Book Review: Pacific Crucible; Ian Toll

        Pacific Crucible,  the first book in a trilogy of the Second World War in the Pacific Ocean.   Most Americans and most Japanese know the story of the Japanese attack on Hawaii's Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.   The story has been told many times in great detail with many personal anecdotes told by survivors on both sides.  Iconic photographs are generally included to highlight the devastation caused by aerial bombardment of capitol ships at anchor being torpedoed by invading aircraft brought within range of the harbor by the Japanese Navy and its naval aircraft.

        This book by the noted historian Ian Toll adds to the genre of military history.   he brings new information from recently opened sources such as personal memoirs, Japanese military documents, and related political and military archival information.   His task is to weave a narrative that on the one hand covers familiar territory and on the other brings new/fresh information to the work to keep the reader interested and entertained.   He does a fine job in both.

Pig in a Poke or Cork in a Bottle or

       Well, Sports Fans, it was just a matter of time.  And it happened this week: a very Large container ship zigged instead of zagged during a transit of the Suez Canal.  Result:  a halt in international shipping traffic on one of the world's most trafficked  routes.  The Egyptians have a VERY LARGE PROBLEM on their hands.  How does this happen?   Number One, few people work with ships of this size.  Incidents involving a 1300 foot long ship loaded to the max with containers stacked to the moon are rare in real numbers.   But, the characteristics of container ships are fairly well known.  They are all affected by crosswinds.  That means during a cruise, when exposed to those types of lateral forces, the ship becomes a bit unruly(difficult to hold a course).  Now we all  know that the Suez canal is a narrow canal( by definition=narrow) 120 miles overall transit length.   There are a few choke points to be sure.  At times(like now) ships can only navigate singly,  or alternately without the luxury of opposite traffic space.

    A few days ago, the SS Ever Given was cleared for transit, north bound for the Med.   Weather anticipated: winds to 40 knots with obscure conditions at certain points(sand and dust-not uncommon in the region).  And off we go.   At 15 knots +/-, through a space that narrows to less than 100 meters.  And then: whoops! Cross winds, loss of steerage, and carom off the bank and then WEDGED across the lane.  Stay in your lane- the cliched response that peppers everyday speech today is appropriate here.  

     The message is sent out to the world:  traffic halted through the Suez Canal:  container ship runs into banks along the way.  Waiting ships captains, crews, owners, shipping brokers go to the medicine cabinets all over the world and grab a handful of aspirins, some drink water with them, others just swallow, hoping for quick results.

       When will it be freed?  FREEDOM??????  Waiting game is being played out.  No, not like the NCAA Tournament-no Sweet 16 here.  Just anxiety, frustration, and financial pain, all in one.

     The Captain?  Probably in his bunk, talking to his loved ones as he sees his career take a turn(slightly) for the worst.  As an old sailor, I would venture his owners gave him the word to proceed on course and timetable.  The Canal owners(Egyptians)  they gave him the word to proceed with regular rules applied. The pilot?  Situation normal: All F***ed Up!

     Brokers and owners are exploring the alternatives:  Cape Horn to Gibralter; Cape Horn to London; Cape Horn to Rotterdam; Cape Horn to Dansk.  Satellite navigation systems are crunching the numbers; fuel consumption is grinding the laptops.  Dollars and Euros are flying around the icloud.   It's a memorable time, like the Pandemic.   Enjoy the show, and be happy the ship doesn't have the coronavirus onboard(or do we know yet?).

 

A Chill in Alaska: Chinese Meets US State Dept Senior Officials

       Anchorage, Alaska.  A port city; a year around port city tucked inside a long body of water, an inlet really,  that offers access to the largest state of the United States.  It also lies on the Great Circle route utilized by the airlines when flying east-to-west USA to Asia's east coast(China, Japan, Russya, etc).  So, the USA's newest Secretary of State and his assistant secretary, arranged ameeting with their Chinese equals to discuss the "situation".

       What's the "situation"?   Well, the bonehead Trump has been sent packing to his cavern in Florida where he is plotting his comeback.   Joe Biden is in the White House.  New cabinet appointees are taking their positions, replacing the idiots appointed by the fool.    The Us and China have wrestled with the Covid pandemic for over 14 months and it appears progress is being made in both countries.   Mr. Trump sent mixed messages to China regarding many issues, not the least calling the virus a Chinese virus.   China has a lot to answer for regarding its handling of the virus and information related to the containment of the spread.  Communist leaders used the usual and customary tactics of all communists:  the state is all powerful and no tactic is too harsh when it comes to following state orders.  As a result, Chinese citizens were dragged from their homes and isolated in quarantine.  Suspected infected individuals were tested and isolated until proven free of the virus.  Cities were isolated and closed off.  Travel was shutdown between cities and provinces.    Fresh markets were closed, and the sale of live animals restricted and prohibited throughout the country.  This has resulted in a reopening of China(at home) while the rest of the world continues to grapple with containment and vaccine distribution.

       So, yes, lots to talk about in Anchorage.   But the "talks" were not amicable.   The Chinese foreign minister   cited ongoing social problems in the US that in China's eyes indicate a failing state.   The US Secretary nominated the Taiwan issue as important; the South China Sea incursions as important, the support of Iran and North Korea as important, the suppression of the Uighurs as important, and the failure to abide by the contents of the Hong Kong agreement with the UK signed in '97 to preserve all facets of the region for 50 years.   Not to mention the arrest of two Canadian citizens on false charges, holding them for more than two years, and trying them in a secret 'court' proceeding.   And then there's the issue of providing information and access to a W.H.O. delegation of scientists who were attempting to uncover the facts as to how the virus started in Wuhan and spread to the rest of the world.  You know: the world we live in?👅👅👅

Gavin Newsom's EDD Problem

      Well, our illustrious Governor, Mr. Newsom, has a host of problems on his desk right now.   How to sort them is his biggest problem.   He will face a recall Special Election after the Secretary of State finished certifying the 1.5 million signatures on the recall petition.   This will be done in time for the board of election officials to put together all the requirements to hold the recall.   But Gavin has a more pressing issue(No, not the Covid pandemic) right in his own backyard.  It seems like the State of California has provided lax oversight in its unemployment department.  The EDD, as it is known, has given billions of dollars(your tax dollars) to individuals who have filed FALSE CLAIMS.  You know : f-a-l-s-e c-l-a-i-m-s.

       Seems like with all the Federal money floating around from the Biden Administration, locals felt that speed was the answer to all the new claims.  We can worry about fraud later.   The Guv was obviously onboard with this method of providing benefits- more is better, speed is good, results speak for themselves.  In other words, we accept false claims as a minor problem compared to the bigger problem of the unemployed.  And then, it exploded into a MAJOR problem for all involved.   It's bad enough that shutdowns came and went with increasing rapidity: Open, Close, Open, Close.  Schools and businesses were being pummeled by Sacramento and their local boards and county administrators.   Not the way to run a business, Gavin.

         So, with the help of considerable private funding the recall was launched and achieved its goal of providing enough signatures to qualify for a recall election.   The Spin Machine of the Democratic operatives has now moved into high gear.   Various legislators(Democrats in a Super Majority legislature) have started the media bombardment that calls the recall racist.  So soon?   Seems like that "word" would be held back a few more weeks.   The Unemployment Dept.'s web site is down.  This results in: anger, frustration, fewer claims settled, needed funds held back, fear among the unemployed work force, and a signal to the world that the State of California is not being led by competent leaders.  

    So, it's likely that the Governor is sleeping less and enjoying springtime less.   Will things change?  In time, the bureaucrats will fix it.    The police in Sacramento have arrested a gang(including several confined prison inmates) for filing $125,000 in false claims.   That's front page news in the state capitol.  That accentuates Mr. Newsom's problems.   Eureka!

Book Review: "The Splendid and the Vile", Erik Larson

        Erik Larson, the popular and talented historian and author, has written a new look at a much-written about subject:  the City of London's ordeal under the Nazi Blitz at the early stages of World War II in Europe.  Historians and the general public continue their efforts to chronicle and absorb the facts of the conflict the results of which we live with today.  The tactics used by the Nazis revolutionized "modern" warfare:  ruthless, overwhelming attacks that neglected the safety of civilians caught in the crossfire.  By the time the Nazi army had advanced across the Low Countries-Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg, France was up against an onslaught that caught them ill prepared as the famed Maginot Line failed in all respects.

         Erik Larson took a novel approach by focusing on a period during which Great Britain became the target of the maniacs in Berlin: Hitler and his followers.   Fortunately for the Brits, they were able to hide behind the English Channel before Hitler could continue the attack.   When the British Army was evacuated from the beaches of Dunkirk, over 325,000 troops made it home, the future looked grim, indeed.   Winston Churchill, the Prime Minister, had his work cut out for him.   The book looks at the details of Churchill's early war years, from the end of 1939 to end of 1941.   This time period included those months when the Luftwaffe, Hitler's aviation arm, conducted unrestricted warfare on the British Isles.  His goal: to force the British government to sue for peace before the entire country was leveled by aerial bombing.

         Larson has a special talent for bringing new evidence to the reader and a different approach to what is a well known topic.   He intersperses his narrative with evidence from personal diaries from the Churchill family(wife Clementine, daughters Mary and Diana, and son Randolf), and Nazi leaders- Hermann Goring, Rudolf Hess, and various military officers.   Many accounts of the blitz come from the victims: Londoners, fighter pilots, members of Parliament, and the Royal Family of King George V.  Larson keeps his readers going by breaking his narrative into small, bite-sized pieces as he skips across the continent weaving facts , figures, and results of many, many small decisions.  Despite numerous biographies of Winston Churchill, Larson uncovered many incidents and activities that revealed even more aspects of this remarkable man's life and the stunning effect he had on the future of the free world when few thought Great Britain could survive alone.  They couldn't, but they held out until the American people entered the fray and crushed Hitler and his Nazis.  This book is entertaining and informative and belongs on any bookshelf of the history buff.

5 Star raring *****

Lula: He's Baaaaaack

        Like a bad penny, he's here again.  That is, He, Luis De Silva, convicted former president of Brazil, had his conviction overturned by the courts and is now eligible to run for office again.  I'm sure he's marshalling his troops to get ready.  He still remains popular among voters, and given the poor performance of current president Joao Bolsanaro, he could replace this poor performer soon.  Brazil faces considerable challenges because of the pandemic.  LArge population centers have been hard hit , and the struggling economy reflects the loss of growth and the possibilities of growth.

       Lula's record was not great, but he was dynamic, offered a vision of hope for future generations, and instilled pride among the citizenry.   He could win again.

March Madness: Ready?

       Despite the pandemic, some sports are continuing, one being basketball, NCAA basketball(in addition to the NBA version).

      Brackets have been published and the games will begin this week.  Last week was CHamp Week, or league playoff week, or local talent exhibition week, or culling the losers week, or look what could have been week.  All the major conferences had their respective tournaments without fans.  TV coverage was about the same.   Some big time schools failed to make the cut: Duke and North CArolina for two.

     Little Gonzaga, the private Jesuit school in Washington State is again in the No.1 seed position.  It could prove an eleusive goal as competition becomes fierce as the games proceed.  Fans like the possibilities of the "Cinderella" team that upsets the favorites along the way.  Over the years few of these teams went vry far after a few close wins, but hope springs eternal for players and fans both.  And who knows?  bettors in Vegas can plunk down lots of cash for the odds on winners and losers.  100-1 odds?  Well, think about it: $1 dollar could get you $100.  Sounds like a good deal, but, it's not, really.  But, in many cases, gamblers are a breed of dream chasers, never much living in the now, only in the future created by their own dreams.

   Tune up your recorders, get ready to warm the couch and keep the snacks handy. 

Stimulus Checks and Money for El Dorado County

       Well, Congress did something.  Hard to believe that our elected officials "acted" like real representatives elected by us to do something.  Thank you, Joe, and old Chuck Schumer.  The stimulus bill or Act will send $1.9 trillion dollars around the country.  Yea if you are on the list.  California is at the top of the list-population is the name of this game.   We have lots, ergo, we get lots of $$$$$$$.  Seems right, especially if you lost your job, ran out of unemployment benefits, or are awash in debt and can't pay rent.  Hmmmmm.  Sounds like there would be many folks in each category.  So, who gets what?  Let's see the breakdown as per our friends in Sacramento:

1. $40 billions for $1,400 checks(low income citizens)utions)
2. $30 billions in unemployment benefits
3. 16 $billions lost tax revenues for counties
4. 15.9 $ billions for K-12 schools to reduce class sizes(more teachers), PPE's, and transportation upgrades
5. $5 billions for state colleges
6. $4 billions for transit agencies(T.A.R.T.)
7. $3.9 billions for childcare support
8. $3.8 billions for rental assistance(landlords, lending institutions)
9. $550 millions for capital improvements(roads, sewers, dams, bridges, etc)

$300 millions for vaccination efforts(in addition to FEMA mass vac sites)

     So, it's obvious, the bill injects quite a bit of Do-Re-Me into the country, a much needed boost in light of the economic fallout from the pandemic that has been the scourge of the USA and the world for over a year.  The end is in sight.  Vaccination rates are improving, at least in the USA.  california is one of the leading states in numbers alone.  However, it might not be sufficient to stave off a recall of Gov. gavin Nuisance or Newsom.  Signatures to qualify for the ballot must be registered in Sacramento today.  The State's inspectors have until April 12 to check the veracity of the signatures submitted(+ 1, 500,000).

     So, voters will be subjected to months of campaigning by supporters of Newsom and supporters of the recall effort.  Voters will also choose a new governor at the same time to replace the Marin County businessman, the former mayor of San Francisco, home to a hard core democratic base populated by the likes of Willie Brown, Diane Feinstein, Nancy Pelosi, among others.

       Ready, Set, Spend. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Job's Peak above Heavenly Valley Ski Run

Tahoma:Snow

 

Team LaBron V. Team Durant NBA All Star Tilt

      So, it appears that the crowd control rules are set to change: some pro leagues will soon allow fans to actually attend a local contest in a stadium where one might sit amongst other fans.  The caveat: limited numbers/limited ticket sales.   Masks will be required during the contest and at all times when inside the venue.  Rules will vary depending on the location.

       I talked with a neighbor today; he's a Little League umpire, an umpire trainer, and a dedicated volunteer.  He told me last season he was an umpire on opening day and the league was shut down for the season the next day.  So much for 2020.  And this year?  Nobody is talking and nobody knows the answer just yet.  The word will have to come from Little League HQ and Sacramento.  When will that happen?

       So, the NBA All Stars played in front of TV cameras.  LeBron and company defeated Durant and Co.

As usual, the stars leave their defensive moves at home.  Hilliard and Curry played together and performed as expected: quite well, downing 3-point shots with impunity.  That's always a treat even though we've been accustomed to Curry's theatrical moves for several years now.  Maybe they will play in front of fans again soon.

Tahoe Weather Now: Springtime Soon

      Mayor of TahomaToday 

Navalny Taken to Harsh Prison

Well, leave it to the Kremlin to screw things up again. It's bad enough that the Chief Putz ecided to arrest Navalny, conduct a "SHOW" trial, and then convict him of violating his "parole" conditions while in hospital in Berlin recovering from a Kremlin-ordered assassination attempt. Save for the quick thinking pilot of the plane returning Navalny to Moscova from Siberia, he would be long dead. As described by those familiar with the inhumane treatment of prisoners throughout Russya, the conditions inside these hell holes borders on outright torture. As an example, the system inside the prison has a parallel control unit besides the penal officials onsite. These are other prisoners who form gangs or collective "enforcers" who do the dirty work for the state: when one needs a shave, one cannot do it for yourself-the process is conducted by a member of the inside gang member. Needless to say, the results speak for themselves: while waiting for ther process to be completed, the prisoner/victim endures the taunts of the barber who at any moment could inflict a fatal slice across the throat. Most often, the barber gets a little "careless"; nicks, scrapes, and cuts usually result in minor wounds that tend to bleed profusely(facial conditions). It's a throwback to the years of 1937 when Joe the Murderer was in charge of all extermination orders that filtered down from the Kremlin where Dirty Joe conducted his mass paranoia activities. Ww know millions upon millions of innocents died as a rtesult across the former U.S.S.R.-the largest country in the world. The new American administration headed by Joe Biden, will be looking closely at all actions of Putin's Kremlin. Large sanctions continue in place as a result of Putin's annexation of the Crimea in 2014. The Ukrainian war is still a hot war, and still denied by the Kremlin. In Syria, Russyan troops continue their effort to undermine Western efforts to remove Assad and his regime. Putin continues to push his retrograde programs in hopes of turning the clock back. Many have tried, few have succeeded. He will add to the total of those who have failed in those efforts. meanwhile, Mr. navalny will endure tortue in a Russyan prison. Be brave Alexsei.