Sitting by the River

 

Pelican at The Square Grouper
Jupiter, FL
April 28, 2023

Chris and I met friends at The Square Grouper Friday evening for Happy Hour. We have not been frequenting the Grouper much lately because their prices are too high and they do not have Happy Hour pricing. 

The treat of the evening was the large pelican preening just outside the fence. Once finished with preening, took a nap remaining in the same spot the entire time we were at the Grouper. The pelican did not seem to mind as I walked up to take an image, even though we were only about 8 or so feet apart. It seemed to understand that I could not cross the fence. 

We enjoyed another beautiful South Florida evening even knowing that thunderstorms were coming, but they would arrive later. Sitting by the Loxahatchee River looking at the Jupiter Lighthouse is always enjoyable. We left the Grouper before the evening storms arrived.

We are in the South Florida cycle of beautiful days and stormy evenings. Last evening's storm was a real "gully-washer." It rained so hard that water began collecting on our patio. Chris and I sat outside watching the rain and the lightening while enjoying some adult beverages as I began grilling dinner. The screen we installed to protect the patio area from bugs provides some protection from the rain. We even enjoyed seeing some light hail land in the yard. 

And the weekend is only half over! We still have all day today! I wonder what trouble will come our way?

As an aside, we continue to monitor the recovery of my Dad after surgery to restore blood flow to his right leg. My sister in Houston is on point and doing a great job making decisions and keeping the family informed of his progress and the series of smaller surgeries to complete the process. Chris and I have talked to Dad and he seems in good spirits. We will likely be heading to Houston during late-June as he is completing rehab to provide assistance.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Election Thoughts to Consider

Our Republic is facing dangerous challenges.  In advance of election season, which arguably is underway, I decided to ask my favorite AI engine a question. 

I asked:

What are the signs of an authoritarian leader? 

The response, According to ChatGPT, an AI language model trained by OpenAI:

There are several signs of an authoritarian leader. Here are some of the most common ones:

1. Control of the media: Authoritarian leaders often try to control the media by restricting access to information, censoring news outlets, and promoting propaganda.

2. Personalization of power: Authoritarian leaders tend to concentrate power in their own hands and often surround themselves with loyalists who do their bidding without question.

3. Suppression of dissent: Authoritarian leaders often use tactics such as imprisonment, torture, and extrajudicial killings to suppress dissent and opposition.

4. Disregard for human rights: Authoritarian leaders tend to disregard human rights and civil liberties, often violating them in the name of national security or political stability.

5. Cult of personality: Authoritarian leaders often promote a cult of personality around themselves, encouraging the public to view them as the only solution to the country's problems.

6. Centralization of power: Authoritarian leaders tend to centralize power, often at the expense of local governments and institutions.

7. Lack of transparency: Authoritarian leaders often lack transparency in their decision-making processes and often make decisions behind closed doors.

These are just a few of the signs of an authoritarian leader, and not all authoritarian leaders exhibit all of these traits. However, if you see several of these signs in a political leader, it may be cause for concern. 

(OpenAI, 2023)

I was satisfied with the response. AI is generating a great deal of press and concern, but there are valid purposes for using AI. We must not be afraid of the technology, but we must understand the downside. Anything, it appears, can be used for both good and evil. 

As for the election, it is going to be a long election season. I have already been assaulted by deceptive advertisements that were bending the facts and distorting the truth. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL 

If it is "Friday-eve", we must be golfing

Turtle on the 7th Hole
Jupiter Dunes Golf Course
April 28, 2023

 Thursday has become our golf outing day. 

Chris and I headed off to the local course for a round yesterday morning. We were lucky to get out early, while the temperature was in the 70s, because by the time we finished, it was well into the 80s and we could feel the heat. It was also lunchtime. 

Chris had a good game, but I turned in another less than desirable performance. My putter let me down. I missed a lot of very makable putts. That is how it goes some days.

Turtles across from the 16th Tee Box
Jupiter Dunes Golf Course
April 27, 2023

Yesterday must have been turtle day on the golf course. That was likely due to the bright sun and warm temperatures. It seemed as if the turtles were everywhere. The most turtle were seen just past the Tee-box on the 16th hole. Most of the turtles sought cover after I managed to hit my ball just over their heads onto the fairway. It was not a "worm burner" but it was almost a turtle decapitator. Fortunately, no animals were harmed during the round of golf.

Chris and I walk this course when we play. By the time we ended the round we were tired, hungry (it was noon), hot, and of course sweaty. But, we felt good!

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Between the Storms

 

Looking over the Atlantic
Jupiter Island, FL
April 26, 2023

I made it out for a bike ride yesterday. I rode my base 15.5 mile circuit around Tequesta and Jupiter. The weather was beautiful in the morning, but it soon clouded over.

Chris and I managed a quick trip to the beach for a walk with Finnegan as the day wore on, but even as we walked along the beach the storms were gathering from the south and west. Looking over the ocean, everything seemed fine--but back along the land the gathering storms caused us to cut short our sojourn. 

Looking West from the Beach
Jupiter Island, FL
April 26, 2023

We made it home before the afternoon rains began. We enjoyed sitting on the patio listening to the thunder and watching the torrents of rain pelt the trees and ground. We still need rain, but I am sure that these recent storms have to be easing the region from drought conditions into a more normal rain pattern. I know that these afternoon thunderstorms are a pattern that seems normal for this time of year in South Florida.

More of the same is expected for today.

In the image looking west, the sargassum gathering on the beach can be clearly seen. It is not nearly as deep as some predicted, but the smell of the decaying sea grasses is somewhat off-putting. The dune rises about 10 feet from the base of the high tide line (the darker area) to the mangroves. It is a steep wall of sand and I still wonder if the sea turtles will be able to lay eggs this year. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Rain, Rain,

Rains in Tequesta
Tequesta, FL
October 2022

 It has rained off and on for the past three days. 

That means that my bike has been unused in the garage since I my last ride Sunday morning. 

I have been sitting around the house. Ugh!

The rains at time have been torrential. Fortunately, the storms were not as bad as last October when streets and roads were closed due to the rains. It was a mess during that storm. The storms during the past two days were more restrained. They, however, delivered much needed rain. While the much of South Florida remains in drought conditions, our area has transitioned into abnormally dry from severe drought and that does not include the rains of the past three days. 

But, it is bright and sunny this morning and I am hoping to get out and put some miles on my bike tires this morning.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Repeat Maryland State Champions!

 

Stock Market Game State Championship Investment Team 2023
Arundel High School
Odenton, MD

Today is a total brag blog!

I am so very excited that two of my grandsons, Ethan and Jax Haslup) are part of a Maryland State Champion Squad for the second year in a row!

No, it is not a sports team, is it the Stock Market Game Team. Ethan was on the team last year and is repeating as a champion. Jax joined the team this year, as he is a freshman.

From the high school's Instagram posting:

For the second year in a row, “Team Om & the Ethans” have won the Maryland yearlong championship for the Stock Market Game by beating 750 teams this year 👏👏👏

This is an incredibly difficult feat along with the fact that even with a relatively flat stock market this past year, this team more than DOUBLED their initial $100,000 to end the game with a portfolio value of $219,200. Even more impressive, they beat the second place team by an astounding $62,000 😱📈💪💰

Congratulations to Om Desai, Ethan Nauroth, Ethan Haslup, Ethan Howe, Afolami Elabanjo, Caden Houck, & Jax Haslup 💚

(Instagram)

I want these guys to manage my investment accounts!

Winning one state championship is a grand achievement and resume worthy, but winning two in a row is phenomenal! 

Congratulations to the whole team! You have established a record that may never be equalled.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Monday Musings - April 24, 2023

 

1. The last Monday of April 2023 has arrived. Next Monday will be May Day. There are 35 Mondays remaining in the year. 

2. How about them Orioles? Tied for the second best record in the American League at 14-7 and on a 6-game winning streak! What a win yesterday--another late inning comeback by walk-off in the 10th inning. And I noted there were 36,000 fans at OPACY and the visiting team was not one of the AL East thugs!

Carlin Park Beach
Jupiter, FL
April 23, 2023

3. For the second evening in a row, Chris and I went out to the beach to enjoy the end of the day. It was magnificent. The sky was blue and the water even bluer. The beach was crowded, for Jupiter, but not nearly as crowded as Ocean City during the summer. The osprey's were actively fishing and are always fun to watch.

Moon and Venus over Tequesta
Tequesta, FL
April 23, 2023

4. I hope that you saw the Moon and Venus last evening in the Western Sky. They were a stunning pair hanging over the palm trees and houses. I find that taking images of the Moon as some of the toughest that I attempt. I can never seem to get the Moon and it never seems as big in the image as it does in real life. But, I keep trying.

5. I am concerned about the debt crisis. It appears that too many members of Congress feel that they can hold the country hostage for their own personal gain. Funny part is, while they want to hold the President responsible, the Congress passes the budget and obligates the funding. So they are really holding themselves hostage. 

6. Today in History. On April 24, 1916, on Easter Monday in Dublin, the Irish Republican Brotherhood, a secret organization of Irish nationalists led by Patrick Pearse, launches the so-called Easter Rebellion, an armed uprising against British rule. Assisted by militant Irish socialists under James Connolly, Pearse and his fellow Republicans rioted and attacked British provincial government headquarters across Dublin and seized the Irish capital’s General Post Office. 

Following these successes, they proclaimed the independence of Ireland, which had been under the repressive thumb of the United Kingdom for centuries, and by the next morning were in control of much of the city. Later that day, however, British authorities launched a counteroffensive, and by April 29 the uprising had been crushed. Nevertheless, the Easter Rebellion is considered a significant marker on the road to establishing an independent Irish republic.

Chinese ambassador sparks outrage in Europe over comments - CNN

McCarthy’s authority is on the line as debt crisis mounts - CNN

US diplomatic personnel evacuated from Sudan - CNN

Argentina's lithium pipeline promises 'white gold' boom as Chile tightens control - Reuters

China says it respects sovereignty of ex-Soviet states after EU uproar - Reuters

Strikes ground flights at German airports, railway walkouts to follow - Reuters

How to Spot Greenwashing—When Companies Aren’t as Green as They Claim - The Wall Street Journal

Weapons Makers Can’t Hire Enough Workers as Ukraine War Drives Demand - The Wall Street Journal

Afghanistan has become a terrorism staging ground again, leak reveals - The Washington Post

Wagner Group surges in Africa as U.S. influence fades, leak reveals - The Washington Post

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Super Saturday

Clouds from the North Fork Loxahatchee River Bridge
Tequesta, FL
April 22, 2023

Saturday arrived and I admit that it felt like a weekday. I have trouble distinguishing weekdays from weekends anymore. I placed a call to an insurance company and was surprised when they advised me to call back during normal weekday business hours. 

I began the day by enjoying a pleasant almost 22 mile bike ride through Tequesta and Jupiter. As I stopped on the Loxahatchee River North Fork Bridge in Tequesta, I took an image of the scene looking North. The reflections of the clouds on the water caught my eye, like an impressionist era painting. 

Perhaps I was more attuned to the view as it was Earth Day. It was also at about the 20 mile mark of my ride and I was a bit tired. April has been a light riding month. The almost two weeks spent in Maryland with no biking has reduced my miles ridden. When Chris and I return to Maryland next month we are taking our bikes with us. I have a number of trails that I want to ride. 

Jupiter Island Beach
Jupiter Island, FL
April 22, 2023

For the evening, Chris and I went to the beach for a walk. We were not sure what we would find with the sargassum, but the beach was not badly covered. We found optimist fishermen and boys enjoying the cool afternoon breeze while wondering why they were not catching any fish. We noticed significant beach erosion and there is an 8 foot wall at the base of the dunes. Fortunately the stairs come down to the current beach level. We both wondered how the sea turtles were going to find a suitable location to lay eggs. 

We enjoyed the walk on the beach, with Finnegan, as a way to close out the day. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Day of the Truck

Earth Day Sunrise this Morning from my Patio 
Tequesta, FL
April 22, 2023

Happy Earth Day! 

I had a fortunate event happen two weeks ago as Chris and I were returning from Universal Studios. It may not seem fortunate, but given future plans the timing it could not have been better. When I got out of my truck after arriving home I smelled radiator fluid. Being that it was after 10 PM and we had enjoyed a very long day, I made a mental note to check the truck in the morning. And I did. 

Upon inspecting the truck, I determined that the water pump had failed or was failing. Normally a failed water pump becomes a catastrophic event along side of a busy interstate highway, but in this case I believe the pump was in the process of failing and we made it home. The engine did not overheat and I had no indication from the instruments in the truck that a failure was underway. 

As we were leaving for Maryland to celebrate Easter a few days later, I made an appointment at the local repair shop after our return. My truck was returned to me yesterday. As it turned out, the entire cooling system was contaminated. The water pump failed, the radiator was failing, the thermostat needed replacing as did the housing. As the mechanic noted, he had expected, given the age and mileage on my truck, that the repair would be a fairly simple water pump replacement. It was not! The good news is that my truck is ready for the upcoming trip north and that is the really fortunate part of the story. I would hate to break down along I-95 in Georgia or South Carolina in the middle of the night. 

We discussed the contamination and have no idea about the source. I suggested that it might be windshield washer fluid accidentally placed in the wrong reservoir by an attendant at the oil change store we use, but the mechanic said that that is a windshield washer fluid is water based product and not likely to cause the contamination he saw. He suggested that someone may have put a stop leak product into the system, but I know that I did not do this. Had there been a leak, I would have taken the truck for repair. I was not surprised when he mentioned the contamination because when I was inspecting the fluid that was pooled on the ground I noted it was not a clear and consistent color. 

I will take the truck for a test drive of at least an hour to ensure everything is ready, but I am thankful that it all played out as it did.

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL

Birds of the Day--Golfing

Blue Heron at Jupiter Dunes
Jupiter, FL
April 20, 2022

Yesterday was a golfing day for Chris and me. We try to play golf on Thursdays and having that plan seems to be working as we are golfing more than not. 

Florida golf courses generally have a lot of water. The water creates hazards from which it is unlikely that the errant golf ball will be recovered. I know this because my golf balls seem to have a built in homing device to find water. 

Blue Heron Takes Off with Turtle Watching
Jupiter Dunes, Jupiter, FL
April 20, 2023

The enjoyable thing about the water, however, is the wildlife. Yesterday, for instance, I saw many turtles both in the water and on the shore, a couple very interesting herons, thousands of tadpoles, and even a fish that jumped completely out of the water. The wildlife mercifully distracted me from one of my most miserable rounds of golf in a long time.

I managed a unique image yesterday on the 6th hole, after my ball had rolled down the side of the raised green and into the water. I was setting up for an image of a blue heron with a turtle just off shore. And then, just as I snapped the image, the heron took flight. The turtle remained visible, near the top of the image on the left.

It was a beautiful morning for golf and I was happy to be on the course playing and able to enjoy the wildlife. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL