Pitchers and Catchers

Even though the calendar says it is Winter, it must be Spring because Orioles Spring Training gets underway today as pitches and catches report to Sarasota to begin workouts.

It has finally arrived. Spring Training has returned and hopes are high or the upcoming season.

OK, for the Orioles hopes are not really that high. It is really a dark spot on the excitement that is the beginning o Spring Training. The Orioles have problems--with pitching.

MLB.com suggests that Spring Training will be an exciting one or the Orioles as they work to set their starting pitching rotation. I take the view that the entire season hinges upon what the Orioles do in the next couple of weeks. The Orioles enter training with just two of five needed starting quality pitchers. 


Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun makes the following statement:

When the Orioles officially report to spring training camp Tuesday, they will not be a better team than the one that finished fifth in the American League East last season. That should be fairly obvious.

And that is where we begin the season. 

Hopes are definitely not high. I see the Orioles losing a lot of games with astronomical scores like 9-7. 

Well, we can't win if we don't play!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - February 12, 2018

1. We survived another government shutdown. The cost to the American taxpayers is enormous and the loss of status in the world is unquantifiable.

2. What did you do with your Sunday afternoon now that the NFL football season is over?

Rolls Royce Hood Ornament

3. The U.S. is lagging in the Olympics medals race. Currently standing at 2-1-1 for a total of 4, that is half as many as Norway, the current leader.

4. The torrential rains of the weekend have soaked everything. The lawn is a squishy land of mud. Maybe Springtime is close at hand?

5. The thermometer hit 66 degrees yesterday. Officially it was 63.9 degrees. This morning it is 52 degrees, which looks as if it will be the high for the day.

6. I was reviewing some of the images I captured at the auto show last week. I had forgotten this one with the Rolls Royce hood ornament in it.

7. Youth basketball season is winding down, the playoffs are up for next week. I'm excited because after basketball comes baseball.

Headlines

Abuse Case Exposes Fissures in a White House in Turmoil - The New York Times

Russian Plane Crash Kills All 71 Aboard - The New York Times

Pence: The United States is ready to talk with North Korea - The Washington Post

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

"The lesson of all this was, of course, that because we're a great nation, our challenges seem complex. It will always be this way. But as long as we remember our first principles and believe in ourselves, the future will always be ours. And something else we learned: Once you begin a great movement, there's no telling where it will end. We meant to change a nation, and instead, we changed a world."

Farewell Address to the Nation, January 11, 1989

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Radio Flyer Takes to the Skies

February, so far, has been a month of wild weather. The weather has ranged from below freezing temperatures to the current torrential rains which are making the region excessively soggy.

Looking up the Street
February 10, 2018

Yesterday, however, there was a break in the cold and rain and I was able to get Radio Flyer, my DJI Spark drone, out for a flight. It felt great to wind up the engines and have my drone respond by launching into the sky. 

The flight plan for the day was to continue developing dexterity with the controller and do a lot of low altitude work around the year and up the drive. But, I managed to get some nifty images from the skies in what was my also my highest flight to date. Even the clouds were interesting to look at an realize they contained rains which was going to envelop the region.

My flights were shorter than desired because both the batteries only contained a 60 percent charge from sitting unused for almost two weeks. Note to self--the batteries need to be topped off after they have been sitting unused.

The next time I get the opportunity to fly, I will be working on the hand-launch and hand-signal control of the drone. It is one of the coolest features of this drone and I have been studying the videos in preparation for my first hand-signal control flight.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The Week that Was

Yes, there was a government shutdown, despite the news reports indicating that the shutdown was averted. It was not. I spent time working the shutdown all week and even during the shutdown. It was an incredible waste.

The weather has been cold! Too cold. It has been no fun. 

Nathan Chen Falling

The Olympics began in South Korea. 

I watched some of the team ice skating on the night before the opening ceremonies. 

I felt very bad that Nathan Chen fell during his opening program. All of the build up was a lot of an 18 year old to handle. I am sure he will recover nicely.

The Falcon Heavy liftoff from Florida restored some moxie to the US Space Programs. The double-booster landing was fabulous. No one else on the planet has been able to pull that off.

The week!

I'm happy that Saturday is here. I only wish it were warm enough to golf.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Our Government at Work

I really a being a bit facetious with the title because as I write this i have been advised that appropriations to fund the government have lapsed again and that we are in yet another shutdown furlough.

We just did this a couple of weeks ago.


Congress continues to unevenly attempt to fund the government and the President  seems to enjoy the on and off-again form of government that shutdowns create. 

Chaos!

Waste! The amount of money that goes into planning for a shutdown, whether one actually occurs or not is phenomenal. 

As I write this, the New York Times is reporting that the shutdown is over! 

House Passes Budget Deal to Raise Spending and Reopen Government - The New York Times

But has the President signed the bill? Are we going to have to do this again in a few weeks? 

The questions remain.

Fundamentally, this is not way to run a government. We are rapidly becoming a third world country in terms of consistency in government. If this continues, our credit rating will slump and it will cost a lot more to fund the debt.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

I Love a Parade

A large military parade to demonstrate how powerful the U.S. military is for all to see.

It is like an adolescent game of who can spit the watermelon seed the farthest. 

Or a game of my army's bigger than your army!

Ugh!

Have we not gone far enough with this insanity? The need to demonstrate how big and bad we are seems a bit lost on the world. Our military is becoming a shell of its former self due to the continuing budget crises.

The last big military parade in Washington D.C. was during 1991 to celebrate the end of the Gulf War.

Military parades are about ego and power. Of course Trump wants one. - The Washington Post

What would we be celebrating this time?

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Budget Train Wreck

Here we are again!

Some bad dreams just do not end. 

Congress and the President are playing a dangerous game of Chicken with the future of the country.

This republic deserves responsible leadership!

Soon, I hope.

The threat of another government shutdown is looming large. The brinkmanship is horrific. 

"I would love to see a shutdown . . . " The President said.

This is not the right way to run the government. And another continuing resolution is not the way to do business. 

We need consistent and committed government. 

There is a glimmer of hope. Some Senators are talking about a two year budget. It will actually be a year and a half budget, but it would mean we do not have to do this again--next month or next year.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Orioles Outlook

Spring Training is just days away. 

Orioles pitchers and catchers report to Sarasota on February 13th. The remainder of the team is only days behind that. 

I wish I could say that the outlook is hopeful, however, the team has failed to make any meaningful moves to shore up the pitching and the circus that has become Manny Machado's tenure with Orioles will be a continual source of distraction as the season progresses.

Frankly, I do not believe that the Orioles will be a better team than the one that finished 5th in the division with a 75-87 record.

Manny on Opening Day - Will This Year be His Last in
an Orioles Uniform?

The other teams in the division have improved their teams overall, while the Orioles have done precious little.

It certainly appears that the Orioles will finish last in the division again and may not even win 70 games. I know that is a dire prediction--but reality is setting in. I need to go to baseball games for their innate entertainment value and stop hoping that my team will win the division and goto the World Series. I just do not, at this time, see that happening this year.

There is still time for the Orioles to acquire a couple of pitchers to shore up the starting rotation. 

But time is getting short.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - February 5, 2018

1. What a weekend it was. Cold and ice storms. The trees were covered with ice by the end of the day yesterday. I'm sure there are many broken limbs around the area this morning. 

2. Because of the ice, many of the schools are delaying opening for two hours to give time for ice removal/mitigation.

3. The Super Bowl was super! What an exciting game which remained undecided until the last play. I am happy that the Eagles won and secured their first Lombardi Trophy. 

4. Orioles pitchers and catchers report in 8 days! Baseball is going to get started again and that isa good thing. My Spring Training trip is planned and i will begin reviewing the Orioles soon.

5. Ice, why did the weather have to bring ice. 

6. The weather in February is what? Cold and icy!

7. Another government shutdown looms as early as Friday and the Congress and President are playing their violins as the country burns. 

Headlines

Eagles defeat Patriots, 41-33, to capture first Super Bowl title - The Washington Post

Trump steps up war against FBI, Democrats have their own memo plan - CNN

To Counter Russia, U.S. Signals Nuclear Arms Are Back in a Big Way - The New York Times

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

"The task that has fallen to us as Americans is to move the conscience of the world, to keep alive the hope and dream of freedom. For if we fail or falter, there'll be no place for the world's oppressed to flee to. This is not a role we sought. We preach no manifest destiny. But like the Americans who brought a new nation into the world 200 years ago, history has asked much of us in our time. Much we've already given; much more we must be prepared to give."

Remarks at the Conservative Political Action Conference Dinner, February 18, 1983

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

D.C. Autoshow 2018

The event of three day yesterday was a trip into DC to attend the Auto Show at the convention center. The DC Convention Center is huge, I had forgotten how large.

We saw lots of cars and had a great deal of fun. Chris and I went with the Mike, Nicole, Ethan, Jax, Jack, and Jim. Wandering the show was a lot of fun. And we saw there new Jaguar SUV/crossover. What a great car.

I got some great photos of cars and had a funny Kia video made with Ethan. 

The cars were the stars however. 

2019 Mustang Bullet

And I really enjoyed them.

--Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Into the Wormhole

Depiction of a Wormhole

I discovered a new fun fact the other day.

30 seconds can equal 6 minutes!

Amazingly enough I had suspected this fact for a long time. It is almost like a wormhole situation when things are just right.

In this case the right combination of events involves me leaving the house 30 seconds too late and meeting up with the dreaded school bus!

I hate the school busses that ply our streets. The kids  that board them in the morning are especially slow and nonchalant about even being at the bus stops on time. That said, if I have to wait for the bus at the end of my street, I get the added benefit of waiting through two more stops and then painfully waiting for the bus to make a right turn at the end of the community onto US 1. 

Having been 30 seconds too late on a couple of occasions this past couple of weeks I have computed the net time of the delay to be about 6 minutes. Unfortunately, I cannot see the bus when I leave my driveway and so it is not like I could pour another cup of coffee and relax while the bus picks up its "self-loading cargo."

But instead, I am stuck following along behind the big yellow bus as it waddles down the street. And time passes through the wormhole.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Happy Groundhog Day!

One of the uniquely American festivals or celebration; or is it an observance, is upon us once again.

Groundhog Day.

The day when the rodents rule!


When we find out, at least in our minds, whether there will be an early Spring or six more weeks of Winter.

It is Americana at its best. A festival to celebrate something during the coldest and almost darkest time of the winter. 

And it is just fun!

Where else does a rodent own the day--for even just one day?

I hope there is no shadow today. The winter has been too long and too cold already.


Happy Groundhog Day! May all your rodent problems be groundhogs!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Back into the Deep Freeze

Punxsutawney Phil and handler

In a twist of weather February is arriving. After a relatively nice day today, the weather is turning more winter-like for the next week. It is February after all.

Tomorrow is Groundhog Day! We will receive the rodent-generated weather forecast. I suppose it will be as correct as our local weather forecasters.

There will not be any golf this weekend. 

After we hit 50 today, temperatures will not be above 40 again until Wednesday next week.

The cold means that Finnegan will not be able to exercise his youthful exuberance outside. Frankly, his high-pitched bark, when playing, is incredibly aggravating. 

And the weather is grounding Radio Flyer, my drone.

I wish the cold was over and Spring had arrived.

On the warm side--the Spring Training trip is planned, the Spring Break trip is planned, and the summertime cruise is planned! All of them are to warm weather areas. And sandy beaches!

Here is hoping for an early Spring. It is time for the warmth to return and for us to get on with our outdoors life.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

My Take: State of the Union

Last night President Trump presented his State of the Union address. 

The President stated his case for the improvement that the country has seen since he took office and also his four pillared vision for the future.

I was encouraged by The President's cross-aisle gesture:

So tonight, I am extending an open hand to work with members of both parties -- Democrats and Republicans -- to protect our citizens of every background, color, religion, and creed. My duty, and the sacred duty of every elected official in this chamber, is to defend Americans -- to protect their safety, their families, their communities, and their right to the American Dream. Because Americans are dreamers too. (from CNN.com)

But, his wide ranging claims of achieving prosperity for all (do I hear a chicken in every pot?), rising wealth, huge tax cuts, and increased jobs sound like he is doing a great job.

The evidence would suggest otherwise:

“After years of wage stagnation, we are finally seeing rising wages.”

Analysis from The Washington Post: Trump once again takes credit for something that began to happen before his presidency. Wages have been on an upward trend since 2014, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and in fact their growth slowed during the first year of Trump’s presidency.

“Just as I promised the American people from this podium 11 months ago, we enacted the biggest tax cuts and reform in American history.”

Trump repeatedly claims he passed the biggest tax cut in U.S. history, but it’s just not true.  He’s earned Four Pinocchios for this claim before — but repeated it 57 times in his first year as president.

The best way to compare tax cuts (or spending plans) over time is to measure them as a percentage of the national economy. Inflation-adjusted dollars are another option, but a percentage of gross domestic product helps put the impact of the bill into context. Trump’s tax cut, according to Treasury Department data, is nearly 0.9 percent of GDP — compared to 2.89 percent of GDP for Ronald Reagan’s 1981 tax cut. Trump’s tax cut is only the eighth-largest — and is even smaller than two of Barack Obama’s tax cuts.

From my perspective, here is what I see:

Congress is unable to pass a budget and we have already suffered through one government shutdown with another looming a mere 8 days away.

Leading via the Tweet is not a way to run a government.

Making the news to control the news is effective but counterproductive.

The U.S. military is suffering because of the budget crisis and lack of emphasis.

Federal workers are bearing the brunt of abuse about the inefficient government, when the problem lies with political appointees.

My Take: The State of the Union is not a good a portrayed, but needs work to develop a collaborative sense of purpose and then combined action to achieve that purpose.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Weather Panic

The region is panicked again this morning.

Morning Weather Report

A little bit of snow is arriving during the morning rush hour and the news outlets are already on the air hyping the storm.

Three Weeks Ago in Upstate

One news channel announced they would begin their live coverage at 4AM. It is like a disaster or something.

I love this area for their inclement weather issues.

I remember being in Upstate NY a few weeks ago and we got over 5 inches overnight and nothing stopped. Twenty-six schools are already delayed this morning.

Just a little snow. A dusting.

Just another day in Maryland it seems.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - Monday, January 29, 2018

1. Amazingly, this is the last Monday of January 2018. I scarcely can believe that the month is almost over. 

2. Yesterday was a rough day in the youth basketball department. Both Ethan and Jackson's undefeated teams suffered their first losses of the season. I added a short video of Ethan, number 3 in black, working the court.

3. Sunday's can pass very quickly when there are many things to do.

4. It rained all day yesterday, at least it was not snow!

5. I replaced all of the windshield wipers on Chris's car during the week. Amazingly, we can see out the windows during rainstorms now!

6. Watching golf on TV can be frustrating, especially when the playoff does not end until the next day while I am at work. And so goes the Farmer's Insurance Open. I wonder if they will make a funny commercial about "covering that?"

7. It is really cool when your kids run into a former boss and he says really nice things about our time working together.

8. Last week was a really interesting week. I was furloughed for a day and played golf twice! Not bad for mid-January activity.

Headlines

Workers say they warned Amtrak before deadly crash - CNN
Oil Boom Gives the U.S. a New Edge in Energy and Diplomacy - New York Times

Command and control: China’s Communist Party extends reach into foreign companies - The Washington Post

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

"And in all of that time I won a nickname, 'The Great Communicator.' But I never thought it was my style or the words I used that made a difference: it was the content. I wasn't a great communicator, but I communicated great things, and they didn't spring full bloom from my brow, they came from the heart of a great nation -- from our experience, our wisdom, and our belief in the principles that have guided us for two centuries."

Farewell Address to the Nation, January 11, 1989

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Start to Finish

Saturday did not disappoint!

Timbers at Troy
Looking along the Practice Putting Green and the
First Hole covered with Frost
January 27, 2018

The day started cold, temperatures in the mid-20's, but ended admirably although I lost my Fitbit somewhere in the process.

It is a good day when I start it on a golf course. Even the cold temperatures could not cool our enthusiasm as Jeremy and I headed out to play 18 holes. Fortunately, there was a frost delay, which meant the temperature warmed up above freezing before we hit the course. As it turned out, we were able to play as a two-some and completed 18 holes in three hours! And we played very acceptably for the first 18-hole outing of the year. The morning started in the 20's but it was in the 50's by the time we finished. Because of our great pace of play, we were never cold.

But that was not all.

The day developed into a beautiful harbinger of Spring day. We may have touched 60 on the thermometer as the day progressed. That meant that Radio Flyer got to spin its propellers and I continue to learn more about the many functions of my powerful drone. I tried out the hand launch mode, but I had forgotten a critical step and so I learned about the following mode instead. 

Finally, the evening was capped off by a Bull Roast to support a local youth baseball team in their bid to play in a summertime tournament at Cooperstown, NY. It was a fun evening and I was amazed at how many ways people have invented to separate me from my money--even after the cost of the ticket for the food.

What a busy great day!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Saturday in my Mind

Temperature as I write this

Amazingly, this is the final weekend of January 2018. I cannot believe that the month is almost over. On one hand it seems like it just started, but on the other it feels like the month has been dragging on for an eternity.

Saint Martin
July 5, 2017

It has been cold. I will be happy to see the month depart if only for that reason.

In my mind I am walking along a warm sandy Caribbean beach watching the sunrise and enjoying the palm trees swaying in the wind.

In reality, I am about to head out to the winter brown golf course where the temperature is below freezing, even though it was not supposed to get that cold last night, to play a round and imagine that I would be playing better if the conditions were more hospitable. Winter rules will definitely be in play.

But, it is the weekend! 

Springtime will be here soon enough. Well, maybe not soon enough!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Friday Findings

As I roll into the weekend, I took a moment to reflect upon the week behind me.

Possible Sign for February 9th

What a week it was.

I was furloughed for a day, officially. The downside was that I was furloughed, the upside was that I got to play golf on the nicest afternoon of the year, so far.

Sadly, another furlough looms in less than two weeks.

Chris and I celebrated the signing of her retirement papers. 

My drone saw some airtime as I continue to get used to it. I flew it again yesterday afternoon, but it was very cold outside and I didn't get any really good images or videos. I was mostly flying to continue to learn my controls and I took it off the beginner mode for the first time. I recorded my longest distance flight of 1299 feet, and highest altitude of 150 feet. The total flight time was 11 minutes. I forgot to take any photos at altitude while I was enjoying the view and I also had the video off, so I have nothing to show the view, but since the drone software automatically made a video of the the flight highlights when I did have the camera functioning, I thought I'd share it. The added music was a nice touch.

I hope the weekend is full of fun and activity!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Celebrating Life Events

Celebration Tiramisu at
Iron Bridge Wine Co

The days often churn by, one after another, in a seemingly endless stream. Once in a while, we stumble upon a day which has a special significance, not because it marks the anniversary of something we have done before, but because it is the beginning of something new or a significant change in the streaming days.

Such a day was Monday. 

Monday afternoon Chris did something hugely significant. She officially signed the papers announcing her intent to retire at the end of the school year!

I was able to join her for the momentous paper signing, actually we had completed most of the forms before her visit. It was a bit underwhelming for so momentous an occasion. After all, we only retire from a position once. We may retire multiple times during the course of life, but from each position only once. And the first retirement is the most significant.

After the papers were submitted, a pleasantly efficient process, wee stopped by the Iron Bridge Wine Company to celebrate with a few glasses of wine and a cheese plate. While we were there, they gave us a free dessert for the occasion and we made an very enjoyable early happy hour out of the experience. 

The retirement countdown continues, but it is now official. There is a lot of angst and excitement all wrapped together. We have strategically planned the end of summer cruise to occur when she would have been going back to school! With a bit of planning and some sharing from family sand friends we will make this retirement send off one to remember. And it has already started!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

What can we get in exchange?

The Wall

One of the craziest things that I have heard on national television was yesterday from the OMB director who when asked for the White House position about the "dreamers" responded that it depended what they could get in exchange.

I saw the interview with my own eyes and was appalled. It is reported here by CNN.

Really? 

Trading an inanimate wall for the lives of people has become a deal in commodities?

This is how our government has decided to assess the net worth and value of people? By what they get in exchange?

If immigration is such an important issue and, as the OMB Director said, is so closely tied to national security, then why are there no absolutes? If the negotiating position is that we will take what is offered, then why bother to negotiate at all?

February 8th is coming quickly. I hope our elected representatives can craft a deal sooner rather than later but with one side not having any repeatable position, that is going to be really difficult. 

One side in the negotiations doesn't really want either a wall or a defined policy on "Dreamers." They just want to be obstructionists.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD