A Star in the Sky

 

The Christmas Star through the Trees
Elkridge, MD
December 22, 2020

Chris and I finally were able to get a good view of the "Christmas Star" last evening in the western sky after sunset. It has become quite the phenomenon even making the news. It is not a star at all, however, as it is Jupiter and Saturn in conjunction. 

I guess it only happens like this every 800 or so years. Like I would be around to see it again anyway. 

We were surprised at how low the two planets are from out house. Of course that is because our house sits in a low spot. Chris found the two planets hiding among the trees as we waited last evening. We had been thwarted on other occasions due to clouds. 

The Christmas Star
Jupiter and Saturn
Elkridge, MD
December 22, 2020

Since the planets were so low in the sky from our house, we drove to some high ground for a good view and Chris brought her binoculars. It was spectacular. As it was early and the sky still not fully dark, I could not actually see the rings of Saturn, I suppose I should go out again tonight and see if I can find the rings or even a moon of Jupiter with the binoculars.

I am fascinated by the amount of interest this conjunction has drawn, perhaps because it is Christmas and 2020 has been such a difficult year. People are looking for hope and imagining that this might me the fables Star of Bethlehem appeals to their desire to have something concrete and good to believe in. Of course, astronomers say this particular conjunction was not that fable star of old--but who knows? Something similar. 

O Star of Wonder, Star of Night,
Star with Royal Beauty bright,
Westward leading,
Still proceeding,
Guide us to Thy perfect Light.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Christmas Season Happy Hour

 

Happy Hour
Elkridge, MD
December 21, 2020

Last evening Chris had to go out to finish some shopping and I determined that it would a be good time to prepare a special Happy Hour.

The lack of holiday parties has meant that some of the spirit is missing from the season. It was the first day of Winter and the shortest amount of daylight for the year and so we needed a special celebration. 

I felt we needed to get as little of the holiday spirit back and so I put together a small plate of munchies and had the wine poured and ready for when she returned home. 

It turned out that she returned home quickly because the stores were too crowded. We are being very conscious of the COVID threat and will not tarry in a crowded store.  

We enjoyed a quiet start to the evening with some munchies and a nice wine. It was an appropriate Christmas Season Happy Hour. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - December 21, 2020

 

1. It is the third Monday of December. Christmas is four short days away. Are you ready? More importantly, 2021 begins in 11 short days. Perhaps we will finally be rid of 2020 and the pain and suffering that it has brought.

2. Inauguration Day is 30 days from today! I hope we make it.

3. Winter began today at 5:02 AM EST. We have 9 hours and 24 minutes of daylight today in Baltimore. Now the days will begin to get longer, finally. Can Spring be that far off?

4.  Family NFL Results

     Football Team (6-8) lost to Seahawks (10-4) 15-20

     Ravens (9-5) defeat Jaguars (1-13) 40-14

     Cowboys (5-9) defeat 49ers (5-9) 41-33

     Steelers (11-2) play Bengals (2-10-1) tonight

5. Where is the President? The United States is under a cyber attack from the Russians, the coronavirus is rampaging, and our economy is slipping into quicksand and he is more interested in attacking the very democratic principles upon which our republic is based than preserving the union. 

6. I have heard it said that the president is more interested in having the title than doing the job. 

7. I was looking at images from Christmases past over the weekend and I found it interesting how we continue to make small adjustments to how we decorate the house for the season. 

8. I heard that the baseball season may be delayed until May. It was reported by CBS. 

8. Today in History. On December 21, 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 from London to New Yorkexplodes in midair over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 243 passengers and 16 crew members aboard, as well as 11 Lockerbie residents on the ground. A bomb hidden inside an audio cassette player detonated in the cargo area when the plane was at an altitude of 31,000 feet. The disaster, which became the subject of Britain’s largest criminal investigation, was believed to be an attack against the United States. One hundred eighty nine of the victims were American.

Trump Remains Focused on Reversing Election - The Wall Street Journal

Defense Officials Push Proposal to Separate NSA, Cyber Command - The Wall Street Journal

Trump says he spoke with Sen.-elect Tuberville, who has hinted at backing electoral college challenge - The Washington Post

Details emerge on stimulus checks as Congress rushes to finalize deal - The Washington Post

Some European Countries Begin Barring U.K. Travelers - The New York Times

Analysis: A President Who Can’t Put Aside Grudges, Even for Good News - The New York Times

Biden chief of staff says hack response will go beyond 'just sanctions' - Reuters

Flights cancelled, holidays in disarray as Sydney battles pre-Christmas COVID-19 outbreak - Reuters

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

"Is the Christmas spirit still alive?'' some ask. Well, you bet it is. Being Americans, we open our hearts to neighbors less fortunate. We try to protect them from hunger and cold. And we reach out in so many ways -- from toys-for-tots drives across the country, to good will by the Salvation Army, to American Red Cross efforts which provide food, shelter, and Christmas cheer from Atlanta to Seattle.

Radio Address to the Nation on Christmas, December 24, 1983

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Preparing for Christmas

 

Poinsettia Tree
Columbia Mall, Columbia, MD
December 26,2018

I was reviewing my images of Christmases past yesterday and came to a stark realization, it is going be very different this year as we respect the threat of COVID-19 and distance ourselves.

We need to remember the season. We need to find joy despite the upheaval of our lives. As 2019 was ending we never expected to be living through a pandemic a short year later. Everything, it seems has changed. Even travel, we cannot even think of traveling to visit family trapped in remote areas. 

Unlike last year, we do not expect a large gathering. We will be seeing family in small groups. But, the dinner will still be made and in a recent reversal of fortune, Christmas Eve Brunch will be held in rolling shifts. As for Christmas dinner? It will be small. But, we will be maintaining distance and celebrating the holiday in the best way that we can. 

It is Christmas after all. 

Celebrate!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Winter Arrived

 

The Morning after the
First Storm of the Season
Elkridge, MD
December 17, 2020

With the storm that arrived earlier this week followed by the persistent cold temperatures and ice I believe that it is safe to conclude that Winter has arrived. 

The bare trees silhouetted by the red sunrise reflecting off the still present snow confirm my assessment. 

It is cold and icy. 

The new season begins officially this coming week with the dark season reaching its maximum effect on December 21st. It is time to settle in for the winter and stay safe from the coronavirus. 

My drive still has ice on it. I had thought the rain would melt the snow, which was more slush than snow, and so I did not use my newly acquired snow blower to clear the drive. I am pretty sure there will be more storms this season and so I will have the opportunity to turn gasoline into noise and remove the snow from my driveway soon enough. We could not get lucky enough for this to be the only storm to pass our way. 

And so it begins! 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Leadership: Responsible for All

 

I have written and skirted the issue of leadership during the pandemic. As most of you know I do not believe, based upon the evidence, that the current administration has handled the COVID-19 pandemic, but rather has attempted to distance itself from the mounting tragedy which embodies America's response.

The basis of my assessment is that America has about 4 percent of the world's population and 20 percent of the coronavirus deaths. Distilled down, and not addressing the economic toll, that is the basis for my assessment. The most advanced and capable country in the world has failed by almost every measure to protect not only its population, but its economy. Yes, the stock market is still strong--but that is not a measure of the economic strength.

Leaders own it all! The good, the bad, and the ineffective.

Effective leaders know they are responsible for it all. Really good leaders do not take credit for the successes--they heap thepraise for the successes on their people. They realize that success does not happen without a great team. Take the vaccine deliveries. The drug companies did a great job expediting the production and delivery of the vaccines and they were aided by the government streamlining some regulatory issues. Who should get the credit? The drug companies!

The explosive unemployment, the economic disaster that is the U.S. right now, the quarantines and the isolation, the skyrocketing death rate--who gets the blame? The leader. 

That is how leadership is--it is not a popularity contest and leaders cannot pick and choose what is their responsibility. They are responsible for all of it. Leaders cannot try to separate the vaccine from the death rate because they are all responsible for all of it. 

A good leader accepts when they fall short and stands up and takes the blame for the team and vows to turn it around and do better, not sulking off to a Florida retreat to ride out the pandemic. 

I do not understand how a leader gets a free pass where people heap credit for producing a vaccine--which really he had nothing to do with while failing to protect Americans resulting in the deaths of over 300,000 of our fellow citizens. 

A true leader is responsible for it all. It is tough and maybe not fair--but, it is what came with the job.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

While we were Distracted

.

PHOTO: REN JUNCHUAN/XINHUA/ASSOCIATED PRESS

A Wall Street Journal headline this morning was a stunning reminder of how myopically inwardly focused the U.S. has become while other countries continue to gain technologically reducing our competitive advantage.

The image is "recovery crew members check on capsule of the Chang’e 5 probe after it landed in Siziwang district, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, in this photo released by Xinhua News Agency" from the Wall Street Journal article referenced below

The headline:

China Moon Mission Ends as Lunar Probe Returns to Earth With Fragments

Yes, we are dealing with failed foreign policies, failed domestic policies, and a runaway pandemic. We waited for a vaccine while over 300,000 Americans died and another 300,000 are expected to perish before the promise of "herd immunity" becomes a reality.

But, our competitors are still out there and they are not pausing while we try to get out of the box we have put ourselves into.

It didn't have to be this way. 

It should not have been this way. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

My New Gym Buddy

 

Until September, I had maintained a gym membership for many years. Originally, Chris and I took the membership to improve fitness. And we were very diligent for some time, but eventually the membership evolved to just me and I used the gym exclusively to play racquetball. 

Fast forward to 2020--the year which cannot end too quickly. 

With arrival of the end of September, the club/gym to which I belonged to play racquetball closed because it could not compete with COVID. I played racquetball infrequently through October at an outdoor court, but when the second surge began--it was determined that I should sit it out until Spring. It really is tough to play racquetball on outdoor courts in the cold, rain and snow. Additionally, with the daylight hours being so short--it is hard to finds a time to play. I have been playing racquetball mostly at about 5:30 AM with the exceptions being for leagues and occasional special meetings. It is just dark too at 5:30 most of the year to play outside. 

Enter my new gym buddy!

Meet the NordicTrack S22i Studio Cycle. It had been suggested that I call it the Mean Machine. I'm thinking about that. 

I rescued my new gym buddy from Dick's on Sunday and have completed three sessions totaling about 15 miles of riding through Glacier National Park. So far, I love it. I enjoy the rides and they are challenging. Riding the cycle at home is far more time efficient than driving to the gym and then home or to work for that same workout. AND, the added benefit is that I am hoping that I will not be soft and fat when I can again take the court and swing a racquetball racket or walk onto the golf course and whack away impotently at the little white ball which continues to vex me.

After only three rides it is hard to offer a recommendation, but I did my homework. I compared the S22i to its competitors (one of which I really wanted) and, so far, I am extremely happy with my choice. The assembly was not too difficult and as you can see from the picture, I still have not taken all of the packaging off the cycle. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Cold, wet, white stuff

 

It works! It is alive!

In advance of the expected 10 inches of snow beginning tomorrow night, I was able to get my newly acquired snowblower started last evening after replacing the carburetor. I also performed an oil change and replaced the spark plug. The snowblower had not been operated in three years and it did not start the last time that me and my neighbors, who gave it to me when they moved, attempted to use it. 

The video documents the sweet sound of success as the snowblower engine operates. I know it is loud and boring, but after sitting for three years it is a great sound, especially considering that the expected storm coming tomorrow. This storm will provide the area with more snow than we have received during the past two years, combined.

Thank you to my neighbors who gave awe the snowblower, I am sad that you have moved, but I will happily remember the years we spent clearing the driveway together as I use you snowblower to again move mountains of the cold, wet, white stuff. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - December 14, 2020

 

1. It us now the second Monday of December. There are two Mondays remaining and just 11 days until Christmas.

2. I have completed most of my Christmas shopping. Like most Americans, I have not shopped in a brick and mortar store for gifts. Although yesterday, I made a significant purchase from a store for a personal item. Since it was not a gift I did not want to wait for shipping. AND, I saved, truly saved, $199 in shipping costs.

3. Family NFL Report

    Football Team (6-7) defeat 49ers (5-8) 23-15

    Cowboys (4-9) defeat Bengals (2-10-1) 30-7

    Steelers (11-2) lose to Bills (10-3) 15-26

    Ravens (7-5) play Browns (9-3) tonight

4. I purchased a private workout cycle yesterday. As a result of COVID, my gym has closed, I am not playing racquetball, and with the winter weather arriving I will not be walking much or playing golf. I need something to keep from getting soft and fat. I did a lot of research and decided upon the NordicTrack S22i. I thought I wanted a Peloton, but the NordicTrack had a few more features and a lower price point. I did my first ride through Glacier National Park yesterday and it was everything that I hoped that it would be. 

5. We all need to be smart over the holidays to stem the COVID pandemic. The vaccine will not be available to most of us for months--vigilance is the key word. 

6. It is the Christmas Season. Pray for peace and work for peace. 

7. Today in History. December 14, 1911. Norwegian Roald Amundsen becomes the first explorer to reach the South Pole, beating his British rival, Robert Falcon Scott.

Amundsen, born in Borge, near Oslo, in 1872, was one of the great figures in polar exploration. In 1897, he was first mate on a Belgian expedition that was the first ever to winter in the Antarctic. In 1903, he guided the 47-ton sloop Gjöa through the Northwest Passage and around the Canadian coast, the first navigator to accomplish the treacherous journey. Amundsen planned to be the first man to the North Pole, and he was about to embark in 1909 when he learned that the American Robert Peary had achieved the feat.

Russian Hackers Broke Into Federal Agencies, U.S. Officials Suspect - The New York Times

As U.S. Deaths Approach 300,000, Obituaries Force Reckoning With Covid-19 - The New York Times

Electoral College Meets in Formal Step Toward Biden Presidency - The Wall Street Journal

Iran’s Execution of Journalist Threatens Push for Diplomacy With Europe - The Wall Street Journal

Historic vaccine campaign begins with first shipments - Reuters

Japan, South Korea fret as surging coronavirus undermines leaders' support - Reuters

Nearly 3 dozen arrested in D.C. as Proud Boys roamed city looking to fight - The Washington Post

Hijacking the electoral college: The plot to deny JFK the presidency 60 years ago - The Washington Post

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

Christmas is a time for children, and rightly so. We celebrate the birthday of the Prince of Peace who came as a babe in a manger. Some celebrate Christmas as the birthday of a great teacher and philosopher. But to other millions of us, Jesus is much more. He is divine, living assurance that God so loved the world He gave us His only begotten Son so that by believing in Him and learning to love each other we could one day be together in paradise.

It's been said that all the kings who ever reigned, that all the parliaments that ever sat have not done as much to advance the cause of peace on Earth and good will to men as the man from Galilee, Jesus of Nazareth.

 Address to the Nation, December 24, 1983

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Here it Comes!!!!

 

We have escaped, so far. All of that is about to change as the weather is expected to produce a classic December snow-storm this week. I do not know if they are calling for a Nor'easter or not, but the forecast surely looks ominous.

Ten-day Weather Underground Forecast for Elkridge, MD

The weather forecast for Elkridge is predicting 8.5 inches of snow! That would be more snow than we have received for the past two winters combined into one snowstorm.

Batten down the hatches and get those snowblowers revved up! Mine is broken, but the new carburetor should arrive tomorrow and hopefully I can it it running in time for the wintery weather. Our neighbor gave the snowblower to me when they moved and it has not been started successfully for three winters. I am happy to get it working in order to move 8.5 inches of heavy wet snow. I want to face snow with something more than a shovel.

I hope that the storm does not materialize. 

I could call the forecast a hoax and stick my head in the sand! But no, I'd rather be prepared if it does occur. 

Cold temperatures, freezing rain, snow--winter is arriving! I definitely should enjoy the probable last 62 degree day of the year today because here comes Winter!

Did I mention that I have a condo in Florida? Why am I not there?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Let the Healing Begin

 

The Supremes Rule! 

Did you get the double entendre? 

I wrote yesterday about the suit brought to the Supreme Court by Texas and supported by 17 other States and over 100 members of Congress which sought to overturn the election results in four key states and disenfranchise over 20 million voters. 

Supreme Court Rejects Texas Challenge to Biden’s Victory in Presidential Election

This story was above the fold in this morning's Wall Street Journal, although many of us received breaking news notifications on our phones last evening, during Happy Hour, as it was happening. 

I know, technically the Supreme Court did not rule, they chose not to take up the case. 

The article in the WSJ reports that the president wrote the following in a tweet:

“The Supreme Court really let us down. No Wisdom, No Courage!,’’ Mr. Trump wrote in a tweet late Friday.

The Supremes knew what they were doing and followed the Constitution. It took courage to do that in the face of the vilification they knew who'd be coming their way. Just because Trump overloaded the court with conservative justices does not mean he "owns" them. They are still justices who decide based upon the "Rule of Law" and not the winds of wrath.

I was very impressed with the Pennsylvania Attorney General who wrote, as reported in the same WSJ article:

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said in his response brief that asking the Supreme Court to “anoint Texas’s preferred candidate for President is legally indefensible and is an affront to principles of constitutional democracy.”

“Our nation’s highest court saw through this seditious abuse of our electoral process,” Mr. Shapiro said on Twitter on Friday evening. “This swift denial should make anyone contemplating further attacks on our election think twice.”

Maybe the petulant president will finally slink from the scene and admit he lost the election by more than 7 million votes and, to quote him from 2016, a landslide in the Electoral College. It is time to move on and let the healing begin.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

 

Move On--Get Over It

 

There are just 40 days until the inauguration and I cannot believe the number Republican Party officials who are trying to steal the election from the American people for Trump. 

As I see it, the results are pretty astounding on all fronts, both the popular vote and the electoral college vote.

Here is the current chart:

The bottom line is that 7,000,000 (that is 7 million) more Americans voted for Joe Biden, the president-elect, than voted for Trump. That is an inescapable number and, frankly, and overwhelming number. 4.9 percent more of the American voters supported Biden over Trump. And remember, Trump did not win the popular vote in 2016! He has always been the president of the minority.

An article in The Atlantic, admittedly a left-leaning publication, provide some context for what is happening right now in trying to overturn the election in the Supreme Court.

The article is:

The GOP Abandons Democracy, by David Graham

One paragraph in the article explains what is happening:

More surprising is that 17 Republican state attorneys general filed a brief in support of Paxton’s suit, a sizable majority of the top Republican law-enforcement officials in the country. Then 106 Republican members of the U.S. House did the same. When Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, a Republican, called the suit “constitutionally, legally and factually wrong,” he received a threatening phone call from Trump. 

Fundamentally, it is time to get over it and get on with the transition. The very people who are screaming that the election was stolen are working to actually steal the election. 

It is sad, and I never would have thought that the Republican Party, the party of Lincoln, would stoop so low, but democracy is on the line. What has always made America great is our ability to transition administrations after an election. That is in jeopardy and too many members of Congress and state governments are drinking the kool-aid of a rigged election. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

A Safe COVID Activity

 

SPCA Lights on the Bay
Sandy Point State Park, MD
December 9, 2020

Quite by surprise last evening, I discovered a safe COVID activity to get out of the house and enjoy the Christmas season. It was a spur of the moment activity to go and view the Christmas Lights as Sandy Point State Park which support the SPCA of Anne Arundel County. The display is called Lights on the Bay. 

SPCA Lights on the Bay
Sandy Point State Park, MD
December 9, 2020

When we were initially heading out, I had though we were off to see the Symphony of Lights at Merriweather Post Pavilion, but no, we were driving to the foot of the Bay Bridge to enjoy a Christmas light display that we had never visited.

The drive to the bay was pleasant, even in rush hour traffic. The rush hours seem better with more people working from home and schools shuttered. We arrived shortly past 5 PM before the crowds but just after dark. 

SPCA Lights on the Bay
Sandy Point State Park, MD
December 9, 2020

It was a pleasant drive through park enjoying the multitude of lights. Additionally, for a few extra dollars, we purchased some special glasses which transformed the the lights into either reindeer or snowmen. The glasses are fun and definitely worth the couple of extra dollars. Important safety tip: Do NOT drive with the glasses on.

The best part, there was no contact with other people--it is a safe COVID-19 activity. The cost is $20 per vehicle and the glasses were 2 for $5 or 1 for $3--which also is extremely reasonable. I am told, visit on a weekday, early. The admission process is a bit slow, but it helps to keep from having too many vehicles in the park. We were able to proceed at a slow and enjoyable pace without needlessly creating a traffic back-up.

Finding safe things to do during Christmas.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Transitions

 

I have been keenly interested in the people that the president-elect has been selecting to be his key advisors. President-elect Biden is doing exactly as I had hoped in surrounding himself with brilliant people from whom he expects to get good advice. That does not mean he will follow their advice,  but it means he will have the solid, scientific, logical advice upon which to base his decisions.

One choice which is causing concern among some democrats in the choice for Secretary of Defense, General Lloyd Austin, US Army Retired. The problem is that he has been retired only five years and the law requires seven years of retirement before being selected to lead the Defense Department. That requirement has been waived twice before, most recently for Trump's choice of Mattis. 

But interestingly, it is from the democrats where the objections seem to be rising and this shows that despite irrational fears to the contrary, should the democrats win the Senate as a result of the Georgia run-off, there is little concern that a sweeping tidal wave of change will occur. The democrats, unlike the republicans, are not in lock-step. 

The bigger threat, in my mind, is that if republicans retain control of the Senate, they will block key appointments and strangle the ability of the new administration to get the country moving again. Having control of the Senate ensured that Trump was able to fill appointments pretty much at will--for all the good that did. 

The transition is underway and, as I wrote, I am encouraged. Hopefully, after the celebrations of January 20, 2021, the new administration will be up and running and change will begin sweeping across America--in a good way. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

And the Dolphins Remain

 

I watched the Football Team defeat the Steelers last evening and preserve the 1972 Dolphins as the only team to post a perfect season and win the Super Bowl in the history of the NFL. 

It was a tough loss for the Steelers. It was a trap game--the team was coming off a tough win against the depleted Ravens last week and looking forward to the strong Buffalo Bills team next week. In between were the seemingly hapless Washington Football Team with a lowly 4-7 record. But, the Football Team has been playing much better lately with a strong defense and Alex Smith, their quarterback, getting the feel for the game after reassuming the starting role following his disturbing injury two seasons ago.

The Steelers loss, however, makes the playoff race a bit more interesting. For Washington, they are definitely alive tied atop the NFC East with good prospects for winning the division, which is the only way an NFC East team will be in the playoffs. And in the AFC, the struggle between Kansas City and Pittsburgh for the best record will continue for a few more weeks. Unlike Kansas City, which clinched a playoff spot this past weekend, the Steelers have a tough schedule and will need to defeat the thundering herd of the Buffalo Bills (9-3) as well as the Colts and Browns to clinch a playoff spot--unless the Ravens provide an assist by defeating the Browns next week. 

I have to confess, I am excited that the Team with "No Name" is in the playoff hunt! It would be weird if they won the Super Bowl and everyone had to accept that a team called Football Team (FT) is on the Lombardi Trophy!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - December 7, 2020

 

1. It is the first Monday of December and there are just three Mondays remaining in the year. I cannot believe how quickly the year is coming to a close.

2. There are 44 days until Inauguration Day--January 20. It will be a very different inauguration--no parades, no spectacle, but still as meaningful and important for our country and our society.

3. Christmas is but 18 days from now. 

4. Today is Pearl Harbor Day. 2403 U.S. personnel lost their lives as a result of the attack on Pearl Harbor. On December 2, 2020, 2885 Americans were lost due to COVID-19.

5. Family NFL Results

    Football Team (4-7) vs Steelers (11-0) tonight

    Ravens (6-5) vs Cowboys (3-8) Tuesday night

6. If the COVID-19 U.S. deaths continue and approach the numbers projected, they will get close to the 620,000 deaths estimated for military forces from all causes during the Civil War. 

7. The vaccine is coming! The vaccine is coming! But probably not until next summer for most of us!

8. Today in History. December 7, 1941. At 7:55 a.m. Hawaii time, a Japanese dive bomber bearing the red symbol of the Rising Sun of Japan on its wings appears out of the clouds above the island of Oahu. A swarm of 360 Japanese warplanes followed, descending on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in a ferocious assault. The surprise attack struck a critical blow against the U.S. Pacific fleet and drew the United States irrevocably into World War II.

Soaring Metals Prices Signal Bets on Global Recovery - The Wall Street Journal

Georgia Rejects Trump’s Request to Reverse His Election Loss - The Wall Street Journal

Barr Is Said to Be Weighing Whether to Leave Before Trump’s Term Ends - The New York Times

Rudy Giuliani Tests Positive for Coronavirus, Trump Says - The New York Times

Unemployment, sick leave and housing aid are set to expire in weeks, threatening Americans with sudden financial ruin - The Washington Post

What you need to know about Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna vaccines - The Washington Post

Exclusive: U.S. preparing new sanctions on Chinese officials over Hong Kong crackdown - sources - Reuters

Melbourne welcomes first international flight in five months as COVID curbs ease - Reuters

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

In the annals of American history, only a few events are so well-known and so deeply rooted in national remembrance that the mere mention of their date suffices to describe them. Of these occurrences, none could have had more significance for our Nation than December 7, 1941.

On that Sunday morning, 45 years ago, the Imperial Japanese Navy launched an unprovoked, surprise attack upon units of the Armed Forces of the United States stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. This attack claimed the lives of 2,403 Americans, wounded 1,178 more, and damaged our naval capabilities in the Pacific. Such destruction seared the memory of a generation and galvanized the will of the American people in a fight to maintain our right to freedom without fear.

Every honor is appropriate for the courageous Americans who made the supreme sacrifice for our Nation at Pearl Harbor and in the many battles that followed in World War II. Their sacrifice was for a cause, not for conquest; for a world that would be safe for future generations. Their devotion must never be forgotten.

We honor our dead by solemn ceremony. We do so as well by protecting the Nation and the freedom they protected and by forging the resolve, the strength, and the military preparedness necessary to deter attack and to preserve and build the peace. As President Franklin Roosevelt told our Nation the day after Pearl Harbor was attacked, ``It is our obligation to our dead -- it is our sacred obligation to their children and our children -- that we must never forget what we have learned.''

We have not forgotten, nor will we. We live in a world made more free, more just, and more peaceful by those who will answer roll call no more, those who will report for muster never again. We do remember Pearl Harbor.

The Congress, by Public Law 99 - 534, has designated December 7, 1986, as ``National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day'' and authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this day.

Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim December 7, 1986, as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, and I call upon the people of the United States to observe this solemn occasion with appropriate ceremonies and activities and to pledge eternal vigilance and strong resolve to defend this Nation and its allies from all future aggression.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this second day of December, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and eleventh.

Ronald Reagan, 

Proclamation 5582 -- National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, 1986, December 2, 1986

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

More of the Same

 

The president had the opportunity to make believers out of millions of Americans yesterday, but all that he did was to deliver more of the same.

The contrast between the two administrations, the outgoing one led by Trump and the incoming one led by Biden is stark.

The personal vilification and vile attacks upon others coupled with falsehoods and factual inaccuracies with laser focus on his grievances and almost no empathy for the millions of Americans suffering the effects of COVID-19--either medically, financially, or psychologically will become a sad exclamation point on the past four years and likely erase any good that the Trump administration did.

His legacy is also in ignoring and underestimating the veracity of the coronavirus. In watching his speech yesterday, I did not see many facial coverings in the crowd. I fear for the people who attended the rally. The speech is available on YouTube, which is where I watched it. 

During the rally yesterday, the president read off a long list of facts which he professes indicate that he did not lose the election, but he missed the analysis of all of the individual facts when they are aggregated--it was personal. The republicans down-ticket did well and Biden did not have coattails because the American electorate focused, in a manner never seen before, upon the singular job that he was doing as president. And resoundingly, by more than 7 million votes, voted to remove the president from office and go in a new direction. It was personal--that is what the statistics show. Had there been fraud, the republicans would not have done so well down-ballot--that they did well is a sure sign that the election was not rigged as he continues to profess. 

Holding super-spreader events, as happened yesterday, fanning the flames of unrest with fake facts, and under-estimating the impact of the coronavirus is his legacy, sadly. 

By contrast, the hopeful, unifying tones of the incoming Biden administration are reassuring. Instead of ignoring the "elephant in the room" and staying that it is not his problem, the president-elect and his team are already planning to attack the coronavirus head-on. There is work to do in the country and the incoming teams seems well postured to tackle these problems. And let's look at the stock market--it set a new all-time high in the days after it was clear the Biden was the president-elect and had managed to remain close to those levels. The new administration is engendering something ewe haven to seen in a while--hope!

There is hope that in 45 days we no longer will have to suffer with more of the same.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Seasonal Finances

 

Mysteries of money and finance during the holiday season--

If I buy something that I hadn't planned to buy because it was on sale, how much money did I save?

But, if I buy something on sale, that I needed and was preparing to buy, but would not buy it at the regular price because it was too high--did I save anything? 

Similarly, if I wait to buy something that I need and want until it goes on sale and I would not have bought it at the regular price, did I save anything? 

How much is something worth? 

I have a complicated answer for that question.

Something is worth what it will cost to replace it. The amount that someone will pay to buy something only reduces the the amount that it will take to replace the item, but that is not its true value. We need to remember the total value of an item when buying new items. 

For instance--cell phones have gotten to be incredibly expensive. If I have an iPhone 7 and want an iPhone 12--how much is my iPhone 7 worth? Easy, it is worth the cost of the iPhone 12--which for the sake of argument is $1000. If I can sell my iPhone 7 for $100, then its cash value is $100, but it's worth remains $1000 and I have to find an additional $900 to replace the iPhone 7.  

Happy Christmas--don't go broke saving money.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

An Alarming Start to the Day

 

Sometimes I think the alarm system in my home is more trouble than it is worth. As an example, for two of the past three nights one of the sensors has thrown a code when the outside temperature fell too low and set off the alarm waking the entire house.

The siren is loud. 

It requires me to get out of bed and reset the system and of course check and confirm that it is a false alarm.

This particular sensor has been having periodic issues like this for over a year--but only during the winter season. I thought I had fixed it, but not. It woke us us again this morning, although only 30 minutes before my normal alarm. 

I am going to order a new sensor. 

It is going to be a long day.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD