1st Amendment Under Fire

I am amazed that the mainstream news media is under attack. It is a clear effort to deflect the spotlight from the circus which has become the White House and focus it on the news media.

The Washington Post reported yesterday that some major news outlets were uninvited from a press briefing in the article CNN, New York Times, other media barred from White House briefing. While this is not, in and of itself, a violation of the 1st Amendment it does represent a threat to free access of media to the President and the Executive Branch of the government. 

The First Amendment is clear.

Amendment I

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Fortunately, legal opinion in the subsequent years has determined that the amendment applies to the entire government. 

So, the question is did excluding news outlets from a White House briefing cross the line and represent an abridgment of the freedom of the press or freedom of speech?

Based upon my reading of a Legal Information Institute, probably not. But it certainly is a poor practice.

The President evidently does not like some elements of the press, especially those who report contrary to his wishes. Limiting press access is dangerous and borders on violating the First Amendment--not because he limits their access, but because he limits their access based upon what they write and therefore violates the free speech aspect of the first amendment.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Baseball is Back

The Orioles first spring Training game is today against the Detroit Tigers.

Baseball is back!

It has been a few months since their last pitch and the Orioles are mostly the same team that was eliminated from the playoffs during the Wild Card round. 


Hope springs eternal during Spring Training. All of the teams begin the same way--winless. Players are watched and graded and teams are formed for the 162 game campaign.

I am excited. I love baseball. I love watching baseball. I used to enjoy playing baseball.

The boys of summer are back!!

The Orioles conduct Spring Training in Sarasota, Florida, which I have come to enjoy. Unfortunately, I will not be able to make my annual Spring Training trip this year. 

Baseball at Camden Yards will have to suffice.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

A Solar System Far, Far Away

NASA's announcement yesterday about the seven Earth-size planets arrayed in the Trappist-1 solar system have renewed the excitement about discovering or uncovering life outside of our own Earth.

I admit it is exciting. The Trappist-1 system seems so close and yet it is so far away. The system is 40 light years away--that is 40 continuous years of traveling at the speed of light just to get there. As a species, we have not yet devised any vehicle that can travel anything nearly that fast. 

The fastest space probe to date is the Juno probe, which upon arriving at Jupiter was cruising at about 165,000 miles per hour. At that speed it would take about 162 thousand years to get there. Even using the expected velocity of Space Probe Plus, due to launch in 2018, of 450,000 mph, it would still take 59 thousand years to get there. That is a very long time!

I can hear Buzz Lightyear shouting, "To infinity . . . and beyond!"

We still need to take better care of our own home. Global warming is a fact; not a theory.

It was nice to have something different headline the news yesterday.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunset over Annapolis

Upon arriving back in Maryland Monday afternoon, Chris and I were invited to Restaurant Week in Annapolis.

Yellowfin Restaurant
February 20, 2017

We had just completed a long day of driving, but the idea of heading out to a nice restaurant for a special dinner on the water could not be passed up. 

And it was fantastic. The sunset over the water was very special and our table by the window overlooking the water was even better. It was hard to believe that it was February. 

The sky was alive with color and it continued for a long time during our dinner. The scene went with our meal perfectly and the lingering sunset led into a lingering relaxed meal. 

It has already been a busy week and it is only hump day!

Have a great Wednesday and enjoy your evening meal, whenever or wherever you are.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Springtime in Ithaca

Taughannock Falls
Trumansburg, NY
February, 19, 2017

Buttermilk Falls
Ithaca, NY
February 19, 2017

Granted it is only February, but the temperatures this pst weekend made it seem as if Spring had arrived. The snow was melting and the creeks and rivers were filled with the runoff. That meant that the waterfalls that the area is blessed with would be scenic beauties--and they were.

Chris and I visited two of the falls: Buttermilk and Taughannock. They were fantastic and Buttermilk was especially inspiring set against the blue sky. 

The ice is still evident around the basin at Taughannock. 

It was a beautiful Spring day (during February) and I am glad we were able to enjoy it and some of the natural beauty of the Central New York region.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - February 20, 2017

Blue Sky over Buttermilk Falls
Ithaca, NY

1. Happy Presidents' Day. Go celebrate somewhere.

2. Blue. Despite all of the brown vegetation and white snow, a blue sky can make me smile.

3. Baseball season is underway. Spring Training games begin this week.

4. Why does driving long distances not excite me the way it used to?

5. There is something about ice on a lake that just says: cold.

6. I enjoyed watching the Genesis Golf Tournament on TV this weekend. There definitely was a lot of green all around the course.

7. Does anyone have a copy of the Bill of Rights? I think some in the White House need a review of the First Amendment.

8. I shoveled about three shovels full of snow and ice this weekend. That is my total shoveling effort for the season so far. Will I be lucky?

9. I have reservations for my next beach vacation. It is coming not soon enough.

10. As I am driving through the Pennsylvania countryside I am imagining trees with green leaves and lush fields.

-- Bob Doan, somewhere on Route 15 in Pennsylvania

Brown or White

Snow in Danby, NY

Well, I'm back in Upstate NY where not only is brown a prevalent color, but this cold white stuff is almost equally ubiquitous.

Admittedly, and unbelievably, I prefer brown to white. The snow is cold. And wet. Against the blue sky of yesterday when the temperatures were in the low 50's, the white snow was definitely out of place.

But it melts. Hopefully the green will return here soon. I can feel the winter's ending coming with the arrival of March. Warmer temperatures are on tap for the week ahead.

Very soon it will be springtime.

-- Bob Doan, writing from Ithaca, NY

Brown, why does it have to be Brown?

Brown Fields in Central Pennsylvania
February 18, 2017

I am tired of winter's brown garb. It is boring. Brown is everywhere and I keep trying to imagine green fields.

But the brown is ubiquitous.

I believe that spring is close. The temperatures are rising. I have dusted off my golf clubs and hit a bucket into my new net yesterday.

The groundhog was apparently wrong. Thankfully. We might escape winter's grasp without and more major weather events.

I can dream.

The green is coming. And I will soon be on the greens.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Presidents' Day Weekend

It is time to celebrate the men (so far, yes, they are all men) who have served our country by being elected President!

Portrait of George Washington in the White House

So is it President's Day, celebrating only George Washington, or is it Presidents' Day celebrating all of them?

Turns out that depending upon the state, both may be correct.

Of course, two of the greatest have birthdays during this time of year--Washington and Lincoln. But of the now 45 Presidents, which one or ones are your favorites and why? Did you ever wonder?

Ronald and Nancy Reagan
Reagan Presidential Library and Museum

Some interesting facts about the Presidents can be found at the website containing Fun Facts about the Presidents. 

Presidential Facts:



Four presidents were born during February including George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, William Harrison and Ronald Reagan.

I cannot find any portrait of George Washington smiling. He is always so serious.

Calvin Coolidge was the only President born on the 4th of July. 

Three Presidents have died on the 4th of July: Adams, Jefferson, and Monroe. Adams and Jefferson both died in 1826 while Monroe lived until 1831. 

Truly great Presidents give us words of wisdom to live by. George Washington set the tone with his Farewell Address, which to this day is read on his birthday in the Senate. 

Ronald Reagan made the following observation:

"We live in perilous times, my fellow Americans, but also times of great hope and opportunity. The future is up to us."

Radio Address to the Nation on Drug Abuse and Aid to the Nicaraguan Democratic Resistance, February 6, 1988

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Late for Summer

Here I am, in the deep mid-winter, just past Ground Hog Day, and I found out that I am already behind in planning my summer vacation! Ugh!

Some people I know are already planning 2018! I guess they are true planners. Ready for almost anything. I don't even have a date set to open my pool this year and they are planning a vacation for next year.

I have trouble getting excited about vacation planning in the middle of the winter. I have planned a Spring-break get away, but the thought of trying to find a warm sandy beach with palm trees somewhere in the Caribbean was almost paralyzing. 

Some Beach, Somewhere

As I got into the process I was appalled by the costs! The price of escapism is truly rising at an astronomic rate.

Ideally, I would find a quiet Caribbean island somewhere and stay there for three weeks. Not gonna happen. So then a land/sea vacation was considered. Probably, that is the final solution. Some time on the water sitting on the balcony outside my stateroom on some cruise ship and then a week or more on a sunny (Florida) beach. 

So much for a Caribbean get away. But a get away is still a distinct possibility.

Here's hoping for a frozen drink in my hand under a palm tree on a sunny and warm beach somewhere. Soon!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD