Monday Musings - May 25, 2026

 Memorial Day 2026

1. It is Memorial Day and the final Monday of May. Whew. Where did the month escape to? Heading into June next week, there are just 31 Mondays remaining in the year. 

2. It is good that we, as a nation, take a day to recognize the ultimate sacrifice made by true patriots to secure our freedoms and liberty through the centuries. As this country celebrates the 250th anniversary of the signing of one of the most consequential documents in human history, The Declaration of Independence, we must rededicate ourselves to creating a nation that embodies the spirit of that document. 

Sandhill Crane
Tequesta, FL
May 24, v2026

3. I enjoyed nice ride yesterday, although the winds was a bit strong at times. OK, really strong. I came across the first Sandhill Crane that I have seen in quite a while. That is was alone was also a bit weird. I normally see them in pairs. Perhaps the other member of the pair is sitting on the nest somewhere?

4. The Orioles managed to split a doubleheader yesterday. Yay. There are still mired in 4th place in the division and starting a series with the Rays today that could drop their season through the floor. Ugh!

5. I'm confused. If Iran is totally destroyed, as the administration declares, why do they get to set the terms of the end of the conflict? Stuff like this does not make sense. To the victor go the spoils and the terms of the conflict's resolution. I'm afraid that our president thought he would get a quick win and be hailed as a warrior hero rather than as a mediocre commander-in-chief. We are wasting our military resources and national treasure in pursuit of fleeting glory that will not happen. 

6. Today in History. Four years after the United States won its independence from Great Britain, 55 state delegates, including George Washington, James Madison and Benjamin Franklin, convene in Philadelphia to compose a new U.S. constitution on May 25, 1787.

The Articles of Confederation, ratified several months before the British surrender at Yorktown in 1781, provided for a loose confederation of U.S. states, which were sovereign in most of their affairs. On paper, Congress—the central authority—had the power to govern foreign affairs, conduct war, and regulate currency, but in practice these powers were sharply limited because Congress was given no authority to enforce its requests to the states for money or troops. By 1786, it was apparent that the Union would soon break up if the Articles of Confederation were not amended or replaced. Five states met in Annapolis, Maryland, to discuss the issue, and all the states were invited to send delegates to a new constitutional convention to be held in Philadelphia.

13 US service members have died in the war with Iran. Here are their stories - CNN

Iran and US play down hopes for imminent breakthrough in war - Reuters

Pope Leo urges world to 'slow down' on AI in fervent first manifesto - Reuters

Dollar drifts lower as oil falls on Hormuz deal optimism - Reuters

Missile and drone strikes kill eight in Russia and Ukraine - Reuters

After 250 years, Revolutionary War-era soldiers finally laid to rest in upstate New York - CNN

Polls show many Republicans don’t believe these three facts. That’s bad for America — and the GOP. - MS Now

All charges dropped against ‘Broadview Six’ after feds admit to errors in case - MS Now

--  Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - May 18, 2026

Mount St Helens Erupting
Bettmann Archive/Getty Images
Published: February 09, 2010

1. The third Monday of May has arrived. Yup. Only one Monday remains in May and that is also Memorial Day. There are 32 Mondays remaining in the year.

2. Aside from a trip to Home Depot, Chris and I stayed in yesterday and watched movies. None of them were particularly special, but they were entertaining. We tried to watch the Director's Cut of Alien, but gave up after about an hour. I had forgotten how plodding that movie was. 

3. It was oppressive outside. Hot and humid. A true South Florida beginning to Summer. I was encouraged, however, because the high in Odenton, MD, was 86 degrees and we only reached 85 degrees with a nice wind from the ocean. 

4. The Orioles managed a couple wins this past week. They are still playing sub-optimal baseball. They have slipped to fourth place in the division, ten games out of first place. 

5. How interesting is it that a treaty from 1797 provides clear insight into the minds of the founding fathers with respect to the establishment of religion in the United States. The Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the United States of America and the Bey and Subjects of Tripoli of Barbary, signed January 3, 1797, lays out clearly that the current Christian Nationalism push by the administration is not in keeping with the intent of the Constitution's Article 1 regarding the "establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof". Article 11 of the referenced treaty makes a very clear statement: 

Article 11.

As the government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion, — as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Musselmen, — and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.

6. Today in History. At 8:32 a.m. PDT on May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens, a volcanic peak in southwestern Washington, suffers a massive eruption, killing 57 people and devastating some 210 square miles of wilderness.

Called Louwala-Clough, or “the Smoking Mountain,” by Native Americans, Mount St. Helens is located in the Cascade Range and stood 9,680 feet before its eruption. The volcano has erupted periodically during the last 4,500 years, and the last active period was between 1831 and 1857. On March 20, 1980, noticeable volcanic activity began with a series of earth tremors centered on the ground just beneath the north flank of the mountain. These earthquakes escalated, and on March 27 a minor eruption occurred, and Mount St. Helens began emitting steam and ash through its crater and vents.

How Trump’s crypto venture and Iran’s top exchange tapped into the same industry networks - Reuters

Exclusive: Pakistan deploys jet squadron, thousands of troops to Saudi Arabia during Iran war - Reuters

Global bond rout deepens as Iran war drags on and underscores inflation fears - Reuters

Russia attacks Odesa and Dnipro, Ukraine strikes Belgorod region - Reuters

WHO declares Ebola outbreak an international emergency - Reuters

‘It’s not supposed to look like you’re going to dive in’: Historians criticize Trump’s Reflecting Pool makeover as group sues - CNN

Painful Commute Hits New York as Long Island Rail Road Strikes - The New York Times

A Search for Ways Around Blocked Strait of Hormuz Leads to Syria - The New York Times

Trump’s economy is failing Americans - MSNow

Iran moves to take permanent control of Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping choke point - MSNow

Cheap, healthy food rejected by most Americans as MAHA movement pushes it - FoxNews

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - May 11, 2026

 1. The march of May continues as it is not the second Monday of the Month. In just two short weeks Memorial Day will arrive to announce the unofficial beginning of Summer. There remain 33 Mondays in 2026.

Under the Banyan Trees on Beach Road
Hobe Sound, FL
May 9, 2026

2. A hearty congratulations to the Arundel High School Baseball Team for a thrilling season. It did not end the way we all desired, but still, you all did great. Congrats.

3. Mother's Day was throughly enjoyed by Chris. We ended the day with dinner at Cooper's Hawk  followed by watching one of her favorite movies: The Sound of Music. She also enjoyed hearing from each of her children.

Tortoise Number 4 on my Ride
Tequesta, FL
May 10, 2026

4. I completed an 18-mile ride during which I saw five gopher tortoises. That was the most I have ever seen during a ride. I guess it was a busy day in the tortoise world. It was also the hottest day I've ridden this year. 

5. Saturday, I had to take the truck out for a drive to keep the wheels round and the fluids flowing. I drove the reverse of the rout I had ridden my bike on Friday and was able to get a great image of the banyan trees lining Beach Road in Hobe sound. It is an iconic road and when a tornado damaged the trees a couple years ago, they were speedily repaired and reset. that is why they look a bit thin.

6. The words of Péter Magyar's inauguration speech in Hungary caused me to pause and dream of better times here in the USA. He said, “We inherited a country where politics deliberately pitted Hungarians against each other,” he said, and he explained how Orbán mobilized supporters with hatred and fear, poisoning “the collective psyche of an entire nation.” “The Hungarian state must never again do this to its own citizens,” he said. He vowed to heal the country: “We will once again learn to think of ourselves as one nation,” he promised. (Letters from an American)

7. Today in History. On May 11, 1934, a massive storm sends millions of tons of topsoil flying from across the parched Great Plains region of the United States as far east as New York, Boston and Atlanta.

At the time the Great Plains were settled in the mid-1800s, the land was covered by prairie grass, which held moisture in the earth and kept most of the soil from blowing away even during dry spells. By the early 20th century, however, farmers had plowed under much of the grass to create fields. The U.S. entry into World War I in 1917 caused a great need for wheat, and farms began to push their fields to the limit, plowing under more and more grassland with the newly invented tractor. The plowing continued after the war, when the introduction of even more powerful gasoline tractors sped up the process. During the 1920s, wheat production increased by 300 percent, causing a glut in the market by 1931.

Trump dismisses Iran's reply to peace plan, oil jumps as Hormuz closure persists - Reuters

Trump and Xi set for talks spanning Iran, nuclear, trade and AI - Reuters

Ukraine reports Russian attacks and battlefield clashes despite ceasefire - Reuters

Anger, confusion as Louisiana Republicans move to erase majority-Black House district - Reuters

China is learning from the US war with Iran - CNN

Hegseth calls for Sen. Mark Kelly to be investigated by Pentagon for second time - CNN

American Passengers Exposed to Hantavirus Land in the U.S. - The New York Times

Thousands rally to support USPS as agency running out of cash - MS Now

A death on Denver airport’s runway highlights the challenge of securing a facility twice the size of Manhattan - CNN

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - May 4, 2026

 

May the 4th Be With You!

Moon this Morning
Tequesta, FL
May 4, 2026

1. Welcome May! Today in the first Monday of the month. There are 34 Mondays remaining in the year.

2. Comcast/Xfinity has been in a contract dispute with Scripps Broadcasting regarding the renewal to carry their channels. As Comcast puts it, Scripps is being unreasonable. As I see it, they both better get their acts together because consumers are going to find ways to mitigate the damage. In my case, I just bought and deployed an over-the-air digital antenna. I can now receive my favorite local channels at no extra cost to me. Maybe, I no longer need Xfinity cable?

3. The weather turned rainy. While that is a good thing because South Florida needs rain, it puts a damper on outdoors activities. 

4. The Orioles continue their slide to the bottom of the division. They were swept by the Yankees over the weekend to start May at a terrible 0-3. They have slid to 8 games out of first in the division and are on a 4 game losing streak. Ugh.

5. As I took Finn outdoors this morning, I looked to the sky and actually saw the Moon. I was surprised because at the same time I was feeling the splatter of raindrops on my head and shoulders. I could not resist taking an image of the Moon shining through the light clouds. 

6. And now to Iran. The navy is going to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran claims to have struck a US Naval Vessel and the US denies the claim. Is there any ground truth in this conflict? My questions is, if we have won the war, why is the Strait still closed and why has Iran not capitulated. Those would constitute normal conditions for a victory. 

7. Today in History. On May 4, 1970, in Kent, Ohio, 28 National Guardsmen fire their weapons at a group of anti-war demonstrators on the Kent State University campus, killing four students and wounding nine. The tragedy was a watershed moment for a nation divided by the conflict in Vietnam, and further galvanized the anti-war movement.

Two days earlier, on May 2, National Guard troops were called to Kent to suppress students rioting in protest of the Vietnam War and the U.S. invasion of Cambodia. The next day, scattered protests were dispersed by tear gas, and on May 4 class resumed at Kent State University. By noon that day, despite a ban on rallies, some 2,000 people had assembled on the campus. National Guard troops arrived and ordered the crowd to disperse, fired tear gas, and advanced against the students with bayonets fixed on their rifles. Some of the protesters, refusing to yield, responded by throwing rocks and verbally taunting the troops.

Tehran issues warning after Trump offers US help to ships - Reuters

Iran says it turns back US warship from Strait of Hormuz, US official denies missile strike - Reuters

Lebanon's most senior Shi'ite politician says no to negotiations with Israel until war stops - Reuters

Sweden arrests Chinese captain of suspected Russia-linked vessel - Reuters

A rattled Kremlin is tightening security around Putin, European intel suggests - CNN

Trump and GOP push for aggressive voter roll purges up until Election Day, testing precedent - CNN

Inside Spirit Airlines’ failed ‘Hail Mary’ to the Trump administration - CNN

Putin will host a scaled-back parade in Red Square this year, amid mounting pressures and threats - CNN

Oil Jumps as Iran Resists Trump’s Offer to Help Ships Through Strait of Hormuz - The New York Times

Rudy Giuliani Is in ‘Critical Condition’ in Florida Hospital - The New York Times

Hegseth again showed America why he shouldn’t be defense secretary  — and he did it on live TV - MS Now

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - April 27, 2026

 1. The final Monday of April has arrived. By the end of the week the year will be one-third complete. Time does fly. There are 35 Mondays remaining in the year. 

Northern Water Snakes and a Duck
Marley Creek, Glen Burnie, MD
April 26, 2026

2. While visiting with family yesterday, we took a walk to Marley Creek. It was very cool, with the temperature only in the 50s, but we enjoyed the walk. While at the still empty marina, we saw Northern Water Snakes sunning themselves on the piles of rocks along the shore. It was quite a sight and I was fascinated that the duck seemed unconcerned. 

3. The Orioles had a bad series against the Boston Red Sox; losing 2 of 3 games. Hopefully, they can begin to find a winning formula soon. They are 5 games out of first place and 2 games below .500. The season is still young and they have more than enough games remaining against the division leaders to take the division. 

4. Regarding the activity outside of the White House Correspondents' Banquet that occurred on Saturday night, political violence is unacceptable! Period. 

5. Conspiracy Theories. I have been confronted with some interesting conspiracy theories lately and I have to admit the lack of transparency on the part of the administration leads me to begin to wonder if maybe, just maybe, there is a puppet-master pulling the strings somewhere. I am not saying I believe any of what follows.

a. Did the U.S. actually recover the F-15 WSO shot down over Iran? If so, why has the name of this very respected colonel not been released? For that matter, why has the name of the earlier recovered pilot not been released? See the Racket News discussion for more. 

b. Was the gunman outside of the White house Correspondents' Dinner Saturday night part of a false flag operation designed to get approval for Trump to build  the overpriced ballroom on the spot where East Wing used to stand? (See MS Now article for more)

c. Was the assassination attempt against Trump in Butler, PA, during the 2024 campaign staged? If not, why was the body of the shooter cremated before it was throughly examined by the appropriate authorities. A good discussion is at CNN. 

6. Today in History. On April 27, 4977 B.C., the universe is created, according to German mathematician and astronomer Johannes Kepler, considered a founder of modern science. Kepler is best known for his theories explaining the motion of planets.

Kepler was born on December 27, 1571, in Weil der Stadt, Germany. As a university student, he studied the Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus’ theories of planetary ordering. Copernicus (1473-1543) believed that the sun, not the earth, was the center of the solar system, a theory that contradicted the prevailing view of the era that the sun revolved around the earth.

How Trump is moving to control US elections, one state at a time - Reuters

Trump calls suspect in press dinner attack 'pretty sick guy' whose views alarmed relatives  - Reuters

Pakistan still seeks to bridge US, Iran gaps despite failure of face-to-face talks - Reuters

Renewables in vogue as Iran war drives up Europe power prices - Reuters

CNN Investigates ‘I don’t expect forgiveness,’ the suspect allegedly wrote in a note he sent his family outlining his intention to target admin officials - CNN

The U.S. Helped Start the War. The Rest of the World Is Feeling the Effects. - The New York Times

U.S. Mint Buys Drug Cartel Gold and Sells It as ‘American’ - The New York Times

Supreme Court Reviews Police Use of Cell Location Data to Find Criminals - The New York Times

Iran offers to reopen Strait of Hormuz if U.S. lifts its blockade and the war ends, officials say - MS Now

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Monday Musings - April 20, 2026

 1. Monday has arrived again; right on schedule! Wow, it never seems to miss showing-up as expected. Today is the next-to-last Monday of April. May flowers are right around the proverbial corner. Additionally, the year is slipping away and there remain only 36 Mondays to enjoy during 2026. 

McLaren Spider Sports Car
Jupiter, FL
April 29, 2026

2. While Chris and I were headed out shopping yesterday, we came across a car that we see only infrequently, a McLaren. I thought I took a good image of it as we were stopped for the light at Indiantown Road, but the UV film I added to the windshield seems to impart a honeycomb pattern to parts of the image. When I come across vehicles on the highway with retail prices in excess of $200K, I wonder if I have enough insurance. 

3. We have another travel week ahead with a return trip to Maryland beginning Wednesday. Hopefully, it will be warmer than the most recent visit. Upon returning home, we likely will not be traveling again until late-May. 

4. The Orioles had a rough week. They fell from a tie for first in the division, to third place and now three games out of first. The season is young. Hopefully they will begin winning again soon. 

5. Aside from our own inconsistent leadership trying to end the Iran War, the U.S. is experiencing what I believe is the downside of leadership decapitation. Apparently, there is a problem with who is in charge in Iran. The Foreign Ministry seems to be making agreements that the IRGC is ignoring. The closed-open-partially closed-is it open-closed nature of the Strait of Hormuz demonstrates why leadership decapitation is not usually a good plan because it leaves no one possessing actual authority with whom to negotiate.

6. Today in History. On April 20, 1999, two teenage gunmen kill 13 people in a shooting spree at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, south of Denver. At approximately 11:19 a.m., Dylan Klebold, 17, and Eric Harris, 18, dressed in trench coats, began shooting students outside the school before moving inside to continue their rampage. By 11:35 a.m., Klebold and Harris had killed 12 fellow students and a teacher and wounded another 23 people. Shortly after noon, the two teens turned their guns on themselves and died by suicide.

The crime prompted a national debate on gun control and school safety, as well as a major investigation to determine what motivated the teen gunmen. In the days immediately following the shootings, it was speculated that Klebold and Harris purposely chose jocks, minorities and Christians as their victims.

World awaits fate of ceasefire after US seizes Iranian ship - Reuters

Iran's president stresses importance of diplomacy while noting distrust of US - Reuters

Oil prices rise 6% on fears of US-Iran ceasefire collapse - Reuters

Eight children killed at home in Louisiana domestic violence - Reuters

Strong earthquake hits off Japan’s coast, tsunami warning issued - CNN

A US citizen said she was illegally held by ICE. Surveillance video, the DHS and a million-dollar lawsuit say otherwise - CNN

FBI chief Kash Patel threatens to sue The Atlantic over report on heavy drinking - MS Now

U.S. Military Strikes a Boat in the Caribbean, Killing 3 - The New York Times

This Is One of the Most Successful Federal Programs of the Last Century. The Trump Administration Wants to Kill It. - The New York Times

oil-prices-rise-markets-fall-us-iran-ftse-100-gas-strait-of-hormuz - The Guardian

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - April 13, 2026

 Tax Day is at Hand

1. Today is the second Monday of April and the last Monday before taxes are due. Have you filed? Time is running out. There are 37 Mondays remaining in the year. 

2. Go O's. The Orioles, after a rough start are tied for first place in the AL East. That is really exciting. They have a winning record and are beginning to play strong!

3. Chris and I enjoyed a weekend of entertaining and yesterday attended an auction in Wellington for some added enjoyment. It was a nice auction and I may have brought Chris a gift while there. Call it an early Mother's Day present. 

4. So I am confused, if Iran is totally defeated why then are they unwilling to negotiate terms? Traditionally, the victor sets the terms to end a conflict. As I see it, Iran is dictating terms to the U.S. Perhaps the real fake news is what is coming out of the White House?

5. Congratulations to the people of Hungary for ousting authoritarian leader, Viktor Orban, after 16 years. It was a landslide! Orban's playbook is being used by the Trump administration to suppress the American people. We should be ashamed that VP Vance went to Hungary to campaign for Orban.

6. Riddle me this: IF the energy requirement for AI Data Centers is going to be as great as projected, why are renewable energy resources not being encouraged to help meet the requirements? It does not make fiscal sense.

7. Today in History. An armed group of white supremacists attacks a courthouse guarded by a mostly-Black militia in the town of Colfax, Louisiana on April 13, 1873. A bloodbath ensues, as the militia surrenders and the white supremacists carry out a day-long campaign of terror that came to be known as the Colfax Massacre.

In the years following the U.S. Civil War, a number of freedmen and white candidates sympathetic to the cause of racial equality were elected to office across the South. This progress stirred up deep resentments among other white Southerners, bitter over the loss of the Civil War and eager to once again enshrine white supremacy into law. During this period, known as Reconstruction, federal troops were stationed throughout the South to pacify the region and protect elections. The Enforcement Acts of 1870 and 1871 prohibited people from congregating with the purpose of disrupting an election and gave the federal government the authority to use its troops in defense of African Americans and their recently granted constitutional rights.

US set to begin naval blockade of Iran's ports - Reuters

Hungarians look to changed future after pro-EU Magyar's election landslide - Reuters

Oil jumps more than 7% to above $102 ahead of US blockade on Iran - Reuters

Trump says gas prices may remain high through November midterm election - Reuters

Analysis Failed peace talks leave Trump with few options to end Iran conflict - CNN

Pope says he has ‘no fear of Trump administration’ after president’s criticism - CNN

Trump administration admits it made a mistake in Medicaid fraud accusations - MS Now

The invisible force Einstein mocked may reveal how God knows what you are thinking - FoxNews

Swalwell Suspends Campaign for California Governor Amid Sex Assault Accusations - The New York Times

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

#mondaymusings

Monday Musings - April 6, 2026

Easter Sunset
Odenton, MD
April 5, 2026

 1. Welcome to the first Monday of April. Wow! It is hard to believe that we have entered the second quarter of the year. There are only 38 Mondays remaining in the year.

2. It is Easter Monday. Many schools are closed as families continue to celebrate the Easter season. The end of Spring Break in Anne Arundel County is today. Tomorrow begins the final push to complete the school year!

3. Chris and I travel again tomorrow. We are returning to South Florida where I hope the weather will be more consistently warm. I will report on the status of BWI, although Southwest indicates that lines have returned to normal. I like normal because I know how to deal with normal.

4. We were treated to a beautiful sunset last evening. It was even more exciting because the trees are showing signs of leafing. No longer tall twigs, the trees are becoming shade providers.

5. Some of the threats the President is making against Iran, if carried out, constitute war crimes. The orders to attack power plants and water desalination stations would therefore be illegal orders subjecting our brave military personnel to also be labeled and prosecuted as war criminals. 

6. Today in History. April 6, 1917: Two days after the U.S. Senate voted 82 to 6 to declare war against Germany, the U.S. House of Representatives endorses the declaration by a vote of 373 to 50. As a result, America formally enters World War I.

When World War I erupted in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson pledged neutrality for the United States, a position that the vast majority of Americans favored. Britain, however, was one of America’s closest trading partners, and tension soon arose between the United States and Germany over the latter’s attempted quarantine of the British Isles.

Several U.S. ships traveling to Britain were damaged or sunk by German mines, and in February 1915 Germany announced unrestricted warfare against all ships, neutral or otherwise, that entered the war zone around Britain. One month later, Germany announced that a German cruiser had sunk the William P. Frye, a private American vessel. President Wilson was outraged, but the German government apologized and called the attack an unfortunate mistake.

US, Iran weigh peace plan as Trump's 'hell' warning nears deadline - Reuters

OPEC+ agrees in principle on theoretical oil output increase

Artemis crew reaches the moon - Reuters

Congo says it will receive third-country deportees under new deal with US - Reuters

Iran rejects temporary ceasefire, insists on end to war - CNN

Russia again claims to have taken an eastern Ukrainian region. The real picture is very different - CNN

What Pope Leo thinks about Pete Hegseth’s crusading Christianity - MS Now

Trump’s latest island real estate venture: Alcatraz - MS Now

5 dangerous cruise ports travelers should research before booking excursions - FoxNews

ICE Agents Detain Newlywed Spouse of Soldier Training to Deploy - The New York Times

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD

Monday Musings - March 30, 2026

 

Beck and Bubbles
Glen Burnie, MD
March 29, 2026

1. The 5th and final Monday of March has arrived. Whew, we made it, I think. Spring arrived and April is upon us. There are only 39 Mondays remaining in the year--but it is definitely heating up. 

2. How about them O's. It took six series for the team to win a series last season, but this year they won the first series right our of the gate. Hope springs eternal. 

3. Chris and I spent yesterday enjoying the antics of a rambunctious almost 15 months-old grandson named Beck. We had a great time and he made us laugh a lot. We also enjoyed the time we spent with his parents as we always do when we get together. 

4. It just doesn't add up. All along, the Republicans have been trying to blame the Democrats for the partial Government shutdown which has disadvantaged TSA, FEMA and Coast Guard personnel. Yet, when they had the opportunity to solve the pay issue and fund those agencies they chose to go on vacation for two weeks. 

5. Why the SAVE America Act is a sham. The New York Times’ Peter Baker did the math on the solution in search of a problem that is the SAVE Act. Trump and Congressional Republicans maintain that its passage is necessary to keep noncitizens from voting. But the ultra-conservative right-wing Heritage Foundation, the folks who oversaw the creation of Project 2025, found only 1,620 cases of voter fraud from 1982 to 2025. That included 100 cases of noncitizens voting, or as Baker pointed out, “That's about 0.000008% of more than 1.3 billion votes cast in presidential elections in that time.” (Civil Discourse)

6. Today in History. On March 30, 1981, President Ronald Reagan is shot in the chest outside a Washington, D.C. hotel by a drifter named John Hinckley Jr.

The president had just finished addressing a labor meeting at the Washington Hilton Hotel and was walking with his entourage to his limousine when Hinckley, standing among a group of reporters, fired six shots at the president, hitting Reagan and three of his attendants. White House Press Secretary James Brady was shot in the head and critically wounded, Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy was shot in the side, and District of Columbia policeman Thomas Delahanty was shot in the neck. After firing the shots, Hinckley was overpowered and pinned against a wall, and President Reagan, apparently unaware that he’d been shot, was shoved into his limousine by a Secret Service agent and rushed to the hospital.

The president was shot in the left lung, and the .22 caliber bullet just missed his heart. In an impressive feat for a 70-year-old man with a collapsed lung, he walked into George Washington University Hospital under his own power. As he was treated and prepared for surgery, he was in good spirits and quipped to his wife, Nancy, ”Honey, I forgot to duck,” and to his surgeons, “Please tell me you’re Republicans.” Reagan’s surgery lasted two hours, and he was listed in stable and good condition afterward.

Personal note: Chris and I were at a hospital in Shreveport, LA, at the time of the shooting as our oldest son was having tubes put into his ears to reduce/alleviate recurring ear infections. 

Iran calls US peace proposals 'unrealistic', oil rises amid new missile strikes - Reuters

Spain closes airspace to US planes involved in Iran war - Reuters

Ukraine's drone masters eye Iran war to kickstart export ambitions - Reuters

Trump threatens to obliterate Iran's energy sources if deal isn't reached - CNN

Miserably long airport lines begin to ease as TSA workers start to recoup back pay - CNN

The U.S. and Israel say they’re fighting together. On the biggest questions, they’re not. - MS Now

Congress is back to square one on the DHS shutdown after House GOP rejects Senate deal - MS Now

These Airports Don’t Use T.S.A. Your Current Wait: Minutes, Not Hours. The New York Times

-- Bob Doan, Odenton, MD