World Series 2019: It's Over

      It's over for the Houston Astros, that is.   They had the lead, then they didn't.   Displaying a talent for comebacks,  the Washington Nationals did it again-they came back in the late innings to record a victory that made them World Champions for the first time.   Down 2-0, it began to look like this score would stand until the game ended.   Astros pitching had limited the Nats to only 1 hit through 6 frames.   Those Nat fans in Houston and in D.C. began to worry:  are we toast?  Is it over?  Well, as we know:  it's not over until it's over.
    It began with a solo homer, a shot over the fence, now 2-1, Houston.   New pitcher for the 'Stros.  Then a walk.   Then a shot down the foul line that carried over the fence.  The Nats dugout collectively leaped to the rail to cheer the latest comeback, now 3-2 Nats.  The locals were stunned into silence, sitting in disbelief, fearing the worst: they would be witness to another remarkable  effort by "The Comeback Kids" of 2019.   It is the hallmark of the Capitol's team: when they are down, they are not out, but get up, dust themselves off, and proceed to swing at pitches with a renewed vigor, a new precision, a new attitude of "can do".
     As the game continued now into the 8th inning, desperation reigned in the 'Stros dugout.  Manager A.J. Hinch went to his bullpen again, hoping for a stopper who could buy the team time for its own comeback.  It was not to be.   Walks, hits, errors became the scenario on the green landscape.  Combines with another blast from the Nats bats, now the score stood at 6-2, Nats.  Despite these pitching changes, the Astros could not equal the tempo of the surging Nationals.  The 7,8, and 9th hitters of Houston only produced 3 more outs.  Going into the top of the 9th,  Nats were up 6-2.  To add insult to injury, the Nats added another run in their half of the inning, making the score 7-2, which would hold up for the final frame and the game.
       So, put it in the books:  Nats win it all in 2019, a team that was 12 games under .500 at the All Star break in July.  The "Comeback Kids" earned the nick name, to be sure.
      Field manager Martinez expressed his opinion by simply stating that this victory is sweet, indeed.
Longest serving member of the team, Ryan Zimmerman, said much the same after enduring 14 seasons as a Nationals player.  Patience is his watchword.
     Congrats to all D.C. fans, even those members of the U.S. Congress who may or may not be aware of the outcome of the Series this year for a variety of reason.

W orld Series: Game 7 Tonight

     Well, now.  The World Series comes down to a Game 7.  This is the epitome of baseball lore:  after 162 league games, a dozen or more playoff games and 6 Series games in the books, it will finally be over some time tonight in Houston, Texas.  The 'Stros won 3 in a row after dropping 2 at the onset.  The Nats were reeling, but not quite ready to concede.  They came roaring back last night behind excellent pitching by Stephen Strasburg, who went 8  and 1/3 innings.  The long ball figured prominently in the Nats victory as a couple of Nationals went long when needed to provide a cushion for the team in the late innings.
      Tonight will be an exciting climax to a great Series.  Watch it.  8:00EDT/5 PDT

Castle: Familiar :Ludwig's Castle

Ludwig's Castle: Schloss Neuschwanstein

     The Mayor took a nice walking tour of this fine example of late 1880's romantic home building

Back From the Road Again

       The Mayor has returned.  After a long road and exciting trip, the Mayor is up and running.  Lots of things to discuss, amplify, expound on, and otherwise get up to date.
      Most recently, California residents have been again subjected to harrowing images of wildfires, especially in SF Bay Area, Sonoma, Marin, and Mendocino counties.  The Diablo winds have returned and were the cause of a rapid spread of fires, possibly begun when PG&E transmission wires failed and sparked the initial blazes.   Media coverage has been extensive, owing to the spectacle of flames destroying structures in the paths of marching blazes. 
      Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency to facilitate the response of service providers.   Over 240,000 residents have been forced to evacuate and over 2 millions have been without power since last Saturday.  Welcome home Mr. Mayor.
More to follow.

California Maritime Tragedy: Santa Barbara Islands

       As any sailor will attest, a shipboard fire while at sea is the worst situation for all hands.  All the variables of containment come into play: location of ship, time of day, location of source of fire, ability of crew to fight the blaze with on board resources, and the availability of external help.
A chartered dive boat with 39 persons on board caught fire; except for the 5 crew members situated on the top deck, all 34 passengers perished in minutes as the blaze engulfed the 75' charter boat.
     Crew members dove overboard and swam to a nearby boat to seek help.  Before the help arrived, the charter boat burned to the waterline and sank in 20' of water 20 yards of the beach of Santa Cruz Island, part of the Channel Islands National Park.  The Park is world renowned for its clear waters and ample marine life.  Coastal inhabitants have enjoyed fishing and diving here for over 100 years.  As reported, the trapped divers were part of a private group run by a team of scuba divers.  The boat itself is owned by a company long in existence in Santa Barbara, the coastal city about 25 miles north of the islands.
      The US Coast Guard is responsible for certifying the watercraft to ensure it can safely carry paying passengers.  Strict rules are followed regarding life jackets, life boats, fire extinguishers, and the dissemination  of such information when passengers first come aboard.
      Having dived many times in these waters, the tragedy has significant meaning to the Mayor and many of his cohorts.  Endless questions are now being asked as to how and why this great loss of life occurred.  Yes, there are cramped quarters on a small boat; yes, few exits exist from below decks; yes, passengers were asleep and the fire occurred at 3:25am in complete darkness; and there apparently was no sound of an alarm giving rise to the belief that an explosion preceded the blaze.  A complete investigation has begun and the Santa Barbara County Coroner will be in charge.   The US Coast Guard will conduct its own investigation as to the source of the fire and if any violations/procedures were involved.  The entire California Coast community will mourn this tragic loss of life. 

Alexei Navalny: Free at Last

      Opposition politician Alexei Navalny of Russya has been freed from detention by Russyan police.  After more than 30 days, authorities released him.  Many of those opponents of Putin's regime have not been released yet, and pressure is building from locals in Russya to take action.  As the economy continues to suffer under Western sanctions, the Kremlin fiddles away, trying anything to sway opinion to their side.   Good luck.

Hong Kong-The Human Chain

       Well, now, a new form of protest.  Borrowing from another act of protest, Hong Kong citizens added the tactic to their program: the Human Chain.  Linking arms together, the citizens of the city stretched out a long file, a file that covered 25 miles across the city.  This act alone involved hundreds of thousands of locals.  This message conveys new meaning to the term "solidarity".   The protest organizers have proven to be very adept at making changes, adjustments, and adaptations to their plans and tactics.  This does not bode well for a timely resolution to the dispute with the government of Hong Kong and the Communist leadership in Beijing.
       President Xi is no doubt making his plans known among his inner circle.  Those plans have as yet not been revealed to the world.  But the scope of the protests and its duration will cause the mainland Chinese in Beijing to make a move.  With the whole world watching, it will necessitate careful action upon the part of the Communists.
      We'll see soon enough.