Today, a tale of three cities, first from DC:  How goes the Memorandum of Understanding between the USA and Iran?  Some Republican anguish from Time Magazine. ....many Republicans are more nervous than relieved over the deal. Senator Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican, called it “the worst foreign policy blunder in decades." Nikki Haley, Trump’s former ambassador to the United Nations, said of the deal: “If this is true, Iran wins.”   Former MAGA stalwart Marjorie Taylor Greene was perhaps the most Trumpian in her reaction, echoing the President’s criticism of Obama’s deal more than a decade ago.   “$300 BILLION DOLLARS TO IRAN??!!! Trump agreed to give Iran $300 BILLION dollars for reconstruction cost after Trump bombed Iran. Are you kidding me? What an embarrassment! Americans are getting screwed again!!” she wrote on X .  In New York City, the Knicks got a ticker-tape parade . Can you remember back to 1973?  The USA finally got kicked out of Vietn...

  Yesterday, Day 13 of this cruise, we sailed from Guatemala towards Costa Rica.  Dinner was at Savor, two courses of soup+salad. An Australian Shiraz. French Onion Soup and Caesar Salad. Parsnip Soup and Bean Salad.  First time I've ever had either. After dinner, on to other activities.  First, something called Lip Sync War in the Atrium, where competitors act out a song.  Then, on to the Theater for the Diva Extravaganza, Patty Dess. Patty's problem is that she tries to sing better than the divas.  The audience can't care less how well she sings.  They would rather nostalgicize with what is in their mind about the past so they can regain memories. Back to the Atrium for the Adda Band, where I had nachos and scotch. Didn't do much today, for I took only 2673 steps. We arrived for Day 14 in Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica. Has a resemblance to Nawiliwili Harbor, Kauai, where the Norwegian Pride of America visits. Noticed that the beaches here have gray sand...