Monday Musings - February 20, 2023

 

1. Welcome to the 3rd Monday of February. Scary! There are only 44 Mondays remaining in the year. And it seems as if the year only just began.

2. Happy Presidents' Day. I hope, that if you work that you have the day off to celebrate the presidents. 

3. I am amazed that I can remember that it is Monday!

Arti Gras
Northern Palm Beach
February 18, 2023

4. It was festival weekend! Chris and I went to two very different festivals and enjoyed very different weather conditions each day. The first was Arti Gras, a gathering of 300 juried talented artisans. It was fun to walk the grounds and marvel at the art and sculptures on display. There is one piece that we are seriously considering--actually, we have been considering since we first saw it last year at an artisan show. Maybe we'll pull the trigger. The day was cool and overcast. Temperatures were in the low 70s and the breeze was cool. Rain threatened all day, but never materialized.

Jupiter Seafood Festival 
Jupiter, FL
January 19, 2023

5. Sunday we visited the annual Jupiter Seafood Fest. How can you not enjoy seafood? There were mountains of seafood and also many marine related vendors. The weather was very different from Saturday. Temperatures were in the mid-80s with a sunny sky. It was hot! The festival had a great band playing solid country music and we enjoyed visiting the vendors as well as stalking the seafood. I had pulled pork even though the seafood looked delectable. I did come home with a new sun shirt from our favorite vendor.

6. Take a moment today, Presidents' Day, to consider the life and presidency of Jimmy Carter. In my opinion, he was a greater leader after being president by demonstrating how much a person can accomplish by doing good for others.

7. Today in History. In a highly controversial vote on February 20, 1985, the Irish government defies the powerful Catholic Church and approves the sale of contraceptives.

Up until 1979, Irish law prohibited the importation and sale of contraceptives. In a 1973 case, McGee v. The Attorney General, the Irish Supreme Court found that a constitutional right to marital privacy covered the use of contraceptives. Pressured by strong conservative forces in Irish society, particularly the Roman Catholic Church, the government was slow to change the law to reflect the court’s decision, and a number of proposed bills failed before reaching the books.

Biden walked the streets of Kyiv during surprise visit - CNN

Some in GOP worry DeSantis has overstepped against 'wokeness' - CNN

Water levels rise, covering reservoir's 'bathtub' ring - CNN

North Korea fires two more missiles into its Pacific 'firing range' - Reuters

Even a weak Russia is a problem for Europe - Reuters

Infected in the first wave, they navigated long COVID without a roadmap - Reuters

Debt-Ceiling Backup Plans Have Plenty of Hurdles - The Wall Street Journal

Google Case Heads to Supreme Court With Powerful Internet Law at Stake - The Wall Street Journal

A nuclear reactor was melting down. Jimmy Carter came to the rescue. - The Washington Post

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL