Monday Musings - May 3, 2021

 

1. The first Monday of May has arrived. Wow. The year is 1/3 complete. There are five Mondays in May culminating with Memorial Day on May 31st. 

2. Friends and family make the weekend enjoyable. Chris and I enjoyed a great weekend.

3. The pool is open! The temperature went from 55 degrees to 64 degrees in one day. 

AL East Standings as of Games through May 2, 2021

4. My New York Times Sunday paper was delivered without a front section yesterday. How does that happened. It worked out though because I called the circulation desk and they gave me 50 percent off for the next 24 weeks. That works out to less than the listed price on the paper. Plus I still get full-time digital access.

5. With the loss yesterday, the Orioles manages to find sole possession of the cellar of the AL East. The good news is that they are only 2 games below .500 and they did win the series on Oakland, even with the loss. 

6. The weather has been great. I am guessing that we will get a bit of rain this week, but we need it. The pool is open, however, bring on the 80's and 90's.

7. Today in History. On May 3, 1469, the Italian philosopher and writer Niccolo Machiavelli is born. A lifelong patriot and diehard proponent of a unified Italy, Machiavelli became one of the fathers of modern political theory.

Machiavelli entered the political service of his native Florence by the time he was 29. As defense secretary, he distinguished himself by executing policies that strengthened Florence politically. He soon found himself assigned diplomatic missions for his principality, through which he met such luminaries as Louis XII of France, Pope Julius II, the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I, and perhaps most importantly for Machiavelli, a prince of the Papal States named Cesare Borgia. The shrewd and cunning Borgia later inspired the title character in Machiavelli’s famous and influential political treatise The Prince (1532).

Biden’s Proposals Aim to Give Sturdier Support to the Middle Class - The New York Times

At Least 4 Die After Human-Smuggling Boat Hits Reef Near San Diego - The New York Times

Police officers’  hesitancy to get coronavirus vaccine poses  safety risks - The Washington Post

How the global chip shortage might affect people who just want to wash their dogs - The Washington Post

Record Lumber Prices Lift Sawmills as Homeowners, Do-it-Yourselfers Pay - The Wall Street Journal

Biden, Republicans Set Talks Over Competing Infrastructure Plans - The Wall Street Journal

India’s COVID-19 cases near 20 million, peak seen nearingIndia - Reuters

EuropeGerman police make arrests over massive child pornography website - Reuters

Ronald Reagan quote for the Week

We went to China to advance the prospects for stability and peace throughout the world. And we went to illustrate, by our presence, our sincere desire for good relations. We went to meet again with the Chinese and review our concerns and our differences. And we went to China to further define our own two countries' relationship -- and, by defining it, advance it.

And I feel that we have progress to report. I had long and thoughtful meetings with the Chinese leadership, comprehensive meetings. We each listened carefully to what the other had to say. We discussed and agreed to cooperate more closely in the areas of trade, investment, technology, and exchanges of scientific and managerial expertise. We concluded an important agreement on the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. We agreed that in this imperfect world, peace in its most perfect form cannot always be reached -- but it must always be our goal. And we, the people of China and the United States, must make our best efforts to bring greater harmony between our two countries.

It's a good thing for the world when those who are not allies remain open to each other. And it's good to remember that competitors sometimes have mutual interests, and those interests can make them friends.
Remarks Upon Returning From China, May 1, 1984

-- Bob Doan Elkridge, MD

Beating the Flu

 I read an article in scientific American this morning that made an interesting point.

The public health measures that were implemented to stop coronavirus work really well on the flu.

That is actually the subtitle of the article:

Flu Has Disappeared Worldwide during the COVID Pandemic

And it makes sense. The flu spreads through person-to-person contact and through unclean hygiene. 

Here is the dramatic part. During the most recent flu season, the U.S. saw only about 600 deaths attributed to the flu when the previous two seasons saw 22,000 and 34,000 respectively. Wow.

Of course people were dying from COVID-19, but the double-whammy everyone was expecting apparently did not materialize. Thankfully. 

I'm not going to call it a silver lining in a dark cloud. But, it is something to be thankful for.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Pool Opening Day

 

The Cover is just off the pool
Elkridge, MD
May 1, 2021

The day has finally arrived and the weather is great.

The pool is opened.

Yay.

I had a bit of help and I am still getting it in shape for actual use, but the pool cover is off and stored and the pump is running. It is an exciting day. 

I realizes that this is my 21st pool opening day since we have lived in our house. It truly is exciting and with the exception of the very first year, I have opened it without professional help every year. 

It really looks very good. It is much greener in the picture than in real life. And the deep end is totally clear--all the way to the bottom!

I sense a great season of pool activity about to start.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

A Hero Passes

Michael Collins
Apollo 11 Command Module Pilot
1930-2021

 Wednesday, April 28th in Naples, Florida, a legend of the space program passed away. 

Michael Collins was the Command Module pilot for Apollo 11, the first mission to land humans on the Moon. He never placed a foot on the surface of the Moon, but he was definitely an integral part of the mission which occurred 52 years ago.

Of the three astronauts on that mission, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins, it was Collins that I always admired most. I never felt that he was slighted in any way by not getting to walk on the Moon--he did his job and the mission was a success because of his contribution. He was an example for me demonstrating that success requires contributions form many people and while not everyone can be the center of attention; everyone has a role in achieving mission success.

Michael Collins wrote a book about the space program called Carrying the Fire. It was a revealing inside look at  what the astronauts experienced. I have read that book more than once because it was exciting to relive the experience of going to the moon but also learning about what it meant to be an astronaut in the 1960's. Amazingly, the first edition of the book which was published in 1974 is for sale on Amazon for $473!

In his obituary in The Guardian, Collins is quoted as saying: 

In 2019, on the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, he said: “I may, in normal times, go a month or two without thinking about it. But when I do, it comes back with a great deal of clarity, more than I would have guessed.”

I, too, remember that great achievement of Apollo 11 and the ". . . one giant leap for mankind" that he helped make happen.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

The President Speaks

 Doug Mills/The New York Times

 I thought President Biden gave a great speech last evening that laid out a plan for the future of America. Let me start there. 

It has been 100 days since Joe Biden was inaugurated. America is a very different place that it was four years ago, but there is hope for the future. 

I reviewed the transcript this morning and continued to be impressed with the attempt at inclusiveness. I was impressed that there were cogent sentences that laid out complex policies without vilifying any particular group. There were invitations to join together and a call for working together restart America. The president laid out a Jobs Plan and called for the Congress to jointly approve the plan to move America forward. 

The president said:

We all know life can knock us down. But in America, we never, ever, ever stay down. Americans always get up. Today, that’s what we’re doing. America is rising anew. Choosing hope over fear, truth over lies and light over darkness. After 100 days of rescue and renewal, America is ready for a takeoff, in my view. We’re working again, dreaming again, discovering again and leading the world again. We have shown each other and the world that there’s no quit in America. None.  (from NY Times)

The president is calling for government to rescue Americans caught in the middle of an economic downturn and COVID-19. how can anyone be against that? Wait, this is still America and people are allowed to dissent.

And how to bring about renewal? I found the following to be especially exciting:

Look, think about it. There is simply no reason why the blades for wind turbines can’t be built in Pittsburgh instead of Beijing. No reason. None. No reason. So folks, there’s no reason why Americans — American workers can’t lead the world in the production of electric vehicles and batteries. There is no reason. We have the capacity. They’re best-trained people in the world. The American Jobs Plan is going to create millions of good-paying jobs, jobs Americans can raise a family on. As my dad would then say, with a little breathing room. And all the investments in the American Jobs Plan will be guided by one principle: Buy American. Buy American.

As the president pointed out, this is nothing new and it was not invented by his predecessor. The president went on to say:

And I might note parenthetically, that does not violate any trade agreement. It’s been the law since the ’30s, buy American. American tax dollars are going to be used to buy American products, made in America, to create American jobs. That’s the way it’s supposed to be, and it will be in this administration.

I was encouraged by what I heard. Sadly, the opposite side has not proposed solutions, only objections. My view is if you want to object that's fine, but what are you proposing instead? 

The president noted:

I have never been more confident or optimistic about America. Not because I am president. Because of what’s happening with the American people. We’ve stared into the abyss of insurrection and autocracy, pandemic and pain, and “We the people” did not flinch.

I hope the momentum of the first 100 days can continue and that more and more the opposition will decide that there is merit in the ideas. At least there is a plan to discuss and determine the future for America. I still cannot fathom how we can decide against helping Americans in need.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

As the Sun Rises

Sunrise through the Trees from my Drive
Elkridge, MD
April 22, 2021

 There is something inherently cool about waking up in my Florida condo, flying out and being at work by 11:30 AM that same day. That is, of course compared to a 15 hour drive. I did that on Monday and yesterday I retrieved Chris from the airport officially ending our Florida get away to reset the condo for our eventual full-time occupancy.

Thursday morning, as I was preparing to drive off to work and before I flew out for Florida, I noticed something as I was about to get into the car. It was the sunrise through the trees. But not just a sunrise as the trees have filled with leaves. 

They begin so slowly, the leaves, and then they are suddenly there providing shade and transforming the landscape from the bleak winter hues into the lush green. The canopy has returned.

I am glad that in the most of my busyness that I was able to pause for a moment and enjoy the sunrise through the trees. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

COVID-19, The World Comes Together

 I am impressed at how much of the world is coming together to fight the COVID-19 virus and infection. 

The tragic scenes from India are motivating countries to work together, again, to defeat the virus. 

The headline in The Wall Street Journal this morning encouraged me:

U.S. to Share AstraZeneca Covid-19 Vaccine Doses With World

Why would the U.S. sit on 60 million doses that have not been approved for use in this country? Get them out to a place being ravaged by the coronavirus. 

It still amazes me that so many people in this country are unwilling to get vaccinated while in the rest of the world where the vaccine is in short supply the population is being ravaged. The rationalizations just do not add up. People are dying to get help in India and in the U.S. we have become numb to the daily death toll and spread of the infection. 

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Monday Musings - April 26, 2021

 

1. Welcome back to Monday. This is the fourth and last Monday of April 2021. The year is rapidly approaching 1/3 complete. 

2. Has anyone noticed that Mondays return too quickly?

Pelicans on Patrol

Carlin Park Beach

Jupiter, Florida

April 25, 2021

3. I love watching the pelicans fly across the ocean as I walk along the beach. They seem so busy and focused. Chris and I always announce them by saying, "Pelicans on patrol."

4. The beaches were very busy yesterday. The temperatures approached 90 and the winds were calm. The ocean was almost flat and it was incredibly clear. 

5. The Orioles have managed to find the bottom of the AL East. They share the worst record in the division with the Yankees. 

6. Jax's baseball team had a difficult tournament this weekend. It was a learning experience. 

7. Today is a travel day. And a work day. And a collapse into bed at the end of a busy day day. 

8. Today in History. On April 26, 1954, the Salk polio vaccine field trials, involving 1.8 million children, begin at the Franklin Sherman Elementary School in McLean, Virginia. Children in the United States, Canada and Finland participated in the trials, which used for the first time the now-standard double-blind method, whereby neither the patient nor attending doctor knew if the inoculation was the vaccine or a placebo. 

West Looks Past Covid-19 and Sees Economic Rebound - The Wall Street Journal

Fire in Iraq Hospital Treating Covid-19 Patients Kills 82 People -The Wall Street Journal

DC cops wreck their police vehicles while drag racing on duty: report - The New York Post

Close encounter: SpaceX craft almost nicked by UFO after launch in orbit - The New York Post

CEO of vaccine maker sold $10 million in stock before company ruined Johnson & Johnson doses - The Washington Post

India sets another daily covid case record; U.S. pledges help - The Washington Post

Israel examining heart inflammation cases in people who received Pfizer COVID shot - Reuters

European Union will let vaccinated Americans visit this summer - official - Reuters

Ronald Reagan Quote for the Week

All Americans long for a safer world in which individual rights are respected and precious values flourish. But we're also realistic. We know we live in a troubled world and that we have global responsibilities. Our industries depend on energy and minerals from distant lands. Our prosperity requires a sound financial system and markets open to our goods. And our security is linked with the security of our allies and trading partners.

Radio Address to the Nation on United States Foreign Policy - April 7, 1984

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, Florida

Happy Hour Saturday

 Florida is definitely different. 

Happy Hour
Jupiter Beach, FL
April 24, 2021

Chris and I wanted to visit one of our two favorite outside watering holes last evening and drove to find the first packed with people, not practicing social distancing or wearing face protection, and with loud music. 

We left and went to the other. 

We paid $5 to park with the promise of getting that about off our check at the end. 

It, too, was closely packed with little observation of social distancing or facial protection. And too loud music which made people shout to talk which added to the volume level.

We did not stay and chalked up the $5 to a life experience. After a short conversation we decided to spend Happy Hour at our favorite place--the beach. We packed up some munchies and beverages and headed to the surf and sand. There were a few others on the beac h, but it was far from crowded--it was in reality, empty except for two other groups on a mile long stretch of sand. 

We enjoyed the surf, which was rough and the birds and the conversation. We listened to our own music and just enjoyed the sights for a couple hours.

Next time we go searching for a place to enjoy Happy Hour, we will remember the beach.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, Florida

Was it Really Friday

Finnegan at Blowing Rocks
Jupiter Island, Florida
April 23, 2021

 Yesterday was one of those strange days when it seemed as if it were already Saturday, but it was not.

I really do not want to rush my quick vacation too much, but it was a busy Friday--starting with the Space launch from the beach before dawn and ending after dark with friends in chatting in the kitchen. Wow. 

And in between I accomplished a lot of stuff.

All told, I made three trips to the beach never actually getting into the ocean or intracoastal during any of them. Finnegan posed on the Blowing Rocks for a quick picture during our morning beach walk. I am amazed how well he blended with the rocks!

And of course there were projects around the condo. Many projects. But we are just doing the things that need to be done after other people have been living in our space.

I am hoping for another great day, and I realize that it truly is Saturday! All day. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL