Our trip to Sapporo has been a mitigated disaster.  Apparently, the weather destroyed the fall colors.  It was snowing when we arrived on Hokkaido and has continued to do so today.  So much so, that we will only walk a short distance near the Fairfield by Marriott for food.  Actually, it was worth the trip up to this island. Time  magazine this week featured on the cover Tadashi Yanai,  founder and leader of Uniqlo.  What is wrong with Japan?  Here is his take: But first, his life. Was born in Ube, Yamaguchi, a former coal town. Father had a tailor shop, and Tadashi was outstanding enough to go to and graduate from Waseda University.  He does say he hardly studied because there was a student walkout in Japan to protest against the government, and instead spent time traveling to the U.S. and U.K. where he got most of his ideas fo rchange.  Did graduate in Economics and Political Science. At the age of 34 opened his first Uniqlo store in Hiroshima. In 2003, when he was 54, wrote  One Wi

 I 'm back at 15 Craigside, and as much as traveling is great, coming home is better.  The best part was that my brother, who was on life support two weeks ago, is now recovering well.  So much so that there will be a family reunion in Las Vegas next month.  Oh, that graphic to the left.  That was a flight this past February from SFO to HNL.  I will board maybe the same plane, which will be a 777. I left you yesterday in the United Club of the Harry Reid International Airport.  I continued on a United flight to San Francisco. It was in the 90's all week in Las Vegas.  The surprise of this flight was seeing so much snow. Then the salt ponds of the East Bay approach to the airport. Called the  San Francisco Bay Salt Ponds , they stretch over 16,500 acres.  These salt evaporation ponds have been there since around the time of the Gold Rush in the 1850s.  Real salt, like from Leslie, were produced here for your table.  The colors depend on the type of shrimp and microorganisms that

65% of U.S. adults 21 and over drink alcoholic beverages.   This Gallup poll annual percentage dipped to 55% in 1958 and rose as high as 71% in the 1970s.   However, for households annually earning $100,000 or more, this rate is 80% for 18 and over adults.  Those homes earning less than $40,000/year has a rate of 49%. While in 1992 beer was favored by 47%, with 27% for wine and 21% for spirits, in 2022 this disparity narrowed to 35% beer, 31% wine and 30% spirits. Drinks international released its annual list of the  most popular liquor ( or distilled spirits ) brands  in the world.  In this list of the top 30, only 2 gins made the cut.  Here are a few of them, and you will be surprised. #30 Aperol:  a bright orange Italian bitter, it was created in 1919 and is used in spritzes. #29 Jagermeister:  a German digestif, I noticed it was able in South Korean movie theaters. #28 Gordon's Gin:  dates back to 1769, a bottle is sold every six seconds. #24 Ballantine's Scotch Whisky. #23