Springtime is Getting Close Because . . .

- The Orioles have started training in Sarasota and this year, unlike many other springtimes, there is a real sense of excitement about the prospects for this team based upon their success last year.

- Football season has ended.

- We were supposed to get two snow storms this week which produced rain with only a smattering of snow.

- The crocus and daffodils are showing in the gardens

- I feel a need to open the pool, even though my designated date is still 70 days away.

- I am watching the sunrise on my way to work

- It is not dark when I arrive home, in fact I'm beginning to think about starting yard work

- I've been looking at the pool supply catalog and planning the assault on my credit card to have everything in place for opening day.

- We enjoyed two 50 degree days this past week.

- I have my tickets to Orioles Opening Day.

- Ash Wednesday is behind me and Easter in ahead.

- The reservations have been made for summer vacation.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Rocket Powered Wagon

While in Huntsville the other day, I was able to take a few moments out of my much too busy day to expand my mind by making my first ever visit to the Marshall Space Flight Center Space and Rocket Museum. I highly recommend a visit there for anyone fascinated by space flight and rockets.

There is a revealing and interesting exhibit at the museum devoted to the Von Braun who really became the driving force behind the US space program in the years following his escape from the crumbling Nazi Germany at the end of World War II. Had he not made the decision to surrender to the American, he and many of his associates would have become Soviet scientists helping their space program.

Rocket Powered Wagon on Display at the
Marshall Space Flight Center Museum

One of the items in the museum which caught my fancy was a rocket powered wagon that Von Braun experimented with as a child.

It is a simple wagon equipped with six strap on rockets. The story goes that,

 "At the age of 12 he tried his first practical rocket experiment. He strapped six rockets to a small wagon, and lit them up. The wagon performed beyond his wildest dreams and careened about crazily, trailing a tail of fire like a comet. When the rockets finally burned out, ending their sparkling performance with a magnificent thunderclap, the wagon rolled majestically to a halt. The police, who arrived late for the beginning of his experiment, but in time for the grand finale, were unappreciative. They took young Wernher into custody. Fortunately, no one was injured and he was released to the Minister of Agriculture, his father. So began a career in rocketry that changed human history." 

I had to smile at the thought of the unmanned wagon wildly careening down the street powered by rockets. And then, I realized, that in today's America such a raw display of genius and creativity would be met with jail time and law suits. How different our society has become. ALthough I recognize that we no longer need to have children "kick the tires and light the fires" of their wagons to better understand how rockets work, I wonder where we a stifling that raw creativity with our stodgy, incredibly law oriented society.

I will treasure the image of a boy watching his wagon shoot off down a street in early-20th century Germany powered by two home made rockets. Raw creativity and genius.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, Md

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day.

Ok, so it is a bit trite and a manufactured holiday which has been overtaken by the greeting card industry to turn a profit.

But like so many holidays, if we can get by the history and the homage to the saints of the catholic church named Valentine, there is a thread of good contained within as we remember, recognize, and honor those whom we love and admire.

It is good also to consider and remember the history of the day and the stories of those who caused the day to be named for them. In this sense, the day has a history much like that of President's Day--which we celebrate on Monday, but which is really the fusion of two former holidays--Washington's and Lincoln's birthdays into a single day to honor the pPresidents of these United States.

Give your love a kiss and say Happy Valentine's Day. It is good for the soul and probably the relationship. That the day has its roots commemorating a man who was martyred for marrying Christians is also nice to know.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Turning Points of History

I had the opportunity to review three student projects for History Day at Chris's middle school. I was amazed at how the students were very focused upon war and battles as turning points in history to the exclusion of the geopolitical circumstances which caused the opposing sides to choose military action to resolve their disputes.

Two of the projects were about the U.S. Revolution--and were reports focused on the Battles of Lexington and Concord. The other project that I reviewed was about the Vietnam Draft. I was amazed at the lack of context that the projects displayed. Taken outside of the historical context of the time, the battles seem to be turning points and yet--they are just battles in wars. I longed for a sense of completeness which would portray the battles as an extension of the conflicts which were occurring in the economic and political spheres of the time.

Did the Intolerable Acts result the Battles of Lexington and Concord and are these battles truly turning points in history? Or, are the results of the conflict of the period to be found in our Bill of Rights? And also in our Constitution which became a template for many other similar constitutions around the world? Were these Battles turning points in history? I think not. They represented turning points of thought and helped to create a nation out of the Declaration of Independence.

How was the Vietnam Draft a turning point in history? I'm not sure. Conscription has been around for centuries in many countries.  Yes, it was bad. I had a lottery number. But the draft was not the turning point of the period, the entire ill-advised war in Vietnam was the turning point--and if a battle can be a turning point, it was perhaps the Tet Offensive which galvanized U.S. public opinion against the war. Terminating the draft would not have changed public perceptions of the war.

I am a worried that our students are not being provided with a comprehensive, thought provoking history curriculum that stimulates thought and understanding by providing context and completeness.

That written, I enjoyed my experience and the opportunity to interact with the students. I found them to be inquisitive and engaging. I look forward to doing it again next year.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

In Between Sunday

Sunday was a unique day. I did not watch any sporting events, or even part of a sporting event on television.

There was no football--the Ravens won it all last week. I'm still in shock and awe over that outcome.

I chose not to watch the Penguins lose a second game in two days to the Devils. And I stayed away from the Syracuse basketball game. These were the only games in which I had any interest. But, I took a sports hiatus in preparation for the resumption of my favorite sport: baseball.

I actually got some of the small projects started and some others further along around the house. It was kind of surreal.

I did make a trip to Home Depot after church. It was my second trip in two days for the all important "stuff."And now there are a number of mid-winter projects underway.

It was an in between Sunday. No sports and all work.

I know that opening day for baseball is coming soon, I have my tickets in hand and am ready to go. Until then, I will dream of baseball, hot summer days, and a World Series ring.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - February 11, 2013

1. Using the restroom during my flight from Anchorage last Friday, I noticed something truly weird.. There was an ashtray built into the door. I know I remember hearing something about it being a violation of federal law to smoke on an airplane. Why build an ashtray into the door?

2. My latest "crisis" is that the wine refrigerator has decided not to work. It is amazing how dependent I have become upon an appliance that I rarely consider. New parts are on order based upon internet troubleshooting.

3. I was reading the comments attached to an article about Federal Worker's pay and was appalled at the lack of understanding that some with vociferous opinions display about subject. 

4. Watching the northeast prepare for the blizzard, I was happy not to be included in the fun.

5. Cold weather is preferable to snowy weather. Palm trees on the beach are the best, though.

6. It is February. Baseball Spring Training gets underway this week. Yay, I can almost smell the scent of opening day.

7. I saw a flock of Robins yesterday who have returned. Spring is closer than we think!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Signs of the Times

Occasionally, while shopping, I run across items that make me smile.

This sign caught my eye the other day and I can imagine many potential uses for it.

Think, for example, I could display this sign while waiting in a store and looking at display items to kill time instead of being accosted by the sales staff. Of course, it was a bit frustrating to be in Home Depot the other day and have three staff members ask me if I needed help--because I didn't. But it seems that when I need help, none are ever around.

Think about displaying this sign when a conversation begins to run long because the other participant begins to include too much detail that is only peripherally related to the problem.  Seriously, what's the purpose?

I did not buy the sign--because it could be considered insulting or in poor taste if I posted it in a work area.

But, I still enjoy thinking about it potential uses.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Flying Home -- Children on the Airplane

Before boarding my flight to Minneapolis form Anchorage, I was concerned about the family with two small children in the waiting area. The children were screamers. Not just your average run of the mill unhappy children, but first class, top of their lungs screamers.

Their ability to create tension once on the plane was unsurpassed. The small children screamed so loud above the volume of the music in my earphones that often I could not hear the song. Who knew kids could scream with such intensity for so many hours.  I was numb and trapped in the airplane at 39,000 feet.

I don't know whether I felt worse for the parents or the other 200 plus passengers on the flight. And one kid was a toddler. It was a five hour flight. I actually was trying to determine how much hearing loss would occur if I turned up the Billy Joel music I was listening to in order to effectively mask the noise.

The only one relaxing on the flight was Sweetie, the golden lab working dog seated behind me. She didn't seem to mind the noise. I couldn't even read my book or think of anything other than getting off the plane and hoping that they were not heading to Baltimore. Which, thankfully, they were not.

I tried playing solitaire on my iPad, what a disaster, I couldn't even think about the cards.

Maybe if the airline had offered free alcohol I could have overcome the noise. Or shared it with the parents. Suffice it to say, it was the longest five hour flight I have ever taken and those kids set a record for the number of hours they agitated over 200 other people who were trapped in the aircraft with them.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sweetie flies

On my flight from Anchorage to Minneapolis was a working dog named Sweetie.

And she was.

-- Bob Doan, writing from somewhere over America

Sightseeing in Alaska

It has been a short five day trip, with two of the days being travel days.

It is amazing how quickly the time has passed.

Only one day, the first, was sunny and bright; at least for part of the day. And fortunately, I snapped a couple of images from the car just in case. Unfortunately, just in case came to pass and the remainder of my off time from work was snowy, too cold, and ofter dark.

Those conditions just do not make the best combination for sightseeing.

In fact, the most interesting thing that I believe I have seen are the heavy snow laden pine trees which approximate those in my Snow Village.

Today is another long travel day. Ugh.

Who knew that Alaska was so far away?

-- Bob Doan, writing from Anchorage, AK