My Take--Money Talks, but Trump needs to Walk

I was shocked about what presidential candidate Donald Trump said about John McCain and his service record. 

Trump--The Angry Man

Someone who holds so little regard for the military and military service and especially for someone who suffered intolerable injustices and remained faithful, should never be endowed with the title Commander in Chief. Period.

By the way, Trump's military service record consists of a string of deferments.

When too much money talks without filters we can dismiss the ignorance; however, should a president speak like that on the world political stage, then wars start.

Ignorance must never be tolerated. We can choose to disagree, but an intolerant and insensitive bully should never become president.

I liked his direct speak in the beginning, but the veneer has been stripped away and it is clear the Trump, the man, has become a legend in his own mind.

Ruth Marcus, columnist for the Washington Post, wrote a piece yesterday titled Donald Trump and the anger of conservatives,  describing the Trump phenomenon and why he will never become president. 

I hope she is right. The man apparently appeals to the deep, dark side of the electorate--a reaction to everything that is wrong with our country by blaming it on someone or something. His plans to rejuvenate the country are to build a wall! Really? I almost believe that his next big reform idea will to start a war with Mexico to revive the economy. 

"Speaking to a gathering of Libertarians in Las Vegas before headlining an event in Phoenix, Trump repeated his charge that Mexico was sending violent offenders to the U.S. to harm Americans and that U.S. officials were being "dumb" in dealing with immigrants in the country illegally." This was reported in The Times-Picayune. 

There is history here of which we must be aware. Extreme reactionists get elected because they appeal to those who do not understand the deeper issues facing the country and the world. They have a knack for blaming our problems on others and then promising to get rid of the others. 

The problems do not go away, they only get worse.

Trump is not the answer, he is part of the problem.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Hot--The Word of the Day

Although the year to this point has been relatively cold, the past few days have reminded me that summer can pack a real punch.

Hot and sultry weather.

People forgetting the cold weather when they were wishing for summer.

I do love the heat!

I like writing about hot weather a whole lot more than cold. 

I spent most of yesterday outside, between playing golf and attending Artscape--then hanging out in the pool. Enjoying the heat.

I, for one, like opening the door to the outside and being greeted with a hot, humid slap in the face. It is far superior to having an icy hand rip though my lungs.

Enjoy the heat, colder is not far off and then we will be longing for hot temperatures. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - July 20, 2015

Artscape in Baltimore

1. Weekends are the best!

2. Sunday was a hot summer day. It was awesome.

3. I went to Artscape in Baltimore on Sunday. I was joined by a throng of other crazy people we went out on a summer Sunday afternoon.

Mike, Levi, Jeremy on the 12th Tee
Eisenhower Golf Course

4. I started another Sunday on the golf course with Jeremy, Mike, and Levi. I wish I had played better, but my game is coming together and I only had two really terrible holes.

Statue to the Confederate
Fallen in Baltimore

5. Some of the flowers in my garden have grown very big. They are fun to look at.

6. I was approached by a well meaning person with a petition to remove a Baltimore statue erected in memory of the Confederate soldiers who lost their lives. The removal of everything Confederate is part of the misguided trend of revisionist history sweeping the country.

7. The Cuban Embassy reopens in D.C. today.  The U.S. Embassy will likewise reopen in Havana. It is about time!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Mid-Summer Madness

Hibiscus in my Garden

It is mid-July which means that while "summer" is but a month old, it is in reality half-over. 

The time for summer vacations and plans is rapidly drawing to a conclusion, and I haven't headed out to find new places, yet.

Many of the people I work with have already tapped into the renewal qualities of a summer vacation. 

My turn is coming, soon. 

Even so, I have been appreciating walking outside into the warm, sultry temperatures and humidity which have characterized the summer thus far. 

It has been hot--and rainy along the eastern part of the country. I have been enjoying the weather, mostly. The lawn has continued growing unlike some years when the dry heat makes it go dormant. 

Summer. It holds so much promise and it is frustrating when it speeds along unperturbed by my lack of accomplishment.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

My Take -- Bottled Water

If I had tried selling water when I was a kid, people would have laughed at me. 

Water was available everywhere! Free!

Look at us now. We have almost become slaves to bottled water. I myself, have two cases of bottled water in the garage. I am too lazy to go to the cupboard, get a glass, and fill it from the tap. I grab the plastic bottle and throw it in my pocket and head out the door.

An interesting OpEd piece in the New York Times writes about The Republican Fetish With Water Bottles, and describes how some National Parks have reduced the volume of water bottles in the trash while also encouraging a more environmentally healthy approach to ensuring proper hydration. 

Sadly, there are those in Congress who would reverse the trend of decreasing the volume of one time use plastic bottles in the trash--even despite an increase in profits at one National Park from the sale of reusable water bottles.

I do understand the problem with reusable water bottles. I keep losing them.

But, there are serious questions about the possible health effects from a steady diet of plastic bottled water. 

I like free, ubiquitously available water. Lets do that and reduce landfill volume and no worry about adverse health effects.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Open in between Raindrops

I got up early this morning. I couldn't sleep--it happens and I don't worry about. 

I decided to watch The Open, which because of the five hour time difference was being televised from Scotland. Unfortunately, there was no golf.

I found rain!

Crews at St Andrews Moving the Water

I think I have had enough rain for a while. It was interesting to see the grounds crews squeegee off the greens--so much water. Water everywhere. 

The water on TV reminded me of the last time I played Patuxent Greens. I played one morning, shortly after dawn and after storms delivered torrential rains the night before. As I surveyed the course, I was amazed that it was even open at all. The grounds crews there did a great job, but they couldn't get the back nine open and the front nine had water standing on the course. The bunkers were even full of water.  I wrote about my experience in Raindrops of Life. At least in Scotland they were not waiting on the cart paths for turtles to swim by.

Golf is a tough enough game without adding indiscriminate water hazards in the middle of the fairways.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

My Take: The Iran Deal

Change is hard. Iran has been an enemy of the United States since the 1979 hostage crisis--and even the recently signed nuclear deal is not likely to change that characterization soon.

Too many people in our country, especially those with political motivations, are condemning the nuclear deal with Iran without reading the entire text and considering the alternatives. I have not read the agreement, nor would I expect to understand everything in the agreement were I to read it, but having an agreement that appears on the surface to limit access to the materials and technologies required to develop and deploy nuclear weapons cannot be a bad thing.

I am encouraged by the analysis in an article in the New York Times which writes about the depth and complexity of the agreement. Perhaps this agreement possesses the necessary tools to be successful. The Huffington Post also wrote and article which addresses some of the myths about the deal. 

I have read articles comparing John Kerry, Secretary of State, or President Obama to Neville Chamberlain who led the efforts to appease Hitler in the years leading up to World War II. These characterizations, I maintain, are very unfair and represent a "knee-jerk" response by people who have made offered their opinions without reading the text of the agreement.

I remember another President once brokered a nuclear deal with our greatest rival and enemy. That President was Richard Nixon and the deal was the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) Treaty--perhaps one of the most successful treaties in the history of the country. While that specific treaty is no longer in effect, there have been successful follow-on treaties which have limited the deployment and development of nuclear weapons for decades.

And then there is President Ronald Reagan, perhaps the greatest president of the modern era, who when speaking with Soviet Premier Gorbachev about strategic treaties used the words, "Trust but Verify!"

Trust but verify must be the mantra for all treaties and I see a verify component in the Iran Deal. 

Getting right down to the bottom line, sanctions against Iran have been in place for many years with dubious results. While the people of Iran have been suffering their government has been intent on developing the capabilities that this agreement seeks to limit. Except for this agreement, I do not see any other option short of military action to limit Iran's access and production of nuclear weapons. However, looking at is from a different angle, is can be said that the sanctions have worked! They have brought Iran to a point where they are willing to negotiate. 

I urge everyone to read the deal and consider the alternatives before rushing down the paths to either condemnation or congratulation.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

MLB All Star Game 2015 Reflections

I am convinced that Major League Baseball is the only professional sport that really knows how to stage an All Star event. Last night's version was nothing less that spectacular.

I did not watch all of the game, nor did I watch all of the coverage prior to the introduction of the teams earlier in the evening, but I have to admit as the individual all stars were being introduced their smiles at being selected an All Star were clearly evident. 

I was proud of the Orioles that represented Baltimore in the game and even more excited that Adam Jones was selected to start the game. Manny Machado and Zach Britton did their parts and displayed the Orioles Way before a national crowd. Darren O'Day did not get into the game, but represented the team and the city.

I attended the 1994 MLB All Star Game when it was hosted in Pittsburgh and it was an experience to remember. It was one of the few, if not the last, All Star games to go into extra innings. I look back on the roster of player that night and am simply amazed at some of the talent that I watched play together.

Johnny Bench, Hank Aaron, Sandy Koufax, Willie Mays
(from left to right)

Turning to last evening, however, one of the greatest moments of the game was the ceremonial opening pitch. Four baseball living legends were introduced and walked out onto the mound: Hank Aaron (last game October 1976), Johnny Bench (last game: September 1983), Sandy Koufax (last game October 1966), and Willie Mays (last game September 1973); seeing these four great players together made me remember so many great moments in baseball history. And then, to top it off, Sandy Koufax threw the opening pitch to Johnny Bench--a truly spectacular moment. 

Good job MLB. Oh, did I mention that the game was fun to watch as well? It lived up to the hype and was a great collection of All Stars gathered together to have fun and enjoy the game. And as an added benefit, should it be necessary, the American League team will get to host game 7 of the World Series--and that could be in Baltimore!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

A Visit to Pluto

A space probe called New Horizons will make the closest ever fly-by of the former planet Pluto today. The estimated time of the closest point of approach is 7:49 AM EDT at which time the space craft will be 7,750 miles above the surface of Pluto. To put that into perspective, it is about the same distance that Seattle, Washington, is from Sydney, Australia, (7,744 miles); or New York is from Mumbai, India, (7,786 miles). 

It took a lot of planning to get a New Horizons to Pluto. In this case it took 9 years for it to fly the 3 billion miles. Most of us forgot that it was making its way through the solar system during that time. But here it is--fulfilling the purpose of its mission--to help us understand more about the solar system and ultimately even ourselves as we look outward from our own home.

Whenever a new space-related discovery is made or one of our craft crosses a new frontier my imagination becomes energized. The coverage of this mission has really hyped up during the past few weeks as the images have come streaming in from the far reaches of the solar system. I like the title of the article in Wired, Pluto will send Earth a Love Letter Tomorrow. 

NASA has developed an app to help people watch the flyby in computer animated style. It is called NASA's Eyes, and I installed it and have found it to be very rich in information.

Take some time today to follow the mission and let your mind consider the possibilities! We have come a long way from the days of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers. We do not have to imagine what "outer space" is like. We are there!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - July 13, 2015

1. July is screaming by--it is almost half over!

Pluto, A Planet Again?

2. The New Horizons spacecraft makes it closest approach to Pluto tomorrow! It only took 9 years to get there. 

3. Tomorrow is Bastille Day, a celebration of the French Revolution and a huge jail break. It is also my second favorite foreign holiday. Vive la France!

4. While those of us living in the eastern part of the country are experiencing incredible rains, the west is extremely dry. I wish it would all even out. We experienced a dryer weekend and it was goo to get outside.

5. When staying on vacation, have you been charged a "resort fee?" Maybe the fee wasn't fully disclosed.

6. It is tough to head back to work on Mondays!

7. It is quiet in the house this morning, the extra animals and children have returned to their own home. Maybe it is too quiet.

8. I have to make one golf comment, I played 18 holes in less than three hours yesterday and shot under 100 for the second time! I was looking forward to shooting under 100, but now have set my sights on sub-90!

9. I just figured out that somehow my twitter feed is automatically posting on my Facebook--sorry for the double posting last week. Who knew how that happened?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Animals in the Yard

It doesn't seem to matter where in the yard I look, animals abound. Some are enjoyable to watch, others are nuisances. 

Squirrel on the finch feeder

Boogie Boarding Toad

Out front, on the finch feeder, there was a unique bird the other day--I call it the "squirrel bird." This bird is flightless, but loves bird food and can often be seen at feeders in the area. It is ubiquitous, and can often be a pest by chewing through the feeders. They are nimble and it seems nothing thwarts their efforts to obtain food.

In the back, specifically the pool, we are besieged by toads and frogs. The daily count continues to be in the teens, but one enterprising toad found refuge form the chlorinated water by climbing upon a brightly colored boogie board that was left in the pool. It was rescued and released into the long grasses around the pool, hopefully not to return.

I wish there was a way to frog-proof the pool, but I'm not sure that it possible.

I haven't even begun to address the damage the rabbits are doing to the hostas. But that is a story for another day.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Juxtapositioned Events

Yesterday saw two very different memorable events happen within hours of each other and caused me to reflect on the strange times in which we live and how unity can be achieved both by the raising and the lowering of a flag.

The first event, which began promptly at 10:00 AM EDT with an incredible amount of ceremony and professionalism occurred in Columbia, South Carolina, when the Confederate Battle Flag was lowered, permanently, from its post flying over the State Capitol where is had by flying since 1961. I watched the CNN coverage of the event live and was fascinated by the numbers of people who turned out for the event. Perhaps the Civil War is finally ending and America is entering a new era of unity and equality.

The second event, a few short hours later, signified the rebirth of unity in our country not by taking a flag down, but by raising the American flag high in celebration. The celebration for the FIFA Women's World Cup Soccer Champions--the USA Team! A ticker tape parade through New York City was attended by thousands and viewed by millions. It was a fantastic celebration of patriotism and the display of the American spirit was everywhere.

America is diverse. Celebrating unity cements the fundamental beliefs expressed by the Founding Fathers in the Declaration of Independence and The Constitution. These beliefs assure us that we can be and are, inherently, a diverse people with the rights to live as we choose. Raising the American flag high above our celebrations is a symbol our unity that protects our diversity!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Where's Louie?

It is true, I forgot one animal in the manager that I am watching while other members of my family enjoy a much needed sojourn to the beach.

Louis with Florence and Arthur behind

Louis--the white Ragdoll cat. 

He is here doing his usual thing--tying not to be seen, but when he is visible he is generally unperturbed by the activity.

Louis takes full advantage of the sanctuary areas we afford the cats--areas of the house that are off limits to canines who desire to eat cat foot or roll in the cat boxes. Truly, dogs have some disgusting habits that need to be monitored and controlled. 

Louis always seems to have things under control. For instance, this morning I heard Arthur, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, barking incessantly. At 5 AM that can be especially annoying. Louis was on the table looking down at the dog who dearly wanted to play with the cat. I think Arthur thought Louis was a stuffed animal. Louis was unperturbed and looked at me with his big blue eyes as if to say, "when are they leaving so that I can have the house back?"

That is the essence of Louis. He is around only when he wants to be around, but when he is around--it better be just him.

Pets, especially dogs and cats, living together, can be a lot of fun! I wonder how much fun a bird would add to the mix?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Going to the Dogs

Among my tasks for the next couple of days is watching and caring for the dogs.

Makayla

Literally, I am going to the dogs. I could have been at the beach, but I got the dogs!

It is in interesting trio. There is Makayla--who is the unquestioned monarch of the family and the domicile. She is also trying to make the best of the situation by having to share walks with two additional dogs.

Florence

First, is Florence, an Italian Greyhound, with a cute, but demanding personality. She is a cuddle and prefers to sleep next to anything warm--like me. She is the Energizer Bunny on steroids and ins a bit too intelligent for her own good. She can figure out how to acquire any object of her desire--usually some kind of food, from almost anywhere.

Arthur

Next is Arthur, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. He is rapidly becoming the brains of the operation because his incredibly cute looks and personality can get him almost anything he desires. He is also very cuddly and prefers to lay on my lap when I am working on my blog. 

It is an interesting combination, especially at meal time because they each eat different foods and must be fed separately to ensure there are no dietary crossovers! 

Riordin

I guess table food doesn't count and neither do the "cookies" they get for doing their business outside and expediently.

Actually, I enjoy having them around. The one who is not amused is Riordin! He is relaxed about the additional dogs, but they get in his way. He would prefer to have my lap for himself--but with one or two dogs vying for it, he gets a bit left out. And the space on the bed for sleeping is limited as well. He will get over it!

And to think, I could have gone to the beach and missed all of this.

Nah! I'm good!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Raindrops of Life

The rain continues to thwart an otherwise laudable attempt at kickstarting summer. 

While large portions of our country are facing severe drought conditions, in this area we are seeing enough rain to make me believe that we have moved into a rainforest climate. It is so wet that thing seems to dry out. 

As I look into the forecast for the next 10 days, significant rain is forecast for 8 of the days--and almost always in the afternoon after I get home from work. 

While it has been nice not to water the gardens or fill the pool, it gets a bit tough trying to squeeze in mowing the lawn between passing rain showers. 

Yesterday I played golf and the course was extremely wet from the overnight storms--standing water on most of the holes and in the bunkers. The back nine holes were too wet to play and while I had fun replaying many of the holes on the front nine, I really like the back nine at this course. The good news was that they credited me for half of my fees and I still managed to play at least 18 holes of golf--muddy, soggy golf.

At one point, as I was driving the cart on the path I had to wait for a turtle to swim past. The water was at least 6 inches deep. Did I take a picture? No--but I should have.

I just need to be thankful that this region is not experiencing a drought and find a way to appreciate the raindrops that so many other people would rejoice at seeing fall from the sky.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Clouding the Issue

I guess I am amazed that the country has become galvanized around the issue of Confederate flags and banners while ignoring the real mental health issues that contribute to people committing heinous atrocities.

The more, it seems, that we focus on trying to end the Civil War the farther from the news those with extreme views are able to hide from the American public.

We have lost sight of the real issue and are focused upon a symptom.

Why did an imbalanced young adult walk into a church and murder people? We may never know, but I am pretty sure that a Confederate flag did not tell him to commit the crime.

It is clear that he was exposed to extreme and anti-social dogmas that will survive whether the flags are removed or not. And will we be further limiting our rights to free speech and expression if flags and banners are outlawed?

The flag did not commit the crime!

A misguided and potentially mentally ill person did. Let's focus on the action and the person and stop hiding behind the wrapping paper.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - July 6, 2015

1. It is back to the grind after the holiday weekend!

2. The Orioles have been playing less than spectacular baseball, but with the signature win yesterday they are only one game out of first place. Ready to make a run.

U.S. Womens Soccer Team
FIFA World Cup Champions

3. Congrats to the U.S. Women's Soccer Team for bringing home the World Cup!

4. It is July and vacation time--I wish I was headed off on vacation today.

Callaway Razr XF Hybrids and Irons

5. My new golf iron set arrived three days early--they still haven't been broken in yet. The Callway Razr XF's are ready to take to the links. Someone remarked, "Oh that's too bad, they're backwards." Maybe that's why I got such a good deal on them. 

6. How about the Greeks--they are going to send the entire world economy into a tailspin!

7. In response to the furor over the Confederate Flag, it was reported that Bubba Watson, a two time golf Master's winner will paint over the flag on the General Lee--one of the original cars for the Dukes of Hazard TV series. 

8. Have a great first full week of July! I wish I was in Florida.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Stifling Celebrations

Baltimore Fireworks

Having survived the fourth, and the celebrations that are associated with it--I was reminded that it isn't really a party unless the police show up.

Last evening Howard County decided that it was more important to send police officers around to neighborhoods and visit with homeowners in their backyards enjoying a celebratory 4th of July rather than doing crowd control at the huge displays or ensuring that the highways are safe from inebriated drivers.

Baltimore's Fireworks

Think about it. Small family groups  staying away from the crowds, not having to drive, secure in their neighborhood backyards with family and friends, and not burdening the public safety system drew a response that progressively caused the multitude of private fireworks displays visible around my house to disappear. It was sad and misplaced. A definite damper on the celebration of our nation's independence.

According to an article about the history of fireworks titled, The Rockets' Red, White, and Blue Glare, they have been used since 1777 to celebrate Independence Day and by 1783 a large variety of fireworks were available to the public. 

Private citizens can own a firearms but cannot celebrate our nation's independence with fireworks in their own backyards.

This needs to be changed.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Happy Independence Day

The Spirit of Independence lives still, I am sure.

Every holiday season the articles appear reminding us that the stories and anecdotes that we use to characterize our holiday experience are not true.

The Washington Post published Five things you think you know about July 4th that are wrong this morning. 

I knew most of them and I have always been a little amazed that we don't celebrate Independence Day on July 2nd, but the Declaration of Independence does say July 4th and I guess it just makes it a bit easier.


Then there are the 9 Things you may not know doubt the Declaration of Independence provided by the History.Com. 

It is good to take a few minutes to review history and remember the heroic deeds of our forefathers. We should celebrate that the American Experiment, as it has been called, continues to live and thrive. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Friday holidays

Yay! It is the weekend and it is only Friday!

Many of my coworkers look forward to Fridays, I am a big fan of Saturdays. It is great when Friday is actually a holiday.

Let the weekend begin! 

I am golfing this morning and hopefully will begin the holiday weekend with a good score. It will be my first outing at this course, and so it should be interesting.

I have been trying to tune in my driver--it is an adjustable one, but have not seen much improvement. I'm still pretty bad off the tee.

Whatever the outcome, it should be a great beginning to the Independence Day weekend. 

Please secure your seat belts and ensure your tray tables are in the upright and locked position. We are cleared for the weekend!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Independence Day Weekend

Cue the fireworks. 

Rev up the engines for incredible traffic in the interstates.

Bring on the celebrations.

Independence Day is upon us and the weekend is already alive with activity although it is only Thursday!

Tomorrow is Independence Day Observed--for those who don't normally work on Saturday, and so a three-day weekend is in store that will begin a day early this evening as people stream away from the cities and into the countryside to relax and enjoy the summer.

With all of the chaos of the weekend, take a few minutes to remember the reason for the celebration. We live in the best country in the world, bar none! We enjoy freedoms that others only dream of and many are jealous of and would like to find ways to deprive us of. 

That written, we must be careful not one become extreme or small-minded. Just because we don't agree with something, does not automatically make it wrong, it is just different.

We are a diverse land with many cultures incorporated into the fabric of our society. That makes us stronger when we acknowledge it and weaker when we refuse to employ it.

Our responsibility is to remember that freedom comes with a price tag and we must protect and defend it so that future generations my experience its benefits.

The cement of this union is the heart-blood of every American.  ~Thomas Jefferson

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Surviving Leap Second

The world stood still for a second last evening at 8PM EDT. 

Leap Second happened.

Dire outcomes had been postulated had the computers of the world not synched properly. 

But this morning I hear aircraft flying and my computer seems to be working without any lingering after effects. I assess that leap second came and went largely unnoticed by the overwhelming majority of the people on the planet. 

That the leap second passed largely unnoticed means that many other people were successful in doing their jobs to ensure that our computer-based society could survive the threat of widespread computer shutdowns that in a worst case scenario could have shut down everything from traffic lights to power generation to every form of navigation--even our trusty handheld GPS.


I spent my leap second watching the Orioles lose their second game in a row to the Texas Rangers. 

I was more disappointed about not being able to view the once every two thousand year conjunction of Jupiter and Venus in the evening sky due to cloud cover.

And then it was over. Probably not to be remembered until the next time a leap second is added to the clocks to keep everything aligned.

Thank you to everyone who made the leap second a non-event. Let's keep it that way.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

My Take - I Don't have to Like it

The issues of the day have become emotionally charged and draw all sorts of rude responses from immature people seeking to ensure their voices are heard.

Too often in our country one group of people are working hard to reduce or minimize the freedoms enjoyed by another group of people even though we live in the same state and country under the same Constitution!

Founding Fathers

I used to believe that as a society, we were better than that. But recent issued thrust into the national spotlight, have made it clear that the petty desire to impose one belief set at someone else's expense is still resident in our country.

The gay marriage issue became a hot button issue for many people. But don't forget other similarly divisive issues that are in the news: marijuana legalization, gun control, Confederate banners, immigration, and the death penalty. Each of these topics were in the news this morning and our nation is becoming polarized by the emotional nature of these issues.

Supreme Court

The Founding Fathers got it right when they established the Supreme Court to protect our freedoms. Whether I agree with the rulings of the Supreme Court on a personal and emotional basis, I am comforted that nine detached judges hear both sides of the emotional cases that divide us and review the Constitution to determine whether something should or should not be allowed.

I don't have to like the ruling, but I have to abide by it. 

The Constitution and the Supreme Court are the last line of defense against the erosion of our personal freedoms and our civil rights. Sometimes, they point out that we are denying others of their civil rights through the imposition of our personal or religious beliefs--and that protects us all from the abuse of power.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - June 29, 2015

Buck Showalter Garden Gnome

1. It is the last Monday in June. The transition month is almost complete with July poised to assume its rightful place.

2. The Orioles ascended to the top of the American League East Division over the weekend. During early June they were 5 and a half games out of first and now they possess first place by percentage points. I'm not cheering too loudly, however, four teams are bunched at the top of the division separated by one game.

3. Garden gnomes, who would have thought so many people would get excited about getting a garden gnome made in the image of the Orioles' manager.

Turtles at Timbers

4. I was amazed yesterday, on the 12 hole of Timbers at Troy golf course to see two turtles. I won't tell what I think they were doing when before I could get my camera ready to image them.

5. Trouble in space? There have been three major failures, two of them American, during the past few months in trying to resupply the International Space Station. Perhaps the idea of commercializing space is still a dream and not a reality?

Pre-game Shopping

6. I am glad they finally captured the second prison escapee in Upstate New York. People can finally sleep well again. I was reminded of how secure people live in that area when on a news report one resident was quoted as saying they had to start locking their doors.

7. How small the world has become. The Greek financial crisis is affecting all of us.

8. Don't forget ISIL. Their forces recently murdered about 150 civilians in a Syrian town.

9. What do you do before a baseball game? Shop, of course! 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Toaster Cookoff

Replacing a toaster is no small task. 

It turns out that $$ doesn't mean better. 

The Lesser

As we replaced our beloved toaster of some decades, we realized that the first toaster we purchased as a replacement, although a recognizable name brand, it was slow and cooked unevenly. 

I like my toast evenly cooked--on both sides. 

Being unhappy with the expensive toaster, we bought a competitor and decided to conduct a "toast" off.

The winner

The results were clear.

The Black & Decker cooked faster and more evenly. The almost twice as expensive KitchenAid did not cook evenly and it took almost one minute longer to toast bread to the same level.

We used some scientific rigor in the test: the same bread and set the toasters to the same cooking level--medium, and pushed the levers to begin toasting at precisely the same time.

In the end, the more expensive toaster was returned in favor of the less expensive toaster which had fewer bells and whistles. 

And in the end, we had four pieces of toast for breakfast!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

June, Rain and Baseball

Garden Gnome

The rain is falling again this morning. It is supposed to rain all day long--even during the Orioles game for which I have tickets this evening. And I am excited about getting the Buck Showalter garden gnome! Is that the only reason to go to a game? No--but I did change my tickets from Friday night to get the gnome!

Rain can be very depressing, especially when it fall all day during one of the precious weekend days. Weekends are those most precious of days, especially during the summer, when I plan outdoor activities.

June is such an important month. It is the official transition from springtime to summer--just a short week ago. I already feel the summer slipping away.

The rain just makes it a bit worse.

Indoors projects are for the wintertime, not the summer.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD