Monday Musings - February 19, 2018

1. Happy Presidents' Day! Which president is your favorite? Which one is your least favorite?

2. CBS News ranked the Presidents from 1 to 45. Review the ratings and see if you agree. Number 45 may surprise you. Numbers 1 and 2 have birthdays this month. I thought Ronald Reagan was asked too low, personally.

Teddy

3. It is a paradox that every dictator has climbed to power on the ladder of free speech. Immediately on attaining power each dictator has suppressed all free speech except his own. President Herbert Hoover.

Finnegan and Teddy with Jeremy

4. There is a new dog in the family. Welcome Teddy, Jeremy and Lucas's new keeshond. The family has a pair of kees again!

5. Both Ethan and Jax's basketball teams won their first round playoff games yesterday. Basketball continues for one more week.

6. After Saturday's snow, the temperatures and the weather seem to be improving.

7. The aftermath of Valentine's Day has a beautiful bouquet of tulips and irises sitting on the table. They are a splash of color in the dreary season.

Headlines

What to Do With a Day Off - The New York Times

How Unwitting Americans Encountered Russian Operatives Online - The New York Times

Team USA's biggest Winter Olympic team nabs few medals (so far) - CNN

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

"You understand that freedom is not a luxury, but a necessity; not a privilege, but the source of our life's bread. In science, just as in our economy, our object must be to maximize freedom, to open up new avenues of inquiry and new areas of experimentation." Remarks at a White House Luncheon for the New Pioneers, February 12, 1985

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Evening at the Winery

Big Cork Ice Sculpture
February 17, 201 8

Last evening we braved the snow with Patrick and Tina and attend a a wine club event at Big Cork Vineyards. 

Snowstorm as We Arrive at Bog Cork

But wait, there was snow! Lots of snow along the way. The roads roads because progressively worse as we drove westward to Rohrsville for the event. A fast moving snow storm cruised through the area as were were making our way to the event. 

Of course, this was not just a one-stop afternoon. We visited Black Ankle Vineyard on our way and made a stop at Olde Mother Brewing in Frederick, MD.

We sampled a number of wines and beers during the day, but the wine club event at Big Cork was the highlight. 

Big Cork Wine Club events are special. There is food and last evening there was music. We had the chance to interact with the wine maker and enjoy some revelry during the dark days February. As an added benefit, we enjoyed some fruit of the vine!

It was a fun afternoon and the snow wasn't really all that bad. 

Mid-winter fun! It makes Spring seem a little bit closer.

Presidential Quote for the Day:

"Human kindness never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough." President Franklin Delano Roosevelt

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Presidents' Day Weekend

Last evening while enjoying Happy Hour at a local pasta restaurant, I was introduced to an advertisement from the pages of The Washington Post published in advance of President's Day. 


Usually I would be underwhelmed at the idea of looking at a newspaper ad, however, this one contained numerous statements made by great Americans about our country and justice.

The ad was titled, "Mr President, In anticipation of Presidents' Day consider the following words of counsel and caution."  Author Tom Blair took out the ad. 

One very telling quote was from Steven Hawking: "People who boast about their I.Q. are losers." I have seen this quote also written "People who boast about their IQ are idiots."

And this from President John F. Kennedy:
"Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past, let us accept our own responsibility for the future."

There are 59 quotes in total and as I researched for the blog this morning I was unable to find all of the them reprinted, although they should be. The best that I could do was a .pdf file of the February 14, 2018 edition of The Washington Post.

Happy Presidents' Day--may America be stronger through the trials of today!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Awesome Thursday

Happy Hour Around the Fire Pit
February 15, 2018

It is Friday again! The end of the work week has arrived and this Friday I do not have to deal with a government shutdown.

Looking at our house from up the street
February 15, 2018

While Friday is fantastic in its own right, yesterday was special in a couple of ways.

The weather provided a foretaste of the springtime that I seek with temperatures approaching 70 degrees. Chris and I were able to enjoy happy hour outside around a fire pit and watch the evening fall while discussing Spring Break plans, retirement, and summertime house projects. 

A Letter about Ms. Doan

I was amazed at the warm afternoon weather. I was even able to get Radio Flyer up into the sky for some flying time. I took my drone to a nearby collection pond to get some experience flying in a different area. The 12 minute flight set personal records as my new highest altitude and longest distance. I was able to get an image of our house from up the street, I am sure that once the leaves finally return that this same shot will not be possible. 

Rounding out the day, Chris received confirmation that she has reached the pinnacle of her career as an educator and that she can retire knowing that she has made a positive difference in the lives of many children. One of her students generated a letter about the great assistant that she truly is and Chris was able to take a picture of the letter. The final sentence in the letter is especially touching, "She helps me like Jesus helped the kids that are depressed become happy." Truly, when someone is compared to Jesus they have reached the pinnacle of their career and can retire knowing that they were a positive influence in the lives of others.

What a Thursday it was!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day Delivery

The way we celebrate Valentine's Day has changed over the years. 

Louis enjoying Pre-Dinner Happy Hour

We used to head off to an over-crowded restaurant and drop down an excessive amount of money for an overpriced meal to celebrate the day. 

Now, we plan a special dinner at home with a very nice bottle of wine and time alone together to reflect.

Last evening was another special Valentine's Day in the series. The wine of choice was a 2006 Chateau St Jean Reserve Merlot. I remember that we purchased the wine at the winery when we visited Napa and Sonoma a few years ago. The dinner was steak from the grill with oven-baked potato and salad. For dessert we enjoyed Key Lime Pie! I hesitate to think what that dinner would cost in a restaurant. The wine alone might be as much as a small car payment. 

Valentine's Steak on the Grill

Maybe we are just getting old, wanting to enjoy a special time out, but I suspect not. Too many people cramming themselves into restaurants to celebrate a meal for one night just doesn't seem fun. Making the meal special at home--now that is where it is all at!

I look forward to being at home and enjoying a special meal with my Valentine is the best kind of celebration.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Olympics Observations

Chloe Kim Snowboarding

I am enjoying the Olympics coverage on NBC. I guess it is because the coverage is coming live during the hours that I am most able to watch the games.

For the past two evenings I have been fascinated watching the half-pipe snowboarding competition and seeing two gold medals delivered by the US competitors Chloe Kim and Shaun White. 

Shaun White Snowboarding

I am fascinated with the agility and bravery of the snowboarders. Last evening, I also saw how it can go very badly when 16-year old Yuto Totsuka, a Japanese snowboarder, was injured during his run. There was no update on his condition this morning except that he was conscious and in some pain.

I found it fitting that the 31-year old Shaun White's gold medal was the 100th gold medal earned by the U.S. Team during Winter Olympics competitions. It was Shaun's 3rd Gold Medal!

By comparison, it seems that they give out almost 100 gold medals during every Summer Olympics, I know that isn't true, but it sure seems like a lot of medals are given out. Oh wait, according to Wikipedia, 307 gold medals were awarded during the 2016 Summer Olympics!

And the games go on!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Pitchers and Catchers

Even though the calendar says it is Winter, it must be Spring because Orioles Spring Training gets underway today as pitches and catches report to Sarasota to begin workouts.

It has finally arrived. Spring Training has returned and hopes are high or the upcoming season.

OK, for the Orioles hopes are not really that high. It is really a dark spot on the excitement that is the beginning o Spring Training. The Orioles have problems--with pitching.

MLB.com suggests that Spring Training will be an exciting one or the Orioles as they work to set their starting pitching rotation. I take the view that the entire season hinges upon what the Orioles do in the next couple of weeks. The Orioles enter training with just two of five needed starting quality pitchers. 


Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun makes the following statement:

When the Orioles officially report to spring training camp Tuesday, they will not be a better team than the one that finished fifth in the American League East last season. That should be fairly obvious.

And that is where we begin the season. 

Hopes are definitely not high. I see the Orioles losing a lot of games with astronomical scores like 9-7. 

Well, we can't win if we don't play!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - February 12, 2018

1. We survived another government shutdown. The cost to the American taxpayers is enormous and the loss of status in the world is unquantifiable.

2. What did you do with your Sunday afternoon now that the NFL football season is over?

Rolls Royce Hood Ornament

3. The U.S. is lagging in the Olympics medals race. Currently standing at 2-1-1 for a total of 4, that is half as many as Norway, the current leader.

4. The torrential rains of the weekend have soaked everything. The lawn is a squishy land of mud. Maybe Springtime is close at hand?

5. The thermometer hit 66 degrees yesterday. Officially it was 63.9 degrees. This morning it is 52 degrees, which looks as if it will be the high for the day.

6. I was reviewing some of the images I captured at the auto show last week. I had forgotten this one with the Rolls Royce hood ornament in it.

7. Youth basketball season is winding down, the playoffs are up for next week. I'm excited because after basketball comes baseball.

Headlines

Abuse Case Exposes Fissures in a White House in Turmoil - The New York Times

Russian Plane Crash Kills All 71 Aboard - The New York Times

Pence: The United States is ready to talk with North Korea - The Washington Post

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

"The lesson of all this was, of course, that because we're a great nation, our challenges seem complex. It will always be this way. But as long as we remember our first principles and believe in ourselves, the future will always be ours. And something else we learned: Once you begin a great movement, there's no telling where it will end. We meant to change a nation, and instead, we changed a world."

Farewell Address to the Nation, January 11, 1989

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Radio Flyer Takes to the Skies

February, so far, has been a month of wild weather. The weather has ranged from below freezing temperatures to the current torrential rains which are making the region excessively soggy.

Looking up the Street
February 10, 2018

Yesterday, however, there was a break in the cold and rain and I was able to get Radio Flyer, my DJI Spark drone, out for a flight. It felt great to wind up the engines and have my drone respond by launching into the sky. 

The flight plan for the day was to continue developing dexterity with the controller and do a lot of low altitude work around the year and up the drive. But, I managed to get some nifty images from the skies in what was my also my highest flight to date. Even the clouds were interesting to look at an realize they contained rains which was going to envelop the region.

My flights were shorter than desired because both the batteries only contained a 60 percent charge from sitting unused for almost two weeks. Note to self--the batteries need to be topped off after they have been sitting unused.

The next time I get the opportunity to fly, I will be working on the hand-launch and hand-signal control of the drone. It is one of the coolest features of this drone and I have been studying the videos in preparation for my first hand-signal control flight.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Week that Was

Yes, there was a government shutdown, despite the news reports indicating that the shutdown was averted. It was not. I spent time working the shutdown all week and even during the shutdown. It was an incredible waste.

The weather has been cold! Too cold. It has been no fun. 

Nathan Chen Falling

The Olympics began in South Korea. 

I watched some of the team ice skating on the night before the opening ceremonies. 

I felt very bad that Nathan Chen fell during his opening program. All of the build up was a lot of an 18 year old to handle. I am sure he will recover nicely.

The Falcon Heavy liftoff from Florida restored some moxie to the US Space Programs. The double-booster landing was fabulous. No one else on the planet has been able to pull that off.

The week!

I'm happy that Saturday is here. I only wish it were warm enough to golf.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD