain the fires continue.
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Scientific Discoveries

• New Dinosaur Species: A new species of dinosaur, named Uragasaurus kalasinensis, was discovered in Thailand. This plant-eating dinosaur is believed to have lived approximately 150 million years ago and had a neck as long as a cricket pitch.
• 
  

Technology and Society

• Meta's AI Image Feature Backlash: Meta faced significant criticism after releasing a new AI feature that allowed users to alter Instagram content. The backlash led to the company retracting the feature shortly after its launch.
• 
  

These stories reflect a mix of political, environmental, scientific, and technological developments that shaped the news last week.

My news note is that apparently the Iran War is not over as hostilities have resumed. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Stopped at the Tracks

 

County Line Crossing
Tequesta, FL
July 9, 2026

As I was beginning my bike ride yesterday, I was stopped by a freight train. It is a bit frustrating when that happens because the freight trains take more than a few minutes to pass. 

My 20 mile Route
Tequesta, FL
July 9, 2026

As I pulled up to the tracks there was a boy there taking a video of the train. He was on an electric bike and had apparently crossed the tracks just before the train. He got bored before the train finished passing and continues on his way.  

While I was watching the train pass, I considered changing my route a bit. I decided to do a tour around Tequesta and down into Jupiter. It wound up being a nearly 20-mile ride, but it was also slow because it bordered some busy streets and I had to use the sidewalks more than usual. I was, however, able to ride the path through Limestone Creek Park again, which made me very happy. 

I enjoyed the ride and it was a great way to start the day. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Return of the Sahara Dust

Saharan Dust Forecast For Thursday
July 7, 2026 

 The summertime scourge of South Florida has returned for a return visit. Saharan dust is filling our skies. The skies are no longer blue--they are hazy and the afternoon showers will no longer plague us. When we look to the sky we see haze. We know the skies are clear, but they are not vibrant blue. 

On the Sandbar
Tequesta, FL
July 2, 2026

Fortunately, forecasters are predicting this plume will not afflict us much past the weekend.

On the unfortunate side the plume, which seems a bit counterintuitive to me, also causes out temperatures to rise. I believe it is because the plume prevents heat from escaping. We are looking at our highest temperatures of the year for the next few days in the mid-90s and the feels like will be in about 105 degrees. 

It will be an excellent time to be out on the water, as there people were, and enjoy one of the area sandbars. I have a boat reserved for next week and am looking forward to getting back afloat. 

In other news, the Orioles have descended the division ladder to the bottom. They continue to limp into the All Star Break and likely will not recover from their dismal season. It is sad when a season that began with so much promise blows apart and crushes the fans hope.

As the summer heat continues--stay cool!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Everything Turns to . . .

 Some people have a natural capacity to take any situation and make it come out badly. 

Apparently, and now very clearly, that is one of President Trump's superpowers. 

Whom else could make a casino go bankrupt?

Since the beginning of his second term this superpower has become all too clear.

Consider this: 

Lost a war that he started

Ruined the reflecting pool

Hijacked the America 250 celebration

Destroyed the East Wing of the White House

Eroded trust in the U.S. as an ally

Allowed inflation to almost double 

Eroded economic confidence

Destroyed our economy

Strangled the world's energy supply

Allowed Iran to take control of the Strait of Hormuz

Implemented tariffs--how's that working out?

Took a solid immigration idea and made it oppressive and inconsistent. I think we all agree that deporting the worst of the worst is a good thing! If only that were actually what is happening.

Eroded health care for millions

Cast doubts on our election process. How did he get elected if the process is so bad?

Failed to support Ukraine

Confirmed that oligarchs do not make good leaders

And this is just in a year and a half!

Most recently, 

Interference with the USMNT in the World Cup resulted in the fifth largest blow-out in tournament history as the team was soundly spanked and fell to Belgium by a score of 4-1.

Yup, he did it and needs all of the blame because if the team had won, he would have taken all of the credit!

His management of personal wealth could be a bright spot for him, but, remember, he says he doesn't make those decisions. Apparently, given the body of evidence, this is true. 

Happy Hump Day!

(It's gonna get better, right?)

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Off-season Life

Busy South Florida Beach
Hobe Sound, FL
July 6, 2026

 It is the off-season here in South Florida. We look forward to this time of year when there are no crowds, fewer cars, and wide open beaches. This is exactly the time of year that Chris and I used to vacation here before we eventually bought our condo, which is now our home. 

Rainstorm over the Atantic
Hobe Sound, FL
July 6, 2026

The snow birds, as they are referred to, are gone. The roads are wide open. Reservations are not required at restaurants. It is almost idyllic. I have even noticed that our condo associations "too-small" parking lot has open spaces.

I needed to get some miles on the truck yesterday to keep the battery charged and the fluids moving. Chris, Finn, and I took a drive to Hobe Sound. We stopped at the very popular beach there. It was sparsely attended. I recall that during the busy season sometimes there are no empty spaces in the parking lot. Not so yesterday. 

I snapped a nice image of the nearly deserted beach along with the rainstorm in the distance. It was too bad we had not planned to remain on the beach with it being such a perfect beach afternoon. The waters of the Atlantic were nearly flat--a perfect day. The lifeguard station had a green flag flying--something we have only rarely seen recently. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - July 6, 2026

 1. Happy first Monday of July and the first Monday of the second half of 2026. There are 25 Mondays remaining in the year. 

2.  In World Cup news, the Round of 16 has been halved and two of the three hosts of the championship were eliminated: Mexico and Canada. The US plays tonight and hopefully will post a different result, although we may be handicapped in the field of public opinion by Balogun's one-game suspension reversal.

3. The Orioles completed another mediocre week and continue to play at a .400 level going 4-6 in their past 10 games. They remain 7 games below .500, are 12 games back in the division, and 3.5 games out of a Wild Card invite. They are definitely limping into the All Star break next week.

Ella with Finn
Tequesta, FL
July 4, 2026

4. Finn was the hit of the 4th of July party we attended Saturday. The party was hosted by Mary and Fran and attended by friends we had not seen in a long time due to the group's collective travel schedules. Finn was great, except for chasing after Marley, one of their cats, on one occasion.

5. There are scary things being written by our president that portend a difficult time ahead. It was reported in a piece titled, The ground is shifting beneath Donald Trump, that: 

He [Trump] also reshared, earlier that morning [Sunday the 5th] at 11:16, a post that deserves far more attention than it has received. It came from an account called Geiger Capital, and it read: “Just 100 years ago, England was the greatest empire the world had ever seen. A few generations later, they are a deindustrialized welfare zone unable to stop third-world men from invading on rubber boats. Decline happens fast. Weak leaders and suicidal empathy.”

The phrase “suicidal empathy” circulates in white nationalist and far-right spaces, and it means exactly what it sounds like: that compassion toward immigrants, toward refugees, toward people who are different from you is not just misguided but is an act of civilizational self-destruction. That caring about other human beings is a disease and that empathy itself is the enemy. The president of the United States amplified that message to millions of people on the morning after hundreds of white nationalists marched through the nation’s capital.

6. Today in History. On July 6, 1957, Althea Gibson claims the women’s singles tennis title at Wimbledon and becomes the first African American to win a championship at London’s All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.

Gibson was born on August 25, 1927, in Silver, South Carolina, and raised in the Harlem section of New York City. She began playing tennis as a teenager and went on to win the national Black women’s championship twice. At a time when tennis was largely segregated, four-time U.S. Nationals winner Alice Marble advocated on Gibson’s behalf and the 5’11” player was invited to make her United States National Championships (now known as the U.S. Open) debut in 1950. In 1956, Gibson’s tennis career took off and she won the singles title at the French Championships (now known as the French Open)—the first African American to do so—as well as the doubles’ title there.

Crowds fill Tehran's streets for slain ayatollah's funeral procession - Reuters

Trump intervention causes World Cup storm as FIFA clears US striker Balogun to face Belgium - Reuters

Supreme Court ruling may wipe out Democrats' cash advantage in Senate battlegrounds - Reuters

Russian strikes kill 12 in Kyiv as Ukraine runs low on air defences - Reuters

China test fires missile into Pacific, alarming regional powers - Reuters

Speaker Johnson says House will pass Trump’s voter ID bill through arduous process after GOP revolt - CNN

Super typhoon smacks into US Pacific island territories home to key military bases - CNN

White nationalist group hosts July 4 rally with hundreds of masked attendees - MSNow

Air Force Detains Officer Who Called for Trump’s Impeachment at Capitol - The New York Times

Belgium reportedly granted right to appeal FIFA's decision on USA World Cup star - FoxNews

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Independence Day Bike Ride

 

New Observation Pier
Limestone Creek Park, Jupiter, FL
July 4, 2026

I managed to get out yesterday on my bike for the first time in a week. It was also my first ride during July. I have been sidelined with a flat tire and burned through three inner tubes before I sought professional help. 

I wrote earlier about my flat tire and lack of replacement inner tubes. My frustration continued as I bought a new inner tube, while waiting for my Amazon order to arrive, installed it and immediately it blew and went flat. 

Trail through Limestone Creek Park
Jupiter, FL
July 4, 2026

Being a bit slow, I replaced it again! Same result. I thought that I had thoroughly checked everything looking for sharps that were causing an almost immediate blow-out.

So, with the third time being the charm, I took the wheel to the local bike shop and expressed my frustration. The tech was very helpful. He looked at the blown inner tube an almost immediately knew the problem--the lining tape between the top of the spokes and the inner tube had failed. The top of one of the spokes was putting a hole in the tube just as soon as I inflated it. 

He re-taped the wheel and installed a new inner tube for me and the problem was solved. I never thought about a failure of the tape. But, the wheel does have over 7,000 miles on it. I guess it was time. I may replace the tape in the front tire, just because. 

That all happened on Friday and I was very much looking forward to my ride yesterday. 

And I was rewarded. I chose a different route on my almost 22-mile ride. This route has side ride through Limestone Creek Park in Jupiter. The trail through the park has been closed for a couple months while one of the piers into the creek was being reconstructed. Yesterday, the trail was open and I was also able to go out onto the pier. 

I didn't realize that I had started a video on my Meta glasses, but I was happy when I later discovered it. 

I had a great ride and made it home before the heat became too oppressive. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Independence Day 2026

 Happy Independence Day

Wave a flag, shout for joy, enjoy the flash, bang, boom of the fireworks--even if they are only on TV tonight. 

I hope those who are traveling made it to their destinations without incident. 

Those of us not traveling are hopefully happy to be where we are. 

Last Fireworks over Elkridge House
Elkridge, MD
July 4, 2022

It is hot in much of America today. Too hot to be comfortable. Be mindful of the temperatures if anticipating in outdoors activities and stay hydrated.

I used to host my own fireworks display in Maryland. It was a lot of fun and a definite memory builder.

I remember the Independence Day fireworks in my hometown of Ithaca, NY. We used to go to Cornell University's football stadium, Schoellkopf Field, for the celebration. It always seemed that the entirety of Ithaca, NY, and the surrounding areas were packed into the stadium for the fireworks. The setting was awesome because the field is situated on the side of a hill overlooking Ithaca and Cayuga Lake. 

I always got a bit antsy waiting for the main event to begin. I loved the fireworks. I especially enjoyed the noise and following the rockets up into the air to their point of detonation. They always seemed so close. The fireworks was an event we did as a family. I learned that I did not like crowds from the fireworks experience. I think it was because we were always worried about losing one of my siblings. Overall, however, fireworks were fun. 

Chris and I have watched fireworks from many different venues over the years. One especially memorable viewing was Shreveport, LA, during the early 1980s when the entire planned display launched at one moment. It lit up the entire bank of the river. 

Hopefully, we will not experience anything quite so exciting this year. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Independence Weekend

 The holiday weekend has arrived. The roads will be jammed, the airports will be worse. I am happy to be at home looking at the palm trees and enjoying the soupy heat of South Florida. 

Independence Day provides an opportunity to reflect on America and where we have been during the past year(s). It also provides a gut check--are we happy with the direction our leaders are taking us? 

I am appalled that our president has robbed the coffers of America for $2 Billion during the first year of his second term. (The Hill)

The administration has engaged in illegal wars and were apparently defeated by the Iranians. I know the prevailing spin is that we won, but if Iran still controls the Strait and is setting the terms of the peace agreement then it is clear we are not the victor. 

The administration is oppressing the poor and vilifying those who seek to improve their lives while also contributing to our society.

I bring these up on a holiday weekend only to point out how important it is to vote during the upcoming elections. We can vote for the continued fleecing of America or we can vote to restore a sense of purpose and justice to our land and bring to fruition the words of the Declaration of Independence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, . . .  (Declaration of Independence)

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

The Ride that Wasn't

Wheel with Tube Removed - Waiting
Tequesta, FL
July 1, 2026

 I discovered that my rear tire was flat yesterday as I took my bike out of the garage for my morning ride. It was not just a little flat, it was really most sincerely flat. Not a good way to start a bike ride.

I had a replacement inner tube. For all the good it did me. 

Somehow, I managed to put a hole in it installing. Ugh! I guess it got pinched between the rim and the tire.

I had trashed my only spare inner tube.

I thought I had more, I usually buy multiples, but it has been well over a year since I had a flat and I guess I didn't realize that I was down to my last spare.

So I waited an hour for the bike shop to open only to find, as I pulled on the locked door, that it is closed on Wednesdays. Amazon will be delivering later today.

I didn't ride yesterday, nor will I ride today. This is not the way I envisioned starting my favorite month of the year.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL