I've noticed that reading of my blog peaks during my travels.  We earlier this year had an around the world journey I called   OMGA for Our Memorable Global Adventure .   So today, an alert as to when you can return for three future trips. In a little more than a month, we leave for Europe to catch a European River Christmas Cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest.  Most people just take a long flight east to Europe.  Ours will be a cruise from Seattle, through the Panama Canal, to Southampton, England. Then in the Spring of 2025, we fly to Osaka for the World Expo. During the Winter of 2025, we are contemplating the following extravaganza, I call Our Monumental Epic Global Adventure, OMEGA. We would like to catch the Queen Mary 2's around the world trip.  We might need to leave the ship in Los Angeles.  It's possible that we won't be able to disembark in Honolulu.  However, we can fly back to Hawaii.  So three truly monumental trips, t...

First, some news summaries: Looks like the U.S. Congress, mostly the fault of the House, will not by Friday provide stopgap funding for some of our Federal agencies, thus partially shutting down certain departments. Big deal?  Not particularly, as this  has happened 10 times since 1981 . Also, the offices affected are not so crucial.  The important ones need funding by March 8.  But even then, "essential" employees, including the president and the Congress, will continue to work and be paid under any circumstance. The longest shutdown was during Trump's reign, when functions stopped for more than a month. Chances are that something will happen next week to again, temporarily, re-open our government. By the time you read this,  moon lander Odysseus might not be working,  a few days earlier than planned.   Not a great mission, for the lander tipped over on landing, preventing full use of the solar panels. Watch a video  of what happened. Sent a...