Before our science topic of this Wednesday, first the latest in the politics of the USA. About Trump reciprocal taxes and Liberation Day, let's start by being realistic.  The U.S. has a sizable trade deficit every year mostly because our exported products are too expensive.  Start with a simple matter of what it costs to produce anything.  Unions are part of the problem, too, but workers here get paid from $30 to $40/hour in many industries.  That is what is earned by employees in China...but per day.  And that's high, for here is what is the  monthly wage in these Asian countries per month :  China $193-332, Vietnam $107-$156, India $74-$223 and Cambodia $122. In the Rose Garden at 4:10PM EDT today, you can yourself  watch President Donald Trump's Liberation Day remarks : Tariff speech shared some facts, exaggerated a lot, downright lied here and there, and continues the process of screwing up the best current economy of the world, ours. There wi...

The Los Angeles County firestorms are now a week old.  While four of the seven fires have been contained, the largest, Pacific Palisades, is still only around 15% contained, and the most deadly in Eaton, with 17 of the 25 deaths, remains two-thirds uncontrolled.  Worse  Santa Ana winds of up to 70 MPH will return later today , with red flag warnings extending for the counties of San Luis Obispo to San Diego.  While other states (including Republican Texas) are pledging assistance to California, looks like the incoming pathologically vengeful  President Donald Trump  will continue to lie and criticize enemies in his second term, for he blamed Governor Gavin Newsom and President Joe Biden for the fire.  Of course they are Democrats, and California did not vote for him.  States like Hawaii will also be in big trouble in the four years to come, for Harris, percentage-wise, got more votes from Hawaii (61%) than California (59%). More about Trump regard...

  On the way to Acapulco we had a mild nightlife, starting with an Oriental Dinner in the Garden Cafe. Mostly Chinese food, and not much at that.  The hot sour soup was lukewarm, but a shot of Johnny Walker Black Label helped.  Everything was too salty.  Watched ADDA in the Atrium. That was it.  Only 3366 steps today. We are now in Acapulco.  View from our cabin. Looks like Waikiki. Lunch of salad and pho, with a Mexican beer and rosé. Yesterday, I essentially walked 3/4ths of mile to gather the buffet lunch.  Today, only half a mile. Acapulco de Juárez is commonly called Acapulco. 3080 miles south of Seattle. 1987 miles south of San Diego. 240 miles south of Mexico City. 2223 miles north of Panama Canal. 3775 miles east of Honolulu. By the 8th century, the Acapulco Bay area had a small culture dominated by Omecs. Followed by Mayan,,then the Aztec Empire around 1500. The Spanish came in the 1520s as linked to Hernán Cortés. Cortez built a major ro...