De-ICE America

Alex Pretti was clearly visible holding
 a phone when agents first
 approached him, before pulling
 him to the ground and
 shooting him.Credit...dangjessie, via Instagram
via NYTimes

Yesterday in Minneapolis, Alex Pretti, a civilian, was killed by ICE/CBP agents while he was legally recording the activities of federal agents. He is the second civilian killed during the ICE/CBP occupation of Minneapolis/St Paul. He was unarmed and subdued on the ground at the time 10 shots were fired into his body during a period of 5 seconds. (NYTimes)

What quickly became apparent, again, was that DHS and ICE leadership do not have a grasp on truth and fact. Their first narratives after the horrific incident bear little resemblance to the facts. Thankfully, multiple citizens recorded what happened so that we can see truth. And who is FBI not conducting an investigation as required when a civilian is murdered by federal agents?

I, sadly, have lost faith in the Attorney General, Assistant Attorney General, DHS, FBI, CBP, and ICE to discharge their responsibilities to the American people in a faithful and unbiased manner. They have forgotten that they work for "We the People."

Let me be clear, I am not against immigration enforcement. 

Immigration enforcement, however, must be done properly, respectfully, and in a manner consistent with our laws the Constitution--all of it. I am tired of hearing the tired narrative about the numbers of immigrants that Biden allowed into the country as if it matters, because it is immaterial; everyone who is here now has legal and Constitutional protections. I am against what appears more and more like a secret police force designed to terrorize people and communities--that is not the job of properly trained and deployed law enforcement. ICE/CPB continue to be seen trampling the rights of citizens. What happened to "Protect and Serve?"

I actually have an idea. 

De-fund ICE and distribute their bloated funding to local and state police authorities. Create an organization under DHS, maybe under CBP, which identifies the egregious immigration criminals, as was promised by the President when he said "worst of the worst", and pass that verified information to the "locals" to execute warrants and arrests. That the locals would execute legal warrants for felonious crimes should appease concerns expressed by sanctuary cities and states. 

Effectively repairing the damage that has been done to the Country requires replacing the heads of DOJ, DHS, ICE, CBP, FBI, and Defense. Replacing them can be easy or hard--they resign (easy) or are impeached (hard). Their leadership is not compatible with the bedrock principles of America as expressed in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and applicable US Titles and laws.

Restore the land of the free and home of the brave--for all people!

De-ICE America!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Back onto the Streets

Crossing the Tequesta Bridge
Tequesta, FL
January 23, 2026

 Between the weather and my lack of motivation, it has not been a good month on my bike. 

I wish that I had ridden more, but the cold weather, rain, and gloomy skies negatively affected my mood and until yesterday's ride. It had been a chore to get out on my bike. 

But not yesterday! I finally had a great ride for the and completed my normal almost 18 mile loop! It was warm! Yes--in the 70s, finally! The skies were filled broken clouds and I hit the streets with enthusiasm. I actually enjoyed the ride because I was not fighting biting cold and I felt good!

The weather is turning cold again next week, but while much of the U.S. is suffering from incredible cold, it is warm and pleasant here in South Florida. I hope to get rides in today and tomorrow. With temperatures expected to be in the 80s tomorrow, I am also hoping to enjoy beach time! That would be awesome.

Bike, Beach and Beer! Now there is a winning combination.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Fabergé Eggs in Stuart

 I mentioned, yesterday, that in addition to the King tut replica exhibit, that Fabergé Eggs were also on display at the Elliot Museum in Stuart. 

Chris and I spent a short while looking at the eggs on display--of which there are many. I did not count the actual number of Fabergé Imperial Eggs in the exhibit, but there are definitely many. They are interesting and I  never appreciated the history of them until walking through the exhibit. 

I mean, OK, so they are decorated eggs, right?

Well they are so much more, as I learned. Some have complications which make them interesting. One was found in a flea market, I believe in Arizona just a few years ago. 

I was also fascinated by Fabregé's replica of Catherine the Great's coronation crown which is part of the exhibit. Of course the crown predates the eggs, but it is a very interesting piece to see in person. Wow!

Plan at least an hour to view the eggs and crown. Take your time--there is a wealth of history on display. And don't forget the King Tut exhibit and then there are numerous other exhibits in the museum as well as the fantastic collection of antique cars. Fortunately, there is a cafe right outside of the museum to take a rest and refresh!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

King Tut Returns to Stuart

 

The exhibit of museum quality replicas of the treasures found in King Tut's tomb returned to the Elliott Museum in Stuart. The display will remain through May, but Chris and I have already made our return visit to the museum. We are members, and any reason to visit the museum is a good one. This display is different than the previous exhibit. I found it easier to spend time with the individual displays and get deeper into the history. 

King Tut's Coffins Replicas
Stuart, FL
January 13, 2025

I very much enjoy Egyptian treasures. I remember my first exposure to authentic Egyptian treasures was at the Field Museum in Chicago during June 1977. I viewed the traveling King Tut exhibit. I had stopped for a day to visit with the Best Man from our wedding, Tim, as I was traveling to Denver to enter onto active duty with the Air Force and begin my career.

My next close encounter with Egyptian relics was during 1989 when we took the family from San Angelo to Dallas to view Ramses the Great. Mom and Dad accompanied us on the very long day trip. But we had a great time. The Ramses exhibit did not disappoint. 

And now here in South Florida, I have, for the third time, been able to spend time exploring King Tut's Egyptian antiquities. True, these are museum quality replicas, but the history and significance are no less interesting. The docent was not busy and we were provided with an in depth experience. Weekdays are good days to visit the museum. We spent so much time with the docent that we never made it to the antique cars and had precious little time to spend with the Fabergé Eggs, which are also on display. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Best Mornings of the Year

Breakfast on the Veranda
Utopia of the Seas near CocoCay, Bahamas
January 7, 2026

  What I treasure most about cruising is the opportunity to savor breakfast on the veranda. Chris and I order coffee, fruit, and pastries delivered to our stateroom and,  weather permitting, we relish breakfast while watching the sunrise, the ocean, or other captivating scene that graces our view.  

It is a perfect way to start the day. 

We sit and chat about the plan for the day and discuss some of the overnight news and happenings. But mostly, we just look out at a scene we only occasionally are fortunate enough to enjoy. 

Back home, our condo has a very limited view from the veranda. Mostly we enjoy a few plants, and ferns and a large green hedge. The occasional squirrel, bird, or lizard often become topics of conversation. 

Shipboard, it is a whole different environment. And we make sure to enjoy it. I fear too many cruisers pay for the veranda but never venture outside of their cabin. I get the veranda because I want to use it! And we do!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Escape the World to Dinner

The Stew, the Morning After
Tequesta, FL
January 20, 2026

I am not a cook and I have never played one on TV. 

 Chris and I tried a new recipe last evening. We found it in a book of soups and stews. The dish was named, Beef, Barley & Butternut Squash Stew with Blue Cheese Croutons. Since it was unseasonably cold here yesterday, it seemed a good time to pull out a feel good recipe and try it out.

Mmmm!

It took almost two hours to prepare and cook, thankfully I started at 4 PM. I had forgotten to plan around a 6 PM HOA meeting and so the dish sat until 7 PM before we were able to enjoy it. It was everything we hoped it would be and went very well with a Washington State red wine.

I discovered something, it is really expensive to cook creative dishes! The cost was over $40 just for the stuff we didn't have in the pantry or refrigerator.

Croutons Ready for Browning
Tequesta, FL
January 19, 2026

But, I guess that is the price for hiding my head in the sand so as not to hear the insane things that our president is saying and doing. Who says things like, since you didn't give me the peace award, I'm going to go to war now? Huh? Really?

A couple things about the dish--first, I enjoyed cutting the leaks. They were fun to joke about because Chris asked me where they were and I told her to look for the wet spot. I also had fun with the croutons. The blue cheese and walnut topping was really good and is a definite keeper for other dinners. 

Well, at least we have enough for lunch today and possibly tomorrow. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - January 19, 2026

 Martin Luther King Day

1. Welcome to the third Monday of January. It is a federal holiday. And that means no bad news in the mail. There are 49 Mondays remaining in 2026. 

2. I realized that it is hard to watch a complete NFL game when teams I care about are not playing. I saw parts of all four games this weekend, but no complete game. I did, however, see the ending of both overtime games!

3. I considered attending the college football championship game tonight. It is about two hours away in Miami. I was serious enough to look for tickets. Silly me, I actually thought I would find some reasonable tickets for the game. I was shocked by the prices! I went onto two resale sites and found tickets ranging from about $4K to $18K per ticket. Ugh. I posted the seat maps from two of the popular resale ticket sites. Who really pays that much for a sporting event? I mean, really? 

4. It appears we are in for another week of crazed things emanating from Washington. It surely has been a wild start to the year. Tomorrow marks the one year anniversary of the ascendance of Donald Trump to the presidency and the beginning of his 2nd term. I don't think any of us saw what was coming when he stood on Inauguration Day and lied about everything he intended to do. The text of his address can be found here. A couple of quotes remind of us what he said so we can compare them with what has actually transpired.

Next, I will direct all members of my cabinet to marshal the vast powers at their disposal to defeat what was record inflation and rapidly bring down costs and prices.

After years and years of illegal and unconstitutional federal efforts to restrict free expression, I also will sign an executive order to immediately stop all government censorship and bring back free speech to America.

Never again will the immense power of the state be weaponized to persecute political opponents -- something I know something about. (Laughter.) We will not allow that to happen. It will not happen again.

Under my leadership, we will restore fair, equal, and impartial justice under the constitutional rule of law.

5. Today in History. On January 19, 1809, poet, author and literary critic Edgar Allan Poe is born in Boston, Massachusetts.

By the time he was three years old, his father had abandoned the family and his mother had died, leaving him in the care of his godfather John Allan, a wealthy tobacco merchant. After attending school in England, Poe entered the University of Virginia in 1826. After fighting with Allan over his heavy gambling debts, he was forced to leave school after only eight months. Poe then served two years in the U.S. Army and won an appointment to West Point. After another falling out, Allan cut him off completely and he got himself dismissed from the academy for rules infractions.

Dark, handsome and brooding, Poe had published three works of poetry by that time, none of which had received much attention. In 1836, while working as an editor at the Southern Literary Messenger in Richmond, Virginia, Poe married his 13-year-old cousin, Virginia Clemm. He also completed his first full-length work of fiction, Arthur Gordon Pym, published in 1838.

Trump links Greenland threat to Nobel Peace Prize snub, EU eyes trade retaliation - Reuters

At least 39 dead in Spain after two high-speed trains collide - Reuters

A year into his return, Trump wields executive power with few restraints - Reuters

Iran to consider lifting internet ban; state TV hacked - Reuters

CNN poll finds majority of Americans say Trump is focused on the wrong priorities - CNN

There’s a reason the DOJ wants to stop Minneapolis citizens from filming ICE - MSNow

White House told CBS News that Trump would sue if his interview was edited - MSNow

What Trump’s proposed 10 percent cap on card rates could mean for you - The Washington Post

Trump Has an Offramp on Greenland. He Doesn’t Seem to Want It. - The New York Times

David FrenchAn Old Theory Helps Explain What Happened to Renee Good - The New York Times

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

We need normal!

 

It was a classic, but not unexpected, move. 

In a long screed this morning, Trump’s social media account said the president is placing tariffs of 10% on all goods from the countries currently protecting Greenland after February 1, and that the tariffs will increase to 25% on June 1. The post says the tariffs will be in effect “until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland.” (Letters from an American)

And where is the money to purchase Greenland coming from? Congress certainly has not appropriated such funds. Did anyone notice that the residents of Greenland do not want to be Americans? 

Who suffers at the end of the day? 

We do!

Trump has already added more than $2 trillion to the national debt during his first year in office. 

We get to fund that. 

And the increase in prices caused by the punitive tariffs is not going to improve affordability, nor will it encourage American production of exports when the retaliatory tariffs are applied. 

I remember, decades ago, when George H.W. Bush called Ronald Reagan's economics plan: Voodoo Economics--turns out it was. But Reagan got elected and Bush became his VP.

I have a name for Trump's economics plan--Bankrupt Economics. He is, after all, the king of bankruptcies. 

Consider that Greenland, tariffs on Europe, and Venezuelan oil are definitely not America First policies--they Trump First policies. 

I know the phrase was used unsuccessfully by rival presidential candidate, but I saw it scrawled on a protestor's sign in Copenhagen yesterday--we need to be normal again. Make America Normal Again! We need to restore our traditional alliances and trading partners. The insanity has to stop. 

Instead of punishing the American people with tariff wars, suffocating debt, and loss of healthcare access, we need someone who remembers that the president is the servant of the people and the steward of democracy. He is not the king of the world. 

Note to Congress: WAKE UP!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Made me Smile

 Surfing the net, or more specifically Facebook, provides a wealth of information. It is amazing what I find there and sometimes it even makes me smile.

The parody of noxious lawyer commercials did just that. It also caught my eye because the pictured dog is a Keeshond, my favorite breed of dog. 

Check out the name of the law firm. 

It is hard to find humorous items these days without looking hard, but this one just popped up. And every dog lover/owner can relate. 

As an aside, I did not come across and any cold lizards yesterday, they kept to themselves. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

The Cold Returns

 It was 39 really cold degrees when I woke this morning. 

Yes, the iguana alerts were out. Beware falling iguanas and don't bother them as they can still defend themselves. (Newsweek)

Chris and I are fortunate in that we do not live in an area where we see many iguanas, but they are around nearby. Given the cold, it is unlikely that I will attempt a bike ride today unless it is later in the day after the temperature had risen and the iguanas have awakened. 

Iguana on Welcome Sand Art
CocoCay, Bahamas
January 7, 2026

We were surprised last week when we were visiting CocoCay to see an iguana on the sand art welcoming people to the island. It was a bit humorous. What was even more amazing was the number of people who barely even noticed the lizard sitting in the sun on the sand art. Totally oblivious. I think it added something to the experience. I enjoyed seeing the iguana hanging out there just looking at all the people.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL