Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Pawns in a Dangerous Game

 

From Reddit
The Republican nominees for president and vice president are lying, hurting people, and doing it intentionally according to their own words.

The situation they have created in Springfield, Ohio, is deplorable. And they see no reason to end the lying. We are faces with the next big lie. The people of Springfield are begin harmed, they are being denied there right to pursue happiness and they are constituents of the VP candidate who admitted to lying to gain press coverage and says it was worth it. Clearly, his view is that the people are pawns for him to achieve power regardless of the damage.

I am reminded of a quote from Germany about 1933. I updated it.  

First they came for the LGBTQ+, and I did not speak out—because I was not a LGBTQ+.

Then they came for the Haitians, and I did not speak out—because I was not Haitian.

Then they came for every immigrant, and I did not speak out—because I was not an immigrant.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.


—with respect to Martin Niemöller for the original


Do we really want JD Vance to be one-heartbeat away from having the nuclear codes? Remember, the guy he is nominated to be the vice for is 78 years old and seems to be suffering from PTSD, other potential mental issues along with who knows what physical ailments. 


The following are observations from a Wikipedia article titled Age and Health Concerns about Donald Trump


Cognitive decline

Experts for the science publication STAT who analyzed changes in Trump's speeches between 2015 and 2024 noted shorter sentences, more tangents, more repetition and more confusion of words and phrases. The doctors suggested it could just be due to changes in mood or it could indicate the beginning of Alzheimer's.[39] The sharp rise in all-or-nothing thinking is linked to cognitive decline.[39]

Family history of dementia

Medical experts have also advised the Washington Post that Trump likely has an elevated genetic risk of dementia.[6] Nephew Fred Trump III sees signs of the dementia that he saw in Trump's father, Fred Trump Sr.[40] Fred Trump Sr. was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in October 1991, 8 years before he passed.[40]


Republicans, and especially Trump, made an issue of Biden's capabilities (real or imagined) which ultimately factored into his decision to withdraw. Perhaps we should be concerned, for real and observable reasons, about Trump's mental abilities.


-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

Riding in the Heat

Crossing the Loxahatchee River Bridge
Tequesta, FL
September 16, 2024

 As I was completing my bike ride yesterday, I began to feel tired and very hot. It wasn't until I got back home that I discovered why. The temperature had climbed to 88 degrees and the heat index crested 100 degrees. Coupled with the bright sun and no shade during that portion of my ride, it was a potentially dangerous combination.  

Whew.  

Ibis in the Road
Turtle Creek, Tequesta, FL
September 16, 2024

I probably needed to drink more water earlier during my ride. I was in the final two miles of my 18.5 mile ride when I began to feel the effects of the heat and sun.

I made it home safely. And drank a lot of water. 

It was a great way to begin the week. I am hoping to get a lot of biking in since I will be on a cruise next week and unable to bike. 


-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday, September 16, 2024

Monday Musings - September 16, 2024

 


1. Welcome to the third Monday of September. The month is speeding past meaning that there remain only 15 Monday in the year. 

Kayaks on the Beach
Cove Road Park, FL
September 4, 2024

2. Chris and I completed a 12.5 mile ride on Saturday through Seabranch State Preserve and near Port Salerno. We stopped at Cove Road Park to enjoy the scenery as we looked out upon the ICW. Along the ride we saw three tortoises and enjoyed a relatively quiet Saturday morning. 

3. The news has been crazy lately. I am distressed that some people feel the need to determine the upcoming election through the use of bullets rather than the ballot box. I would hate to have one of the candidates martyred. 

4. Family NFL Report. Family teams went 2-3 this week. The Steelers remain the only undefeated team, while the Ravens are struggling for their first win. 

Ravens (0-2) lost to Raiders (1-1), 23-26 

Steelers (2-0) defeated Broncos (0-2), 13-6

Cowboys (1-1) were blown-out by Saints (2-0), 19-44

Commanders (1-1) defeated Giants (0-2), 21-18

Dolphins (1-1) lost to Bills (2-0), 10-31

5. Financial snapshot past to present:

    S&P 500

         January 15, 2021 - 3768.25 (Last Friday of Trump presidency)

         September 13, 2024 - 5626.02 (Most recent Friday of Biden presidency)

     Change: +1857.77 or 49.30 percent increase

6. Today in HistoryOn September 16, 1620, the Mayflower sails from Plymouth, England, bound for the Americas with 102 passengers. The ship was headed for Virginia, where the colonists—half religious dissenters and half entrepreneurs—had been authorized to settle by the British crown. However, stormy weather and navigational errors forced the Mayflower off course, and on November 21 the “Pilgrims” reached Massachusetts, where they founded the first permanent European settlement in New England in late December.

Thirty-five of the Pilgrims were members of the radical English Separatist Church, who traveled to America to escape the jurisdiction of the Church of England, which they found corrupt. Ten years earlier, English persecution had led a group of Separatists to flee to Holland in search of religious freedom. However, many were dissatisfied with economic opportunities in the Netherlands, and under the direction of William Bradford they decided to immigrate to Virginia, where an English colony had been founded at Jamestown in 1607.


To learn more about the Pilgrims and their time in Leiden, before sailing to England and boarding the Mayflower in Plymouth, read the Pilgrims in Leiden.



Dana Bash and JD Vance clash over baseless claims about Haitian immigrants - CNN

The man detained owns a construction company in Hawaii, had criticized Trump on social media and is a Ukraine supporter - CNN

Germany angers European neighbors as it tightens migration along all land borders - CNN

Boeing strike: bosses bruised, blindsided and on brink of crisis - Reuters

Central European flooding widens as death toll rises - Reuters

US Naval Academy to defend race-conscious admissions policies at trial - Reuters

Ukraine asks UN, ICRC to join humanitarian effort in Russia's Kursk region - Reuters

Ukraine's spy chief says North Korean military aid to Russia presents major battlefield problem - Reuters

Fed Enters Tricky Terrain: Rate Cuts in a Decent Economy - The Wall Street Journal



-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL 

#mondaymusings

Sunday, September 15, 2024

The Chaos Returns

 And it begins . . . 

Welcoming Sign to Springfield, Ohio
Fox News
September 14, 2024

I am outraged by those who lied and continue to lie about the situation in Springfield, Ohio. They have ruined lives and have thrust the entire community and especially the LEGAL Haitian immigrants living there into the forefront of a very ugly news cycle. 

The situation in Springfield foreshadows the chaos which will once again grip the country if Trump is elected. And he doesn't care about the lives of the people living there. He does not care about the hard working Haitian immigrants or any of the other citizens of Springfield who are suddenly in the center of yet another great lie.

Two hospitals in Springfield, Ohio, were sent into lockdown after bomb threats, police said Saturday, marking the fourth such case in as many days that appears linked to false claims circulating among the far right that Haitian immigrants there are eating domestic pets and wildlife.

Saturday’s threats came even after the woman who started the rumors acknowledged to NBC News that they were unfounded and publicly apologized.  (The Guardian)

Who does Trump care about? Himself. 

I remember the chaos and public unrest during Trump's presidency. He continually pitted groups of people against others. 

A bit more about the situation in Springfield:

Two elementary schools were evacuated, and a middle school was closed Friday morning in the Ohio city of Springfield − the target of false election-year rumorsabout Haitian migrants − "based on information received from the Springfield Police Division," school officials said.

Springfield, located north of Dayton, vaulted to national prominence after former President Donald Trump announced during Tuesday's presidential debate with Vice President Kamala Harris that, "In Springfield they are eating the dogs, the people that came in, they're eating the cats. They're eating the pets of the people that live there." (The Columbus Dispatch)

And what has happened since the reports about dogs and cats being eaten? The Republicans have doubled down rather than admitting to the lie. Trump and Vance cannot admit they are wrong in the face of facts, rather they try to bend the facts to fit their lie.

And to make it worse: 

The all-male, far-right Proud Boys have been spotted marching on the streets of Springfield, Ohio. There has been no confirmation on what they planned to do or where they were headed. (AS)

Remember Charlottesville?

I do not want to go back. We must continue to move forward. 

Happy Sunday.


-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Saturday, September 14, 2024

Saturday Promise

Channel 5 Storm Tracker
September 14, 2024

 I woke this morning and checked the weather. I was hoping for a nice day to head off to an area just a bit north with Chris for a bike ride. The temperature was 79 degrees, the dew point was 79 degrees, and the feels like was 88 degrees. Ugh.

When I took Finn out for his morning relief, I could see the dew on the car. 

I think we will still head out for a ride. I would like some different scenery this morning. And while uncomfortable. at least there is no rain in the immediate area. 

I rode 18 miles yesterday, but did not take an image. I guess nothing piqued my interest. Maybe we will see a tortoise this morning. 


-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Friday, September 13, 2024

And There We Were

Tequesta Bridge over the Loxahatchee
Tequesta, FL
September 12, 2024

 It was another hot day in South Florida. The heat index topped 100 degrees and it was just unpleasant to be outside during the middle of the afternoon. 

Yet, we were--and both Chris and I enjoyed the day. 

We began the morning with a short 11-mile ride around Tequesta and we enjoyed the evening at our favorite outdoors (open air?) watering hole, Tiki52, with friends. 

From our table at Tiki52
Tequesta, FL
September 12, 2024

Actually, even though the temperature was high, there evening along the intracoastal was very enjoyable. We sat under the Tiki hut rather than at an umbrella table and enjoyed a very pleasant breeze coming off the water. Chris and I were surprised at how comfortable it was to sit at a table in the shade to enjoy the afternoon. The sun is still very hot, but the shade and breeze more than compensated.

As the week comes to an end, it was good to be home. We have completed many small projects and after almost three weeks of travel, we are just happy to wake up in our own bed in the morning. 

Programming Note: Beware Friday the 13th!


-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Thursday, September 12, 2024

More of the Facts - The Debate


 I did some fact checking after the debate Tuesday night. Wow! Amazing.

I was amazed that the Republicans are attacking the moderators. According to CNN: 

Trump talked more than Harris throughout the entire debate broadcast, and finished five minutes ahead after closing statements wrapped. At the end, Trump had spoken for approximately 42 minutes and 52 seconds, while Harris spoke for about 37 minutes and 36 seconds. (CNN)

Why would the side that got a nearly 5 minute time advantage, or a 6 percent advantage, complain about the moderators not being fair? From where I saw the debate the moderators were not being fair to Harris by letting Trump interrupt her and not shutting off his microphone as was agreed. 

I am concerned about the amount of misinformation and outright lies that Trump spoke. According to AP News Fact Checking, here are the most egregious lies of the evening:

- Trump shares inflated numbers around migrants and crime 
- Trump repeats false claims that noncitizens are being sought to vote
- Trump misrepresents crime statistics
- Trump endorses false rumor about immigrants eating pets
- National Guard soldiers on Jan. 6
- Trump falsely claims China is building ‘massive’ auto plants in Mexico
- Trump falsely claims evidence shows he won in 2020
- Trump claims Putin endorsed Harris
- Trump misrepresents key facts of the Central Park Five case
- Harris takes Trump’s ‘bloodbath’ comment out of context

Of the lies, the one that is very concerning is the one about immigrants eating pets. Joyce Vance writes about this lie as follows:

It's not just that the Haitian story is ridiculous. It's not just that it’s a lie. It is both of those things, but it is more than that; it is also dangerous. Dehumanizing people is what makes inhuman treatment of them possible. It’s how you justify the family separation policy that ripped children from their parents, some of them so young that reunification is still elusive more than five years later. In extreme cases, dehumanization is a path towards genocide, the way the Nazis called Jews in Germany vermin and claimed that they spread disease and used the blood of non-Jewish children in rituals as prelude to the Holocaust. Trump is using similar language as a prelude to the proposed mass deportations of migrants that both he and Project 2025 (which he claimed last night he’d never read) call for. Trump and Vance are setting up a society where atrocities against other human beings can be justified by dehumanizing them first.(Civil Discourse)

At times, and I watched the entire debate along with the post-debate commentary, it appeared that Trump forgot against whom he was running. He launched into more than one discourse about Biden and Harris reminded him that she was not Biden.

I remember all of the nasty and inappropriate things Trump said about President Biden in the past. Perhaps Trump should look into the mirror and upon realizing these same things are true about himself; that he is unfit to be president, he should quit the campaign and head out onto a golf course in a golf cart and do what he does best--sulk. That would be far better than continuing to tear the country apart through his lies and misrepresentations.  


-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL


Wednesday, September 11, 2024

Birds in the Road


 I managed a 17-mile ride on Monday. 

The weather both yesterday and today has been/is not conducive to riding because rain showers pop up at a moments notice. Chris and I tried to golf yesterday, but were chased off the course by rain as we were playing the 11th hole. It was a valiant effort, but ended early. I felt bad for Chris as she was having a great round. I, on the other hand, not so much.

While riding on Monday, I came upon a small flock of ibis who had to move out of the road. I tried to capture them as they took flight. They were enjoyable to watch as they, in their ungainly manner, took flight and cleared my path. I do so enjoy watching the ibis. 


-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL



Tuesday, September 10, 2024

Beach Evening


 

Surfers in the Waves
Carlin Park, Jupiter, FL
September 7, 2024
Chris and I made a return to our favorite beach the other evening. Although the day was hot, the evening at the beach was perfect. We watched storms move just to the north of us and enjoyed the surfers catching waves.

It had been a while since we had managed to visit the beach because of fairly regular afternoon thunderstorms. It was nice to have a break in the action to allow us to meet with friends and enjoy Happy Hour together on the beach. 

Osprey with Catch
Carlin Park, Jupiter, FL
September 7, 2024

Of course it was also nice to be on the beach and out of the truck. We drove a lot during the past couple weeks while we visited Maryland, New York, and Georgia. I wish that I had kept track of the mileage, but I am sure we topped 1500 miles. 

As I wrote previously, it is good to be home in Florida. The ocean remains warm and the temperatures continue in the low 90s and high 80s. It is perfect beach weather, except for the passing storms. 

I was happy to have my newly received smart glasses available to take images of the scene I was enjoying. I did, however, image the osprey with its catch on my iPhone. We were privileged to see two osprey dive within a short time of each other. Both were successful in their efforts. 


-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday, September 9, 2024

Monday Musings - September 9, 2024

 


1. September is moving along. It is already the second Monday meaning that there are only 16 Mondays remaining in 2024!

Chris on the Tequesta
Loxahatchee River Bridge
Tequesta, FL
September 8, 2024
2. It is good to be home. There is something satisfying about walking into our own home after a trip and being able to unwind and relax.

3. Chris and I did an easy 10-mile ride yesterday to get back into prime biking shape. I had gone out on Saturday, but only got 1 mile in before a thorn punctured my back tire. I was not amused and neither was Chris as she had to come retrieve me in the truck.

4. Family NFL Report

Ravens (0-1) lost to Chiefs (1-0), 20-27 (Thursday)

Steelers (1-0) defeated Falcons (0-1), 18-10

Cowboys (1-0) blow-out Browns (0-1), 33-17

Commanders (0-1) defeated by Bucs (1-0), 37-20

Dolphins (1-0) comeback against Jaguars (0-1), 20-17

5. NFL football has returned. I guess that may help me get past the Orioles September slump. Thank goodness the Yankees are having similar problems. 

6. Today in HistoryThe King of Rock and Roll teams up with TV’s reigning variety program, as Elvis Presley appears on “The Ed Sullivan Show” for the first time on September 9, 1956.

After Presley earned big ratings for “The Steve Allen Show,” the Dorsey Brothers “Stage Show” and “The Milton Berle Show,” Sullivan finally reneged on his Presley ban, signing the controversial singing star to an unprecedented $50,000 contract for three appearances. 

With 60 million viewers—or 82.6 percent of TV viewers at the time—tuning in, the appearance garnered the show’s best ratings in two years and became the most-watched TV broadcast of the 1950s.



Trump warms up for debate by threatening to jail election officials - CNN

Shooting suspect’s mom drove 200 miles to Winder, Georgia, after getting cryptic text the morning of the school attack - CNN

An alleged Chinese agent went undetected in New York state government for years. Why it may have taken so long for authorities to act - CNN

A mini Russia emerges in Serbia as thousands flee war - Reuters

Russia focusing on US social media stars to covertly influence voters - Reuters

Google's antitrust trial over online advertising set to begin - Reuters

Iran denies reports of missile transfer to Russia - Reuters

September Is Once Again a Tough Month for Stocks - The Wall Street Journal

Iraqi Banks Used U.S.-Created System to Funnel Funds to Iran - The Wall Street Journal

On social media, a bullied teen found fame among child predators worldwide - The Washington Post


-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

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