Monday Musings - August 24, 2026

 1. Today is the fourth Monday of August. The days are getting appreciably shorter as Autumn nears. Next Monday will be the last Monday of of the month and it is also the final day of August. There are only 18 Mondays remaining in the year. 

Storm Tracker
August 23, 2026

2. We received some rain yesterday, finally! It rained for well over an hour and we had a lot of lightening. I knew the storm was going to last a while because it seemed everywhere when I checked the weather radar. We are located at the blue dot.

Elliott Museum
Stuart, FL
August 22, 2026

3. We had some fun with Chris at the Elliott Museum on Saturday. While touring the Ashley Gang exhibit and I had her pose for a Wanted Poster shot. I think she did a good job looking like a wanted criminal! I thought the statement at the bottom of the Wanted Poster was especially funny.

4. I am hopeful of getting out on a ride today. I am itching to try out my new biking shoes. It has been almost a week since my last ride. I am really slacking off. 

5. There was an Indy Car Race on the National Mall in D.C. yesterday. Nicole and Mike were on a flight that was rerouted because of the race and added about 30 extra minutes in the air. One writer described the spectacle as follows: 

The race itself became a metaphor for the administration that created it. The course was so rough that crews worked overnight trying to grind down the bumps, and it still wasn’t enough. Cars slammed into concrete barriers throughout the afternoon, five drivers failed to finish the race entirely, and only 13 of the 25 starters were still on the lead lap when it was over, with one crash ending with what commentators called a “thunderous impact into the concrete barrier.” After weeks of disruption leading up to the race, Washington faces weeks more as crews remove 1,800 cement barriers, welded-down manhole covers, and grandstands from the city. And most of the people who attended weren’t even from Washington. Organizers said 60% of the tickets went to people from out of town. The residents whose streets were closed, landmarks blocked, and flights paused were basically an afterthought in their own city. (Hope for America)

Me, Chris, Nicole, Mike
Jupiter Island, FL
August 22, 2026

6. We enjoyed our time with Nicole and Mike over the weekend. Mike took a great selfie of us on the boat before getting off and heading to the beach.

7. Today in History. After centuries of dormancy, Mount Vesuvius erupts in southern Italy, devastating the prosperous Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum and killing thousands. The cities, buried under a thick layer of volcanic material and mud, were never rebuilt and largely forgotten in the course of history. In the 18th century, Pompeii and Herculaneum were rediscovered and excavated, providing an unprecedented archaeological record of the everyday life of an ancient civilization, startlingly preserved in sudden death.

The eruption is traditionally dated to A.D. August 24, 79, but archaeological discoveries have led some researchers to argue the disaster might have occurred in the autumn, possibly in October 79.

Mediator Pakistan to hold talks in Iran on US 'economic D-Day' - Reuters

Father of sailor aboard USS Abraham Lincoln taken into US immigration detention - Reuters

Ukraine wants peace but won't give in, Zelenskiy says on Independence Day - Reuters

US cancels joint marine drills with South Korea over Iran war-related force constraints - Reuters

Human-caused wildfire near Reno, Nevada, prompts state of emergency as 90,000 urged to flee - CNN

Bessent to unveil 'economic D-Day' sanctions, says Iran war entering 'endgame'  - CNN

Iran Cracks Down on One Luxury Left to Its Youth: Coffee Shops - The New York Times

Farmers Struggle to Get Basic Services From Depleted Agriculture Dept. - The New York Times

Why Trump’s pitiful new health care ‘plan’ is even worse than it appears - MSNow

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - August 17, 2026

 

1. For those keeping score, today is the third of five August Mondays. We are scampering through August. Kids are either back in school or heading to school in the coming weeks. Summer is almost over. Labor Day is a short three weeks away and there are only 19 Mondays remaining in the year. 

2. Protecting ourselves from the intolerable heat, Chris and I enjoyed a relatively quiet weekend. We did enjoy dinner with friends on Saturday evening. We had fun catching up with them after both couples had been traveling. 

Beck
Glen Burnie, MD
August 16, 2026

3. The Orioles are back playing .500 baseball. Sitting at 2 games below .500, they have taken three straight from the American League leading Tampa Rays. Amazing! They are not also in possession of the third Wild Card spot in the AL. I hope this continues. They looked really powerful in their 10-2 thrashing of the Rays yesterday. They are in the defining part of the season as they are playing the Rays 7 times in 10 days. It is play for October time.

4. We had a great Facetime call with Beck yesterday. He is the cutest boy on the planet and he is so relaxed and cute when we are connected by video. 

Woodstock 1969

5. Today in History. On Sunday, August 17, 1969, one of the all-time grooviest events in music history—the Woodstock Music & Art Fair—approaches its end after more than three days of peace, love and rock ‘n’ roll in upstate New York. Rain and other delays push the festival, originally scheduled to finish before midnight, into a marathon night of music that continues past dawn.

Conceived as “Three Days of Peace and Music,” Woodstock was a product of a partnership between John Roberts, Joel Rosenman, Artie Kornfield and Michael Lang. Their idea was to make enough money from the event to build a recording studio near the arty New York town of Woodstock. When they couldn’t find an appropriate venue in the town itself, the promoters decided to hold the festival on a 600-acre dairy farm in Bethel, New York—some 50 miles from Woodstock—owned by Max Yasgur.

By the time the weekend of the festival arrived, the group had sold a total of 186,000 tickets and expected no more than 200,000 people to show up. By Friday night, however, thousands of eager early arrivals were pushing against the entrance gates. Fearing they could not control the crowds, the promoters made the decision to open the concert to everyone, free of charge. Close to half a million people attended Woodstock, jamming the roads around Bethel with eight miles of traffic.

Trump crypto firm backs venture offering AI from restricted Chinese companies - Reuters

Trump orders Pentagon to cut back military exercises with South Korea - Reuters

US Attorney General Blanche publicly backs Pirro after Trump criticism over Reflecting Pool - Reuters

Russia hits steel plant in new strikes on Ukraine, Kyiv attacks Moscow region - Reuters

Trump’s vaccine order is counterproductive and ‘wrong on so many levels,’ GOP lawmaker says - CNN

Americans could soon pay a lot more for strawberries - CNN

Trump’s new financial disclosures are rife with conflicts of interest - MSNow

Top Admiral Praises Sailors but Concedes Hardships After Visit to U.S.S. Lincoln - The New York Times

Trump lobs curse-fueled warning against Mideast nation amid Iran war in Fox News interview - Fox News

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - August 10, 2026

 1. I can hardly believe it, but today is the second Monday of August. We are in luck though because August has five Mondays and will linger for a few weeks yet. Remember though, there are only 20 Mondays remaining in the year. 

Dressed for our Anniversary Dinner
Tequesta, FL
August 9, 2026

2. Thank you for all the kind words about our anniversary yesterday. We headed off to Cooper's Hawk for a great meal to celebrate, even though we celebrated on the ship. It was kinda lonely though, just being the two of us, but we had a great time nevertheless.

Rear-facing Radar on Bike
Tequesta, FL
August 9, 2026

3. I have been trying to modify the attachment of my rear-facing radar to attach to my bike rack instead of the seat post. Patrick was kind enough to 3D print one solution that I found. I got it all installed on the bike, but I also had a flat tire. After replacing the inner tube, I rolled the bike upright and broke the attachment. Yesterday, I blued the piece and added a screw to provide more stability and hopefully make it stronger. Time will tell.

4. The Orioles are a frustrating team. They effectively gave up on this season at the trade deadline and continue to play mediocre baseball. They are 5-5 in their last 10 games, but continue to fall further out of first and also out of the wildcard. I saw this graphic the other day which expresses my frustration with the team and its management. 

Beck
Glen Burnie, MD
August 9, 2026

5. Cutest boy ever. OK, he's not a baby anymore, he is a toddler--and he does. Chris and I were thrilled to spend a week with him and his family during our recent cruise, but yesterday, in a Facetime conversation, he was so busy and cute that I could not help but to snap an image from the screen. I think I caught him.

6. An interesting thought from Heather Delaney Reese this morning: This is the pattern of authoritarian leaders throughout history. They start wars to project strength, discover they cannot control what they have unleashed, and then try to rebrand retreat as triumph. Argentina’s military junta invaded the Falkland Islands in 1982 to rally nationalist fervor and distract from economic collapse at home. The war lasted just over two months. They lost. The junta fell. The Soviet Union spent a decade in Afghanistan trying to project dominance across Central Asia. They withdrew in 1989 with nothing to show for it but devastation, a broken economy, and a radicalized population that would haunt the region for a generation. Wars started by men like Trump are never about the stated objective. It is always about the leader’s need to appear invincible. And when the illusion breaks, it is the people who bear the cost. Not the leader. (Hope for America)

7. Today in History. On August 10, 1977, police arrest 24-year-old postal employee David Berkowitzand charged him with being the “Son of Sam,” the serial killer who terrorized New York City for more than a year, killing six young people and wounding seven others with a .44-caliber revolver. Because Berkowitz generally targeted attractive young women with long brown hair, hundreds of young women had their hair cut short and dyed blonde during the time he terrorized the city. Thousands more simply stayed home at night.

After his arrest, Berkowitz claimed that demons and a black Labrador retriever owned by a neighbor named Sam had ordered him to commit the killings.

Iran ties Hormuz reopening to US concessions on several demands - Reuters

In rural Wisconsin, frustrations over Trump ag policies heat up House race - Reuters

Ukraine kills 13 in drone attack on Russian city of Nizhnekamsk, officials say - Reuters

Trump has a Carter-style Iran problem as the economy drags - CNN

What we know about China’s moon-landing plans and why the US is so worried - CNN

The full cost of Elon Musk’s DOGE tenure is still being tallied — but a new report gives a hint - MS Now

GOP midterm strategy embraces Trump’s ‘communism’ fixation - MS Now

Chris Sale ejected before throwing a single pitch in wild Yankee Stadium scene - FoxNews

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - August 3, 2026

 

Our Spot on CocoCay
CocoCay, Bahamas
August 1, 2026

1. The first Monday of August has arrived. July is over and done. There are 5 months remaining in the year, but only 21 Mondays. 

2. Travel day, yesterday, was wild. Getting off the ship and getting home was the easiest part of the day. The weather from Florida across the south and to the northeast was not conducive to air travel and our families from Maryland experienced hours long delays. Jeremy and Julie finally made it to their home about midnight. Patrick, Jen and Beck (PB&J), gave up about 8 PM and they returned back to our house with flight reservations for this morning. It was great having them here for the night.

Patrick, Jen, and Beck
CocoCay, Bahamas
August 1, 2026

3. Perfect Day at CocoCay, wasn't spectacular. It was nice that the sky was cloud filled preventing the sun from baking us. We shared the island with Wonder of the Seas meaning we were there with 12,000 of our new best friends between the two ships. I witnessed a very interesting accident as Wonder was preparing to depart. The ship eased away from the quay while one forklift was attempting to get the last gangway aboard. The gangway slipped off the forks and fell into the water banging against the hull of Wonder before falling. Someone is likely buying Royal Caribbean another gangway. There are a number of videos on YouTube. Gangway falls off Wonder of the Seas.

4. As a fitting end to the cruise, we enjoyed a big family dinner. All 8 of us gathered together and had a great time enjoying the food for our last night together. 

5. I took PB&J plus 1 back to the airport this morning and they made the 7:25 AM flight that took off at 7:42! Yay. 

6. At exactly 2:30 this afternoon [Sunday, 2 August], the President of the United States stopped to share an important message with the world from his private golf course in New Jersey. He had spent the entire weekend there, isolated from the press, but this moment was important enough to break his silence. Donald Trump proudly announced on Truth Social that he had made “The Winning Shot in the Bedminster Club Championship!” He won his own tournament on his own course and needed everyone to know. He went into more detail on this historic win, writing, “Unlike the rest of the field, I’m given very little time to practice, because I’m focused on many other things. It’s called TALENT, and I have it, and they don’t! President DONALD J. TRUMP.” (Hope for America) My thought--does anyone remember when Trump pilloried Obama for playing golf? Also, with everything happening in the world that's his fault, should he really be playing golf. Like Nero playing the violin.

7. Today in History. On August 3, 1958, the U.S. nuclear submarine Nautilus accomplishes the first undersea voyage to the geographic North Pole. The world’s first nuclear submarine, the Nautilus dived at Point Barrow, Alaska, and traveled 1,830 miles under the Arctic ice cap to reach the top of the world. It then steamed on to Iceland, pioneering a new and shorter route from the Pacific to the Atlantic and Europe.

The USS Nautilus was constructed under the direction of U.S. Navy Captain Hyman G. Rickover, a brilliant Russian-born engineer who joined the U.S. atomic program in 1946. In 1947, he was put in charge of the navy’s nuclear-propulsion program and began work on an atomic submarine. Regarded as a fanatic by his detractors, Rickover succeeded in developing and delivering the world’s first nuclear submarine years ahead of schedule. In 1952, the Nautilus’ keel was laid by President Harry S. Truman, and on January 21, 1954, first lady Mamie Eisenhowerbroke a bottle of champagne across its bow as it was launched into the Thames River at Groton, Connecticut. Commissioned on September 30, 1954, it first ran under nuclear power on the morning of January 17, 1955.

How Iran is widening its pressure campaign to force US concessions - ReutersCapital One says it closed Trump Organization's accounts after antimoney laundering probe - ReutersActing US Attorney General Blanche rescinds 'anti-weaponization' fund before confirmation vote - Reuters
About 60,000 ordered to evacuate from fires in Spokane, Washington - Reuters
US military asks troops for ‘creative and unconventional’ ideas to punish Iran - CNN
Another eclipse is coming. Make sure to view it safely with these ISO-approved glasses - CNN

A brutal new poll for Trump shows why Democrats must run against his corruption - MS Now

How Trump just hung nearly 25 million seniors out to dry - MS Now

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - July 27, 2026

 1. Welcome to the last Monday of July. My favorite month is slipping away. The year is also slipping away as there are only 22 Mondays remaining. Better start that holiday planning!

Jeremy with the Balloon
Allure of the Seas, Atlantic Ocean
July 26, 2026

2. Because I am on a cruise and there is a lot to do, this will be an abbreviated Monday Musings.

Chris at the After-show Party
Allure of the Seas, Atlantic Ocean
July 26, 2026

3. Catching the Balloon. We were up late last evening with Jeremy and Julie. We enjoyed the musical Mama Mia! on the main stage and afterwards participated in one-hit wonders on the promenade deck. There was a balloon drop and Jeremy captured a balloon for Beck. Somehow, Chris and I wound up with the balloon in our stateroom to give to Beck. But since we were up after midnight, many weird things could happen.

4. Today in History. On July 27, 1974, the House Judiciary Committee recommends that America’s 37th president, Richard M. Nixon, be impeached and removed from office. The impeachment proceedings resulted from a series of political scandals involving the Nixon administration that came to be collectively known as Watergate.

The Watergate scandal first came to light following a break-in on June 17, 1972, at the Democratic Party’s national headquarters in the Watergate apartment-hotel complex in Washington, D.C. A group of men linked to the White House were later arrested and charged with the crime. Nixon denied any involvement with the break-in, but several of his staff members were eventually implicated in an illegal cover-up and forced to resign. Subsequent government investigations revealed “dirty tricks” political campaigning by the Committee to Re-Elect the President, along with a White House “enemies list.”

Iran says it still controls strait, not seeking talks, after Trump halts bombing - ReutersTrump economy at 18 months is a tale of shocks, resilience, and signs of stalled progress - ReutersUkraine wants prototype of European missile defence system by mid-2027 - Reuters

-- Bob Doan, Allure of the Seas, North Atlantic Ocean, near 212137N 0681113W

Monday Musings - July 20, 2026

Happy Moon Landing Day 

1. Happy Monday. The third Monday of July is here! The heat and storms continue as summer deepens. There are 23 Mondays remaining in the year!

Along Indiantown Rd
Jupiter, FL
July 19, 2026

2. The Orioles have been amazing since the All Star break. They just completed a sweep of the Astros and head to Boston for a meeting between two of the hottest teams in MLB. Boston is riding a 13-game win streak and the Orioles are on a 7-game streak. It will be a battle for third place in the AL East!

Limestone Creek Trail
Jupiter, FL
July 19, 2026

3. My 22-mile ride yesterday took me into the heart of Jupiter, along Indiantown Road. It is the busy 6-lane wide, main East-West highway in the area. It was a hot morning, but riding in the shade at time was almost refreshing. I also managed to take the short side-trail through Limestone Creek Park. I love that trail because it gets me away from the cars and noise of the streets. I stopped to walk out on the pier over the creek and look at the fish. The new pier is very nice. 

4. I noted that the president's speech on Thursday was precisely timed to distract us from the Epstein files and the war in Iran. The war got real again over the weekend as three military members made the ultimate sacrifice. My prayers go out to their families and I fervently hope that their deaths are not in vain. Congress needs to corral the president and bring this unjust and unauthorized war to and end before more brave service members lose their lives. 

5. Today in History. At 10:56 p.m. EDT,  [July 20, 1969] American astronaut Neil Armstrong, 240,000 miles from Earth, speaks these words to more than a billion people listening at home: “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” Stepping off the lunar module Eagle, Armstrong became the first human to walk on the surface of the moon.

The American effort to send astronauts to the moon has its origins in a famous appeal President John F. Kennedy made to a special joint session of Congress on May 25, 1961: “I believe this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth.” At the time, the United States was still trailing the Soviet Union in space developments, and Cold War-era America welcomed Kennedy’s bold proposal.

Iran and US widen attacks, raising fears for Gulf shipping and water supplies - Reuters

Spain unites in joy at second World Cup crown - Reuters

Trump claims voting by noncitizens is rampant in America. The numbers tell another story. - Reuters

Russia pounds Kyiv in major ballistic missile attack - Reuters

Russian attack on corn ship off Ukraine's Odesa kills 10 - Reuters

CNN Investigates for Subscribers How Trump Jr.’s firm is soaring: Investments that align with his father’s policies - CNN

Third US service member killed as US ramps up strikes on Iran - CNN

The GOP’s last-minute bill makes their priorities horribly clear - MSNow

NORAD responds after multiple aircraft fly into restricted New Jersey skies - FoxNews

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - July 13, 2026

 1. Welcome to the second Monday of July. The hot month is moving along. There are 24 Mondays remaining in the year. 

View of the Loxahatchee River
Tequesta, FL
July 12, 2026

2. On my bike ride yesterday, I stopped on the Loxahatchee Bridge in Tequesta. Despite the overcast skies, a day on the water would have been perfect. The river was flat and the sandbars seemed inviting. We are enjoying a planned boat day tomorrow, although we need to find a new spot to dock for lunch because the City Dock in Stuart is undergoing renovations. 

3. It is amazing what a good week can do for a baseball team. The Orioles came into the All Star Break riding a four game winning streak that made them 7-3 in their last 10 games and pulled them from the bottom of the division by one-half game. Even more exciting, they are only 2 games out of Wild Card contention. Hopefully they will come out of the break and begin to make a serious run at the post-season.

4. Something to be concerned about: 

The United States is currently in the grip of an outbreak of the Cyclospora parasite, which causes severe diarrhea and has sickened more than 3,000 people across the U.S. Last August, Aria Bendix of NBC News reported that on July 1, 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), overseen by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., would no longer track infections caused by cyclospora and five other common causes of foodborne illnesses. (Letters from an American)

5. A very important nomination is to be considered by the Senate this week.

This week, Trump’s pick to be his second Attorney General for this term in office, his former criminal defense lawyer Todd Blanche, faces a confirmation hearing in the Senate. The hearing is scheduled to begin at 9:00 am on Wednesday and is expected to last for two days, including outside witnesses. Blanche will need a majority of the votes from Senators who are present to get the job.

Blanche has refused Trump virtually nothing. He supports the effort Trump launched on day one of his second term in office to erase the insurrection. It began with the pardons of Rudy Giuliani and the fake slates of electors. As Ed Martin put it, “No MAGA left behind.” It went on to include virtually everyone who was present at or involved with the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, including those charged with insurrection. It has only gone downhill from there. (Civil Discourse with Joyce Vance)

6. Today in History. Outraged and saddened after the acquittal of George Zimmerman, the Florida man who killed a Black teenager in 2012, Oakland, California resident Alicia Garza posts a message on Facebook on July 13, 2013. Her post contains the phrase "Black lives matter," which soon becomes a rallying cry and a movement throughout the United States and around the world.

Garza said she felt "a deep sense of grief" after Zimmerman was acquitted. She was further saddened to note that many people appeared to blame the victim, Trayvon Martin, and not the "disease" of racism. Patrice Cullors, a Los Angeles community organizer and friend of Garza, read her post and replied with the first instance of #BlackLivesMatter.

Trump invested crypto gains in stocks and bonds, filings show - ReutersIran escalates attacks across the Gulf after more US strikes - ReutersWildfire rages near Paris as heatwave scorches Europe - ReutersAllies to muster more air defence aid for Ukraine as battlefield momentum shifts - ReutersFrance set to summon Russian ambassador to Paris over alleged cyberattack campaign - ReutersWhy Americans could feel inflation pain for years despite cooling prices, economists say  - CNNTrump election task force to begin releasing classified intel documents - MS NowFBI analysts fired after refusing to join Georgia 2020 election probe - MS NowAmerica's biggest retirement overhaul since 1935 may be quietly taking shape - FoxNews

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL