Monday Musings - March 27, 2023

 

1. The last Monday of March 2023 has arrived. By this time next week it will be April. For those counting, there are 39 Mondays remaining in the year which is steadily approaching the second quarter (or third quarter for using the Federal fiscal calendar).

2. The NCAA Men's Final Four is set. There are no seeds higher than 4 remaining and three of the teams are making their first Final Four appearance. What a tournament. I am still cheering on FAU and Miami!

3. Chris and I attended a Rodney Atkins concert in a field at the Stuart Airport last evening. We had a great time and the weather was almost perfect. It was a good show. I even enjoyed the opening act as she sang a lot of oldies that I knew. The event was the Tacos, Beer, and Dogs concert supporting the Farm Dog Rescue of Martin county. It has been a while since I attended a concert where the adult beverages (beer and wine) were priced at $5 and $7. We enjoyed dinner from local food trucks which were positioned on site.

4. Traffic appears easing here as people learn to deal with the US-1 bridge closure and I also believe that the winter-only residents (a/k/a/ Snow Birds) are returning to their permanent nests. 

5. Baseball begins its regular season on Thursday. I am excited for the games to begin and here's hoping that the Orioles have a great year. My prediction is that they finish with 84 wins and a wild card playoff spot.

6. Today in History. March 27, 1912: In Washington, D.C., Helen Taft, wife of President William Taft, and the Viscountess Chinda, wife of the Japanese ambassador, plant two Yoshino cherry trees on the northern bank of the Potomac River, near the Jefferson Memorial. The event was held in celebration of a gift, by the Japanese government, of 3,020 cherry trees to the U.S. government.

The planting of Japanese cherry trees along the Potomac was first proposed by socialite Eliza Scidmore, who raised money for the endeavor. Helen Taft had lived in Japan while her husband was president of the Philippine Commission, and knowing the beauty of cherry blossoms she embraced Scidmore’s idea. After learning of the first lady’s interest, the Japanese consul in New York suggested making a gift of the trees to the U.S. government from the city of Tokyo.

Pressure on Netanyahu as union calls 'historic' strike - CNN

Race left out of Rosa Parks story in revised weekly lesson text for Florida schools highlights confusion with state law - CNN

Delta passenger opens door, deploys emergency exit slide on plane at LA airport - CNN

Largest strike in decades brings Germany to a standstill - Reuters

NATO slams Putin plan for nukes in Belarus; Russia pounds Avdiivka - Reuters

North Korea fires ballistic missile off its east coast, South Korea's military says - Reuters

Trump casts 2024 contest in apocalyptic terms, slams prosecutors - Reuters

Trump Grand Jury to Reconvene Amid Mounting Expectations, Rhetoric - The Wall Street Journal

U.S. Pulls Back From Values That Once Defined It - The Wall Street Journal

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL