We have reached the 1.6 million miles of empty space that the earth will travel on August 19, 2021. Hard for me to wrap my mind around that fact. I also know that my brain (and yours too) has an estimated 100 billion neurons and each of these neurons is connected to 10 thousand other neurons making my brain (and yours too) the most complicated object in the known universe. We should follow Stephen Hawking’s suggestion that we look up at the stars and try to make sense of what you see, and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Today is ‘Black Cow’ Root Beer Float Day, International Bow Day, International Orangutan Day, National Sandcastle and Sculpture Day, National Hot and Spicy Food Day (my #1 pick), National Potato Day, World Humanitarian Day and National Soft Ice Cream Day which would be my #2 pick. Now to the way back machine: On this day in 1793 the yellow fever epidemic began in Philadelphia, then the US capital has its 1st fatality. The epidemic lasted till November killing around 5,000 people. In 1897 the 1st electric taxis were driven in London. On this day in 1953 the democratically elected Prime Minister of Iran was overthrown in a coup orchestrated by the United Kingdom and the United States. America has always preferred dictators we can control to democracies that we can’t. This is the day in 1662 that Blaise Pascal, French mathematician, physicist, inventor, philosopher, and Catholic theologian stopped living. I’ll end this post with some of his observations: “Don’t try to add more years to your life. Better add more life to your years.” “It’s not those who write the laws that have the greatest impact on society. It’s those who write the songs.” And “Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish much.” Blaise and I agree with each other. Abide.
