Monday Musings - February 10, 2025

 

1. Welcome to the second Monday of February. It is also the Monday after the Super Bowl--which wasn't all that super. There are 46 remaining Mondays in the year 2025!

2. Yawn, such was the Super Bowl. Apparently the Chiefs stayed in their hotel for the game. The final score of 40-22 Eagles over the Chiefs, was much closer than the game actually was. For a while, I thought we were preparing for the first shutout in Super Bowl history. I guess I won't be seeing the Chiefs players in so many commercials now. As for the halftime show, I am not the demographic to which the show was designed to please. 

Limestone Creek Trail
Jupiter, FL
February 8, 2025

3. While shopping for our Super Bowl party, I ran across the strangest sale. It was buy 2 and get 3 free on 12 packs of Pepsi products! Wow! When it was all done I was able to by Pepsi for pre-pandemic pricing. It worked out to $4.12 per 12-pack. WooHoo! I still can't believe it--but it happened! However, I got gouged for the potato chips.

4. I enjoyed a 19-mile plus bike ride on Saturday. I rode a circuit that I infrequently use. I like it because I have added in a short trail that takes me through a forested area and provides a nice change of pace from riding on the streets. It is a short, but pretty ride and in some ways reminds me of the ride I took with Patrick and Jeremy last summer as we completed the GAP. 

4. Save your pennies! Production of the, in my opinion, most useless coin in the world, is about to stop. 

5. Today in History. On February 10, 1996, after three hours, world chess champion Garry Kasparov loses the first game of a six-game match against Deep Blue, an IBM computer capable of evaluating 200 million moves per second. Man was ultimately victorious over machine, however, as Kasparov bested Deep Blue in the match with three wins and two ties and took home the $400,000 prize. An estimated 6 million people worldwide followed the action online.

Kasparov had previously defeated Deep Thought, the prototype for Deep Blue developed by IBM researchers in 1989, but he and other chess grandmasters had, on occasion, lost to computers in games that lasted an hour or less. The February 1996 contest was significant in that it represented the first time a human and a computer had duked it out in a regulation, six-game match, in which each player had two hours to make 40 moves, two hours to finish the next 20 moves and then another 60 minutes to wrap up the game.

Trump set to announce 25% tariff on steel and aluminum - CNN

Trump instructs Treasury to halt penny production - CNN

Exclusive: U.S. funding freeze threatens investigations of alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine - Reuters

The stark divide that South Africa's land act seeks to bridge - Reuters

Australia says its steel, aluminium exports create American jobs - Reuters

trump-proposed-land-grabs-mean-us-now-seen-as-a-risk-munich-security-report - The Guardian

trump-electric-vehicle-charging-station-program - The Guardian

Farmers on the hook for millions after Trump freezes USDA funds - The Washington Post

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Trucks N Tunes - February 2025

Trucks N' Tunes
Constitution Park Tequesta, FL
February 7, 2025

 Chris and I enjoyed a fantastic Friday evening in Tequesta at the Trucks N' Tunes event. 

Looking Down the Food Truck Row
Constitution Park, Tequesta, FL
February 7, 2025

The service from the food trucks was slow and the music was a bit loud, but the music was, at the same time, enjoyable making it THE place to be on a Friday night in Tequesta.

The weather, as expected, was perfect. It was another glorious February evening in South Florida. Where else would I rather be? No where. 

Tequesta, like many South Florida communities, provides many activities to enjoy during the late-winter months. There are art shows, farmer's markets, and small gatherings like Trucks N' Tunes. It makes living here particularly enjoyable. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

A Challenger for Punxsutawney Phil

 Like most Americans, I was not happy last week when Punxsutawney Phil made his, accurate only about 35 percent of the time, weather prediction for six more weeks of winter. 

Ugh. Who wants that?

Here in South Florida that prediction should mean highs in the 50s-60s accompanied by a cold depressing rain. 

A friend sent me an alternate weather prognosticator to replace my reliance on Phil. 

I love it!

The Palm Tree!

On every February 2nd, I can now go to my Tequesta Palm and receive a personal weather prognostication. It has to be at least as accurate as Phil with the added benefit that I do not need to read the mystical woodchuck language to decipher the forecast. 

Of course I have to keep secret the location of the weather forecasting palm tree--I would not want people to gather en masse heavily attired to await the prediction while consuming excessive quantities of coffee and hot chocolate. The weather palm prefers that people enjoy a cold drink in their hand while attired in beachwear enjoying the bright, hot sun on a sandy beach.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Enjoying the Evening

Pelican Monitoring the Marina
Tequesta, FL
February 6, 2025

 Chris and I enjoyed another fantastic South Florida evening. The temperature seemed cool as we relaxed by the Intracoastal to enjoy some adult beverages and munchies, yet the thermometer showed 73 degrees. 

I actually felt cool, but we were sitting in the shade.

I can feel Florida summer beginning to express itself in the bright sunshine of the afternoon 80s, but the evenings and mornings are still pleasantly cool. I am looking forward to a bike ride today. Yesterday, we took Finnegan for a grooming and so I did not get a chance to ride.

I am amazed at how quickly the days are passing. We fly Monday evening to begin an adventure. The trip has been planned for months and our departure is now three short days hence. 

The planning and packing for the 2-plus week trip is nearly complete. We will be heading south of the Equator to enjoy some summer. I will attempt to continue daily blogging, but the excruciatingly long overnight flights both going and returning may interrupt that schedule a bit. 

Tonight we are heading off to Trucks N Tunes, a Tequesta Village sponsored event that happens during the winter months. 

So much to enjoy and so little time. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Keeping Focus

 There are so many distractions, especially in the news. It can be hard in this era of chaos and confusion to keep an eye on the important stuff. 

Usurping peoples rights constitutes important stuff. 

Leading America into a Middle East quagmire in order to gain personal wealth is important. 

The transgender Executive Order is an example of people rallying to usurp individual rights. It has become a holy war because thousands of young boys are lining up to have gender affirming surgery so they can play girls sports, right? 

This is one of those "common sense" things that is just plain wrong. Someone needed to get the facts.

In truth, according to the NCAA president, ". . . there are ‘less than 10’ transgender athletes in college sports."

". . . Gillian Branstetter, a spokesperson for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), who told Newsweek that Save Women’s Sports, a leading voice in the bid to ban transgender athletes from competing in girls’ sports, identified only five transgender athletes competing on girls’ teams in school sports for grades K through 12." (The Pink News)

I do not know how this became both an important campaign issue and now an Executive Order, but it certainly is distracting and has successfully obfuscated important issues.

For instance--

How many American citizens have been illegally detained or deported during ICE operations? We should be concerned about that. 

Who came up with the idea that America should rebuild Gaze, relocate almost 2 million people and let the Trump crime family develop the area into another Atlantic City?

And what about the multitudes of Federal Workers being dismissed without due process. Who is protecting their rights? 

And Congress remains silent.  

But, now our leaders can clap themselves on the back and pretend they actually did something to make life better in American. Except, did they? 

Whose rights will be taken away next?

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL 

On the Waterfront

Pelican Duo
Blowing Rocks Marina
Tequesta, FL
February 4, 2024

 With daytime highs in the low 80s, South Florida is perhaps the best place to be living in the whole nation. Chris and I joined friends at our favorite watering hole last night for Happy Hour. It adjoins a marina where there always seems to be a lot of activity. 

Last evening in addition to people, pelicans were monitoring the comings and goings at the marina. They were magnificently perched atop some of the pilings and with the color of the reflected sunset adorning the sky, I could not help myself but to snap an image. 

By way of an update:

My truck has returned from the repair shop with two more tires, a four wheel alignment, stainless steel muffler and pipes, and new back brakes. Hopefully, it is ready for another 100,000 miles! We took out the resonators that were on the tailpipes and the truck has a bit more throaty sound--which I like. 

And in the news:

Is anyone else concerned that the fox is in the henhouse with Elon having access to the entire U.S. payment system? 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Riding and Mondays

 Mondays are an interesting day to ride my bike around Tequesta. I chose to go a bit later in the morning due to some patchy fog, and I do not want to be riding along a busy street in difficult driving conditions. 

What makes Mondays interesting? 

The garbage trucks and the lawn maintenance vehicles. Yesterday, for instance, there was one spot where between the trash truck and the lawn maintenance vehicles there was no room to even ride a bike past. I had to dismount and walk around. 

But on a beautiful morning, such as yesterday, there are also lots of people to see and acknowledge. I try to say good morning to them all hoping that the greeting will brighten their day. 

I took a short video of riding across a bridge and saying good morning to a fellow biker on the bridge. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - February 3, 2025

 

1. And it has arrived, the shortest month of the year. Welcome to the first Monday of February. There are 47 Mondays remaining in 2025!

Tulips on the Table
Tequesta, FL
February 1, 2025

2. Yesterday was a strange day in that there were no NFL games for the first Sunday since September. The Pro Bowl doesn't count as it is not full-contact. The Super Bowl is set for next Sunday and it should be super as the match-up looks like it is very even. Will the Chief's three-peat? 

3. I bought Chris some tulips, just because, the other day and then I tried to do some creative imaging of them. I kinda like what I came up with. I do enjoy playing with the depth of field to create a sense of depth. 

4. Well, the new administration in Washington is off to a great start between igniting worldwide trade wars and firing federal employees it is hard to keep up with the confusion and chaos. Here come higher prices and less income for Americans. To my Canadian and Mexican friends, all I can say is, I'm sorry and we are all caught in the crossfire. 

5. Today in History. February 3, 1959, Rising American rock stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, along with the pilot, are killed when their chartered Beechcraft Bonanza plane crashes in Iowa a few minutes after takeoff from Mason City on a flight headed for Moorhead, Minnesota. Investigators blamed the crash on bad weather and pilot error. Holly and his band, the Crickets, had just scored a No. 1 hit with “That’ll Be the Day.”

After mechanical difficulties with the tour bus, Holly had chartered a plane for his band to fly between stops on the Winter Dance Party Tour. However, Richardson, who had the flu, convinced Holly’s band member Waylon Jennings to give up his seat, and Ritchie Valens won a coin toss for another seat on the plane. 

USAID workers at Washington HQ told to stay home - CNN

South Africa denies ‘confiscating land,’ after Trump threatens to cut off aid - CNN

Trump’s under-the-radar Alaska order has environmentalists on edge - CNN

Europe braces for Trump trade tariffs, as levies on Canada, Mexico, China roil markets - Reuters

Canadians cancel trips, ban American booze after Trump's tariffs - Reuters

Trump tariffs trigger stocks slump, dollar rise on trade war fears - Reuters

UN body reports 'alarming rise' in Russian execution of captured Ukrainian soldiers - Reuters

europeans-democracy-advice-trump-americans - The Guardian

Markets in Asia, Europe slide as investors brace for potential trade war - The Washington Post

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Sandblasted

Blowing Sand
Jupiter Island, Stuart, FL
January 31, 2025

Happy Groundhog Day

Phil saw his shadow--six more weeks of winter on the way

 Friday we were sitting on a beach and I was able to remember exactly how it feels to be sandblasted. The wind was blowing and the grains of sand were almost painful as they pelted my face. 

Exfoliated? 

Perhaps. 

We found some relief by a dune, but the blowing sand still was painful. It diminished the enjoyment of our January beach visit, but still it was January and we were comfortably on a beach!

Down by the water, the wet sand provided relief from the sandblasting. 

Being on a beach is a lot better than worrying about six more weeks of winter! Take that Punxsutawney Phil!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Back on the Water

Heading out of Manatee Pocket
Port Salerno, FL
January 31, 2025

 To close out the month of January, we managed a boating day. The weather was good--not excellent, but very nice. 

There was a strong wind from the south which I had to manage. The Bimini on the boat acted at times like a sail especially when the wind gusted.

Jupiter Island Beach
Stuart, FL
January 31, 2025

As for the boat, we had an almost brand new Bayliner D22, hence the square looking bow. The boat is heavier and bigger than the Cobias I typically get. It took a bit of getting used to the boat and I discovered that it does not handle other boat wakes as nicely as the Cobias do. We got a lot more water over the bow and even onto me at the helm than the Cobias. I am going to have to slow the boat more approaching the wakes. The boat has one advantage over the Cobias in that is has ladders in both the bow and stern! It makes unloading at a beach or on a sandbar far easier.

We had a great day. The wind was strong on the ocean beach and we tried to find some shelter beside a small dune. We enjoyed the sun and the warmth. After our time at the beach we motored to the Stuart City Docks and found Lunch at a restaurant in the city. 

We had an enjoyable ride back to the marina and concluded a very successful boat outing.

And now it is February! Stand-by for more fun.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL