I promise to minimize, if not completely avoid again mentioning this week, that Trump hush money trial.  But just to finally summarize as to where this spectacle stands today: Robert Costello, the only meaningful defense witness, bombed.  He became an embarrassment. All in all, the prosecution now seems to have an upper hand. The trial is recessed until a week from now, May 28, when both sides will make closing arguments. Mind you, I've never served on a jury or been in a trial.  Plus I never watched Perry Mason, and certainly not Judge Judy.  I also did not see  12 Angry Men , a 1957 film starring Henry Fonda about a murder trial.  Got 100/97 ratings from  Rotten Tomatoes .  I checked, and it is on Amazon Prime. However, I've kept close tabs on the doings, and here is my best guess: Acquittal  1% Hung jury  30% Guilty of misdemeanors  40% Guilty of felonies  29% So what? If acquitted, Trump could well become your next presiden...

We're in the Plumeria Lounge of Hawaiian Airlines. Next stop, Haneda Airport.   It's alway so exciting to anticipate the coming of a global adventure.   Now, I want these trips to be as secure and comfortable as possible.  Thus, we are traveling business class, except for the Bangkok to Dubai to Munich leg being on Emirates first class.   I never asked, but I assume they don't practice Ramadan on their flights and airport lounge. In  2022 we caught an Emirates first class from Bangkok to Duba i.  Unlimited caviar, with showers on the plane.  Fabulous experience.   So we thought we'd double the pleasure.  It is 3000 miles from Bangkok to Dubai, but 3700 miles from Dubai to Munich. And a big plus.   Washington D.C. is reaching peak cherry blossom blooms now.   They said it's due to climate change.  Tokyo and D.C. are very similar in terms of weather.  Certainly, too, our first few days then will feature a...

                     From  Worldometer  (new  COVID-19 deaths yesterday):     DAY     USA    WORLD      Brazil      India      South Africa June     9     1093     4732         1185        246       82 July    22      1205     7128         1293      1120     572 Aug    12      1504     6556        1242        835     130 Sept     9      1208      6222       1136       1168       82 Oct     21      1225      6849 ...

               From  Worldometer  (new  COVID-19 deaths yesterday):            DAY    USA    WORLD      Brazil      India      South Africa June     9     1093     4732         1185        246       82 July    22      1205     7128         1293      1120     572 Aug    12      1504     6556        1242        835     130 Sept     9      1208      6222       1136       1168       82 Oct     21      1225      6849  ...