In a series that began on 31May2026 as MY LIFE:  Part 1 , I've been serializing my life from youth to retirement.  MY LIFE: Part 3i--Incredible Journeys during Reti... MY LIFE: Part 3h--Incredible Journeys during Reti... MY LIFE: PART 3g Pearl's Ashes--Machu Picchu MY LIFE: PART 3G Pearl's Ashes--Mount Kilimanjaro MY LIFE: PART 3G Pearl's Ashes--The Taj Mahal MY LIFE: Part 3F: Gratitude....Not Grief MY LIFE: Part 3e Pearl's Ashes MY LIFE: Part 3d MY LIFE: Part 3c MY LIFE: Part 3b MY LIFE: Part 3a MY LIFE: 2b MY LIFE: Part 2a MY LIFE: Part 1b MY LIFE: Part 1 Fifteen episodes later, I was into some of those incredible journeys I had in my retirement.  These will continue for a few more chapters, but today, I will crystalize the essence of my life into a few highlights.  So I titled it Part Alpha. On 30September2026, my post was titled:    MAGIC CAN HAPPEN IF YOU TRY This article focused on a magical period from high school into Stanford.  So if you want ...

The world has reached a lull period. Iran war continues with the Strait of Hormuz closed and little in battleground activity.   Invasion of Kharg Island? Maybe tomorrow? The sudden death of Senator Lindsey Graham was a shock.  Now what? He was the Republican to face Democrat Annie Andrews on November 3. Republicans now need to go through essentially the same ( but different ) process as Democrats in Maine to find a replacement. There are 114 days until November 3, so both parties have enough time. Fritz Hollings was the last Democratic Senator from South Carolina.  That was 20 years ago.  The other senator from this state is Tim Scott. Prediction markets in January of this year gave Democrats less than a 10% chance to beat Graham.  However, last month that percentage had jumped to 21%.  On November 3 with no Graham on the ballot, who knows for sure? The FIFA World Cup is taking a 2-day break. Semifinal 1: France vs. Spain – July 14 at 8 PM ED T (AT...

The big news of the day is that, according to President Donald Trump, Israel and Iran have agreed to a ceasefire. Of course, he has made similar statements in the past, on 2April2026 and 8June2026.  We'll know in a day or two if this latest development will last, leading to an opening of the Strait of Hormuz and success in peace talks. However, yesterday: When Welker mentioned what local (California) officials have said about the process, Trump said, “They’re crooked. Just like you’re crooked. Your press is crooked and Meet the Press is crooked.”   Then, President Trump stormed out of an interview with NBC's Kristen Welker yesterday , after being challenged on false claims about California's ongoing elections and the 6January2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, something he has done in the past, like the CBS 60 Minutes interview with Lesley Stahl in 2020, and several more instances in the past.  Presidents Biden, Obama, both Bushs' and Clinton never did so in anger. To b...