DUMP THE F-35...SAVE A TRILLION DOLLARS

I have pet gripes against some government spending.  Here above are jets the military now flies.   The lifetime cost just of the F-35 is expected to top a TRILLION DOLLARS!!!  In comparison:

• The Apollo Project cost $20 billion over its lifetime, worth, perhaps, $100 billion today:

• A trillion dollars would buy TEN Apollo Projects.
• Just the current cost overrun of the F-35 is $167 billion, and the first operational plane will not fly until 2015 if all went well...and flights are currently suspended because one of them last week caught fire before takeoff.
• Mind you, there are around a hundred F-35s that are grounded, so they're all over the place trying to gain foreign purchases.

• Then there is the Manhattan Project to build the Atomic Bomb that ended World War II with Japan.  The effort cost almost $2 billion then, or close to $25 billion today.  We could have had 40 Manhattan Projects--mind you, I don't mean we should expand our nuclear program--for the expected total cost of the F-35.

The concept a decade ago advanced by Lockheed Martin was sound:  a Joint Strike Fighter program to develop one plane to be used by the Air Force, Navy and Marines.  Unfortunately, the varying needs created a monster that could not safely fly.  This was the EIGHTH time that the F-35 has been grounded.  DITCH THE PROJECT NOW!  We have no enemies to fight in the air for the foreseeable future.

Why will this effort continue?  The military industrial complex is too powerful and a dozen nations are waiting to purchase this fighter.   The UK already has taken delivery.  Just in the state of California there are 277 companies gearing up to provide parts to build the plane.  The export potential is too attractive to abandon.  But who will be the enemy for these countries?

I might add that the trillion dollars above?  Actually, the 2,443 aircraft purchase budget for the military is expected to cost $1.4 trillion.  I kept the cost at a trillion to simplify the comparisons.

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Typhoon Neoguri is expected to become a Caterogy 5 SUPER TYPHOON.  Already, sustained winds are up to 140 MPH.  The projected path of the eye takes Neoguri right over Naha, Okinawa, then directly over Kyushu beginning Tuesday night.

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HOT DOGS, BASEBALL, FIREWORKS, HABOOBS AND GINA LOLLOBRIGIDA

That was a HABOOB yesterday in Phoenix, Arizona.  Watch a You Tube clip from a resident.  How does it feel to be in that one?  Click on that link.

Speaking of haboobs, Italian Gina Lollobrigida turned 87 today (that's her at 83 below left).  In her prime (above), she was 35-20-35 at 5'5".   Sophia Loren  (also Italian, who will be 80 in September--that's her last year on the right) was 38-24-36 at 5'9".  Actress, photographer, author, celebrity and almost politician, Gina won a Golden Globe for Come September in 1961 with Rock Hudson, Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin.  She had an affair with pioneer heart transplant surgeon Christiaan Barnard.

Without doubt the most memorable speech in the history of sports came 75 years ago today  by Lou Gherig:

Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about the bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of this earth....So I close in saying that I might have been given a bad break, but I've got an awful lot to live for.

Gherig won the triple crown in 1934, played in 2130 straight games (a record broken by Cal Ripken, Jr. in 1995), but learned in 1939 that he had contracted Amotrophic lateral sclerosis, when on July 4th he gave that farewell speech.  He passed away less than two years later at the age of 38, after which this ailment became known as Lou Gherig's Disease.

Expectedly, Joey Chestnut won the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest today in a driving rain on the Boardwalk of Coney Island.

He missed beating his record of dogs by nine.  Sonya Thomas, the vaunted Black Widow (in the middle, with Mayor Bill de Blasio), came in second to the new women's chomping champ, Miki Sudo, right.  Las Vegan Sudo, 5'7" and 125 pounds, consumed 34 compared to #2 Thomas at 27.

The Boston Pops' Show with the Beachboys last night was affected by Hurricane Arthur, and did not quite finish as planned.  They missed playing the traditional 1812 Overture (that was two years ago if you clicked) and cut short the fireworks:

Speaking of fireworks, Richard  Brill of the Star Advertiser detailed the chemical reactions involving potassium nitrate (also called saltpeter, Snopes debunks the "rumor" that this chemical reduces libido, and, in fact, can be dangerous to your health), carbon, sulfur and a variety of mineral compounds, all solids, which are non-reactive at room temperature, but combine to explode at temperatures over 3600 F, showing various colors depending on compounds of:

• PURPLE:  rubidium
• BLUE:  copper
• GREEN:  barium
• YELLOW:  sodium
• ORANGE:  strontium
• RED:  strontium

Tonight, watch your local fireworks display, plus PBS for A Capitol Fourth and NBC for the Macy's Fireworks Spectacular.  Looks like Hurricane Arthur will not trouble these extravaganzas:

Arthur will be at 90 MPH just east of New York City at the time of the show, but should be sufficiently out at sea:

There is, however, Typhoon Neoguri in the West Pacific to threaten Okinawa by Monday as a Category 4 (131-155 MPH):

The projection then is towards Kyushu.   If you're headed for Japan around mid-week, watch out!

From DC this year:

And Macy's fireworks from New York City:

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COUNTRY # 214: Caribbean Netherlands

Welcome country #214 to this blog site:  Caribbean Netherlands (CN).  I didn't know there was such an entity.  This gets confusing, but on 10 October 2014, the Netherlands Antilles dissolved, with Curacao and Sint Maarten becoming autonomous countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the islands of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, known as the BES Islands, becoming the Caribbean Netherlands:

Good luck trying to find these three above.  The total population is 21,133.  The currency is the American dollar and they speak Dutch.  Their flag is similar to that of France, except the stripes are horizontal for the CN.

Netherlands is vertically challenged, but the island of Saba is essentially a mountain, at a max elevation of 2828 feet, the highest point in the Kingdom of the Netherlands (also know as Netherlands...as in Europe):

This island is only 5 square miles with a population of less than 2000.  Pirate Hiram Breakes (right) lived here and coined the term:  Dead Men Tell No Tales.  Breakes did terrible things, had his men invade a convent and marry the nuns and ultimately committed suicide.

Corruption and integrity violations can be found on the three islands.  So how is  this different from other places in the world?

Beautiful St Marteen:

But, whoops, that is not part of the Caribbean Netherlands.  Here a resident of Bonaire:

While an oil terminal with 40 large tanks is jeopardizing the lifestyle and harmony of St Eustatius, the Golden Rock (2000 feet tall) dominates:

The three Lt. Governors run the government:

Lydia Emerencia of Bonaire:

Gerald Berkel of St Eustatius:

Jonathan Johnson of Saba:

Says something about racial and gender diversity.

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ARE YOU PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN?

Tomorrow is Independence Day, our 238th birthday since adoption of the Declaration of Independence, declaring our independence from the United Kingdom.  From a bunch of tangled states with purpose, we have become the only Supreme Power on Planet Earth.  These scraggly 2.5 million anarchists in 13 colonies have grown to 314 million, versus 63 million for the UK.  At 3.7 million square miles, we are now nearly ten (8.6, actually) times larger than in 1776.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average today broke another all-time record, topping 17,000 for the first time, ending at 17,068.  Our Gross National Product is twice that of #2 China, almost three times that of Japan, and nearly five times larger than Germany.  We have 15 aircraft carriers in service, reserve and under construction.  #2?  You'd never guess.  India, with two in service and two in construction.  Russia?  They have one, with nothing on the future drawing board.  China has one barely in service, and this is a refurbished Soviet discard.  There is another one being built, but Snopes says this Chinese super carrier above is but an artist's imagination.  We annually spend three to four times more than China on war.  USA = $2173/capita/year.    China = $123/capita/year.  Yes, 18 times more.

So, are you now proud?  Hmmm....  I think those defense expenditures are insane.  China couldn't care less about conquering the USA.  Russia is toothless.  All we need are the Navy Seals to control those ragtag terrorists.  The military industrial complex, fossil industry and a whole range of other lobbyists control Congress and the White House.  These funds can better be applied to re-building our infrastructure, improving our educational system, remediating the environment and a whole host of other more important people priorities.

Just think where our country can someday be when we learn to work together for the common good?  Same for the world at large.  Certainly for now, with the Cold War over and the U.S. pulling out of the Middle East, the USA and society at large are as close to relative peace and security as humanity has ever been.  The metastable price of oil and the matter of global warming are issues of considerable concern, but not as threatening as the nuclear winter that could have wiped out much of life on Planet Earth during much of the second half of the 20th century.

Maybe proud might not be the appropriate term, for there are a few nagging imperfections in our way of life.  However, as a Nation, we can take pride in becoming the best that has ever been:

• We are the World's champion for freedom.
• Our economy is #1 by a large margin.
• Our military is supreme.
• Fourteen of the top twenty universities are American.

Further, there is potential to become even better, much better.

So what's happening this three day Independence Day weekend?

• Hurricane Arthur (will become a Category 2 today at 105 MPH, and will cross over the North Carolina Outer Banks on Friday) is coming, so the Boston Pop's July 4th Celebration has been moved to tonight (Thursday, July 3), 8PM (EDT), with fireworks at 10:30PM.  The Beach Boys are featured.  Free if you're in Boston, but national TV?  You can stream WBZ TV.

• In DC tomorrow, A Capitol Fourth Concert with the original Jersey Boy, Frankie Valli, and fireworks show from the West Lawn Mall of the U.S. Capitol from 8-9:30PM (7:30PM in Hawaii) on your PBS station.

• On the Fourth in New York, Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest at noon (EDT) and the Macy's Fireworks  Spectacular beginning at 9PM (EDT, but 7PM in Hawaii) on NBC.

• If you watch Major League Baseball, it all starts at 5:05AM in Hawaii, and there will be a ton of games on TV.  My three ESPN fantasy teams are #1, #1 and #4.

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TRANSITIONS: Part 13D: Star Alliance Around the World

At the end of Part 13 D on Monday, I said:

I have taken up to a dozen around the world trips, the first in the 1980's, and several after I retired.  My next posting on TRANSITIONS will feature my global adventures.  Among a few other later features will be my Green Car Japan Rail Pass journeys in the spring and fall periods and my best meals from among many Michelin 3-Star and Pellegrino Top 50 restaurants.

It was almost a third of a century ago when my wife and I embarked on the celebrated Pan American 'round-the-world adventure.  The itinerary included, from Honolulu, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Bombay, Dubai or Abu Dhabi (can't remember), Frankfurt, London, New York, Los Angeles (I think), and back to Honolulu. Not sure what it cost, but Wired indicated that when Pan Am began this service in 1947:

An economy-class ticket for the entire journey in either direction cost $2,300, or $4,000 for a couple. (That’s about $22,000 and $38,000, respectively in today’s moolah.)

According to Airtimetable.com, here is what the Star Alliance Program costs:

Mileage	Coach	Business	First
29,000	$3,800	$7,400	$9,800
34,000	$4,400	$8,450	$11,200
39,000	$5,150	$9,950	$13,200

    

My experience, though, is that I've a couple of times paid more than $20,000 for first class.  If you do take the first class option, avoid United flights, and seek Lufthansa, Singapore Air and Thai Air.   However, Singapore is fussy about accepting reservations, and actually adds a surcharge here and there. Lufthansa still serves real caviar.  The Dreamliner only flies up to business class and there are few Asiana first class flights, although their service is excellent.  Here are typical cities on the itinerary, and there is a little leeway on some backtracking:

Actually, you can stop anywhere there is a blue dot, unlike Pan Am 1 and 2 (going eastward--AND, BY THE WAY, ALWAYS GO AROUND THE WORLD WEST, FOR YOUR BODY ADJUSTS BETTER AND YOU ACTUALLY ENJOY THE FLIGHT) which had a set itinerary:

The limitations include 15 maximum stops and a total of 16 flight segments.  Next, some of my around the world journeys.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average broke an all-time recored, rising 2017 to 16,976.

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Tropical Storm Arthur, is just about now attaining  hurricane strength off the coast of northeast Florida, and will begin to affect Charleston and Myrtle Beach in South Carolina from tomorrow,  clipping portions of North Carolina on Friday:

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JUST ANOTHER DAY FOR A RETIRED PERSON IN HAWAII

I went to my Manoa Campus office, tinkered around, posted a blog, talked to Director Richard Rocheleau, who replaced me 15 years ago, and he ecstatically informed me that the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute is doing very well, and is funded for the next few years.  He's hiring many more researchers, so I offered him back my office (hey, I've been retired since Rick replaced me), but he said stick around for a while more.  Buoyed, for the first time this year,  I walked all 18 holes at the Ala Wai Golf Course.  It was an absolutely perfect day, and I shot an 83.

I  talked to Ed Cheng, a Civil Engineering Department colleague, who said he recently got a hole in one at the Royal Hawaiian Golf Course, formerly Luana Hills where I once had a membership.  I still haven't had one yet.  You can see Diamond Head from every hole here:

All the food I had on my long trip, plus the three meals a day at 15 Craigside now for a month, and I weighed in after golf at the lowest I've seen in 25 years.  A satisfactory dinner of spare ribs and a bottle of Chateau St. Michelle, followed with a concert by the Oahu Civic Orchestra, a full blown symphony  group since 1972, Ron Hirai Conductor:

The orchestra has Windward roots and  is linked with Chaminade.  Last week the Royal Hawaiian Band came to entertain us at 15 Craigside.  The program tonight:

• Light Cavalry Overture (Franz von Suppe)
• Romance in F, Opus 50, violin soloist Miki Hamada (Beethoven)
• Emperor Waltz, Opus 437 (Johann Strauss, Jr.)
• Andalacia Suite (Ernesto Lecuona--you've heard his music...click here)
• Sound of Music Selections with soloists Martina Bingham and Jeremy Wong

A truly enjoyable day.

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There is a tropical storm named Arthur, located just east of Florida, moving north, and predicted to become a hurricane on Friday off the coast of North Carolina:

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