We are on the Norwegian Encore from Miami to Southampton, UK, and will be at-sea for the next few days.  This gives me an opportunity to wonder how the USA got to the point where a convicted criminal, liar, misogynist and all-around lout, former president Donald Trump, has a 50-50 chance of getting re-elected tomorrow. About the voting public. Most of them have gone through our K-12 school system, which, in addition to academics, teaches you to be a good citizen, with some pride regarding our country.  Just about all states require students to daily recite the  Pledge of Allegiance .  Written by minister Francis Bellamy in 1892, it is short, simple and meaningful. I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. This was adjusted in 1954 when President Dwight Eisenhower, concerned about the Communist threat, asked Congress to add "under God." I pledge allegiance to the flag of the Uni...

The future of Democracy for the USA got a boost from former Congresswoman Liz Cheney and her father, former  Congressman, Vice President under George W. Bush and White House Chief of Staff for President Gerald Ford.  Like JD Vance, Dick Cheney graduated from Yale.  Liz is a law school graduate from the University of Chicago. Better yet, it appears that Liz will campaign with Harris as needed and the  Harris-Walz team raised $361 million August, triple that of Trump-Vance .  Plus all those  additional campaign volunteers  to boost their ground game. The highlight of this coming week is the Donald Trump vs Kamala Harris debate. Finally, some good news for Boeing and NASA.  The  Starliner spacecraft returned to Earth, but without the two astronauts.   When are they returning, and how?   A lot of unknowns remain .  Looks like February of 2025, with SpaceX looming to be the carrier.  But the USA might need to ask Russia fo...