Clearly, the star of the Paris Summer Olympics is the Eiffel Tower, for it stands out all the time.  It is exactly 300 meters ( 984 feet ) high, and was finished in 1889 for the Paris World's Fair.  It is the most visited monument with an entrance fee in the world, and attracts nearly 7 million/year. After day 2, Japan and Australia have won the most gold medals, 4, but the  USA has the most medals with 12 .  France second most, 8. Australia is doing well in swimming, but the star could well be Leon Marchand from France. The USA is surging. Torri Huske (right) and Gretchen Walsh won gold and silver in the 100M butterfly. Foil Fencer Lee Kiefer, won a gold, topping Lauren Scruggs, also of the U.S.  Kiefer also got the gold in Tokyo. The US Women's soccer team beat Zambia 3-0 and Germany 4-1. Lebron James ( 39 ) and Kevin Durant ( 35 ) led the way to crush Serbia 110-84 in men's basketball. Russia and Belarus teams were banned, but certain individuals were allowed...

First, yesterday President Joe Biden gave a talk about democracy in Arizona.  This was his most blistering attack yet of Donald Trump and his MAGA extremists.  Did you know that  Joe introduced John to Cindy , his wife? And speaking of Trump: His civil fraud trial trial in New York could begin as soon as this coming Monday.   Also, his pool of funds to pay legal bills for his cronies is running out.   Trump won't bother to even seek a transfer of his case from Georgia to a federal court. Finally, that House quagmire about the government shutdown tomorrow.  Looks like Keven McCarthy lost his battle to pass anything only with Republicans.  Democrats in the House say that if only 5 Republicans vote with them, all this nonsense can be avoided.  But if McCarthy makes that move, he will lose his speakership.  So be prepared for at a short shutdown.  Will this be terrible?  Nah.   The USA has had 21 of them over the pas...

I've had numerous articles featuring the Big Band Era.  To the right Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, with Janet Blair.    In 2020 I posted: My favorite song #56 enters the Big Bang era, and today, I feature Jimmy Dorsey: I'll Be Seeing You All the Things You are I'm Getting Sentimental Over You In the beginning there were the Dorsey brothers, Jimmy (left), elder, and Tommy.  In their early group was Rudy Vallee.  They joined Paul Whiteman in 1927 and in 1929 had their first hit.  In 1934 they signed with Decca, and a member of their band was Glenn Miller, who received a loan from Tommy to form his own band.  The brothers had a falling out, so in 1935 Tommy, who played the trombone, formed his own orchestra.  Frank Sinatra became a singer with him, then quit. Boogie Woogie  came in 1939.  Frank Sinatra returned from the Harry James band in 1940 and they made 80 records.  In 1940  I'll be Seeing You ,  written by Sammy Fain and Irvi...

From  Worldometer  (new deaths yesterday):          DAY    USA    WORLD     Brazil      India      South Africa June     9     1093     4732       1185        246        82 July    22     1205     7128        1293      1120       572 Aug    12     1504     6556       1242       835       130 Sept     9      1208    6222        1136      1168        82 Oct     21     1225     6849         571       703  ...