World Affairs

President Trump is scheduled to meet with Putin on July 16th in Helsinki, Finland. This is the day following the World Cup Championship Game in Moscow on the evening of July 15th. The Russian team is still in the running in the group of 16. Putin will be on such a high flying the 545 miles to Helsinki after such a celebration.  And our guy may have a bruised ego after the chilly reception expected in the U.K. on July 13th. Hardly an even playing field but he is taking his wife with him for "moral" support. Nothing good can come from this.
tjs

Stowaways I

In the days of break bulk vessels, USL had the North Atlantic range well covered. On a westbound voyage, just before departure from Europe, several stowaways slipped on board and secreted themselves in hiding. They figured on a ten day voyage to New York and had provisions and water for survival. But half way across the Atlantic, the vessel suffered a mechanical failure and had to be towed back to a European port. By this time all of ten days had elapsed and our unmanifested passengers figured they had arrived at the Big Apple and came out of hiding and were apprehended by security as they headed down the pier. It's all about unintended consequences.
tjs

Lights Out

How now Dow Jones! This stock market measure

was introduced in 1896 reflecting the top 30 stocks listed. General Electric (GE) has been a member since 1907. But over the years the listing has rotated from steel and railroads to insurance and service industries reflecting the times. But now, next week, GE will be dropped from the listing - the last of the original firms making up the list. The times they are a changing - power generation is hurting - financial services not as profitable and surprisingly, their stock dividend has been cut. They say fame is fleeting  - but GE had a 110 year ride. BTW, for you stock market followers, GE's replacement on the list will be the Walgreen Group.
tjs

Human Interest

There used to be a saying in the world of merchandising "Does Macy tell Gimbel?" Macy's store in a Alexandria, Virginia mall closed recently and was abandoned and converted to a homeless shelter prior to being razed. A local woman who had worked there placing price tags on items recently returned as a homeless person. Little did she think she would ever have a second career at her employer's emporium. Coincidentally, the mall property is owned by the Howard Hughes Group, he the famous recluse, aviator, owner of TWA, discoverer of Jane Russell and builder of the Spruce Goose flying boat which now in a museum. It all seems like two civilizations clashing. But I can't stop thinking of that homeless lady going home.
tjs

Politics vs Religion

On the issue of immigrant children being separated from their parents, A.G. Jeff Sessions is quoting St. Paul's letter to the Romans. The last time St. Paul was invoked politically was during the 1950s campaigns. Norman Vincent Peale, a prominent minister, had used a reference in disparaging candidate Adlai Stephenson's qualifications. When a press reporter asked Adlai to comment he replied "Frankly, I found Paul appealing and Peale appalling." He was just warming up for his later jousting with the Russians at the United Nations.
tjs

Summing it up

It's one of the ironies of this Summit: That the casino magnate stayed home and the reclusive dictator went out and visited a casino. I'm sure he played the "RED" squares.

There has been much ado about the slick four minute video Hollywood prepared showing what N.Korea might look like in a future fantasy. It almost seemed like Trump was attempting to seduce Kim and reminded one of Matthew 4:1-11
where the Devil took Jesus to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms in their magnificence, etc. But Trump ended up extolling his real estate.
tjs

Summit Trivia

Chairman Kim arrived in Singapore on a borrowed 747 from China Air and made by Boeing.

It was reported that he brought his own food with him. Did not mention a taster.

Then a pundit mentioned that he had a portable toilet flown in - something about not wanting his DNA to be discovered. If that is a lie it certainly is a wHOPPER!............Now on to the World Cup and give Putin equal coverage.
tjs

Singapore Sling

It is said that this concoction was invented by the bartenders at Raffles Hotel in Singapore back when: Gin, Benedictine, Cherry Brandy and club soda. What? You say Trump doesn't drink? What a pity! He should get a life. I can picture those old pre-WWII British expats sitting on the verandah at pre-war Raffles watching the sun go down, far from the home office and on the dole. And perhaps reciting Kipling.
tjs

The Summit III

It is about 9000+ miles from Quebec, Canada to Singapore, depending on the route you take. I thought perhaps if Air Force One headed west it might cross the International Date Line over Samoa- and as a first time "crosser" they might awaken POTUS to receive the Order of the Golden Dragon - to blend with the color of his hair. Then the temptation would be to cross the equator for the first time where he would be designated a "polywog". But Singapore is one degree twenty-one minutes north of the equator so it would take persuading the pilot to veer a bit to enable the celebration. But my plans were all for naught as Air Force One headed east from Canada
stopping at Crete for re-fueling thence Singapore.
However, there is always the possibility on the homeward flight so stay tuned.
tjs

Gee, six plus one.

It' 74 degrees Fah. in Quebec this morning but very frosty in the conference room when Trump enters. His mind is in Singapore, several time zones away. Macron & Trudeau speaking in French is sure to irritate him. Quebec hasn't seen such tension since DeGaulle visited and advocated secession. When POTUS finds out that a U.S. dollar buys $1.29 Canadian he may decide he needs a wall on the north border. What a bargain!
tjs

The Summit II

A W.H. team led by Joe Hagen, is currently in Singapore working on logistics i.e. shape of the conference table, who sits where, who enters the room last and how many tea breaks. We can expect the N.K. delegation to be difficult to deal with. Many of them have never traveled outside their country. Their latest demand is "Who is going to pay for their hotel rooms?" Then I thought of what Fidel Castro did to the New York hotels which prompted a prayer for Singapore's famous Raffles Hotel which survived Japanese occupation. Stay tuned. Just heard that Dennis Rodman is due to arrive to act as interpreter - so all shall be well.
tjs

Super Bowl

For full disclosure, I am one of those "dyed in the green wool" Philadelphia EAGLES fans. Have been since the late 1940s when they won their first League Championship in 1948 in the snow at old Shibe Park vs. the Chicago Cardinals with Charley Trippi. Now they are reigning Super Bowl champs and have been dis-invited to the White House by the current President who expects 1000 of their fans to show up - minus their team! Iggles fans - who threw snowballs at Santa Claus - who chased Howard Cosell out of town - and who voted for Trump- to visit without their team??? I expect he will ask the Army Band to play loud in an attempt to drown out the heckling.
tjs

Summer Time

June 21st is the first day of Summer and it used to be the time you checked your list of friends to see who had a boat or a time share at a beach house. Then I read Sunday about a couple who were invited by friends for a three day weekend at their beach house. When they arrived, the bedrooms were occupied. The hostess showed them to the laundry room where she had set up two air mattresses and acted as if this was normal. The guests left after one night feigning a back problem.
So just two words of caution - caveat emptor - when that invitation arrives in the mail.
tjs

Grooming Secrets

While waiting my turn in the barber shop, I picked up a back dated National Geographic Magazine. I read an exchange between several horsemen that I found intriguing. They had a theory that the way to calm down a fractious horse was to expose it to human perspiration i.e. the sweat from a couple of grooms' armpits. So the next time you are at the race track and you see a thoroughbred acting up in the walking ring - and the groom wraps his arm around his snout - that's the one to bet the farm on!
tjs
P.S. The Belmont Stakes - Saturday, June 9, 2018

Flotsam & Jetsam

The S.S. UNITED STATES, in her heyday, made the eastbound crossing from New York to France in 4-1/2 days. But when Hurricane Sandy hit the Jersey Shore in 2012 - among other things - it dislodged a real estate sign that ended up six years later on the beach at Bordeaux, France - a slightly longer floating voyage. An expert who studies ocean currents figures this "flotsam" made three round trips before final beaching. The realtor in Brielle, N.J. is hoping such publicity will make for a successful summer season.
tjs

2018 World Cup

This year's World Cup will be held in Russia commencing June 14 in multiple cities over nine time zones. Absent will be USA and Italy. After recent European Championship - won by Real Madrid - the players disperse to their national clubs. Ironically, the hero of that game, Gareth Bale, will not be playing in the World Cup as he is a Welshman and Wales is not in the tournament. Germany is defending champion but expect competition from a variety of nations. Don't miss the action.
tjs