Before Trump-time, a bit more about the Los Angeles County wildfire, which is approaching 30,000 acres.    How bad is that in the history of California?    Tiny, but, location, location, location!  This fire destroyed an expensive portion of  the state.  Damages have already exceeded anything in the past, so far estimated to exceed  $150 billion .  The 2018  Paradise fire was #1 in damages at only $12.5 billion .   Over 10,000 structures destroyed, placing the LA fire at #2.   The 10 so far killed could well reach and exceed the 2020 #5 North Complex fire with 15 deaths. The  2003 Lahaina  wildfire on Maui covered 3,453 acres, with  100 deaths ., exceeding the #1 85 killed in the 2018 Camp Fire in Butte County, California. Note below that most of the worst have occurred in this first quarter period of the 21st century. The five largest wildfires in California history August Complex fire (2020) in far no...

First, on the Congressional front: 52-year old Mike Johnson ( on the left ,  becomes 53 on January 30 ), from Louisiana, narrowly, and with some difficulty, was voted on the first ballot as Speaker of the House.  This was expected, but was nevertheless an embarrassment the way it happened. 63-year old  John Thune  ( he turns 64 on January 7 ), from South Dakota, is now Majority Leader of the Senate, replacing Mitch McConnell. Then, the daily Donald Trump incident.   Judge Juan Merchan denied Trump's bid to dismiss the case, and said the sentencing will be announced on January 10 , ten days before Inauguration Day.  Whew for Trump, for the judge did also say that there will be no jail sentence at this time.  Huh?  Well, let's see what Merchan says on January 10. The Sentry Tournament of Champions is being played in Kapalua on Maui,  15 miles north of the village of Lahaina , which was decimated last year by fire.  How different they ...

The U.S. Supreme Court this morning declared that Donald Trump does have immunity for official acts!!!    In other words, they took the guardrails off his power if he becomes the next president.  When you add to this monumental judgement the awful performance of Joe Biden at the presidential debate last week, and you know what Trump will do if he gets re-elected, one can only wonder if this is just the beginning of the end of Democracy in the United States. That above paragraph is, actually, an exaggeration of the reality.  Trump and the MAGA movement, of course, are ecstatic and now emboldened by SCOTUS's action.  However, here is what actually happened: The vote could have gone 5-4 against Trump, because there are the three liberal female associate justices and five conservatives.  However, Amy Barrett was only barely in the winner's side corner, and Chief Justice John Roberts, while also siding with the majority, had some cautionary words. The ruling onl...