In the News--the Good is Out There

The holiday news certainly is not uplifting this morning.

Net neutrality has been repealed.

Kim Jong-un may have executed another leader in North Korea.

Another NFL player was carted off the field last night with a potential serious and life-changing injury. 

There is snow and more cold in my forecast.

A woman and two daughters died in a fire in Baltimore. 


So much for tidings of great joy.

I found the Good News Network!

A military Mom has sent 10,000 care packages to the troops. 

A college in Puerto Rico is offering a free semester to help students continue to meet their educational goals despite the recent hurricane induced delays. 

Mexico is protecting the largest ocean reserve in the world.

Sportsmanship is still alive as a boy tried to give his winners trophy to the girl who actually won a golf tournament, but could not be the winner because she was a girl.

Good news is out there. Just look for it. It may not be sensational, but it is important to be aware of the good things happening around us.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Season Slips Away

Columbia Mall Poinsettia Tree
2017 Version

I looked at the calendar this morning.

I shouldn't have!

There are only 11 days until Christmas and for the second time in less than a week we received snow overnight which is dusting the roads and lawns. 

Finnegan and Makayla 

It is the pervasive cold which bothers me the most. I do not enjoy walking through the door and being slapped in the face with the frigid temperatures of winter. It causes me to shiver and mourn the loss of the summer. Where are the palm trees?

Christmas Trees are a poor substitute for the palms that line the warm and sandy beaches where I enjoy the warmth, water and blue skies.

It is still autumn! It is not even winter, yet. Winter does not officially start until next week and then we have at least two months of frigid cold and darkness.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

A Win for Decency

I'm glad that I was not directly involved in the Alabama Senate election. 

Common sense and decency apparently has prevailed in Alabama overnight as the democrat, Doug Jones, was elected to fill the Senate seat vacated by Attorney General Sessions in the special election as reported by The New York Times.

It has been a very longtime since the democrats have held a senate seat from Alabama. Finally, the impact of presenting a flawed candidate to the voters has backfired. That the vote was as close as it was demonstrates that too many people continue to vote along party lines rather than carefully assessing the credentials of those who would represent them in the Congress.

Despite how we may feel about our party or the opposition, we, as an electorate, must not continue to elect flawed candidates to represent us. Electing flawed representatives continues the pattern of ineffective leadership that we have been experiencing in our government.

The republican candidate was obviously flawed and not suitable to represent Alabama in the Senate.

Maybe now the political leaders will begin to find deserving candidates to represent "we the people."

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Birthdays, Holidays, and Family

Nicole with her Birthday Cake

I was reminded last evening about how family makes the holiday season much more exciting. It is also the middle of the our family's birthday season and so we have our own celebrations to enjoy along the way. 

The Great Looking Haslup Family

We have, in fact, two birthdays to celebrate this week. 

Last evening we celebrated Nicole's birthday. It was a continuation of the celebration we began in D.C. on Friday night. We finally got to enjoy the cake and presents portion of the celebration.

It is fun to get together, especially on a weeknight. That is what families do. Especially when there is a celebration involved. 

Happy Birthday, Nicole.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - December 11, 2017

1. It is two weeks until Christmas. How is all of that shopping going. I think we have returned half of what has been bought.

2. There is something warm and welcoming about a fire in the fireplace.

3. Ethan and Jax began their basketball seasons yesterday with wins! My how the sped of the game has increased for Ethan. It is real basketball.

4. The first snow of the season stayed around to make yesterday a cold, white covered place. It was NOT a wonderland.

5. Winners and Losers. Winners: Steelers, Cowboys. Losers: Ravens, Redskins, Penguins.

Sunrise on the Highway to Work
November 30, 2017

6. Apparently the Yankees believe they can buy a World Series with their recent acquisition. They should ask the Dodgers how that approach is working.

7. I have a heated steering wheel in my truck, who knew that I would like it as much as I do?

8. As the season has deepened closer to the solstice, I am no longer enjoying the brilliant sunrises on my daily trek to work, but this is one from a few weeks ago, 

Headlines

What is the Russia Story? - The New York Times

Liberal Outsiders Pour Into Alabama Senate Race, Treading Lightly - The New York Times

Microbes by the ton: Officials see weapons threat as North Korea gains biotech expertise - The Washington Post

And in the you knew it was coming department:

Lindsey Vonn suffers back injury in World Cup race - Fox News

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

"Our country may face enormous challenges, but the great advantage of our democracy is that we do not act from fear or simply respond to threats. We Americans have never been pessimists. We conquer fear with faith, and we overwhelm threats and hardship with courage, work, opportunity, and freedom."

Radio Address to the Nation on Economic Recovery and National Defense, December 18, 1982

- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

First Snowfall for the Pup

Finnegan in His Hat

The first snowfall of the season arrived yesterday with 2.5 inches covering the grass. We received less snow than places south of us, some of which are reporting 15 inches. 

Finnegan in the Snow

The first snow of the season is often considered magical. In my mind there is nothing magical about the snow, it is just cold. 

It was, however, the first exposure to snow for our pup, Finnegan. Of course he needed to be properly attired for his sojourn into the elements. Sometimes I think this dog is a replacement for a doll. At least he does not seem to mind the attention of being dressed up  and paraded about. 

The weather remained wintery all day and we have the snow remaining this morning. I think the pup has a larger wardrobe than I do.

Well he is cute all dressed up in his overcoat and ready for the elements. 

I'm sure there will be additional photo ops for the pup as the winter season progresses.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Images of the Season

Four Seasons Hotel, D.C.
Before Dinner

Ham Solo

I am sitting here warm in my family room watching the news of the impending storm and waiting for the first snow flakes of the season to descend from the sky.

I spent a thoroughly enjoyable evening with Nicole, Mike, Jim and Shannon last evening celebrating her birthday in D.C.  Earlier in the day I drove Patrick and Tina to the airport as they departed for the Florida and a cruise. 

I have come across some interesting sights during the season. 

The one that made me laugh is Ham Solo.

Tree on the back deck

Residing at Patrick and Tina's residence, Ham Solo is clearly a good idea taken to an extreme. The pig is certainly getting into the spirit of the season, even though he will never get off the ground. If he could get off the ground, well, then  we wouldn't be able to say "when pigs fly.!"

My last image is an artistic one that I snapped of the small lighted tree on our deck. Looking out the window in the evening I was able to get the lights coming from the darkness.

I was amazed that an image that I was about to delete actually caught my eye with an impressionistic view of the season.

The images continue.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Budget and Waste

The political games associated with the federal budget are afoot yet again.

The ball has been kicked down the road yet again, although for only two more weeks.

It is a sad statement about the state of our government that our elected representatives cannot, do not, and apparently will not understand the waste and danger to our common defense that is generated by their now almost continual ineptitude at passing a comprehensive budget to fund the government. 

According to Federal News Radio, The Department of the Navy estimates that continuing resolutions have led to the waste of $4 billion since 2011.

That is $4 billion taxpayer dollars because the Congress cannot execute one of its fundamental and most important Constitutional duties.

Given the speed of commerce and communications, our government's approach to the budget is increasingly archaic, wasteful, and dangerous. 

It has also become far too political.

The Washington Examiner has an article about how the continuing resolutions negatively impact the defense of the country and readiness. 

From that article, here is an example of the impact:

For example, America’s long-running wars have depleted the stockpiles of bombs and missiles used to battle the Islamic State and other terrorist groups.

The new budget includes money to ramp up production of high-demand weapons to replenish the inventory, but as long as spending is frozen at last year’s levels, that initiative cannot begin.

We could run out of critical weapons to defend the nation because the Congress cannot pass a fully funded budget.

The continuing resolution situation cannot continue. 

There ought to be a law! 

But wait, there is! Congress just ignores it.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Decline and Fall of the NFL, part 2

I received some interesting comments on my blog from yesterday. I felt the need to continue the exploration into the Decline and Fall of the NFL.

Today is written from a personal and family perspective.

My family used to be huge NFL Sunday football fans. We would gather every weekend to watch the games. We routinely cheer for and support four teams: Steelers, Redskins, Cowboys, and Ravens. 


The NFL, in its effort to saturate the market has made gathering together on a Sunday afternoon to barbecue and enjoy the games almost impossible.

This season the Steelers have been playing in primetime almost every game--especially the latter part of the season. The Redskins and the Ravens have been moving around the dial as well.

Primetime games are terrible for East Coast residents. They do not end until well after 11:00 PM and many of us, myself included have to get up early in the morning. I almost never see the end of a primetime game. Perhaps that is why the recent Monday Night Football game in Baltimore saw low attendance. The games end too late.

Through the magic of selling its soul to television, the NFL is actually reducing our opportunity to watch the teams we care about. Even with Fantasy Football, the product being presented is not compelling enough to watch unless our favorite is playing.

Empty Seats in Seattle

Seriously, who wants to see New England crush some hapless AFC East team again? Or Watch the Panthers and the Titans unless they live i the home cities? I admit, I like to watch the Packers when Aaron Rogers is playing, but he is hurt.

Because of the jumbled television schedule, including too many primetime games, our family does not routinely gather anymore for the Sunday games. I am sure we are not the only ones. 

The NFL just isn't fun and when watching with young, impressionable pre-teens, all too often there has to be an explanation about sportsmanship and the caution "don't do this on the playground."

The NFL is at a crossroads, it can change and rework its image and interpretation of the game of football, or it will die within a decade after the over-generous TV contracts expire.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Decline and Fall of the NFL

The demise of the biggest sports league on the planet may be upon us.

The fall from supreme status has begun. The Chicago Tribune is carrying an article about the demise of the NFL. 

Stadiums are not full, TV ratings are down and the fan base seems to be eroding.

I am told that tickets to the Sunday Ravens gam could be had for $15. I think the face value of the tickets were $85. And the Ravens are in the playoff hunt.

Why?

The answer may be that the play on the field no longer reflects the norms of society. Or, in short, the NFL has ruined the game of football by allowing it to grow into a sport where the violence and lack of sportsmanship shock the fans and cause them to turn elsewhere.

Add to this that the ticket prices to attend the games in person are out of sight expensive and the fan experience is less than enjoyable and you have a recipe for failure.

The NFL has to do many things to recover from the death spiral.

First, focus on the game. Stop catering to television which often interrupts the flow of the game with unnecessary timeouts. Return the game to its roots.

Second, stop the wanton and unnecessary violence. This weekend's games are an example of violence run amok. Wanton hits designed to hurt opponents. While one game suspensions are a start, why weren't the perpetrators of the violence immediately ejected? They were not ejected because fundamentally the NFL sees the violence as improving ratings, I believe.

Third, improve the in stadium fan experience. Do not tolerate violence in the stand and taunting of opposing team's fans. 

Fourth, remove the "thuggishness" from the game. That is an example of poor sportsmanship and should not be tolerated. 

Fifth, make the game safer so that parents will let their boys play it again. I played high school football, and I was injured. Injuries happen, but fundamentally the game is not safe and needs to be reworked. 

Sixth, get rid of Thursday football, except on Thanksgiving. there is too much of a poor product.

Seventh, focus on product improvement. Improve the pace of play. Right now there is about 10 minutes of action in a 60 minute game that takes 3 1/2 hours to play. What is wrong with this picture?

Eighth, enforce a no tolerance policy for PEDs. The current policy almost encourages players to use PEDs because of the slap on the had for the first offenses. Implement a season long suspension and that will stop the abuse of PEDs and may ultimately make the game safer by reducing the bulk and strength of the players. 

These, however are just my thoughts.

I feel that the NFL has lost its fan base and may not recover.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD