Monday Musings - March 24, 2025

 

Happy Monday!

1. It is the penultimate Monday of March! There are 40 Mondays remaining in the year. 

Samoyed
Tiki52, Tequesta, FL
March 19, 2025

2. March Madness is living up to its name. I read that CBS reported that there are no perfect brackets remaining in the Men's NCAA Basketball Tournament. My bracket is a mess and I had St Johns going to the final four--well that's not happening. 

3. Chris and I went to dinner at Tiki52 on Wednesday evening and it was doggie night, apparently. There were many dogs of so many different breeds. It was fun watching them and enjoying their antics. For the most part, all of them were well behaved and a joy to be around. The star of the night, however, was the Samoyed. He was beautiful and still a puppy at heart. 

4. Be afraid! The administration's attacks on the judiciary and on law firms is very dangerous. With the Congress already in his pocket, if Trump can neuter the judiciary then there will be no checks on his ability to destroy the country and do away with the rule of law. Additionally, the money angle is working on the education system as well--colleges are supposed to be institutions free to explore the world without being forced to accede to partisan politics. The stifling of research and thought is equally dangerous. 

5. Chris and I went out for breakfast a week ago. We paid a 50 cent surcharge on each egg due to the bird flu. 

6. Today in History. March 24, 1989: One of the worst oil spills in U.S. history begins when the supertanker Exxon Valdez, owned and operated by the Exxon Corporation, runs aground on a reef in Prince William Sound in southern Alaska. An estimated 11 million gallons of oil eventually spilled into the water. Attempts to contain the massive spill were unsuccessful, and wind and currents spread the oil more than 100 miles from its source, eventually polluting more than 700 miles of coastline. Hundreds of thousands of birds and animals were adversely affected by the environmental disaster.

It was later revealed that Joseph Hazelwood, the captain of the Valdez, was drinking at the time of the accident and allowed an uncertified officer to steer the massive vessel. In March 1990, Hazelwood was convicted of misdemeanor negligence, fined $50,000, and ordered to perform 1,000 hours of community service. In July 1992, an Alaska court overturned Hazelwood’s conviction, citing a federal statute that grants freedom from prosecution to those who report an oil spill.

US retailers haggle with suppliers after Trump tariffs - Reuters

US turns to Brazil for eggs and considers other sources during bird flu outbreak - Reuters

Some Europeans reconsider trips to US in protest against Trump - Reuters

Concerns about espionage rise as Trump and Musk fire thousands of federal workers - AP

Man drives car into protesters outside a Tesla dealership, nobody hurt, sheriff says - AP

‘The Americans didn’t learn their lesson’: Meet the Europeans boycotting US goods - CNN

Greenland slams planned visit by US officials - CNN

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Finn and the Lizard

 

Finn and the Lizard
Tequesta, FL
March 20, 2025

The other morning, Chris and I were enjoying coffee on the veranda and a lizard stopped on the other side of the screen. It remained there for a while. 

Finn took an interest in the lizard and stood on the arm of the lounge chair to examine the lizard up close and personal. What was interesting was that the lizard allowed Finn to get fairly close. 

The two of them stared at each other. They must have stared for a long while because I was able to realize there was a picture hidden in there somewhere and get my phone out to capture the moment. 

And then, in an instant--it was gone. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Saturday--is the week really over?

 It was a bit of a rollercoaster ride this week.

It is clear to me that neither the president nor vice-president understand the Constitution and the role of the judiciary. When the Vice President makes the statement that: “judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power,”  (NY Times) It is clear that he does not understand that it is the judiciary which gets to decide what are legitimate powers!

Talk about either trying to confuse the issue or being ignorant of the Constitution.

And then the president called for impeaching a federal judge because a ruling didn't go his way. I loved Justice Roberts' response: “For more than two centuries, it has been established that impeachment is not an appropriate response to disagreement concerning a judicial decision,” he said in a statement. “The normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.” (The New Republic)

I am greatly concerned about the deportation of Venezuelans without due process. And the president and vice president think this is OK. The 4th Amendment to the Constitution is pretty clear--this can't be done. And the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 probably does not apply in this case and even if it does, there are other requirements. One discussion, from the Brennan Center for Justice is as follows:

The president may invoke the Alien Enemies Act in times of “declared war” or when a foreign government threatens or undertakes an “invasion” or “predatory incursion” against U.S. territory. The Constitution gives Congress, not the president, the power to declare war, so the president must wait for democratic debate and a congressional vote to invoke the Alien Enemies Act based on a declared war. But the president need not wait for Congress to invoke the law based on a threatened or ongoing invasion or predatory incursion. The president has inherent authority to repel these kinds of sudden attacks — an authority that necessarily implies the discretion to decide when an invasion or predatory incursion is underway.

As the Supreme Court and past presidents have acknowledged, the Alien Enemies Act is a wartime authority enacted and implemented under the war power. When the Fifth Congress passed the law and the Wilson administration defended it in court during World War I, they did so on the understanding that noncitizens with connections to a foreign belligerent could be “treated as prisoners of war” under the “rules of war under the law of nations.” In the Constitution and other late-1700s statutes, the term invasion is used literally, typically to refer to large-scale attacks. The term predatory incursion is also used literally in writings of that period to refer to slightly smaller attacks like the 1781 Raid on Richmond led by American defector Benedict Arnold.

I think, and this is my opinion, that given the sense from Town Halls around the country that the electorate believes that Trump was elected to do something different than what he is doing and that the "mandate" he believes he has was far more limited that he understands. I believe that those who voted for him wanted him to lower prices and inflation and not start a global trade war, or withdraw support our allies around the world, or even cozy up to Putin. And as for reducing the Federal Government--I don't think mass firings instigated by a non-elected and not confirmed by the Senate billionaire were in the mandate. 

And don't get me started on where our support for medical research is headed and the fact that there won't be a likely viable flu vaccine next year. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Waiting for Handouts

Balanced Pelican
Tequesta, FL
March 19, 2025

Welcome Spring! It is Here! 

I enjoy watching pelicans wait for handouts while fishermen clean their catch at the docks. 

Last evening, while Chris and I were enjoying another idyllic evening at our favorite watering hole, Tiki52, we were treated to the antics of the pelicans waiting for the discards. At least nothing goes to waste.  

Patient Pelicans
Tequesta, FL
March 19, 2025

One pelican wanted to get very close to the action and balanced on one of the lines waiting for the discards. Most of the others took a more reserved approach and waited on a float or in the water. On occasion there would be a great disturbance in the water and I am fairly certain there were a couple large fish also swimming under the dock in anticipation of dinner.

It was a chaotic scene every time a piece of fish was tossed toward the pelicans, but they quickly reformed into a an orderly array waiting the next handout. There seemed to be a pecking order and they seemed to understand that if patient, each would receive a much cherished handout. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta. FL

The Eyes Have It

 

Eyeglass Shopping for Chris
Tequesta, FL
March 18, 2025

It has been annual eye appointment time for both Chris and I this past week. 

We needed the appointments to renew our contact prescriptions. Ugh. At least there is no studying for the tests, but it is a bit disconcerting to discover how bad my vision really is becoming. Although, this year the prescription only change a little bit because I wanted to improve my close-up vision at the expense of my distance vision. I just don't need to see a golf ball at 300 yards anymore. I can't it that far. 

My new glasses should arrive this week and my contacts have already been adjusted. Yay!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

St Patrick's Day Bash

Chris and I Celebrating
Tequesta, FL
March 17, 2025

 One of the benefits we enjoy by living across the street from an Irish restaurant is the St Patrick's Day celebration. Every year they close down part of the parking lot and celebrate the patron saint of Ireland--yesterday was no exception. 

Scene in the Irish Bar
Tequesta, FL
March 17, 2025

It is great because we can walk over to the event and do not need to find a place to park. Yesterday, we took Finn with us, but soon decided that he was a tripping hazard and he was not enjoying being held and so we walked him home and then walked back to enjoy some adult beverages. It is nice living so close.

Everyone seemed joyful and reveled in forgetting about the problems of the world for a while and just celebrating together. I was happy not to hear any talk of politics or the news. 

We left the celebration fairly early and returned home, but we very much enjoyed our time there.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - March 17, 2025

 

Happy St Patrick's Day!

1. It is the third Monday of March. Wow! The month is screaming past at an alarming rate. There are just 41 Mondays remaining in the year. 

Downed Crossing Sign
Tequesta, FL
March 16, 2025

2. Coming to the end of my 18 mile ride yesterday, I was stopped by a freight train and had the opportunity to examine a downed railroad crossing pole. It had been down for a couple weeks now and I wonder how someone managed to hit it since it is somewhat protected. Weird stuff continues to happen.

3. I read an interesting article about America's brand being destroyed. A paragraph is quoted: One way to think about this is to say that Trump is doing to America what Elon Musk is doing to Tesla, destroying a valuable brand through erratic behavior and repulsive ideology. Did I mention that Tesla sales in Europe appear to be cratering? (Destroying America's Brand)

Box Delivered by UPS
Tequesta, FL
October 15, 2025

4. Is America's Golden Age turning into a pile of rusted bad intentions?

5. I received a case of wine, delivered by UPS, which made me wonder how the bottles arrived without being broken. The box was a disaster. I am not sure if it was rough handling or a packing problem. 

6. Nothing displays the lawlessness and failure to abide by there rule of law than the Executive Branch ignoring a lawful order by a judge to turn planes around and noon deport Venezuelans. Then they snickering about it. Constitutional crisis? I believe so! Can the president be held in contempt?

7. Today in History. On March 17, 461 A.D., Saint Patrick, Christian missionary, bishop and apostle of Ireland, dies at Saul, Downpatrick, Ireland. Today he is honored with the annual holiday of St. Patrick's Day.

Much of what is known about Patrick’s legendary life comes from the Confessio, a book he wrote during his last years. Born in Great Britain, probably in Scotland, to a well-to-do Christian family of Roman citizenship, Patrick was captured and enslaved at age 16 by Irish marauders. For the next six years, he worked as a herder in Ireland, turning to a deepening religious faith for comfort. Following the counsel of a voice he heard in a dream one night, he escaped and found passage on a ship to Britain, where he was eventually reunited with his family.

Trump administration deports Venezuelans despite court order - Reuters

Russian troops battle last Ukrainian forces in Kursk region - Reuters

US piles pressure on Yemen's Houthis with new airstrikes - Reuters

Trump is ignoring markets at his own peril. Just ask former British PM Liz Truss - CNN

Trump’s tariffs are inflicting serious economic damage and reigniting inflation, OECD says - CNN

SpaceX’s Crew-10 arrives at ISS, paving way for NASA’s Wilmore and Williams to return - CNN

Timeline: Deportation flights landed after judge said planes must turn around - The Washington Post

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL 

You Won't Believe the Crazy Things We Did!

 

Costco on a Saturday Afternoon
North Palm Beach, FL
March 15, 2025

I am convinced that being retired and not fully appreciating which day of the week it is can be a problem. Take yesterday, for example. Chris and I did two things that retired people should not do on a Saturday. 

First, we went to Costco! Yup, I really wrote that. We risked life and limb to head to Costco. It was a free-for-all. At least there were carts. We did find a parking spot and the checkout line was not too long. But, wow, going to Costco on a Saturday afternoon is just like saying , "Here is my jaw, hit me!"

The second thing that we did was to go out to dinner. We had a reservation which meant that we had a table, but the restaurant was packed and the noise level was almost unbearable. It is much smarter to go out to dinner mid-week when the crowds are lighter. 

Well, note to self.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Launch and Sunset

SpaceX Crew-10
Jupiter Island, FL
March 14, 2025

 Beware the Ides of March!

The SpaceX Crew-10 launch happened last evening just before sunset. I headed to the beach, along with Chris and Finn, to watch the launch since the weather was clear. 

I was reminded that launches are exciting as we watched the countdown on my phone and then looked to the sky to see the vehicle in powered first-stage flight before the flame was obscured by the smoke trail. Launches are always exciting to watch and crewed launches are even more exciting because there were four souls aboard the bright dot in the sky. Chris asked me of the crew was nervous before the launch and I mused that there likely was some anxiousness, but they trust the technology and are likely more excited about going into space that they are nervous about the performance of the launch vehicle and capsule. 

Sunset over Tequesta
Tequesta, FL
March 14, 2025

Nighttime launches are a bit more exciting as we can usually see the boosters return to the pad, but not so last evening. Of course, we are about 120 miles from the launch pad and so we do not expect to see too much of the activity, especially in daylight. But, nonetheless, the launch was exciting on a beautiful cloudless early evening.

After the launch, we walked across the island to watch the sunset over Tequesta and were treated to a sundowner special. The clear skies meant that the sunset was localized, but still inspiring as we watched from a beach along the ICW. 

It was a great way to put the exclamation point onto another day. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Idyllic Evening

Tiki52
Tequesta, FL
March 12, 2025

Happy PI Day! 

The weather in South Florida lately has been nothing short of idyllic. Days with highs in the high-70s and low-80s coupled with low humidity. Wow!

I know summer is coming with mid-90s coupled with high humidity making the feels like temperature in the 100s, but for now--let's enjoy the weather and get to the beach or outside. 

I had a boat reserved for Monday, but that is the one day when temperatures will struggle into the mid-70s and thunderstorms are expected. Not a good boat day. 

But, this week we have been enjoying getting out. We went to our favorite watering hole on Wednesday evening enjoy Happy Hour and the weather was perfect. I find Tiki52 to be visually stimulating with colors, boats, birds and the ICW just beyond. 

A great way to begin the evening. 

Spring is coming, Thursday, March 20, 2025, at 5:01 AM EDT!

-- Bob Doan, Tequeta, FL