Idaho? Yesterday?

Image of the S22i Screen was I started my ride
Tequesta, FL
January 28, 2026

 It was too cold to ride yesterday, but I needed to get on my bike for a workout. I am lucky because I have my trusty NordicTrak S22i studio bike trainer in my garage. I do not use the trainer as often as I probably should, but given the expected unseasonably cold weather expected for about the next two weeks I think it is going to be getting some regular activity. 

Yesterday's ride was through Craters of the Moon National Monument in Idaho! That is the really great thing about the S22i, I can take rides through many different places accompanied by a tour guide/trainer. I took an image of the S22i screen just as I began my ride. 

The tour through Craters of the Moon was enlightening. The scenery is very stark. I enjoyed the ride and it made me want to go to Idaho, during better weather, and actually make the ride. The only problem is that Idaho is a long way to drag my bike. But, it would be a fun road trip!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Work at Home Companion

Rex Working at Home
Glen Burnie, MD
January 27, 2026

Photo by Patrick Doan

 Working from home is a great benefit and one not to be abused. Some professions are more able to work from home than others, but even so, there is something called accountability. 

Dogs are often our closest allies in the home setting. Wouldn't it be fantastic to train our dogs to help with the working from home duties so that we might attend to other items, like dripping faucets? And wouldn't it be even better if they would actually do work rather than just keep the keyboard active, as some validation programs check for?

Enter Rex--the perfect Work at Home Companion! Apparently, Rex had evolved into to more than just a play and walking partner. He, apparently, has become part of the active work at home system. Hopefully, his at home working requirements do not interfere with those of his owner or they might need a create a separate home office!

It is a great pic of Rex. He is truly a great dog and Chris and I look forward to seeing him when we visit. I'm sure he is be up to the work at home task!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

It was How Warm?

Weather Forecast
January 27, 2026

 I apologize to the those residing in eastern half of the U.S. for living in South Florida. 

The temperature in Tequesta hit 88 degrees yesterday. Officially, the temperature was 90 degrees in West Palm Beach! It was mostly rainy and overcast--but pleasantly warm. 

Watching Football @ Tiki52
Tequesta, FL
January 25, 2026

We are trending down and, although I cannot believe it, I even see a low in the 20s Sunday morning! I dearly hope it changes.

These temperatures are a long way from our most recent Sunday when Chris and I headed off to Tiki52 and enjoyed watching the Broncos-Patriots game under the open air Tiki. 

There were a lot of people gathered; the mood was festive and we all enjoyed watching the game. There was a good mix support for both teams, although I detected a few more Patriots fans than those of us cheering for Denver. It had been some time since Chris and I watched football with a group of our new best friends at a bar! It was fun, even though the Broncos lost. 

Looking at the weather forecast, it may be a while before we return to Tiki52 to enjoy adult beverages and food. Tuesday is usually dinner at Tiki night, but it looks a bit cold for tonight's visit and we will likely heat to somewhere enclosed and warmer. 

I also will not be riding my bike, unless I head out during the afternoon. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - January 26, 2026

 

1. The final Monday of January 2026 has arrived. It is almost hard to believe that we are cruising through the year and January is nearly complete. Forty-eight Mondays remain in the year. 

2. The Super Bowl teams are set for the 60th of these annual events in two short weeks. The Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots will square off for bragging rights in the NFL on Sunday, February 8th, in Santa Clara, California. 

3. I tried reading a FoxNews item about the tragic Saturday shooting in Minneapolis and was mystified that the writers needed to refer to far left radicals and try, along with a very misguided Vice President, to blame everyone except the shooters for what happened. Seems to me that freedom of speech and freedom to assemble, as well as Second and Fourth Amendment freedoms only apply to those with whom the writers agree rather than all people equally. I have referenced the item in my News section below. 

4. Watching the incredibly large and powerful storm develop across the country during the past week and weekend was amazing. I was very happy to be out of the area and not have to deal with the cold, snow, sleet, and ice. My prayers are with all those who are dealing with the storm's aftermath. 

5. Today in History. On January 26, 1788, Captain Arthur Phillip guides a fleet of 11 British ships carrying convicts to the colony of New South Wales, effectively founding Australia. After overcoming a period of hardship, the fledgling colony began to celebrate the anniversary of this date with great fanfare and it eventually became commemorated as Australia Day. In recent times, Australia Day has become increasingly controversial as it marks the start of when the continent's Indigenous people were gradually dispossessed of their land as white colonization spread across the continent.

Australia, once known as New South Wales, was originally planned as a penal colony. In October 1786, the British government appointed Arthur Phillip captain of the HMS Sirius, and commissioned him to establish an agricultural work camp there for British convicts. With little idea of what he could expect from the mysterious and distant land, Phillip had great difficulty assembling the fleet that was to make the journey. His requests for more experienced farmers to assist the penal colony were repeatedly denied, and he was both poorly funded and outfitted. Nonetheless, accompanied by a small contingent of Marines and other officers, Phillip led his 1,000-strong party, of whom more than 700 were convicts, around Africa to the eastern side of Australia. In all, the voyage lasted eight months, claiming the deaths of some 30 men.

Minneapolis shootings put Trump’s immigration surge at center of election-year fight - Reuters

Russian strike on Ukraine's Kyiv leaves 1,330 buildings still without heat - Reuters

Israel to reopen Gaza's Rafah crossing after search for last hostage body ends - Reuters

Exclusive: India to slash tariffs on cars to 40% in trade deal with EU - Reuters

The far-left network that helped put Alex Pretti in harm's way, then made him a martyr - FoxNews

The real reason Trump and MAGA are so quick to blame Minneapolis shooting victims - MS Now

Trump’s stock market: Worst first year of a term since George W. Bush  - CNN

Venezuela’s acting president says she has had ‘enough’ of US orders - CNN

Trump’s sudden retreat on Greenland shows that limits still exist - The Washington Post

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

De-ICE America

Alex Pretti was clearly visible holding
 a phone when agents first
 approached him, before pulling
 him to the ground and
 shooting him.Credit...dangjessie, via Instagram
via NYTimes

Yesterday in Minneapolis, Alex Pretti, a civilian, was killed by ICE/CBP agents while he was legally recording the activities of federal agents. He is the second civilian killed during the ICE/CBP occupation of Minneapolis/St Paul. He was unarmed and subdued on the ground at the time 10 shots were fired into his body during a period of 5 seconds. (NYTimes)

What quickly became apparent, again, was that DHS and ICE leadership do not have a grasp on truth and fact. Their first narratives after the horrific incident bear little resemblance to the facts. Thankfully, multiple citizens recorded what happened so that we can see truth. And who is FBI not conducting an investigation as required when a civilian is murdered by federal agents?

I, sadly, have lost faith in the Attorney General, Assistant Attorney General, DHS, FBI, CBP, and ICE to discharge their responsibilities to the American people in a faithful and unbiased manner. They have forgotten that they work for "We the People."

Let me be clear, I am not against immigration enforcement. 

Immigration enforcement, however, must be done properly, respectfully, and in a manner consistent with our laws the Constitution--all of it. I am tired of hearing the tired narrative about the numbers of immigrants that Biden allowed into the country as if it matters, because it is immaterial; everyone who is here now has legal and Constitutional protections. I am against what appears more and more like a secret police force designed to terrorize people and communities--that is not the job of properly trained and deployed law enforcement. ICE/CPB continue to be seen trampling the rights of citizens. What happened to "Protect and Serve?"

I actually have an idea. 

De-fund ICE and distribute their bloated funding to local and state police authorities. Create an organization under DHS, maybe under CBP, which identifies the egregious immigration criminals, as was promised by the President when he said "worst of the worst", and pass that verified information to the "locals" to execute warrants and arrests. That the locals would execute legal warrants for felonious crimes should appease concerns expressed by sanctuary cities and states. 

Effectively repairing the damage that has been done to the Country requires replacing the heads of DOJ, DHS, ICE, CBP, FBI, and Defense. Replacing them can be easy or hard--they resign (easy) or are impeached (hard). Their leadership is not compatible with the bedrock principles of America as expressed in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and applicable US Titles and laws.

Restore the land of the free and home of the brave--for all people!

De-ICE America!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Back onto the Streets

Crossing the Tequesta Bridge
Tequesta, FL
January 23, 2026

 Between the weather and my lack of motivation, it has not been a good month on my bike. 

I wish that I had ridden more, but the cold weather, rain, and gloomy skies negatively affected my mood and until yesterday's ride. It had been a chore to get out on my bike. 

But not yesterday! I finally had a great ride for the and completed my normal almost 18 mile loop! It was warm! Yes--in the 70s, finally! The skies were filled broken clouds and I hit the streets with enthusiasm. I actually enjoyed the ride because I was not fighting biting cold and I felt good!

The weather is turning cold again next week, but while much of the U.S. is suffering from incredible cold, it is warm and pleasant here in South Florida. I hope to get rides in today and tomorrow. With temperatures expected to be in the 80s tomorrow, I am also hoping to enjoy beach time! That would be awesome.

Bike, Beach and Beer! Now there is a winning combination.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Fabergé Eggs in Stuart

 I mentioned, yesterday, that in addition to the King tut replica exhibit, that Fabergé Eggs were also on display at the Elliot Museum in Stuart. 

Chris and I spent a short while looking at the eggs on display--of which there are many. I did not count the actual number of Fabergé Imperial Eggs in the exhibit, but there are definitely many. They are interesting and I  never appreciated the history of them until walking through the exhibit. 

I mean, OK, so they are decorated eggs, right?

Well they are so much more, as I learned. Some have complications which make them interesting. One was found in a flea market, I believe in Arizona just a few years ago. 

I was also fascinated by Fabregé's replica of Catherine the Great's coronation crown which is part of the exhibit. Of course the crown predates the eggs, but it is a very interesting piece to see in person. Wow!

Plan at least an hour to view the eggs and crown. Take your time--there is a wealth of history on display. And don't forget the King Tut exhibit and then there are numerous other exhibits in the museum as well as the fantastic collection of antique cars. Fortunately, there is a cafe right outside of the museum to take a rest and refresh!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

King Tut Returns to Stuart

 

The exhibit of museum quality replicas of the treasures found in King Tut's tomb returned to the Elliott Museum in Stuart. The display will remain through May, but Chris and I have already made our return visit to the museum. We are members, and any reason to visit the museum is a good one. This display is different than the previous exhibit. I found it easier to spend time with the individual displays and get deeper into the history. 

King Tut's Coffins Replicas
Stuart, FL
January 13, 2025

I very much enjoy Egyptian treasures. I remember my first exposure to authentic Egyptian treasures was at the Field Museum in Chicago during June 1977. I viewed the traveling King Tut exhibit. I had stopped for a day to visit with the Best Man from our wedding, Tim, as I was traveling to Denver to enter onto active duty with the Air Force and begin my career.

My next close encounter with Egyptian relics was during 1989 when we took the family from San Angelo to Dallas to view Ramses the Great. Mom and Dad accompanied us on the very long day trip. But we had a great time. The Ramses exhibit did not disappoint. 

And now here in South Florida, I have, for the third time, been able to spend time exploring King Tut's Egyptian antiquities. True, these are museum quality replicas, but the history and significance are no less interesting. The docent was not busy and we were provided with an in depth experience. Weekdays are good days to visit the museum. We spent so much time with the docent that we never made it to the antique cars and had precious little time to spend with the Fabergé Eggs, which are also on display. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Best Mornings of the Year

Breakfast on the Veranda
Utopia of the Seas near CocoCay, Bahamas
January 7, 2026

  What I treasure most about cruising is the opportunity to savor breakfast on the veranda. Chris and I order coffee, fruit, and pastries delivered to our stateroom and,  weather permitting, we relish breakfast while watching the sunrise, the ocean, or other captivating scene that graces our view.  

It is a perfect way to start the day. 

We sit and chat about the plan for the day and discuss some of the overnight news and happenings. But mostly, we just look out at a scene we only occasionally are fortunate enough to enjoy. 

Back home, our condo has a very limited view from the veranda. Mostly we enjoy a few plants, and ferns and a large green hedge. The occasional squirrel, bird, or lizard often become topics of conversation. 

Shipboard, it is a whole different environment. And we make sure to enjoy it. I fear too many cruisers pay for the veranda but never venture outside of their cabin. I get the veranda because I want to use it! And we do!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Escape the World to Dinner

The Stew, the Morning After
Tequesta, FL
January 20, 2026

I am not a cook and I have never played one on TV. 

 Chris and I tried a new recipe last evening. We found it in a book of soups and stews. The dish was named, Beef, Barley & Butternut Squash Stew with Blue Cheese Croutons. Since it was unseasonably cold here yesterday, it seemed a good time to pull out a feel good recipe and try it out.

Mmmm!

It took almost two hours to prepare and cook, thankfully I started at 4 PM. I had forgotten to plan around a 6 PM HOA meeting and so the dish sat until 7 PM before we were able to enjoy it. It was everything we hoped it would be and went very well with a Washington State red wine.

I discovered something, it is really expensive to cook creative dishes! The cost was over $40 just for the stuff we didn't have in the pantry or refrigerator.

Croutons Ready for Browning
Tequesta, FL
January 19, 2026

But, I guess that is the price for hiding my head in the sand so as not to hear the insane things that our president is saying and doing. Who says things like, since you didn't give me the peace award, I'm going to go to war now? Huh? Really?

A couple things about the dish--first, I enjoyed cutting the leaks. They were fun to joke about because Chris asked me where they were and I told her to look for the wet spot. I also had fun with the croutons. The blue cheese and walnut topping was really good and is a definite keeper for other dinners. 

Well, at least we have enough for lunch today and possibly tomorrow. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - January 19, 2026

 Martin Luther King Day

1. Welcome to the third Monday of January. It is a federal holiday. And that means no bad news in the mail. There are 49 Mondays remaining in 2026. 

2. I realized that it is hard to watch a complete NFL game when teams I care about are not playing. I saw parts of all four games this weekend, but no complete game. I did, however, see the ending of both overtime games!

3. I considered attending the college football championship game tonight. It is about two hours away in Miami. I was serious enough to look for tickets. Silly me, I actually thought I would find some reasonable tickets for the game. I was shocked by the prices! I went onto two resale sites and found tickets ranging from about $4K to $18K per ticket. Ugh. I posted the seat maps from two of the popular resale ticket sites. Who really pays that much for a sporting event? I mean, really? 

4. It appears we are in for another week of crazed things emanating from Washington. It surely has been a wild start to the year. Tomorrow marks the one year anniversary of the ascendance of Donald Trump to the presidency and the beginning of his 2nd term. I don't think any of us saw what was coming when he stood on Inauguration Day and lied about everything he intended to do. The text of his address can be found here. A couple of quotes remind of us what he said so we can compare them with what has actually transpired.

Next, I will direct all members of my cabinet to marshal the vast powers at their disposal to defeat what was record inflation and rapidly bring down costs and prices.

After years and years of illegal and unconstitutional federal efforts to restrict free expression, I also will sign an executive order to immediately stop all government censorship and bring back free speech to America.

Never again will the immense power of the state be weaponized to persecute political opponents -- something I know something about. (Laughter.) We will not allow that to happen. It will not happen again.

Under my leadership, we will restore fair, equal, and impartial justice under the constitutional rule of law.

5. Today in History. On January 19, 1809, poet, author and literary critic Edgar Allan Poe is born in Boston, Massachusetts.

By the time he was three years old, his father had abandoned the family and his mother had died, leaving him in the care of his godfather John Allan, a wealthy tobacco merchant. After attending school in England, Poe entered the University of Virginia in 1826. After fighting with Allan over his heavy gambling debts, he was forced to leave school after only eight months. Poe then served two years in the U.S. Army and won an appointment to West Point. After another falling out, Allan cut him off completely and he got himself dismissed from the academy for rules infractions.

Dark, handsome and brooding, Poe had published three works of poetry by that time, none of which had received much attention. In 1836, while working as an editor at the Southern Literary Messenger in Richmond, Virginia, Poe married his 13-year-old cousin, Virginia Clemm. He also completed his first full-length work of fiction, Arthur Gordon Pym, published in 1838.

Trump links Greenland threat to Nobel Peace Prize snub, EU eyes trade retaliation - Reuters

At least 39 dead in Spain after two high-speed trains collide - Reuters

A year into his return, Trump wields executive power with few restraints - Reuters

Iran to consider lifting internet ban; state TV hacked - Reuters

CNN poll finds majority of Americans say Trump is focused on the wrong priorities - CNN

There’s a reason the DOJ wants to stop Minneapolis citizens from filming ICE - MSNow

White House told CBS News that Trump would sue if his interview was edited - MSNow

What Trump’s proposed 10 percent cap on card rates could mean for you - The Washington Post

Trump Has an Offramp on Greenland. He Doesn’t Seem to Want It. - The New York Times

David FrenchAn Old Theory Helps Explain What Happened to Renee Good - The New York Times

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

We need normal!

 

It was a classic, but not unexpected, move. 

In a long screed this morning, Trump’s social media account said the president is placing tariffs of 10% on all goods from the countries currently protecting Greenland after February 1, and that the tariffs will increase to 25% on June 1. The post says the tariffs will be in effect “until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.” (Letters from an American)

And where is the money to purchase Greenland coming from? Congress certainly has not appropriated such funds. Did anyone notice that the residents of Greenland do not want to be Americans? 

Who suffers at the end of the day? 

We do!

Trump has already added more than $2 trillion to the national debt during his first year in office. 

We get to fund that. 

And the increase in prices caused by the punitive tariffs is not going to improve affordability, nor will it encourage American production of exports when the retaliatory tariffs are applied. 

I remember, decades ago, when George H.W. Bush called Ronald Reagan's economics plan: Voodoo Economics--turns out it was. But Reagan got elected and Bush became his VP.

I have a name for Trump's economics plan--Bankrupt Economics. He is, after all, the king of bankruptcies. 

Consider that Greenland, tariffs on Europe, and Venezuelan oil are definitely not America First policies--they Trump First policies. 

I know the phrase was used unsuccessfully by rival presidential candidate, but I saw it scrawled on a protestor's sign in Copenhagen yesterday--we need to be normal again. Make America Normal Again! We need to restore our traditional alliances and trading partners. The insanity has to stop. 

Instead of punishing the American people with tariff wars, suffocating debt, and loss of healthcare access, we need someone who remembers that the president is the servant of the people and the steward of democracy. He is not the king of the world. 

Note to Congress: WAKE UP!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Made me Smile

 Surfing the net, or more specifically Facebook, provides a wealth of information. It is amazing what I find there and sometimes it even makes me smile.

The parody of noxious lawyer commercials did just that. It also caught my eye because the pictured dog is a Keeshond, my favorite breed of dog. 

Check out the name of the law firm. 

It is hard to find humorous items these days without looking hard, but this one just popped up. And every dog lover/owner can relate. 

As an aside, I did not come across and any cold lizards yesterday, they kept to themselves. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

The Cold Returns

 It was 39 really cold degrees when I woke this morning. 

Yes, the iguana alerts were out. Beware falling iguanas and don't bother them as they can still defend themselves. (Newsweek)

Chris and I are fortunate in that we do not live in an area where we see many iguanas, but they are around nearby. Given the cold, it is unlikely that I will attempt a bike ride today unless it is later in the day after the temperature had risen and the iguanas have awakened. 

Iguana on Welcome Sand Art
CocoCay, Bahamas
January 7, 2026

We were surprised last week when we were visiting CocoCay to see an iguana on the sand art welcoming people to the island. It was a bit humorous. What was even more amazing was the number of people who barely even noticed the lizard sitting in the sun on the sand art. Totally oblivious. I think it added something to the experience. I enjoyed seeing the iguana hanging out there just looking at all the people.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

It was in the News

 The Verizon outage yesterday made the headlines. Chris and I, although we have service from competing carriers, were affected as we tried to call Lucas and sing Happy Birthday on his 16th birthday. He was finally able to call us after we contacted his Dad, who is on XFinity. 

A major outage attributed to an undisclosed problem is very concerning. Was it a cyber attack? But, even more, an outage like this demonstrated the fragile nature of our communications architecture.

I know that I am very dependent upon my cell phone and Wifi carrier. I am very happy that I do not have Verizon.

And they won't say, why?  Why?

But wait! There is more strange stuff in the news, this time from the White House.

"FEAR NOT, GREAT PEOPLE OF MINNESOTA, THE DAY OF RECKONING & RETRIBUTION IS COMING!" - Donald Trump (Yahoo News)

What does that mean? 

Who talks like that?

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Gray and Overcast

Palms against the Gray
Tequesta, FL
January 13, 2026

 The weather yesterday, here in South Florida, matched the mood in the country--gray and overcast. 

The sun appeared only briefly and I never wore my sunglasses all day. There was a fairly consistent mist during the morning which convinced me not to head out on my bike and to take a down day instead. 

Even the palms at Tiki52 last evening seemed to be suffering from the oppressive gray skies. They did not have their usual vibrance. 

I have notice the daylight increasing significantly. I had to adjust the timer which switches on the outdoors garden lights. The lights were coming on whilst it remained light. I am very happy for the longer days!

I am hoping that today is a better day, but I fear not. The gray skies remain for the morning along with rain. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

It was a Crisis!

 Chris and I had a nasty surprise last evening as we prepared to eat dinner. 

The surprise was the result of traveling a lot since the end of October and not keeping tabs the condiment supplies. We had traveled 39 of 73 days, or 53 percent of the time, since the 29th of October.

We had decided to have burgers for dinner--something we do not often do. In fact we have salmon more than we have burgers, but we were in the mood for burgers from the grill last evening. 

All went well right up until it was time to serve the burgers and we went to the pantry for the ketchup. 

The bottle was empty!

We normally have a spare bottle, but not last night! There was enough for one burger and I gave that to Chris. 

I considered charging out to the store for a bottle of ketchup, but then the burgers would have been cold or dried out if we kept them on the heat. Instead, I used barbecue sauce and mayonnaise on my burgers--but it was not the same without ketchup or catsup!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - January 12, 2026

 

Baby Pool Water Feature
Utopia of the Seas
January 8, 2026

1. The second Monday of January has arrived. This year is off to a fast start, I can only wonder what will happen next. There are 50 more Mondays remaining in the year.

2. The NFL Wild Card Weekend is nearly over. Most of the games were exciting. I wonder what will happen with the sole remaining Family Team tonight as the Steelers host the Texans. History says the Steelers get blown out, but this year there is the Aaron Rogers wild card in the deck.

3. And turning to other sports, Arsenal had a good week and remains solidly atop the Premier League Table. The draw with Aston Villa did not hurt as much as I thought it might as Arsenal is 6 points clear. 

4. Kamala Harris was right. On October 29, 2024, she told a crowd that had come to hear her speak on the Ellipse, “In less than 90 days, either Donald Trump or I will be in the Oval Office, On day one, if elected, Donald Trump would walk into that office with an enemies list…Donald Trump intends to use the United States military against American citizens who simply disagree with him. People he calls ‘the enemy from within.’ This is not a candidate for president who is thinking about how to make your life better. This is someone who is unstable, obsessed with revenge, consumed with grievance, and out for unchecked power.” (Civil Discourse)

5. False Narratives. This past week has shown that there are no lows to which the current administration will not stoop. The facts of January 6, 2021, have been rewritten on the White House website and despite clear evidence from multiple sources to the contrary.(ABC News) Further,  the administration continues in erroneously characterizing Renee Good as a left wing terrorist who attempted to run over an ICE officer. (Bring me the news)

6. I realized that Congress can stop the ICE abuses, defund them in the budget. Pretty simple. 

7. Today in History. On January 12, 2010, Haiti is devastated by a massive earthquake. It drew an outpouring of support from around the globe, but the small nation has yet to fully recover.

Haiti has a history of seismic activity—devastating earthquakes were recorded there in 1751, 1770, 1842 and 1946. The island of Hispaniola, which Haiti shares with the Dominican Republic, lies mostly between two large tectonic plates, the North American and the Caribbean. The Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince practically straddles this fault line. Despite this knowledge and warnings from seismologists that another earthquake was likely in the near future, the country's poverty meant that infrastructure and emergency services were not prepared to handle the effects of a natural disaster. 

Trump White House attempts to rewrite history of Jan. 6, accuses ... - ABC News

Iran says communications open with US - Reuters

Trump team ramps up attack on Fed's Powell with criminal indictment threat - Reuters

Winter pierces Kyiv homes after Russia knocks out heat - Reuters

International law applies to everyone, including US, says German finance minister - ReutersCompletely bonkers’: Trump’s Greenland mining dreams collide with reality - CNNHundreds more Border Patrol officers are headed to Minneapolis, Noem says, as new video shows minutes before fatal shooting - CNNIsolation defined Trump’s first term. Imperialism will define his second. - MSNow‘We’ve lowered our standards’: Former ICE director says agents are being put into situations ‘they are not trained for’ - MSNowMan who grabbed Pelosi’s podium during Jan. 6 riot runs for office in Florida - The Washington Post

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

I Have an Uneasy Feeling About This

 

What a week it was!

The boundaries of decency and democracy continue to be pushed by the administration. The most disturbing comment of the week was made by the president. 

President Trump declared on Wednesday evening that his power as commander in chief is constrained only by his “own morality,” brushing aside international law and other checks on his ability to use military might to strike, invade or coerce nations around the world.  (New York Times)

The more my mind turns on this, the more concerned I become. 

Trump is a convicted sex offender. He is also a misogynist, pathological liar, alleged pedophile, narcissist, and terrible businessman. Who else could bankrupt a casino or have businesses declare bankruptcy six times. Counting the United States, that number could grow to seven.

I'm don't trust his "own morality."

And the talk of taking Greenland or attacking Cuba is very concerning. 

Trump does not believe he is constrained by The Constitution, the laws of the land, and probably the Supreme Court. He definitely has nothing but contempt for the Congress. 

Why did the national debt rise by $2.2 trillion last year if tariffs and trickle down economics were supposed to work? (factually) 

We are being spent into eternal debt and apparently the administration is unconstrained by the appropriations approved by Congress. 

This administration has become the Revenge Tour that Trump promised his supporters during the election. 

But the bottom line is that it is all about the Trump crime family getting richer, by billions.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Reflections on the Cruise

Promenade Deck
Utopia of the Seas
January 8, 2026

 The cruise was great, short, but great. We always seemed to be busy doing something. I took a book to read and never opened the cover. 

Beck in the Baby Pool
Utopia of the Seas
January 8, 2026

Chris and I had plans to spend time in a hot tub in the Solarium, the adult pools--never happened. We were too busy enjoying the precious time we were able to spend with Patrick, Jen, and Beck. And we departed yesterday at the cruise port wanting more time with them. We didn't wear it out. Yes, there were good-bye tears amidst the hustle, bustle, and crushing traffic.

Utopia of the Seas is a great ship! The only negative I have is that it is too bad it is sailing the twice weekly "weekend" cruises. I would love to enjoy an 8-night or longer cruise on the ship. We only just began to find our favorite spaces and the cruise was over. There is so much to do, and yes, there are quiet places even with about 8,000 passengers and crew all together.

Together on Shore
CocoCay, Bahamas
January 7, 2026

The specialty restaurants have become a bit expensive, perhaps that is why they were mostly empty the two times we enjoyed their service. But, the service and the food was fantastic! The crew was, likewise, fantastic. They seemed happy and were dedicated to providing the best experience possible. 

Finn after the Welcome Dance
Tequesta, FL
January 9, 2026

I highly recommend sailing on Utopia of the Seas.

We had a great time; too bad that it is over. 

BTW, Finn was VERY happy to see us. So happy that he went to sleep in a chair shortly after we arrived and he had danced at our return for about 10 minutes!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL