The wine world knows that France, Italy and California produce the best red wines.  The top two wine producers switch between Italy and France, with Italy now #1.  #'s 3 and 4 also change, with Spain today producing more than the USA.  Australia is #5.  China is rapidly rising, and is  affecting wine prices in other ways,  too.  Interestingly enough, though  world wine production is dropping , and  is lower than 1961.  Some blame climate warming. Today I will focus on the best red wines.  Some day I'll talk about the finest white wines. France:  Bordeaux and Burgandy. More specifically, there are two blends of Bordeaux, the left bank uses mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and right mostly Merlot. Burgandy is almost always Pinot Noir, although White Burgandy is Chardonnay. Italy:  Piedmont for Barolo and Tuscany for Brunello de Montalcino. California:  Napa Valley and parallel Sonoma Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon and red blends. ...

 As predicted yesterday,  Israel struck dozens of military targets in Iran yesterday , and  again tonight . Iran retaliated with a weak 100-drone barrage, with no deaths reported, for Israel has an Iron Dome.  Russia this week sent 500 drones into Ukraine, and they have no defenses.  Of course, more is promised by Iran, but what?  They are too weak today, with their allies decimated. Was the USA involved?  Not directly, but we knew about what was to happen.  President Trump even said today that perhaps now Iran will take advantage of the still upcoming Sunday negotiations and agree to give up nuclear weapons, so they can get, perhaps, some concessions. Trump, of course, has been preparing for his Big, Beautiful Parade in D.C. tomorrow to show off our military capability, and his powerfulness.  Supposedly to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Army, and just by sheer coincidence, his birthday.  He will turn 79. Yet,  Time  ma...

It was only a matter of time when  Donald Trump clamped down on California , the state he most hates. That ICE issue with immigrants is only a secondary matter.  He was waiting for any kind of protest to show this Democratic state who is the real boss. What he did in activating the National Guard and calling in the Marines without the involvement of Governor Gavin Newsom has happened in the past. Trump is out to embarrass Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to tarnish their image. Most fearfully, he is merely testing out how he can refine his quest to become dictator. Can't the courts check him?  They have no enforcement capability.  Trump controls the Department Defense, Department of Justice and the National Guard. Even Time magazine agrees with me. Oh well, the worse is yet to come.  On this nostalgic Tuesday, I reach back to Chapter 6 of my book,  SIMPLE SOLUTIONS for Planet Earth , titled,  Blackout:  Six Hours to Seattle.   I summar...