Can't Be Bought

 I was encouraged about Harvard University's response to Trump. No--we won't be bought. 

According to Reuters:

April 14 (Reuters) - Harvard on Monday rejected numerous demands from the Trump administration that it said would cede control of the school to a conservative government that portrays universities as dangerously leftist.

Within hours of Harvard taking its stand, the administration of President Donald Trump announced it was freezing $2.3 billion in federal funding to the school.

What the Trump-led Executive Branch is doing to private educational institutions is wrong! Using the power of money to stifle freedom of education goes against the very core of what makes us Americans--education free from political dogma to foster diversity of thought. 

Freedom of education is what made America great. Yes. we may not agree with everything being taught, but that is a good thing because being exposed to diversity of thought helps us better understand and appreciate the freedoms that we have especially when we see such freedoms stifled in other countries.

Maybe money can't buy everyone?

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - April 14, 2025

 

1. It is the 2nd Monday of April. Welcome to Holy Week! There are 37 Mondays remaining in 2025. 

Rino on the Road
Pilanesberg National Park, South Africa
February 25, 2025

2. Chris and I are finding it hard to believe that we were in South Africa two months ago! It seems like yesterday that we were sampling wines and enjoying the wildlife while riding through a National Park in South Africa. 

3. In the land of tariffs and confusion we are not too sure what is and is not going to be exempted from tariffs. 

4. Congratulations to Rory McIlroy on winning the Masters on a sudden death hole and completing a career Grand Slam! It was exciting to watch. 

5. Today in History. President Abraham Lincoln is shot in the head at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. on April 14, 1865. The assassin, actor John Wilkes Booth, shouted, “Sic semper tyrannis! (Ever thus to tyrants!) The South is avenged,” as he jumped onto the stage and fled on horseback. Lincoln died the next morning.

Booth, who remained in the North during the war despite his Confederate sympathies, initially plotted to capture President Lincoln and take him to Richmond, the Confederate capital. However, on March 20, 1865, the day of the planned kidnapping, the president failed to appear at the spot where Booth and his six fellow conspirators lay in wait. Two weeks later, Richmond fell to Union forces. In April, with Confederate armies near collapse across the South, Booth hatched a desperate plan to save the Confederacy.

Tariffs on imported semiconductor chips coming soon, Trump says - Reuters

Russian missile strike kills 34 in Ukraine's Sumy, Kyiv says - Reuters

Rory's time! McIlroy wins Masters to complete career Grand Slam - Reuters

Trump administration says it is not required to help wrongly deported man return to US - Reuters

White House's new policy to ignore reporters who share their pronouns sparks debate - FoxNews

Five missing and one dead after boat capsized off coast of Florida, authorities said - CNN

No evidence linking Tufts student to antisemitism or terrorism, State Dept. office found - The Washington Post

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Do we have to do it all over again?

 

Chaos and confusion. That pretty well sums up the week we just managed to live through. 

It is apparent that there is no master plan, the White House is just throwing stuff against the wall and hoping it will stick. And if it doesn't, they are denying that it happened.

One of the most concerning occurrences this past week was the refusal, in court, to correct the injustice done to the Maryland father illegally sent to El Salvador AND the continued refusal to find a way to allow those deported to the prison in El Salvador their due process. 

Wait--destroying the world trade markets without a cogent plan--or any plan is a close second. 

One writer sums up some of the week's happenings as follows:

On Friday, China imposed 125% tariffs on goods from the U.S. A spokesperson for the Chinese Finance Ministry said that Trump’s tariff machinations “will become a joke in the history of the world economy.” At 9:20 a.m. President Trump posted: “We are doing really well on our TARIFF POLICY. Very exciting for America, and the World!!! It is moving along quickly. DJT.” The new tariffs had badly threatened Apple Inc., and at 10:36 p.m. the U.S. Customs and Border Protection posted a notice that various electronics, including smartphone and computer monitors, are exempt from the tariffs.

When economist Justin Wolfers commented: “I just want to tip my hat to the crack team of White House economists who were able to discover—in just a few short days—that the U.S. is dependent on China for smartphones, computers and semiconductors.” Dr. Soumya Rangarajan noted that “a basic medicine we use 1000x per day in the hospital, heparin, is also dependent on China, and people will die without it.” As Sabrina Malhi of the Washington Post explained, about 12 million people hospitalized in the U.S. need heparin every year, and it is only one of the many medications that will be affected by Trump’s tariffs on goods from China.

(Letters from an American)

It is clear that there is no plan and that we are living at the whim if a president who has visions of grandeur, but has no comprehension of the second and third order effects from whipsawing leadership. 

Sadly, the week ahead looks to be as turbulent and unconstrained as the week past. Maybe the Easter holiday will bring redemption and sanity. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Weekend Arrival

 Well, Saturday definitely arrived. At least the weather is good.

It was rough yesterday. I had to cancel a hotel room after the designated cancellation time. That meant that I paid for a hotel room in which we did not stay. That sucks! And it was an expensive room as well. 

Well, that is how things have changed. I did save money on gas by not driving to Tampa; so I guess it almost works out. 

Wait--I also paid for seats and parking at a MLB game that I did not attend. I hope the empty seats enjoyed the sound of the bat hitting the ball and the cheering of the crowd.

These things sometimes happen on short notice. It just sucks that the fiscal downside is so steep.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

At the Precipice of the Weekend

Moon Setting
Tequesta, FL
April 10, 2025

Another Friday has arrived, just as expected. Whew!

My weekend plans changed dramatically this morning--but I always say that plans are made to be changed. 

I guess I needed a quiet weekend anyway. Next weekend, hopefully, we will be in the Houston area visiting my Dad and enjoying Easter. 

I caught an interesting image of the moon setting behind a home last night. It was really interesting because depending upon where I stood, I could either see the moon or it would have already be behind the house. I tried to get it right at the roofline with the palm in front. 

So, with the radical change of plans, we will see what the weekend brings. 

I guess I'm at the precipice hoping not to fall. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Another Beautiful Florida Day

Crossing the Loxahatchee River
Tequesta, FL
April 9, 2025

 It was a cool 63 degrees as I headed off on my bike yesterday morning. Having been away, it always feels good to get back out on my bike. Yesterday was no different. The wind was cold even with a sweatshirt, when I started the ride. I finally warmed about 4 miles into the 14-mile ride I had planned.

It was great to be out on the bike after driving over 2500 miles during the previous 9 days. What a trip! Tequesta to Elkridge to Ithaca to Elkridge and then back to Tequesta! Whew. And that does not include the travel around Maryland.

We are off to Tampa tomorrow for boating, a ballgame, and an overnight. I am excited to boat Tampa Bay for the first time. I hope the weather holds. It is supposed to be pleasant and sunny!

Today we have a few house projects that need attention and so I will be skipping my bike ride., It is amazing how things seem to go awry when we are gone. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Wednesday Wandering

 The "Hands Off" protests this past weekend struck a chord in me. I was encouraged to see such widespread concern about the direction that our country is headed. The Supreme Court decisions of yesterday continue to concern me as the justices seem more concerned with procedure than addressing fundamental constitutional questions.

Liberty is hanging in the balance. 

I was reminded of something Thomas Jefferson wrote:

“The tree of Liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.”― Thomas Jefferson

I never thought that refreshing the tree of Liberty would be required in my lifetime. It is frightening. The path we are on is sooooooo wrong!

I am NOT advocating insurrection, but rather that we must make a stand for the Constitution, freedom and liberty. There may be a cost involved! Working through the legal avenues is a start as is protesting and showing the depth of concern that people have across our country.

Some random thoughts: 

A nation should not do harm to its friends. 

A nation devoted to a constitution should not allow its leaders to depart from the principles espoused within.

We are a nation of immigrants--who is to say who is better or more deserving? 

One person should not have the power to upset the economies of the entire world. The situation was likened to a Roman emperor who with the flick of his finger could cause markets to rise and fall. 

One my my presidential heroes defined America as follows:

“[I]n my mind it was a tall, proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, windswept, God-blessed, and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace; a city with free ports that hummed with commerce and creativity. And if there had to be city walls, the walls had doors and the doors were open to anyone with the will and the heart to get here.” 

He continued later:

“For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a by-word through the world.”

Ronald Reagan

The eyes of the world are upon us!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Out the Hotel Window - Brunswick, GA

Out the Hotel Window
Brunswick, GA
April 7, 2025

 Staying the night in Brunswick, GA, may become our stop of choice for our journey south from Maryland. It just seems like a good stop and it leaves only a few miles in Georgia before we pass into Florida. And it just seems as if the trip is almost over when we cross the Florida-Georgia line even though there are still four hours of driving ahead of us.

We have experimented with stopping near Savannah and even a bit further north in South Carolina--but the second day trip from there just seems too long. Also, given that we generally leave about 4 AM from Maryland, we arrive too early for our hotel room to be ready. Brunswick seems perfect and when we arrived at 2:30 PM our room was ready. An additional factor is the ready availability of gas and food options. The downside to stopping in South Carolina is that we will need a gas stop before making it home. Brunswick is comfortably within a tank of gas for the truck. 

Out the window last evening was a restaurant, which apparently is closed on Mondays. In the distance is I-95; the highway home. 

We experienced some severe weather last evening. When Chris and I took Finn out for his evening walk we were confronted with gale force winds and driving rain! Ugh. Needless to say, Finn found refuge under a large bush to take care of his bio needs. Hopefully today's travels will be rain free, although we are expecting showers as we get closer to home. 

Looking forward to getting home!

-- Bob Doan, Brunswick, GA

Chewing up the Miles

 

On the Road Headed South
Near Smithfield, NC
April 7, 2025

Chris and I headed south today towards Florida. We started the day at about 4 AM in Elkridge, MD, in a drenching downpour, but by about Richmond the rain had stopped and the road dried. We made South Carolina by about 1015, leaving us just over three hours to our nighttime hotel. 

The race to end the drive and arrive at the hotel for a much needed nap ended about 2:30 PM in Brunswick, GA. Brunswick is about 2/3 the distance to Tequesta. I like short second days because in my mind I'm always thinking: "Are we there yet?"

All-in-all it was a good day on I-95. Even the South Carolina roadways were not clogged and we proceeded smoothly. We were also blessed in that the two major traffic tie-ups we spied were on the northbound side.

Hopefully, we arrive in Tequesta tomorrow about 1 PM. 

-- Bob Doan, Brunswick, GA

Bait and Switch

Hands-off Day Protest Sign
April 5, 2025

American voters been duped by a classic Bait & Switch.

The chaos and confusion we are experiencing and which has now expanded to include nearly the entire world was born out of the election lies told by Trump. 

That may be harsh, but I clearly remember his promise that on day 1 he would lower prices and reduce inflation for working families. That is far from what is actually happening. 

Trump claims a mandate from the voters--but he misunderstands the mandate he had which was to reduce living expenses for working families. He did not have a mandate to destroy the economic system of the entire world while pushing the limits of democracy in America. Yes, he said he was in love with tariffs, but targeted tariffs which have been used by nearly every president are very different from what we are experiencing now. 

I fear that destroying the strongest economic system in the world is designed to allow the uber-rich to swoop in and buy companies when the stock is down and thereby further pad their fortunes. This is, of course, at the expense of those of us who have worked and saved for years and invested our retirement accounts as the government advised through 401Ks and the TSP. 

We have been duped!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Programming Note: Because tomorrow is a travel day, Monday Musings will not be published. Hopefully there will be an update from the highway.

Enjoying the Drive

 

Rest Area off Route 15
Tioga, PA
April 4, 2025

The drive out of Ithaca and back to Maryland is full of beautiful vistas. It being early spring, Chris and I were able to watch the progression of springtime from just starting to show signs of leaves on the trees into full spring with the flowering trees and bushes adorning yards and roadways. 

I-81
Shrewsbury, PA
April 4, 2025

We made our obligatory stop at a Route 15 mountaintop rest area near Tioga, PA. The views are stunning of the valley below and yesterday the first signs of spring's rebirth could be clearly seen.

As our drive continued south, especially as we drove along the Susquehanna River, we saw many more signs of the deepening season. South of Harrisburg, springtime blossomed. Grasses became green shaking off the brown of winter. The reds and greens of budding leaves added an almost autumn-like hue to the trees along the highway. 

Upon arriving back in Maryland where springtime is fully underway, my allergies kicked in. There always seems to be a downside.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Saying Good-bye

Cayuga Lake from Glenwood Pines
Ithaca, NY
April 3, 2025

 Chris and I are in Ithaca, NY, for what likely will be our last visit. The last member of our families is preparing to depart Ithaca and move south away from the snow. I still have family in the region, but not Ithaca.

We enjoyed a nice early Spring day yesterday with temperatures into the 70s--which was a relief from the cold we experienced in Maryland. 

There are many memories here and the final departure will be difficult, I am sure. 

Last evening we enjoyed dinner on the east shore of Cayuga Lake at Glenwood Pines.  The clouds above the lake were threatening and made for definitely early-Spring scene considering the trees are only beginning to bud for new leaves. 

Today we head back to Maryland for the weekend. 

-- Bob Doan, Ithaca, NY

No. 3 Takes the Mound

Jax on the Mound
Arundel High School, Odenton, MD
April 2, 2025

Last evening, I was privileged to attend an Arundel High School Varsity Baseball game in which my grandson was the starting pitcher. He is a junior and it was his first varsity start. Although it was cold--very cold, both Chris and I were excited to be there. We did not know he was the starter until we arrived just as he was finishing his warmup for the first inning.

He pitched a gutsy and great 5.2 innings. He actually pitched 6 innings, but a dropped ball at 1st base cost him the final out of the 6th and also the win. He allowed 2 hits, 1 unearned run, walked 4 and struck out 2. The team went on to win the game 2-1 with a 7th inning walk-off single to score a run. 

Why gutsy? Well, it was cold and there was a biting wind. But, more importantly, he did not have command of his best pitch, yet figured out how to get outs using his other pitches and that is really tough on a cold day when the team is depending on you to turn the fortunes of the season around. The team has suffered some tough late-inning losses and their record is 2-5.

On the Bump
Arundel High School, Odenton, MD
April 2, 2025

This was his third appearance of the season and he has been solid in the other two. Although he got tagged for a blown save in his first appearance, he was victimized by a nasty error which allowed the go ahead runs to score on what should have been the final out of the game. He was lights out in his second appearance, also in relief, pitching 2.2 innings of 1 hit baseball while recording 5 strikeouts. That game was the team's only other win.

I wish we were staying in Maryland longer so that I could see him pitch again, but the warmth of Florida is calling to me!

Good job Jax! 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Blue Sky Day

 

Blue Spring Sky
Odenton, MD
April 1, 2025

I appreciate a blue sky. 

Blue skies without a cloud, or with few clouds, seem to be rare. Chris and I drove from Florida to Maryland under overcast skies and so yesterday's blue sky was appreciated. 

We have been enjoying the early Springtime flowering trees and bushes. There seems to be color everywhere. The white trees and bushes adorning the hills and alongside the roads almost seem like snowballs being prepared for a fight. And then the reds and greens of the budding trees coupled with the yellow of the forsythia add to the texture of the scene. 

I know many people enjoy the colors of the Autumn, but for me the rebirth after Winter with its explosion of colors is more appealing to me. And then to enjoy a blue clear sky tops off the entire experience. 

Tomorrow is another travel day. We are heading for Ithaca in what may be our last ever trek to the area where we both grew up. 

It is a busy trip.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Discovering History

Parker Seed and Feed Co.
Dunn, NC
March 30, 2025

 We stopped for the night in Dunn, NC, during our recent trip north. After about 11 hours on the road, we had departed at 4:45 AM from home, it was good to get into our hotel room and go out for a walk.

Dunn is not a big town, but we have stopped there a couple times before. This was the first stop after DST and so we headed out to explore around the hotel and give Finn a good walk before turning in for the night. 

We came across this abandoned building, Parker Seed and Feed. I could not help but think of the traffic and activity this building had seen in the past. It was likely a hub of activity, but now is fenced and standing alone in the storms. 

I am sure the building is not going to be around much longer as Dunn, NC, seems to be growing and there is a small storage company already encroaching at one end of the lot. 

The building sits right behind the Dunn Hampton Inn and Suites, which is where new stayed. Sadly, we likely will not stay there again because it seems Hilton has rebranded Hampton Inn down a level. Dunn, NC, is about two-thirds the way to Maryland from our Florida residence making it good stopping point for the northward trek. This was our third stay and I even know where to get the least expensive gas in the town!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

        (Wow, I haven't written that location in a long time)

Travel Day

 

Aftermath of an Accident on I-95
Near Yemassee, South Carolina
March 30, 2025

The trip was supposed to be a surprise. Our departure from Florida headed for Maryland to celebrate a significant birthday was a closely held secret. Well, much like attack plans, our travel plans leaked.

Well, it wasn't national security and since even the Secretary of Defense can keep secrets, secret; I am not upset that the secret is out. In fact, it makes life easier. Our family is terrible at secrets, why? Because, from the time the kids were small Chris and I drove home the idea that families don't keep secrets. 

Chris and I are excited that we can celebrate a significant birthday with one of our kids. 

Traveling is always an adventure. Today we were slowed by an accident on the southbound side of I-95. It was a major "looky-loo" event on the northbound side. I have no idea how semi wound up traveling north on the southbound lanes. 

We should arrive in Maryland today. 

-- Bob Doan, Dunn, NC

Fighting the Wind

 

My last bike ride, which was Friday morning, ended with a rough climb up a small hill. I shortened my ride by three miles due to the stiff wind I was experiencing. I wound up only riding just over 14 miles instead of my usual almost 18. 

I forgot to look out the window and check the flag across the street to determine the wind speed before I departed. The first half of my ride was pretty good since I head west. It was not until I began to ride some of the east legs that I noticed the wind.  It was coming from the east at about 20 mph with higher gusts.  I had a lot of fun riding west, but paid a price when heading east. 

The worst part of the ride was the final leg led which is up a hill riding to the east  as I crested the small hill, the wind hit me full on and it almost felt as if I was going to be pushed backwards.  But of course I wasn’t  

— Bob Doan, Tequesta, Fl

Chaos, Confusion, Disaster

 There is so much happening in the U.S. right now that it is almost impossible to remember events are underway around the world. 

I maintain that a myopic, inwardly focused view is unhealthy as it provides fertile ground for strategic surprise. We are so busy dealing with the day-to-day crises that we don't have time to consider the effect of our actions on the other countries and for that matter, to consider how what is happening in places like Turkey potentially affect our country. 

And then there is Signal-gate. How many supposedly brilliant people does it take to realize that admitting to a problem and fixing it is smarter than doubling down. And that begs the question--how many other Signal-chats are there out there which present a clear and present danger to the United States? 

Did I mention that the stock market, which holds not only my retirement savings but many other people's, is falling like a rock due to the insane application of tariffs and the lack of strategic fiscal vision in the White House?

Why do we need a trade war with the world? That is going to help us, how? 

I wonder which billionaire owns stock in bicycle companies since cars are going to be priced out of existence. 

Why are the things Trump was elected to do being left undone?

I'm really looking forward to not paying federal income tax on my Social Security benefits--no wait, am I actually going to continue receiving benefits? But Musk said I would get more! And lower food prices--where are they?

What about Musk?

My thought is he has too much money and no political smarts.

This morning [yesterday], Wisconsin Democrats issued a press release noting that Musk had “committed a blatant felony,” directly violating the Wisconsin law that prohibits offering anyone anything worth more than $1 to get them to “vote or refrain from voting.” Wisconsin Democratic Party chair Ben Wikler said that if Schimel “does not immediately call on Musk to end this criminal activity, we can only assume he is complicit.” (Letters from an American)

And then consider the Presidential Oath of Office. I reread it this morning and I have questions as to whether the oath has been and is being violated. And I don't even mean the part about supporting the Constitution. It is the faithfully part, because it sure seems to me that everything being done right now will improve the financial bottom line of the president while harming the citizens. To me, that does not seem to be faithfully executing the Office of the President. 

How is sending people being evicted for the country to a prison in a country not their own without due process and no prospects for redress a deportation? Doesn't deporting a person mean sending them back to their country of citizenship? And furthermore, if there is no due process who is making the decision to deport? That people, is unconstitutional. Everyone setting foot on American soil has rights despite what certain people would have us believe. The Constitution and our laws do not differentiate between citizens and non-citizens. We are on a very slippery slope.

Finally, I am tired of hearing how much money DOGE is supposedly saving the country, because too much of it is at the expense of the citizens. If they save $1 trillion, but we are left with no healthcare, no research, a broken education system, and a defense industry in tatters I am not sure that is better. And if DOGE is saving so much money, why do we have a looming debt ceiling crisis?

Some much to ponder and so little time. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Enjoying the Evenings

Blowing Rocks Marina
Tequesta, FL
March 26, 2025

 I can't, it seems, write enough about the spectacular weather we have been experiencing. 

Yes, there were thunderstorms the other night, but we really needed the rain--and we got a lot. But, overall the humidity has been low and the temperatures very moderate. I remember the past two years when we were already experiencing 90 degree days at this time of the year. It was not a lot of fun. With the summer coming, I need to enjoy these afternoons and evenings. 

This morning is one of the warmer mornings we have experienced with the day starting around 70 degrees. There is definitely a bike ride in my immediate future. 

But what--MLB is BACK!!!

How about them Os? 

Only 161 more games to go, but at least they got off to a great start with a 12-2 win and crushing 6 homers!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

What is a tooth?

 My new tooth was installed yesterday. 

No, it did not all happen yesterday, the new tooth (crown) was the culmination of a process that began in South Africa when I broke a tooth eating a tough steak.

The dentist said that the tooth's silver filling absorbed moisture over the decades and caused the tooth to fracture. Fortunately, it did not hurt and I was able to finish the South African wine tour/safari and return to the U.S. before having the tooth examined and repaired. 

My worst fears were realized.

They could not just cement the piece that broke off into place, a piece which I had dutifully transported from South Africa back to Florida. I wound up with a moderately expensive crown, but thankfully not a root canal. 

And again, I was very elated that there was almost no pain. 

So, my mouth is almost back to full operating efficiency. 

And as a result I will begin to have routine cleanings again, which stopped because of COVID and which neither Chris not I ever got back onto the schedule due to moving and retirement. 

So the silver lining, hahaha, is that both Chris and I are going to resume regular dental cleanings, something we did before COVID, and I have a new tooth. 

Do you think about your teeth? Probably not unless you have a dental appointment or some pain.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Stuck Ashore

Sawfish Bay Park Looking East to Highway 1
Jupiter, FL
March 25, 2025

 We had a difficult day boating yesterday. It was so difficult that we did not, in the end, actually get onto the water. 

I had a boat reserved through my club for 9:45 AM. I confirmed the reservation verbally the night before and then again about 9 AM via text. As Chris and I were leaving the house to head to the docks, I received a call that my reservation was being canceled due to expected afternoon weather. I was not a happy camper. 

I was so very unhappy that I called the club offices to register a complaint. My take on the weather was that nothing was going to happen much before about 5 PM. I had planned on returning the boat by 4 PM and we likely would have returned it sooner. The club did some research and apologized while also promising to look into the late notification. 

That promise, of course, did not get me a boat and we were stuck ashore for the day. We ate the lunch our friends had prepared for the four of us to enjoy at the sand bar on the veranda of our condo. 

Chris and I did, subsequently, stop by Sawfish Bay Park later during there day to get by the water and take a picture of the US-1 Bridge construction. I had planned on boating through the area and then onto a very nice sandbar for the day. I had reserved a pontoon boat which had an upper deck and therefore plenty of shade for a day in the sun. 

Turned out there was precious little sun during the day. The apparent blue sky in the image is really a thunderstorm over the ocean in which we had seen lightening. 

The thunderstorms did finally arrive in Tequesta--at 5:15 PM.  

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Neophytes in Government

 I was appalled when I read that senior government officials planned the March 15th Houthi attack using a tool called Signal and invited a reporter from The Atlantic to be part of the process. 

The story in the New York Times starts as follows:

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth disclosed war plans in an encrypted group chat that included a journalist two hours before U.S. troops launched attacks against the Houthi militia in Yemen, the White House said on Monday, confirming an account in the magazine The Atlantic.

The editor in chief of The Atlantic, Jeffrey Goldberg, wrote in an article published on Monday that he was mistakenly added to the text chat on the commercial messaging app Signal by Michael Waltz, the national security adviser.

It was an extraordinary breach of American national security intelligence. Not only was the journalist inadvertently included in the group, but the conversation also took place outside the secure government channels that would normally be used for classified and highly sensitive war planning. (New York Times)

I remember when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was accused of possessing sensitive material on an unsecured phone. Trump wanted her jailed. Why is it that he is so quick to move against others, but never take responsibility for himself or his people? I wonder what the results of this incident will be? 

And accidentally including a reporter? Nothing is an accident. The whole incident smells of neophytes who do not begin to grasp the importance of operations security and the proper use of secured communications. Additionally, it seems obvious that they believe that rules are made for others and not themselves. 

The Washington Post version of the story additionally has the following:

Senior Trump administration officials have warned in recent days that they will investigate unauthorized leaks to journalists, citing reporting in a number of publications. Several of them also for years criticized the handling of classified information by Democrats in other cases. (The Washington Post)

I'm waiting for the spin doctors to move in on this one. I am sure they will blame the entire incident on Biden. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - March 24, 2025

 

Happy Monday!

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

Samoyed
Tiki52, Tequesta, FL
March 19, 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

US retailers haggle with suppliers after Trump tariffs - Reuters

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

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

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

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

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

Greenland slams planned visit by US officials - CNN

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Finn and the Lizard

 

Finn and the Lizard
Tequesta, FL
March 20, 2025

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

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

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

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

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL