Monday Musings - July 15, 2019

1. The mid-point of July is upon us and, sadly, the summer is speeding by and an ever increasing rate, it seems. Don't forget to enjoy the best month of the year!

Flip-flops on the Beach
Home Sound National Wildlife Refuge Beach
July 14, 2019

2. Getting away is a definite requirement for the summer. A mid-summer break from the routine to recharge and relax. Except, sometimes I think I am working harder now.

3. Sitting on the beach yesterday, I was napping and enjoying the soothing sounds of the waves hitting the shore. I also spent a lot of time in the water enjoying the undulations of the waves. It seemed that my flip-flops were calling to me to walk to down into the ocean.

Moon Over Our House in Tequesta
July 14, 2019

4. Walking the beach in Jupiter yesterday morning, Chris and I notices that numbers, and I mean a lot, of turtle had come ashore overnight to make nests and lay eggs. We wondered it the bright moon was partially responsible. Last evening, I managed a moderately good image of the moon over our house.

5. The Orioles began the post-All Star game campaign by losing 2 of 3 to the Rays and nearly having a perfect game pitched against them yesterday. Things are not looking any better for the second half of the season. They remain on track to lose 114 games this season. 

6. I wish we could find the way back to a "kinder, gentler nation."

7. It is amazing how hot there sand can get on the beach as it bakes all day. 

8. Today in History. On this day in 2006, the San Francisco-based podcasting company Odeo officially releases Twttr—later changed to Twitter—its short messaging service (SMS) for groups, to the public. Born as a side project apart from Odeo’s main podcasting platform, the free application allowed users to share short status updates with groups of friends by sending one text message to a single number (“40404”). Over the next few years, as Twttr became Twitter, the simple “microblogging” service would explode in popularity, becoming one of the world’s leading social networking platforms.



Headlines

Trump Fans the Flames of a Racial Fire - The New York Times

China’s Economic Growth Hits 27-Year Low as Trade War Stings - The New York Times

Hong Kong leader says protesters in latest clashes can be called 'rioters' - Reuters

Britain sees 'small window' to save nuclear deal, Iran presses Europe to act - Reuters


Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week


The problems we're overcoming are not the heritage of one person, party, or even one generation. It's just the tendency of government to grow, for practices and programs to become the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this Earth. [Laughter] And there's always that well-intentioned chorus of voices saying, ``With a little more power and a little more money, we could do so much for the people.'' For a time we forgot the American dream isn't one of making government bigger; it's keeping faith with the mighty spirit of free people under God.

-- Address Before a Joint Session of the Congress on the State of the Union, January 25, 1984


-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, Florida