Monday Musings - February 23, 2026

 1. February is coming to a close. Today is the final Monday of the second month of the year. There are only 44 Mondays remaining in 2026. 

Turtle Fest
Loggerhead Marine Life Center, Juno Beach, FL
February 22, 2026

2. It was festival weekend. We attended the Jupiter Seafood Fest and the Loggerhead Marine Life Center Turtle Fest. We had a great time at both, but the Turtle Fest seems to be outpacing the Seafood Fest in terms of diversity and size.

3. The colder weather returned to South Florida overnight. It is a very chilly 47 degrees this morning after we enjoyed low 80s for the past four days. How rude! Today's high will only be in the 60s and we have another outdoors event planned--a Spring Training baseball game. Well, I guess it will really feel like springtime in Maryland when we get to the ballpark today. 

4. Does anyone else think our president behaves like a petulant child when things do not go his way? And then he attacks those who are giving him the decisions he dos not want to hear. Seems that he does not realize that if he didn't try to break the law the courts would not rule against him. Oh yea, he believes that he is above the law! Well, the experiment with the unitary executive seems to be a failure. So much for Project 2025. 

5. Today in History. February 23, 1945: During the bloody Battle for Iwo Jima, U.S. Marines from the 3rd Platoon, E Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Regiment of the 5th Division take the crest of Mount Suribachi—the island’s highest peak and most strategic position—and raise the U.S. flag. Marine photographer Louis Lowery, who was with them, recorded the event. Americans fighting for control of Suribachi’s slopes cheered the raising of the flag.

Several hours later, more Marines headed up to the crest with a larger flag. Joe Rosenthal, a photographer with the Associated Press, met them along the way and recorded the raising of the second flag along with a Marine still photographer and a motion-picture cameraman.

EU says it will accept no increase in US tariffs - Reuters

Russian lives for Ukrainian lands - Reuters

Tehran is ready for nuclear concessions if US meets demands, Iranian official says - Reuters

US military begins withdrawing from main base in northeast Syria, Syrian sources say - Reuters

Killing of Mexican drug lord ignites chaos as US tourists shelter in place - CNN

Bomb cyclone blasts Northeast with widespread blizzard conditions, knocking out power and burying towns - CNN

Trump Claims a Historic Turnaround for the U.S. Here Are the Facts. - The New York Times

The GOP’s worst argument for voter ID - MS Now

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - February 16, 2026

 1. February is half completed. Today is the thrid Monday of the month with only one more to enjoy. There are 45 Mondays remaining in 2026. 

2. Yesterday marked a Sunday without football or baseball. It may have been the only Sunday of the year where neither sport was being competed. But not to fear! Spring Training baseball games begin this week and so not another Sunday in 2026 will pass without either football or baseball!

ArtiGras
Palm Beach Gardens, FL
February 15, 2026

3. Chris and I attended ArtiGras yesterday. It is a large event dedicated to artisans selling their creations for premium prices. We saw many very nice creations, but could not determine when we might display them in our home had we decided to buy them. It is not inexpensive to attend the show as tickets were $15 each (plus service fees) and parking was another $15. Add in a little food and drink and just for the opportunity to view the wares of the artisans made it a $100 day just to walk around. We arrived shortly after the event opened for the day and were able to spend some time enjoying the show before the suffocating crowds arrived.

4. The Olympics continues. The U.S. team has won more medals this past week and moved into third place overall, but still seems to underperforming. I wonder if the apparent underperformance is due to lack of preparation or whether judges are being tougher on the U.S. team due to the developing geo-political situation? One case in point is the French judge in the couples ice skating. 

5. Today in History. On February 16, 1923, in Thebes, Egypt, English archaeologist Howard Carter enters the sealed burial chamber of the ancient Egyptian ruler King Tutankhamen.

Because the ancient Egyptians saw their pharaohs as gods, they carefully preserved their bodies after death, burying them in elaborate tombs containing rich treasures to accompany the rulers into the afterlife. In the 19th century, archeologists from all over the world flocked to Egypt, where they uncovered a number of these tombs. Many had long ago been broken into by robbers and stripped of their riches.

When Carter arrived in Egypt in 1891, he became convinced there was at least one undiscovered tomb–that of the little known Tutankhamen, or King Tut, who lived around 1400 B.C. and died when he was still a teenager. Backed by a rich Brit, Lord Carnarvon, Carter searched for five years without success. In early 1922, Lord Carnarvon wanted to call off the search, but Carter convinced him to hold on one more year.

Iran says potential energy, mining and aircraft deals on table in talks with US - Reuters

Europe aims to rely less on US defence after Trump's Greenland push - Reuters

Savannah Guthrie says 'do the right thing' in latest emotional plea - CNN

DOJ lists hundreds of prominent people named in Epstein files in letter to Congress - CNN

How polls show Republicans shifted away from caring so much about Jeffrey Epstein - CNN

Trump is trying to block a new border crossing. A billionaire donor may have something to do with it. - MS Now

With Latest Rollback, the U.S. Essentially Has No Clean-Car Rules - New York Times

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - February 9, 2026

1. Happy second Monday of February. We should celebrate. There are 46 Mondays remaining in the year. 

Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III

2. The Super Bowl was quite an event last evening. It was a hard game to watch, being a defensive struggle for most of the affair. I was happy to see Seattle claim the crown as the Super Bowl Champion. I didn't do too bad with my prediction of the final score, although the game was not as close as I thought it might be. I predicted 24-21 Seattle and the final score was 29-13 Seattle.

3. I am hugely excited that temperatures here in South Florida are recovering after the freeze. Chris and I saw the remains of a lizard that didn't make it because of the cold yesterday. I believe there are going to be a lot less lizards around the yard for the remainder of the year. 

4. I did some research this morning to determine how the alternate Super Bowl Halftime Show did against the actual Super Bowl Halftime show. That performance [The alternate halftime show] attracted only an estimated 5 million viewers against Bad Bunny’s 135 million, which has otherwise served to mark the Latin musician’s performance as the most watched NFL halftime show in history. (Daily Beast) Seems as if the votes are in.

5. Oblivious to decency and the ability to recognize when there might a be a problem. the President called Olympian Hunter Hess, "a real loser." President Trump wrote this in response to a response Hess gave to a reporter. Hess said, in part, “There’s obviously a lot going on that I’m not the biggest fan of and think a lot of people aren’t,” Hess said. “If it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I’m representing it. But just because I’m wearing the flag doesn’t mean that I represent everything that’s going on in the U.S.” (NY Times) I wonder if the President's ears were burning? 

6. Note: I will no longer be quoting the Washington Post in my blog as a protest against the changes at the formerly venerable newspaper. I have also canceled my subscription. 

7. Today in History. On February 9, 1971, pitcher Leroy “Satchel” Paige becomes the first Negro League veteran to be nominated for the Baseball Hall of Fame. In August of that year, Paige, a pitching legend known for his fastball, showmanship and the longevity of his playing career, which spanned five decades, was inducted. Joe DiMaggio once called Paige “the best and fastest pitcher I’ve ever faced.”

Paige was born in Mobile, Alabama, most likely on July 7, 1906, although the exact date remains a mystery. He earned his nickname, Satchel, as a boy when he earned money carrying passengers’ bags at train stations. Baseball was segregated when Paige started playing baseball professionally in the 1920s, so he spent most of his career pitching for Negro League teams around the United States. During the winter season, he pitched for teams in the Caribbean and Central and South America. As a barnstorming player who traveled thousands of miles each season and played for whichever team met his asking price, he pitched an estimated 2,500 games, had 300 shut-outs and 55 no-hitters. In one month in 1935, he reportedly pitched 29 consecutive games.

As AI enters the operating room, reports arise of botched surgeries and misidentified body parts - Reuters

SpaceX prioritizes lunar 'self-growing city' over Mars project, Musk says - Reuters

Trump repeatedly claims victory over high prices; the numbers don't back him up - Reuters

Russian drone attacks on Ukraine kill four, including mother and child - Reuters

Nancy Guthrie's children say her return is 'only way we will have peace'  - CNN

Trump calls Olympic skier ‘real loser’ after he expresses ‘mixed emotions’ representing the US  - CNN

Kid Rock’s ‘Halftime’ show is what happens when Christianity, celebrity and MAGA collide - MSNow

MAGA is screaming foul over Bad Bunny’s halftime show. Here’s why the NFL doesn’t seem to care. - MSNow

Trump Calls Olympian a ‘Real Loser’ Over Comments on Representing U.S. - New York Times

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - February 2, 2026

 

Happy Groundhog Day!

1. Welcome to February! Today is the first of four February Mondays. There are 47 Mondays remaining in the year. 

Phil Predicts Six More Weeks of Winter
Gobblers Knob, PA
February 2, 2026

2. The prediction is in from Punxsutawney, PA. Phil predicts six more weeks of Winter! Ugh. 

3. Is America under siege from an internal force? Has ICE/CBP gone too far in assaulting Americans? Has the president lost sight of the fundamental principles that made America great? Is the president abusing his position to get richer at the expense of "We the People?"

4. Next week--the Super Bowl. I am ready for football to be over and baseball to get underway. I wonder how many people will be watching the Olympics and skip the Super Bowl? I believe the Monday after the Super Bowl should be a national holiday. Not a lot of work gets done anyway. 

5. It is cold! Yesterday, I had to switch the HVAC from cool to heat for the first time in three years. The temperature in the house got down to 69 degrees. Just a bit cold. Fortunately, the heat came on and we are enjoying a cool, but comfortable 71 degrees. 

6. Today in History. On February 2, 1887, Groundhog Day, featuring a rodent meteorologist, is celebrated for the first time at Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. According to tradition, if a groundhog comes out of its hole on this day and sees its shadow, it gets scared and runs back into its burrow, predicting six more weeks of winter weather; no shadow means an early spring.

Groundhog Day has its roots in the ancient Christian tradition of Candlemas, when clergy would bless and distribute candles needed for winter. The candles represented how long and cold the winter would be. Germans expanded on this concept by selecting an animal—the hedgehog—as a means of predicting weather. Once they came to America, German settlers in Pennsylvania continued the tradition, although they switched from hedgehogs to groundhogs, which were plentiful in the Keystone State.

Groundhogs, also called woodchucks and whose scientific name is Marmota monax, typically weigh 12 to 15 pounds and live six to eight years. They eat vegetables and fruits, whistle when they’re frightened or looking for a mate (they’re sometimes called whistle pigs) and can climb trees and swim.

Slump in commodities rattles global markets - Reuters
Israel reopens Gaza's Rafah border crossing to Egypt, with tight limits - Reuters
Russia does not want a global conflict, Medvedev says - Reuters
Five-year-old boy detained by ICE has returned to Minnesota, lawmaker says - Reuters
Trump says Kennedy Center will close in July for 2-year renovation - CNN
Johnson must sell conservatives on funding deal Democrats pushed for, or risk shutdown - CNN
Where things stand with the government shutdown, and how soon it could end - FoxNews
Kenyan job seekers were lured to Russia, then sent to die in Ukraine - The Washington Post

-- 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

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

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

Monday Musings - January 5, 2026

 

1. Happy New Year again. Welcome to the first Monday of 2026. We have a whole year ahead of us along with 51 more Mondays.

Out the Hotel Window
Port Canaveral, FL
January 5, 2025

2. Today we board Utopia of the Seas for a week of fun and a visit to the Bahamas! I am awake this morning looking out on a foggy Florida morning. I was happy to be able to charge the car for free at the hotel!

3. NFL Family Football Report. The regular season is over and only one family team made the post season. Congratulations to the Steelers and the game ending missed Ravens field goal. Collectively, the teams finished a dismal 43-58-1, .426, for the season. 

Ravens (8-9) lost to Steelers (10-7), 24-26 

Dolphins (7-10) lost to Patriots (14-3), 10-38

Commanders (5-12) defeated Eagles (11-6), 24-17

Cowboys (7-9-1), lost to Giants (4-13), 17-34

Chiefs (6-11) lost to Raiders (3-14), 12-14

4. I am very conflicted this morning. I am appalled that international law and the Constitution were so blatantly ignored with the "arrest" of Maduro and his wife. I was further shocked that the Attorney General talked of the full "wrath" of American justice. I thought justice was blind and fair in a country governed by the rule of law. And I am further distressed by the Republicans talking on FoxNews (yes I watched) and not addressing the legality of the actions, but rather condemning Democrats who are concerned about the law, the state of our country, and are concerned that the veiled arrest is really a land and resource grab form a sovereign country. How is this different from what Putin did to Ukraine? And now Trump is talking about Cuba and Colombia next!

5. Today in History. On January 5, 1933, construction begins on the Golden Gate Bridge, as workers began excavating 3.25 million cubic feet of dirt for the structure’s huge anchorages.

Following the Gold Rush boom that began in 1849, speculators realized the land north of San Francisco Bay would increase in value in direct proportion to its accessibility to the city. Soon, a plan was hatched to build a bridge that would span the Golden Gate, a narrow, 400-foot deep strait that serves as the mouth of the San Francisco Bay, connecting the San Francisco Peninsula with the southern end of Marin County.

Although the idea went back as far as 1869, the proposal took root in 1916. A former engineering student, James Wilkins, working as a journalist with the San Francisco Bulletin, called for a suspension bridge with a center span of 3,000 feet, nearly twice the length of any in existence. Wilkins’ idea was estimated to cost an astounding $100 million. So, San Francisco’s city engineer, Michael M. O’Shaughnessy (he’s also credited with coming up with the name Golden Gate Bridge), began asking bridge engineers whether they could do it for less.

Venezuela's Maduro due in US court, substitute leader softens stance - Reuters

Cuba says 32 of its citizens killed in Maduro extraction - Reuters

Ukraine says Russian strike on Kyiv leaves first civilians dead this year - Reuters

Popular Japanese sushi chain pays record $3.2 million for tuna in New Year auction - Reuters

Mike Johnson brags about ‘a great year.’ House Republicans are discussing his replacement - MSNow

Trump predicts Cuba is 'ready to fall' after US captures Venezuela's Maduro - FOXNews

Ravens' season ends in heartbreak as missed field goal sends Steelers to playoffs - FoxNews

U.S. plan to ‘run’ Venezuela clouded in confusion - The Washington Post

-- Bob Doan, Port Canaveral, FL

Monday Musings - December 29, 2025

 

1. The final Monday of 2025 has arrived. Christmas Day has passed and we are looking forward to the New Year with some trepidation. We will party and greet the new year, but the joyous celebration may soon evaporate as the realities of the world overcome our senses. 

2. NFL Family Football Report. As weeks go, at least the family teams were 3-3, .500, which is certainly better than they have been doing. The Steelers failed to win the AFC North Division. That loss sets up a "Win and In" game next week with the Ravens for the division crown with the loser watching the playoffs from their sofas. The winner of that game will be the only family team in the playoffs. Collectively, the teams are 41-54-1, .432, for the season. 

Ravens (8-8) overcame Packers (9-6-1), 41-24 

Dolphins (7-9) swam past Buccaneers (7-9), 21-20-17

Steelers (9-7) tackled by Browns (4-12), 6-13

Commanders (4-12) were lassoed by Cowboys (7-8-1), 23-30

Chiefs (6-10) fell to Broncos (13-3), 13-20

Lilly, Arthur and Finn Watching Football
Odenton, MD
December 28, 2025

3. Watching football is a family affair. Yesterday we managed to get four adults and three dogs onto the sofa for the games. The dogs were quite comfortable and staked out some prime real estate complete with pillows to enjoy the contests. 

4. And writing of sports teams, Arsenal, of the Premier League, continues to maintain a 2-point advantage over Man City and 3-points over Aston Villa--their opponent tomorrow. This is a very important game.

5. Whack-a-mole. The US Military is being used to play Whack-a-Mole across the globe. Whether it be sinking unarmed power boats in the Caribbean Sea or Pacific Ocean, striking ISIS positions in Syria, or for some unknown reason wasting valuable munitions to do something in Nigeria, apparently our president who claims to be committed to peace is spending our national treasure willy-nilly around the planet. Yet, he won't commit our support to Ukraine where the focused application of US weapons could actually bring a terrible war to a conclusion.

6. Today in History. On December 29, 1890, in one of the final chapters of America’s long Indian wars, the U.S. Cavalry kills 146 Lakota Indians at Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota.

Throughout 1890, the U.S. government worried about the increasing influence at Pine Ridge of the Ghost Dance spiritual movement, which taught that Native Americans had been defeated and confined to reservations because they had angered the gods by abandoning their traditional customs. Many Lakota believed that if they practiced the Ghost Dance and rejected the ways of the white man, the gods would create the world anew and destroy all non-believers, including non-Indians.

On December 15, 1890, reservation police tried to arrest Sitting Bull, the famous Hunkpapa Lakota leader, who they mistakenly believed was a Ghost Dancer, at the Standing Rock reservation and killed him in the process.

On December 29, the U.S. Army’s 7th cavalry surrounded a band of Ghost Dancers under the Lakota Chief Big Foot (a.k.a. Spotted Elk) near Wounded Knee Creek and demanded they surrender their weapons. As that was happening, a fight broke out between an Indian and a U.S. soldier and a shot was fired, although it’s unclear from which side. A brutal massacre followed, in which it’s estimated almost 150 Native Americans were killed (some historians put this number at twice as high), nearly half of them women and children. The cavalry lost 25 men.

Trump-Zelenskiy talks yield no progress on Ukraine-Russia territorial issues - Reuters

China stages record drills designed to encircle Taiwan - Reuters

Syria secures mass grave revealed by Reuters and opens criminal investigation - Reuters

North Korea's Kim Jong Un oversees cruise missile launches - Reuters

The small-business owners going uninsured as premiums skyrocket  - CNN

Blizzard conditions and tornadoes disrupt travel as winter brings frigid reality check back to the US - CNN

Congress is desperately failing at its main job - MS Now

Trump’s Christmas bombing of Nigeria has little to do with protecting Christians - MS Now

Iran sends conflicting signals on its missiles as Israeli concerns rise - The Washington Post

Steelers make major money decision on DK Metcalf after 2-game suspension - FoxNews

Donald Trump in his own words – the year in racism and misogyny - The Guardian

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

#MondayMusings