Sunday, November 15, 2020

Escaping the House

 

Viognier Grapes
Big Cork Vineyard
Rohrersville, MD
November 14, 2020
Syrah Grapes after the Harvest
Big Cork Vineyards
Rohrersville, MD
November 14, 2020
Looking to get out and escape the house, safely, while enjoying the outdoors on a beautiful late autumn day, Chris and I headed out to some wineries. It was a way to escape the confines of the house while maintaining physical distancing and also enjoying something that we love doing. There is going to be enough time this coming winter to be stuck in the house.


Of course, we made our way to Big Cork Vineyards in Rohrersville, Maryland as a beginning. But, we were sure that we would visit at least one other winery and we did! We also visited Hiddencroft Vineyards in Lovettsville, Virginia. 

It was a beautiful day to be out in the vineyards and then around a fire pit chatting with other oenophiles while enjoying a glass or two of wine.

One of the hard parts about visiting a winery during the pandemic is that most are not doing tastings except by appointment. But, most wineries are offsetting the lack of tastings by increasing socially acceptable activities, like outdoor games.

Sometimes we just need to escape the house because the pandemic feels as if it is closing in on all sides. I believe that wineries are great places to visit because it is generally easy to maintain physical distancing while there. Chris and I were able to stroll around the actual vineyards yesterday to enjoy the autumn colors and see the grapes that remained after the harvest. Those grapes are not lost as they continue to feed the wildlife that can get to them.

If you need to escape--do it safely!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


Saturday, November 14, 2020

Dichotomy

 

It seems there is a difference in reality depending upon whether the words are being spoken by the outgoing or the incoming administration.

The outgoing administration would have us believe that COVID-19 is going away, despite the numbers which are higher every day. The head in the sand approach doesn't work. 

What should the current administration do? Accept the pandemic for what it is, be transparent with the American people, and start mobilizing equipment, supplies, and personnel as was done at the beginning of the pandemic in March. Telling Americans that it isn't that bad and its going away is not productive.

The incoming administration is already planning to do just those things. They are embracing science. Why, I ask, should we have to wait 70 days for the new administration to get the weight of the government behind fighting there pandemic and winning? 

We can jaw all we want about how there is no way to control the virus, but without trying that becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. And from the "yes it can be controlled" argument--look at South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand. 

I offer this headline from the Washington Post:

Australia has almost eliminated the coronavirus — by putting faith in science

Argue all you want--but facts is facts. 

Remember, every number is a name!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


Friday, November 13, 2020

COVID-19 v Election

 

A message to our leaders:

The Election is over! Yes, some votes are still being counted and recounted, but the votes are in. The campaigning and posturing must stop.

Why?

People are dying. The COVID-19 pandemic is ravaging the country. Despite assurances to the contrary, the pandemic is not going away. It is getting worse and our leaders are doing nothing. They are too focused upon trying to keep their jobs through legal maneuvering rather than helping Americans and bolstering the economy.

Think about this--every number that we hear about with respect to the pandemic has a name attached to it.

Stop worrying about votes (they are already cast) and start worrying about people.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Thursday, November 12, 2020

Thanksgiving, Two Weeks from Today

 

Thanksgiving Cactus
Elkridge, MD
November 11, 2020
The season of the turkey is upon us. Thanksgiving in the crazy year 2020 is upon us. 

We have our turkeys out adorning the house and are enjoying our Thanksgiving cactus--which is in full bloom two weeks early. 

As crazy as 2020 has been with the canceled trips and vacations, and plans at least it is reassuring that the Thanksgiving cactus has bloomed right on schedule. It is radiating joy and beauty just at the right time as the leaves are falling from the trees and the dark season is deepening. 

It is likely to be a very different Thanksgiving in two weeks. Many of the traditions that we have will be modified to account for the uncontrolled pandemic. But the Autumn has been beautiful with blue clear skies and bright leaves on the trees. The yards are now full of leaves and the reassuring smells of the season are everywhere. We need to hold onto each other through every means available. As we get deeper into the dark season, we must work harder to stay in touch with family and friends so as not to become isolated.

Here's an early Thanksgiving greeting to each of you. Be well, stay safe, and know that you are not alone.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


Wednesday, November 11, 2020

COVID Step Backwards

 


Due to the failure of our elected leaders and the indifference of the larger populace, we are taking a COVID-19 step backwards.

Travel restrictions, mandatory testing, closings--it is the summer almost all over again.

Chris and I have canceled a trip to Upstate New York to see family due to travel restrictions.

U.S. Covid-19 Cases Hit Fresh High - The Wall Street Journal

I would say that Nero is fiddling while Rome burns, but the sad truth is that the president apparently has abrogated his responsibilities and has not been seen since golfing on Saturday, Mitch McConnell is more interested in defending the president than he is getting the country out the trouble, and Nancy Pelosi is not doing anything either.

Wow--the big three are missing while the country is being ravaged by coronavirus.

The election is over and while the votes need to be finished counting to make it official we have a president-elect and now it is time to get back to the big problems at hand.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

Veterans Day 2020

 

Tomorrow is Veterans Day in the United States and Remembrance Day throughout much of Europe. They are holidays that both sides of the Atlantic Ocean observe which have their roots in one of the most violent and destructive wars that has been fought. While Remembrance Day is more like Memorial Day, both days honor veterans and their service.

Our veterans are everywhere among us. Men and women who have given a portion of their lives in service to this country. And while every so often they are given lip-service by our leaders, the grim reality is that many veterans struggle with the scars of their service--both physical and emotional, in silence and alone.

Remember our veterans tomorrow and every day.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday, November 9, 2020

Monday Musings - November 9, 2020

 

1. Today is the second Monday of November. The days remaining in 2020 are quickly passing. Veterans Day is this week.

2. The 2020 Election is over! Americans have spoken. I am distressed by the numbers of people who cannot accept the results and who foster conspiracy theories where there are none. There may be small, local instances of irregularities and the pending lawsuits will ferret those out, but to maintain that the loss can only be attributed to fraud represents the very kind of thinking that 75.5 million Americans voted against.

3. Family NFL Scores

    Steelers (8-0) defeat Cowboys (2-6) 24-19

    Ravens (6-2) defeat Colts (5-3) 24-10

    Football Team (2-6) lost to Giants (2-7), 20-23

4. The passing of Alex Trebek who hosted Jeopardy, one of my favorite TV game shows since 1984, saddened me yesterday. I had known of his pancreatic cancer diagnosis and so his passing was not unexpected.

5. Now that the election is over and we have a president-elect, let's move that energy into defeating the pandemic. 

6. New administrations have to deal with the state of the country left to them by their predecessors. The Biden administration is going to face world leading coronavirus cases and deaths, economic disaster, record unemployment, and intentionally created divisions within the country. Four years ago, the current administration faced none of that when they walked into the White House. How could anyone expect to get reelected with that record?

7. The absolutely beautiful autumn days of this weekend were throughly enjoyable. Warm temperatures and crystal blue skies highlighted the magnificent colors of the autumn leaves on the trees. I am happy that I was able to enjoy the days.

8. Heard jokingly over a glass of wine the other night: Canada is considering building a wall to keep Americans out.

9. Today in History. On November 9, 1938, in an event that would foreshadow the Holocaust, German Nazis launch a campaign of terror against Jewish people and their homes and businesses in Germany and Austria. The violence, which continued through November 10 and was later dubbed “Kristallnacht,” or “Night of Broken Glass,” after the countless smashed windows of Jewish-owned establishments, left approximately 100 Jews dead, 7,500 Jewish businesses damaged and hundreds of synagogues, homes, schools and graveyards vandalized. An estimated 30,000 Jewish men were arrested, many of whom were then sent to concentration camps for several months; they were released when they promised to leave Germany. Kristallnacht represented a dramatic escalation of the campaign started by Adolf Hitler in 1933 when he became chancellor to purge Germany of its Jewish population.




Biden win opens door for improved predictability in China-U.S. relations: state media - Reuters

Latino Democrats tell Mexican president to get with the program and back Biden - Reuters

U.S. Stock Futures Rally After Biden Wins Presidency - The Wall Street Journal

U.S. Daily Coronavirus Cases Hit Fourth Straight Record - The Wall Street Journal

Republicans Split on Accepting Biden Victory - The New York Times

A ‘Terrifying’ Coronavirus Surge Will Land in Biden’s LapA ‘Terrifying’ Coronavirus Surge Will Land in Biden’s Lap - The New York Times

Trump’s presidential dream began on a gold escalator. It may have ended at Four Seasons Total Landscaping. - The Washington Post

In the dumbest and darkest of times, Alex Trebek maintained a safe space for intelligence - The Washington Post



Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

"There are no great limits to growth because there are no limits of human intelligence, imagination, and wonder."



-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD



Sunday, November 8, 2020

Victory Speeches for America

 

On of the bedrock principles of the country is the peaceful transition of power. Last night, when President Elect Biden and Vice President Elect Harris spoke to the nation for the first time as "Elects' it was clear that the healing process must begin now. 

Part of the healing process involves changing the mood of the nation and I believe we saw that on display yesterday in the spontaneous and peaceful celebrations that occurred across the country once the news organizations unanimously announced that the Biden-Harris team would be the winners of the election. 

I know there are those out there that are angry, scared, and working to undermine the victory for America, but we need a time for healing and changing the machinery of America from internal fighting to unity and again leading the world. I found the the fireworks in London and church bells in Paris to be a clear sign that our best allies want America to be back as a world leader.

I found these words spoken by the president-elect to be especially insightful:

For all those of you who voted for President Trump, I understand the disappointment tonight. I’ve lost a couple of times myself. But now, let’s give each other a chance. It’s time to put away the harsh rhetoric, lower the temperature, see each other again, listen to each other again. And to make progress, we have to stop treating our opponents as our enemies. They are not our enemies. They are Americans. They are Americans.  (Global News)

It is time for a mood change and a rebirth of America. The time for pettiness and the spouting of irrational grievances is over. The time of hope, grace, and civility is arriving.

With full hearts and steady hands, with faith in America and in each other, with love of country, a thirst for justice, let us be the nation that we know we can be. A nation united. A nation strengthened. A nation healed. The United States of America. (Joe Biden)

Last night, for the first time in four years, we saw a victory speeches for America!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Saturday, November 7, 2020

Spectacular Saturday - Letting Life Resume

 

Waiting for election results this year is a lot like watching paint dry, or grass grow.

Success is measured vote by vote and I was encouraged that Joe Biden made it clear in his speech last night that each vote represents a voter, an American, who exercised their right to express their will during the election process. Every vote needs to be counted. 

The New York Times wrote the following about the process:

As Day 4 of the United States election turned into Day 5 on Saturday, the race for president appeared to slow to a crawl.

Jax at the Plate
Severn, MD
November 5, 2020
Today, however, I will tear myself away from CNN and Fox News to go to a baseball tournament and enjoy being outside, in the still warm sun, on what is promising to be a beautiful autumn day. 

Chris and I went to a game Thursday evening--and I rediscovered how cold 57 degrees can feel when you are sitting in a chair watching kids play baseball. 

The image I took of Jax getting out of the way of a baseball thrown at his head is at the left. If you can see the white streak just above him, but obscured a bit by the fence, that is the baseball. Look at the good job he did getting the bat down so the ball would not inadvertently hit the bat and become a foul ball. He walked twice during that game because he has a good eye at the plate. 

So with two games on tap today, it will be a welcome break from the tortuous wait to find out who will be taking the oath of office on January 20, 2021. 

It is time to let life resume and to realize that what will be, will be. I am glad that we have plans for today.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD



Friday, November 6, 2020

Waiting for the White Smoke

 

Fact versus fiction. 

White Smoke from Sistine Chapel
Announcing Election of a New Pope

Reality versus myth.

Truth versus lie.

I wrote on Election Day that the true colors of the candidates will be shown.

And that statement has come true.

Joe Biden, in the days since Election Day has busied himself by becoming even more involved in the pandemic and in preparing to transition the country, should he be confirmed as president.

The President, sadly, has continued to obstruct, obfuscate, threaten, and litigate the will of the American people.

It is really very simple--let all the votes be counted. 

Losing sucks--I get that. I hate losing, but I have learned in life that we win, we lose, and we draw; but we should act with grace and civility at all times.

I watched the address to America given by both men. Joe Biden provided hope and a call for calm.

The president, conversely was sowing seeds of discord and imputing the character of the people monitoring the process to ensure that the will of the American people is heard. What he said has even been called seditious.

Today we may finally get definitive news about the presidential election, it is much like waiting for the white smoke from the Sistine Chapel to announce the election of a new Pope.  


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


Thursday, November 5, 2020

Thankful Thursday - Waiting is hard

 We are an impatient society.

I am impatient, just ask my wife. She will tell you stories of how I rail against the things like the channel changer for being so slow to change channels after I push the buttons. I even get impatient with Alexa and Siri for taking a couple seconds to answer when I summon them for a task.

So understand my discontent when I went to bed last night with the Electoral College vote at 253-213 and it was the same when I woke this morning.

There was not a lot of movement in the numbers overnight and collectively we are still watching for returns in Nevada, Arizona, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia to help determine who will be inaugurated as president in January.

I admit--I'm impatient. But, I recognize that careful diligence is required right now in order to ensure the results are properly and accurately tabulated. 

These states are not an anomaly! 

I looked this morning and here are the vote count percentages for some states which have already been decided:

New York - 78 percent

Maryland - 73 percent

Colorado - 90 percent

Illinois - 88 percent

So the point I am making is that the states we are watching are under a microscope--but they are conducting their process much like many other states. They are not slow--but they are diligent.

And we must wait!

Enjoy the the time.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Wednesday, November 4, 2020

Wonderful Wednesday - Take a Breath

 

As I write this morning, the president prematurely declared victory in a close, hard-fought election.

The American people have spoken through their votes, but many votes still need to be counted in many places and so the will of the people is still being determined.  

It is time for calm, and watchful waiting--no matter which candidate is being supported. 

I am quite happy that those responsible for counting and documenting the will of the people are doing so in a reasoned and diligent manner. Every vote matters.

I will admit, I thought that the election would not be as close as it has shown itself to be.

It will be a long day and possibly a long week--but when it is over we will know who will be inaugurated on January 20, 2021. And our process will have worked yet again.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


Tuesday, November 3, 2020

Terrific Tuesday: Election Day 2020

 


It is go time America!


Take a deep breath--it is going be a long night, possibly a long week. Maybe we will know who will be standing on the Dias on January 20, 2021 by early morning tomorrow. Possibly not. 

I want to write about the American electorate. 

I believe in America and the electorate and the voters. I believe that people want truth, science, and peace. People know right from wrong. People who want to live in peace and trust their elected leaders.

Today the true colors of the candidates will be shown and while we continue to display our country as red or blue states, the next president will have the job of gluing the country back into the red, white, and blue.

I have been involved in many discussions this election season about America and the direction that I believe we need to take this country. I have been vociferous in my defense of my beliefs and I know that in more than one case, I pushed the conversation a bit too far. Yes, it is an emotional issue with me. I love this country. I have worked my entire adult life for this country and for the Constitution. 

I spent a lot of time developing a prediction both for the Electoral College and the popular vote percentages for the two candidates. But, I am not comfortable sharing my predictions in the broken, dysfunctional, emotionally charged environment that has become these United States. I have a map and have looked at the polls--many polls, for almost every state. I will be tracking my prediction through the night to see how well, based upon the information available to me, that I did.

But predictions are just that--the game still needs to be played. And so, today, America, we stand on the field of the future. I cannot remember an election since the mid-60's where so much is at stake and the choices are so different. 

One Facebook correspondent, a former neighbor and a friend, admonished me that I will be surprised tonight that I am in a minority. I wanted to quote him directly, but apparently his comments were removed from the Facebook thread we were discussing. 

I hope that I am surprised tonight! In a good way. I am weary of the pessimism that has gripped our country because our leaders--in the Executive Branch and The Congress have abrogated their responsibilities. 

And I reiterated one more time: VOTE! It is the only way that we can make our collective voices heard.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


Monday, November 2, 2020

Monday Musings - November 2, 2020

 



1. Today is the first Monday in November. There are just over 8 weeks remaining in the turbulent, pandemic filled 2020.

2. Tomorrow is, finally, Election Day and we will discover whether the healing of this country will begin with the election of the 46th President of these United States or whether we will have continued moral bankruptcy, divisiveness, lies, and dysfunction fostered by the 45th President for four more years.

Squirrel on the Screen
Elkridge, MD
October 28, 2020
3. Squirrels decided to play on our screens the other afternoon. It made them appear suspended in air. 

4. Family NFL results:   

    Steelers (7-0) escape Ravens (5-2) 28-24
    Football Team was on a BYE
    Cowboys (2-6) lose to Eagles (3-4-1) 9-23

5. Our pets did not do well on the change from DST to Standard Time. It took us a while yesterday afternoon to understand why they wanted dinner an hour early. 

6. A man came into a forest and asked the Trees to provide him a handle for his axe. The Trees consented to his request and gave him a young ash-tree. No sooner had the man fitted a new handle to his axe from it, than he began to use it and quickly felled with his strokes the noblest giants of the forest. An old oak, lamenting when too late the destruction of his companions, said to a neighboring cedar, “The first step has lost us all. If we had not given up the rights of the ash, we might yet have retained our own privileges and have stood for ages.” (The Trees and the Axe)

7. The true measure of a man is what he has done, not what he says he has done.

8. November and Standard Time dawned yesterday with cold rain.

9. Chris and I made a visit to the Columbia Mall on Saturday. It was our first visit to a mall in many months. Our take away--the economic crisis is real. We were shocked by the number of small businesses which have closed their doors. Perhaps up to one-third of the stores were closed.

10. Today in History. November 2, 1947, the Hughes Flying Boat—at one time the largest aircraft ever built—is piloted by designer Howard Hughes on its first and only flight. Built with laminated birch and spruce (hence the nickname the Spruce Goose) the massive wooden aircraft had a wingspan longer than a football field and was designed to carry more than 700 men to battle.

Howard Hughes was a successful Hollywood movie producer when he founded the Hughes Aircraft Company in 1932. He personally tested cutting-edge aircraft of his own design and in 1937 broke the transcontinental flight-time record. In 1938, he flew around the world in a record three days, 19 hours, and 14 minutes.




England Set for Limited Lockdown to Slow Coronavirus - The Wall Street Journal

French Police Probe Personal Dispute in Lyon Priest Shooting - The Wall Street Journal

Analysis: Dishonesty Has Defined Trump’s Presidency. The Consequences Could Be Lasting. - The New York Times

Dramatic Rescues After Major Earthquake Kills at Least 39 in Turkey - The New York Times

Brazilians protest mandatory COVID-19 immunization, Chinese vaccine - Reuters

Ten dead, three missing as 2020's strongest typhoon slams Philippines - Reuters

How Americans surmounted a pandemic and dizzying rule changes so their voices would be heard - The Washington Post

The real results of Trump’s trade tariffs - The Washington Post



Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

You know, Abe Lincoln, the day after his election to the presidency, gathered in his office the newsmen who had been covering his campaign. And he said to them, "Well boys, you're troubles are over now; mine have just begun." I think he -- I know what he meant. Lincoln may have been concerned in the troubled times in which he became president but I don't think he was afraid. He was ready to confront the problems and the troubles of a still youthful country, determined to seize the historic opportunity to change things.

And I am not frightened by what lies ahead and I don't believe the American people are frightened by what lies ahead. Together -- Together we're going to do what has to be done. We're going to put America back to work again. You know, there -- I aim to try and tap that great American spirit that opened up this completely undeveloped continent from coast to coast and made it a great nation, survived several wars, survived a Great Depression, and we'll survive the problems that we face right now.

President-Elect Victory Speech, delivered 4 November 1980, Century Plaza Hotel, Los Angeles


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday, November 1, 2020

Super Sunday - Halloween is Behind Us

 

Chris and Talan
Elkridge, MD
October 31, 202
0
We celebrated Halloween last evening, despite coronavirus and the cold. We practiced physical distancing by placing the candy on a table and having the visiting creatures touch only the ones they were taking.
Finnegan with the
Headless Horseman
Elkridge, MD
October 31, 2020
 

It was necessary to try to continue Halloween and work within the COVID best practices. 

The numbers of children were greatly down from last year. We had only 31 visitors. I know this because we made 30 bags of candy in advance and wound up one short. The Trick or Treating began about 5:30 PM and was concluded by about 7:45 PM. Chris and I sat with neighbors at the beginning of drive at the street giving the visitors a 2 for 1 special. It also saves the children having to walk down the drive to our house in the dark. 

The preparations and the execution of the evening's festivities were a welcome break from the depressing and confusing news of the day. 

And now it is November! Election Day is ahead followed in fairly rapid succession by Veterans Day and Thanksgiving. 

Enjoy the day.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Saturday, October 31, 2020

Suddenly Saturday - What's the Plan?

 


The weekend arrived last evening on a Zoom call with friends rather than in person due to the coronavirus uptick. The lack of a plan and the ongoing denials of reality by the president continue to affect the very fabric of our lives--and yet few are calling him on it.

I guess it is OK to surrender to the virus. 

I prefer Patton's approach:

“A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week.”

Problem is, not only is there not a perfect plan next week, the administration has washed their hands of even trying to get a plan together and is telling us to learn to live with it.

Instead of denying the veracity and spread of COVID-19, we need to face it.

Covid-19 Is Worse in the Dakotas Than It Was in the Spring’s Hot Spots - The Wall Street Journal

General George S. Patton
Then a Lt General
To continue with my Patton thoughts as they might apply to the pandemic, I was reminded of this phrase from his memorable series of speeches to the 3rd Army, as recorded on Wikipedia. Here is what he said about the overwhelming odds faced by his troops during World War 2, and with very little reediting they could be applied to the United States today:

Men, all this stuff you hear about America not wanting to fight, wanting to stay out of the war, is a lot of horse dung. Americans love to fight. All real Americans love the sting and clash of battle. When you were kids, you all admired the champion marble shooter, the fastest runner, the big-league ball players and the toughest boxers. Americans love a winner and will not tolerate a loser. Americans play to win all the time. That's why Americans have never lost and will never lose a war. The very thought of losing is hateful to Americans. Battle is the most significant competition in which a man can indulge. It brings out all that is best and it removes all that is base. 

  Wikipedia

Please note that in the historical context of when this statement was made, it was a wartime and the fighting troops of the time were men only. 

What is the plan?

Well, first we need a plan and then we need the intestinal fortitude to implement it. Finally, we need to realize that everything is interconnected: fighting the virus is tied to the economy and our standing in the world; but most importantly it is about people and saving lives.

I remember standing in lines for the Swine Flu vaccine! That was the pan back then, but we were in front of the virus.

So what is the plan? 

Defeat the virus to save lives and don't wait for the promise of a vaccine which will take months to distribute. 


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Friday, October 30, 2020

Finally Friday

 

It has finally arrived: the final Friday of October. The end of the week and the end of the month is upon us. Tomorrow is Halloween and it will definitely be a different and likely more subdued celebration this year. We are expecting a significantly reduced number of Trick or Treaters due to COVID-19.

As the week ends, Chris and I are finally out of close contact COVID-19 quarantine, but with the explosion of cases across the country many people are again hunkering down. Our Friday Happy Hour group will be conducting its weekly business meeting via Zoom tonight rather than in person. I've been quarantined for two weeks and really wanted to get out and share some adult beverages with friends, but, alas, it is not to be. 

With soon to be 10 months of 2020 in the rear view mirror, I think most of us will be happy to see the year become a bad memory. It has been a unique and disturbing year with the double whammy of COVID-19 and the economic disaster, and that doesn't even consider the record number of hurricanes that have battered the Gulf Coast or the out-of-control wildfires sweeping through California and Colorado. Not a good year to live in a state whose name begins with "C".

Of course the week ahead will be interesting as well. We will learn if we have elected the 46th President of these United States or whether the 45th President has been deemed worthy of an additional term. Tuesday should be a tumultuous day and it might not be until Wednesday or later in the week that we learn the outcome of the election. I am encouraged that almost 80 million Americans have already voted!

If you haven't yet, VOTE! What on earth are you waiting for? The apocalypse? 

For what it is worth--HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Thursday, October 29, 2020

It is All Connected

 

The Wall Street Journal 5 Day Graph
October 29, 2020
I recall that the president was extolling the strength of the economy based upon the rise in the stock market during the last debate. It seems that the silver lining is tarnishing a bit this week as the reality of the renewed coronavirus runs into Wall Street. The Dow was down over 900 points yesterday and it is being blamed on the coronavirus response--or lack of response.

Here is a headline from this morning's The Wall Street Journal:

Stocks End Sharply Lower on Coronavirus Concerns

We must stop looking at trends and situations in isolation and consider the total impact upon everything. As long as the coronavirus response continues to be inept and inconsistent, the economy cannot recover. Despite what we are being told, a solid, cogent coronavirus plan will turn the economy around--ignoring the virus and insisting that it is going away is a recipe for disaster--economically, medically, socially. 

The administration needs to accept the science and forge a plan that will work against the virus and for the economy. We could become a world leader rather than a laughingstock.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Wednesday, October 28, 2020

Wind, Rain, and Hurricane

 

Hurricane Zeta Rain Prediction
October 28-30, 2020
I think writing about the weather is better today than writing about the election. I guess my fervor is decreased since I have voted. But, I still want everyone to get out there and vote. The expansion of early voting is a good thing because it takes the weather out of the election equation. Getting slammed with rotten weather on Election Day could, in years past, affect the vote, but this year with early voting the electorate can vote around the weather.

Some pundits are suggesting that this year's voter turn out may be one of the highest ever. The highest being the election of 1876 where almost 82 percent of voters cast ballots. It also had the closest Electoral College vote at 185-184. Now that is close. Is 2020 destined to be a repeat? We should know in about a week.

Before Election Day, however, the wind, rain, and a hurricane will be racing from the Gulf Coast through the East Coast making travel and life difficult. Voters can get out early, or wait until it passes to cast their ballots.

While the effect of the weather on the election can be mitigated, the effect of COVID-19 cannot. The increase in infections and hospitalizations is a fact and I am always amazed at how some try to rationalize the numbers away trying to indicate that they aren't as severe as they appear. I'm pretty sure I know how those who have contracted the disease view those explanations.

Vote! Find a way around the wind, rain, and hurricane to cast your vote.


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

Voting 2020

 


I voted yesterday.

Yay. I have done my duty and registered my vote in the election for the candidates and issues I support, or not.

It was the first day of early in person voting in Maryland and Chris and I decided to wait until midday as the lines were reported to be long as the polls opened at 0700. 

It was exciting to go to the polls and see the long line when we arrived about 1100. We were masked the entire time we were at the poll form leaving our car until returning to the car and we practiced good social distancing in the line, which was about 25 minutes long. Everyone was in good spirits, excited actually, to be voting in this election and making our collective voices heard. 

The polling site was well equipped and had plenty of workers. The processing and voting was done efficiently. All-in-all it was a good experience and I do not have to fret anymore about when, how, and where I am going to register my vote. 

I will tell you, unlike the Governor of Maryland, I did not vote for Ronald Reagan

Please vote--it matters. 


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday, October 26, 2020

Monday Musings - October 26, 2020

 


1. It is the last Monday of October. Next Monday we will be  off Daylight Saving Time and the day before Election Day. 

Sitting around the Fire Pit
Elkridge, MD
October 21, 2020
2. The weather turned very cold, it went from high 70's to 40's overnight. Yesterday was a rainy, cold, and raw day. I'm glad there was at least football to watch on TV.

3. Family Weekend NFL Report

  - Ravens had a Bye
  - Steelers (6-0) defeat Titans (5-1), 27-24
  - Football Team (2-5) destroys Cowboys (2-5), 25-3

4. It is not until you have a close-up experience with coronavirus and COVID-19 that you begin to understand the difficulties and complexities of tracking, treating, and staying uninfected by the virus.

5. Quiche is more than just an egg. 

6. Early in person voting begins today in Maryland. The lines are already reported to be very long--and the polls aren't open yet. Perhaps that is why the lines are so long.

7. LATEST FALSE FACT-CHECKS ON DONALD TRUMP

 Speaking of the federal debt before the coronavirus pandemic, “we were starting to get that number down.”

 “The World Health Organization just admitted that I was right. Lockdowns are killing countries all over the world. The cure cannot be worse than the problem itself.” 

 Says Joe Biden is a socialist.

 "We are rounding the turn (on coronavirus). We are rounding the corner." 

 

8. Today in History. On October 26, 1881, the Earp brothers face off against the Clanton-McLaury gang in a legendary shootout at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona.

After silver was discovered nearby in 1877, Tombstone quickly grew into one of the richest mining towns in the Southwest. Wyatt Earp, a former Kansas police officer working as a bank security guard, and his brothers, Morgan and Virgil, the town marshal, represented “law and order” in Tombstone, though they also had reputations as being power-hungry and ruthless. The Clantons and McLaurys were cowboys who lived on a ranch outside of town and sidelined as cattle rustlers, thieves and murderers. In October 1881, the struggle between these two groups for control of Tombstone and Cochise County ended in a blaze of gunfire at the OK Corral.


 


Pandemic Fatigue Is Real—And It’s Spreading - The Wall Street Journal

Why Protesters in Belarus Continue to Take to the Streets - The Wall Street Journal

Barrett Set to Be Confirmed to the Supreme Court - The New York Times

Infection of Pence Aides Raises New Questions About Virus Response - The New York Times

White House signals defeat in pandemic as outbreak roils Pence’s office - The Washington Post

Tumult at home, ailing alliances abroad: Why Trump’s America has been a ‘gift’ to Putin - The Washington Post

As holidays near, the coronavirus is spreading rapidly, putting families in a quandary about celebrations and travel - The Washington Post

Meet the 'QAnon' caucus: Conspiracy buffs on path to U.S. Congress - Reuters

Renewed fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh threatens U.S.-backed truce - Reuters

Kurdish officials say they foiled attack on diplomats in northern Iraq - Reuters



Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

Let's ensure that the Federal Government never again legislates against the family and the home. Last September I signed an Executive order on the family requiring that every department and agency review its activities in light of seven standards designed to promote and not harm the family. But let us make certain that the family is always at the center of the public policy process not just in this administration but in all future administrations. It's time for Congress to consider, at the beginning, a statement of the impact that legislation will have on the basic unit of American society, the family.

Address Before a Joint Session of Congress on the State of the Union - 1988, January 25, 1988


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Sunday, October 25, 2020

Undecided?

 


Are there undecided voters in America?

I do not understand how there could be any undecided voters in America given the mutually exclusive opposites that the two candidates represent. Perhaps, this year is the most polarizing ever in the history of the United States.

I know the decisions are not binary, but I believe that the two main candidates represent the far right and the moderate to centrist left. 

I suppose that the undecided voters are looking for the perfect candidate or possibly they have two issues that they vote for or against and neither candidate fully meets their desires--but I believe we need to look at the bigger picture of the candidates and what they bring to the presidency. The world is not a one or two issue place. 

The time for decision making has arrived. Check the issues and look at the larger consequences. And please, do not waste your vote by voting for animated characters or dead former presidents--that is not how decisions are made. 


-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD


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