Monday Musings - August 19, 2019

1. August is in its last half ad Labor Day is almost here. I am thinking of closing the pool.

Tree Limb Against Pool house
Elkridge, MD
August 18, 2019

2. We had a ferocious storm yesterday afternoon. There are lots of trees down in the neighborhood and a big brach fell onto my pool house. You can see the fallen branch on my pool house. I am going to have a quite a mess cleaning that up. The branch is tangled in another tree. Ugh. Sounds like more chainsaw work! The storm was ferocious--it was a microburst.

T-104 Timer
Before Replacement
August 17, 2019

3. I realized why Maryland drivers do not use turn signals--they know where they are going.

4. The timer for my pool broke last week--I had just installed it at the beginning of the season. Thankfully, Amazon had a new one in my hands ready for installation yesterday, just before the storm descended.

5. I can feel the end of the pool season coming, sadly. Later this week we are supposed to get some nights in the 60's--which really takes the heat out of the pool. Pool closing day is scheduled for September 8th. I am closing it early this year because we have not been swimming much during September and I have just been adding chemicals to keep it swim ready for the copious quantities of leaves that fall from the nearby trees.

6. I keep mowing my lawn, and it keeps growing. It seems like a vicious circle. 

7. Today in History. On August 19, 1909, the first race is held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, now the home of the world’s most famous motor racing competition, the Indianapolis 500. Built on 328 acres of farmland five miles northwest of Indianapolis, Indiana, the speedway was started by local businessmen as a testing facility for Indiana’s growing automobile industry. The idea was that occasional races at the track would pit cars from different manufacturers against each other. After seeing what these cars could do, spectators would presumably head down to the showroom of their choice to get a closer look.


Headlines


One Minute It Was an Afghan Wedding. The Next, a Funeral for 63. - The New York Times

When Cities Try to Limit Guns, State Laws Bar the Way - The New York Times

U.S. President Trump does not want to do business with China's Huawei - Reuters

Asia stocks rise as stimulus, policy hopes calm nervous investors - Reuters

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Lunch on the River

Sailboat on the Magothy
August 17, 2019

Despite the temperature being 90 degrees yesterday, Chris and I joined with friends for a lunch meant at a restaurant on the Magothy River. 

The scene was beautiful, as it always is. Eating while looking out at the river and the boats docked. 

There is always something pleasant about being near the water to enjoy a drink or have a meal. Being there with friends makes the time even better. Although the day was hot, it was bearable under the fans--we were not inside in air conditioning, but were under cover with fans enjoying the late-August heat as the seasons begin the transition into autumn, which is approaching all too quickly. 

A great meal, good conversation, and fun times with friends. How better to spend a hot August afternoon?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Finn vs Dolphin

Small dogs can be very territorial. The other evening as Chris and I were sitting around the pool enjoying Happy Hour and chatting about the happenings of the day, Finnegan began barking incessantly at the automated pool cleaner as it started cleaning the stairs. 

Our pool cleaner is a Dolphin pool cleaner, hence we call it the dolphin. So it was funny to watch Finnegan bark at the pool cleaner which, undeterred, went about its business. 

This, however, went on for far too long!

So in the cage match between Finn and the Dolphin, the Dolphin was the victor. We had to put Finn inside.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sixteen in a Row - and Counting

Thankfully, the Orioles do not face the Yankees again during this season. The Yankees are probably unhappy about that since they have owned the Orioles since the first series of the season that the Orioles won 2-1. 

Since then it has been all Yankees--sixteen straight wins. The season series between the teams ended 17-2. The Orioles only wins being during the first series of the season. 

The Yankees set a new all-time season record for homers against one team. The old record was 48 held by the 1956 Yankees against the Kansas City Royals. The new record is 61 held by the 2019 New York Yankees against the Baltimore Orioles. Ugh.

But at least the Orioles have no more games against the Yankees during 2019. Unfortunately, the 2020 Orioles season opener is against Yankees on March 26th in Baltimore! Hopefully they will not make it 17 in a row.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

That's Not a Sale Price

Weird things some times happen in stores when it comes to pricing items for sale.

Chris had told me about a sale that wasn't the other day in our local Target store. The posted sale price for an item was higher than the regular price and no one seemed to notice or care.  

Last evening we happened to be in the vicinity of that Target store and she reminded me that I wanted a picture of the "not" sale and so we stopped went into the store to see if the item was still advertised as she had seen it the day before. I fully expected that they would have corrected the pricing mistake, but no! There it was, still on the counter. And here is the proof.  

We looked at the labels and the sale price for some time and could not reconcile it except that the sale price was 52 cents higher than the regular price for a 32 ounce container of Chobani Greek yogurt. And I have the video proof. I'm not sure how this is a sale, but at Target, it seems that the regardless of the original marked price the item is "on-sale."

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

A Doctor's Visit

I had a doctors appointment yesterday down in the metropolis of Baltimore. 

It was a 35 minute drive that took closer to 45 because of traffic and road construction. I arrived at my appointment the obligatory 15 minutes early to complete paperwork, except then they told me that I had already completed all of the extra nonsensical forms that such places require. So I sat for 15 minutes waiting for my appointment time to arrive.

And then I sat for 15 more minutes. I was busy on my phone so I hardly noticed the time.

And then I sat for 15 more minutes. I was beginning to be a bit frustrated because I had now been sitting in the waiting room for 45 minutes. 

And then I waited about 5 more minutes before being called to the back to have my vitals taken. After that I was then shown into the exam room. To wait.

And then I sat there for 15 more minutes. 

And then then, finally, the nurse practitioner arrived to begin the process of my visit. 

All-in-all I waited a lot, but it was worth it. I was pleased that I had one of the most thorough appointments that I have ever had and that we came up with a good plan.

But why all of the waiting? I don't think I'll take the last appointment of the day again.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Summer Around the Pool

Pool in the Pre-Dawn Light
Elkridge, MD
August 13, 2019

This summer has been the summer of the pool! The weather has been fantastic and I have been able to enjoy my pool almost every day. Last year it was cold and rainy most of the summer and I felt at the end of the season that the pool had been underused. Not so this year.

The only downside to owning a pool is that they require constant care. I believe that owning a swimming pool is similar to owning a boat. They are a constant source of expense! But they are both a source or relaxation and enjoyment.

I spent quality time with my pool nearly every day tending to its needs. This week I and doing some late-summer preventive maintenance to ensure that the algae does not get out of control. The plaster on my pool is old and in need of replacing. It is full of places for algae to gain a foothold if I am not diligent--and so I ham hopeful that my late season work will help ensure that the final month of pool season is fun and algae free.

But I truly do enjoy my pool and being in my backyard, I can enjoy it more often than a boat--although I can't travel as far in it as I can in a boat. But it does take me away from the trials of the day.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - August 12, 2019

Dragonfly
Elkridge, MD
August 10, 2019

1. It is the second Monday of August. The Dog Days ended yesterday and now the slide into September and Autumn has begun.

Louis Napping
Elkridge, MD
August 11, 2019

2. This dragonfly decided to land on a hose extension I was carrying on Saturday. It landed not once, but three times as I walked across the yard. 

3. I spent a few hours in the pool yesterday fixing the light in the deep end. It is not a lot of fun to try to hang in the water and use tools. 

4. Cat napping. I caught this image of Louis napping in a chair out by the pool. Louis loves to go outside and sleep. He spends the day outside and comes in for the evening. 

5. The Orioles had a miserable week of baseball--while they managed a rare come-from-behind victory in the 9th inning over the Houston Astros yesterday, that was the only win of the week which included a 23-2 blow-out on Saturday.  During the week, the O's went 1-5 and were outscored 65-24 by the Yankees and the Astros. Their record has fallen to 39-79 .333 and worse, they are 18-43 at home. They are now on pace to lose 108 games this season.

Leaves on the Lawn
Elkridge, MD
August 10, 2019

6. The leaves are beginning to fall from the trees around my house. It almost looks as if Autumn is arriving early. It is too early for so many leaves to be on the ground.

7. Pre-season NFL family team results: 

  Ravens defeated Jaguars 29-0
  Steelers defeated Buccaneers 30-28
  Redskins lost to Browns 10-30
  Cowboys lost to 49ers 9-17

8. Autumn is too close. I am beginning to report NFL scores. The end of the summer is approaching too rapidly. 

9. Today in History. On this day in 1990, fossil hunter Susan Hendrickson discovers three huge bones jutting out of a cliff near Faith, South Dakota. They turn out to be part of the largest-ever Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton ever discovered, a 65 million-year-old specimen dubbed Sue, after its discoverer.

Amazingly, Sue’s skeleton was over 90 percent complete, and the bones were extremely well-preserved. Hendrickson’s employer, the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research, paid $5,000 to the land owner, Maurice Williams, for the right to excavate the dinosaur skeleton, which was cleaned and transported to the company headquarters in Hill City. The institute’s president, Peter Larson, announced plans to build a non-profit museum to display Sue along with other fossils of the Cretaceous period.

Headlines

Colonel Killed in Vietnam War Finally Came Home. His Son Flew the Plane. - The New York Times

Inside Kashmir, Cut Off From the World: ‘A Living Hell’ of Anger and Fear - The New York Times

Hong Kong airport authority cancels all flights for Monday - Reuters

New York coroner 'confident' Epstein's death was suicide: New York Times - Reuters

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week


"I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience,"

October 21, 1984: In the second presidential debate with candidate Walter Mondale

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

A Night Out

From our Table at Yellowfin Steak and Fish House
Edgewater, Maryland
August 10, 2019

Since I was traveling on Friday, Chris and I celebrated our anniversary with a nice dinner last evening. We went to Yellowfin Steak and Fish House in Edgewater, Maryland and enjoyed a beautiful dinner looking out on the water and the setting sun. 

Yellowfin Tuna in a Beautiful Presentation
August 10, 2019

The evening was devoted to us and reminiscing about the years that we have spent together. I think it is healthy for couples to take a timeout and consider how they have arrived at the point in their lives where they are. And we did that last evening surrounded by a fantastic view across the water. 

I like Yellowfin because it is not stuffy formal, but people generally put on their church clothes to come to dinner. The valet parking does make it easier because parking is a premium in the area and I did not have to worry about finding a space for the car. We drove Cat, the convertible, to the restaurant and it was a fantastic evening for a ride with the top down! Sometimes it is too hot or humid to enjoy a convertible, but last evening it was perfect.

It was an evening for just the two of us and we were given a corner table in the restaurant so we felt we were in a more private place as we enjoyed the dinner and devoted ourselves to conversation. I have to admit--neither of us looked at our cell phones once during the dinner. 

Once the dining was complete, we returned home for a special dessert and a nice dessert wine and to enjoy more time together as darkness fell to end the day. 

It was a special evening. A time of remembrance and planning for the future.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Out the Hotel Window - Construction Site Huntsville

Pre-Sunrise View of Huntsville from Hotel Window
August 9, 2019

After I decided not to take the image of the construction site out the hotel window, I looked out the window yesterday morning during the dawn of the day and noticed that the scene was complex and interesting to observe. 

The lights of the site were still illuminated and the light of the scene was building. I also caught the fo on the hill in the background. It was an interesting view just on the cusp of day scene. The day was a busy day with meetings followed by travel which saw me arriving home right at midnight to begin today as home and put the travel behind me.

And now for the weekend! Bring it on. Today has dawned clear, bright, and cool. Cool being 63 degrees! I can tell that mid-August has arrived and with it, tomorrow, the Dog Days come to an end. 

It is almost as if Autumn is struggling to begin a month early.

And all of this from an image I snapped yesterday in Huntsville, Alabama.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Out the Hotel Window - August in Huntsville

Huntsville from the Hotel
August 8, 2019

I am traveling and this morning I awakened in Huntsville, Alabama.

The hotel is a relatively new structure and very modern. I have a corner room, which is different and have views of the parking lot, as shown, and a construction site--which was too mundane to photograph. 

My room, while nice, lacks some warmth and creature comforts like coffee cups. It has a coffee machine--but no cups. That is frustrating because I will have to walk down to the lobby to retrieve my morning coffee.

Charlotte Airport E Terminal
August 8, 2019

The city of Huntsville is as I remember it and the walk to and from dinner last evening was enjoyable because it allowed me to stretch my legs after being crammed into small airline seats for much of the day. 

I did get to experience the Charlotte/Douglas International Airport yesterday. It remains one of the worst airports that I traverse. I snapped an image of the area where I waited for my connecting flight, which of course was delayed. Each of the monitors in the scene represents a flight that is scheduled to depart within minutes of each other. The people are attempting to get on one of those flights, hopefully, the correct flight. Some of the gates have letters associated with their names, for instance there was gate E33A, E33B, and (you guessed it) E33C. At least the gate people had enough sense not to try to talk over each other when announcing which of the nine boarding groups for each flight was allowed to board at that moment. 

To say that confusion was the word of the day is an understatement. I was very glad to get to my hotel and head out to find dinner. 

-- Bob Doan, writing from Huntsville, Alabama

Frustration at the Yards

Sixteen in a row.

That is how many home games in a row the Orioles have lost to the Yankees. 

Camden Yards could be called Yankee Stadium south. The Orioles have now lost sixteen home games in a row to the Yankees. 

That is terrible. It is unfathomable, well unless the team is one of the worst teams in the history of baseball--which the Orioles are. 

The Orioles are now 2-5 for the month of August. After coming off a 12-12 July with the hopes of the franchise lookin up--the Yankees came to town and demonstrated with big bats why they are one of the best teams in all of baseball. The Orioles were outscored  32-12.  Last event's 14-2 blowout was embarrassing and demoralizing. 

Well, at least pre-season football returns tonight. Maybe I can get my mind off the train wreck that is the Orioles.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Show

Chris sat out on the deck last evening as a thunder storm passed through the area. Fortunately, the center of the storm did not pass over us and we were spared the deuce and winds that others in the area had to deal with.

We both love a good storm and the lightening makes the sky come alive. 

Sadly, last evening I had some work to do on my laptop and rain, thunder and lightening do not mix with electronics. So I was inside and missed the height of the storm. 

Overall, it was a quiet evening at home. When I first arrived home, the weather was still very nice and I was able to enjoy time in the pool for a while. Chris and I actually enjoyed happy hour in the pool as we discussed the happenings of the day. Then the weather turned a bit wild. 

But the light show in the sky was something to see.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Changing Society

We are pausing this week to remember those who lost their lives in the twin tragedies of El Paso and Dayton.

The violence of our society continues to astound and amaze all of us. That someone would walk into a store and shoot and kill 22 people mystifies me. And then that someone would kill 9 people outside of a night club, including his sister that same evening is equally unfathomable.

When did society lose its moral rudder? And with it our sense of decency and of right and wrong? 

How can we continue to allow this carnage to continue? While there are many thoughts and ideas out there, the fundamental problem is not with guns--but with people. We have changed as a society. We are no longer kinder and gentler. Many among us are feeling threatened and some of the people who feel threatened are lashing out irrationally. 

Our society needs to change and return to a more gentler and respectful time. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - August 5, 2019

1. August has arrived and is already slipping away. It is the fifth day of the month and the first. Monday. In four all too short weeks, it will be Labor Day.

2. What could be better than visiting wineries and enjoying great wines with friends on a Sunday afternoon?

Butterflies on Flowers
Hiddencroft Vineyards
Lovettsville, VA
August 4, 2019 

3. Yesterday, while visiting a winery in Virginia, I happened upon a flower garden that was supporting a large number of butterflies. It was fun watching the butterflies flitter around the flowers. They seemed completely disinterested in my presence so close to them.

4. Spending time with friends and enjoying wine seem to go hand-in-hand. What a great way to enjoy life!

5. The Orioles have managed to split the first four games of August and are not 38-73, .342. Even more astounding, they are 6-4 for their last 10 games! They are on place to finish 56-106. 

6. The NFL football pre-season is underway and since the Orioles are a bust for the second year in a row, I am guessing that I will soon be watching the Ravens. 

7. The days are getting noticeably shorter. Dawn is later and sunset is earlier. Summer is too quickly beginning to slip into Autumn.

8. Today in History. On August 5, 1962, movie actress Marilyn Monroe is found dead in her home in Los Angeles. She was discovered lying nude on her bed, face down, with a telephone in one hand. Empty bottles of pills, prescribed to treat her depression, were littered around the room. After a brief investigation, Los Angeles police concluded that her death was “caused by a self-administered overdose of sedative drugs and that the mode of death is probable suicide.”



Headlines

Iran Says It Has Seized Another Oil Tanker in Persian Gulf - The New York Times

S. Korea to reconsider military info-sharing deal with Japan: Cheong Wa Dae - Yonhap News Agency

Democrats aim their outrage at Trump after two mass shootings - Reuters

Turkey to launch offensive in Kurdish-controlled area in northern Syria: Erdogan - Reuters

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

Indeed, we gave birth to an entirely new concept in mans relation to man. We created government as our servant, beholden to us and possessing no powers except those voluntarily granted to it by us. Now a self-anointed elite in our nations capital would have us believe we are incapable of guiding our own destiny. They practice government by mystery, telling us its too complex for our understanding. Believing this, they assume we might panic if we were to be told the truth about our problems.

Why should we become frightened? No people who have ever lived on this earth have fought harder, paid a higher price for freedom, or done more to advance the dignity of man than the living Americans the Americans living in this land today. There isnt any problem we cant solve if government will give us the facts. Tell us what needs to be done. Then, get out of the way and let us have at it.

 -- To Restore America, Ronald Reagan's Campaign Address, March 31, 1976

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Welcoming Rain

It rained overnight. 

The Crepe Myrtle
August 3, 2019

That in itself is not a monumental occurrence, however, it has been a few weeks since we had measurable rain and things are getting very dry. It is hard to say if we received measurable rain, but at least there was evidence of rain this morning. 

The crepe myrtle at the corner of the pool near the covered porch is in full bloom adding its splash of color to the scene. This is the time of year that crepe myrtles take over the landscape and provide color to the scene. The crepe myrtles are everywhere along the streets and the yards. 

This first Sunday of August continues the heat of the summer and that is what I love. 

Enjoy the day.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Patterns in the Night

Light on the Table
August 2, 2019

Last evening was Friday--and that meant happy hour with friends. Although it rained earlier in the day, the evening was clear and dry. I was very Ince to sit on the deck of one friend to talk, enjoy some fine wine, and eat a fantastic meal highlighted by ribs. 

The conversation, as usual, was lively and wide ranging. As the evening deepened into darkness we lit candles around the table to continue talking. One of the candles provided an especially interesting pattern of light. I decided to capture the candle lighting the darkness. With the lighting of the candles, though, the evening together began to end and it was all too soon time to leave.

Another great evening with friends came to an end as the candle burned, but the memories continue.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

August Arrives

Well, it has arrived. The last full month of summer has dawned and portends the rapid darkening of the days and loss of daylight. 

I am hard pressed to find much good about August. 

For instance, after posting their first non-losing month since August 2017, the Orioles got thumped by the Toronto Bluejays 11-2 last evening. 

The Sycamore trees near my pool think that it is September and are dropping their leaves. Into my pool!

The lawn is getting that brown summer look to it. I still have to mow, but I create. huge cloud of dust because we actually need rain!

The first Friday in August has arrived and with it the first weekend. At least we will be able to enjoy the weather and the pool. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Orioles Update - July

What an amazing month! 

Did I just say that about the Orioles? Perhaps. It was the first non-losing month since 2017. The Orioles finished July with a 12-12 record. Notice I carefully did not say a winning month, but they at least stopped the string of losing months. 


The Orioles, as of this morning, stand at 36-71 .336. An amazing turn around. They are no longer the worst team in baseball. At this rate, the Orioles could end the season at 55-107 .339.  A great improvement and back to near the 105 losses that I predicted at the beginning of the season. Of course the bottom could drop out of the season. 

Since the All Star Break the Orioles have managed to win or split four of six series!

This is not the Orioles team that began the season. They are beginning to play interesting baseball. On Tuesday, for instance, they managed to come from behind, scoring 5 runs in the 7th and 8th innings to win the game. 

Maybe they could salvage a winning month during August!

As they say in baseball, there is always next year.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Tying the High

How hot was it yesterday in Baltimore? Record tying !

The official high temperature for July 30 in Baltimore was 98 degrees. It remains 98 degrees, but the high yesterday tied that record! It was incredibly hot. When I departed work to return home at the end of the workday, the thermometer in my car indicated between 99 and 100 degrees all the way home. The added degrees were likely due to the reflection of the heat off the road. I was very happy to have my truck and not be exposed to the sun and the heat in my convertible.

It was hot! 

But, the good news is that when it is hot, the pool feels even better and Chris and I were able to go swimming and enjoy the cooling effect of the evaporating water. It is very nice to have a pool right in the back yard! 

Today, however, is one of those sad days of the year. It is the last day of July and with it comes the end of my favorite month of the year. 

Well, August is coming. And the pool remains open. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Setting the Tone for Decency

It has been my experience that the President sets the tone for decency and inclusion in the United States. 

Well, people, the train carrying decency and inclusion has been derailed.

I touched upon it in yesterday's Monday Musings. 

What has been happening in the news the past few weeks represents a total break down in decency and inclusion. The insults being thrown about and the heavily slanted news being shown and created represents the greatest threat to democracy that we have faced in decades. 



Trump ramps up war of words with Elijah Cummings, calls congressman 'racist'


Gov. Larry Hogan Calls Trump Tweets On Baltimore, Rep Cummings ‘Outrageous And Inappropriate’

An article in the Korean Times states it best: Every Republican presidential candidate claims to be the heir to Ronald Reagan’s legacy. For years, Republican partisans have carried Reagan’s memory before them as the ancient Israelites carried the Ark of the Covenant. Just invoking his name proved your ideological purity, and would smite the dreaded RINO (Republican in name only).

Problem is, those who most fervently claim to adhere to Ronald Reagan’s principles don’t seem to understand Reagan’s greatest principle: decency.

We need a return to Presidential decency!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - July 29, 2019

1. It is the last Monday of July. The month is fading and beginning the transition into August.

2. Busy weekends pass too fast. Why can't weekends be longer to accommodate everything that needs to be accomplished?

3. Monday Musings is back after a week off. 

4. There were some really scary articles in the Sunday New York Times yesterday. I highlighted two below.

5. In an essay on Ronald Reagan, by Peggy Noonan titled, Character Above All, the author makes the following comment about the Presidency. In a president, character is everything. A president doesn't have to be brilliant; Harry Truman wasn't brilliant, and he helped save Western Europe from Stalin. He doesn't have to be clever; you can hire clever. White Houses are always full of quick-witted people with ready advice on how to flip a senator or implement a strategy. You can hire pragmatic, and you can buy and bring in policy wonks.

But you can't buy courage and decency, you can't rent a strong moral sense. A president must bring those things with him. If he does, they will give meaning and animation to the great practical requirement of the presidency: He must know why he's there and what he wants to do. He has to have thought it through. He needs to have, in that much maligned word, but a good one nontheless, a vision of the future he wishes to create. This is a function of thinking, of the mind, the brain.

6. I spent the weekend alone working on numerous projects. It was nice to have full control of the weekend, but that written I did not manage to get a trip to the golf course included in the planned and unplanned activities. 

7. On a hot Sunday afternoon during July there is no better place to gather and enjoy the day than a pool!

8. Jeopardy finally is on a break for the summer. The last episode for the 2018-2019 season aired on Friday, July 26th. According to the best information that I can find right now, no tapings are yet scheduled for the 2019-2020 season. 

9. Today in History. On this day in 1958, the U.S. Congress passes legislation establishing the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), a civilian agency responsible for coordinating America’s activities in space. NASA has since sponsored space expeditions, both human and mechanical, that have yielded vital information about the solar system and universe. It has also launched numerous earth-orbiting satellites that have been instrumental in everything from weather forecasting to navigation to global communications. NASA was created in response to the Soviet Union’s October 4, 1957 launch of its first satellite, Sputnik I. The 183-pound, basketball-sized satellite orbited the earth in 98 minutes. The Sputnik launch caught Americans by surprise and sparked fears that the Soviets might also be capable of sending missiles with nuclear weapons from Europe to America. The United States prided itself on being at the forefront of technology, and, embarrassed, immediately began developing a response, signaling the start of the U.S.-Soviet space race.



Headlines

Under Brazil’s Far Right Leader, Amazon Protections Slashed and Forests Fall - The New York Times

The Roots of Boeing’s 737 Max Crisis: A Regulator Relaxes Its OversightThe Roots of Boeing’s 737 Max Crisis: A Regulator Relaxes Its Oversight - The New York Times

Ratcliffe tapped to replace Coats as spy chief - Reuters

Suspected Islamists kill at least 65 in northeast Nigeria: state TV - Reuters


Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

You and I are told we must choose between a left or right, but I suggest there is no such thing as a left or right. There is only an up or down. Up to man's age-old dream -- the maximum of individual freedom consistent with order --or down to the ant heap of totalitarianism. Regardless of their sincerity, their humanitarian motives, those who would sacrifice freedom for security have embarked on this downward path. 


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Updates on Sunday

The tire repair worked fine, the second time! I have driven over 20 miles since the repair and it is not losing any air! Yay!

Finn and Louis in a Sunbeam
Elkridge, MD
July 28, 2019

I love it when repairs go well, even if it is the second attempt. It had been a while since I plugged a nail hole in a tire and it took me some time to remember the tricks. And there are tricks. 

Today is a lazy Sunday. I have been sitting by the pool while the animals are basking in a sunbeam. I think that they are cute. 

I have projects to get started today and with it quiet, I will likely get them done. Today is very different from last Sunday when I was on a golf course in Trumansburg playing in a golf tournament. Chris and I had a lot of fun last week. And we finished only four shots out of third place!

It is the last Sunday of my favorite month of the year. I guess I will begin the countdown for next year soon.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD