But first, some news of the day. The  New York Times  this morning had some nice history of gerrymandering, which is what Democrats in California pulled off on election day this week with Proposition 50. Lawmakers realized in the 19th century that they could increase their party’s political power by redrawing legislative districts. The term of art is   gerrymandering , named after the map for the Massachusetts State Senate drawn under Gov. Elbridge Gerry. (One district looked like a salamander. Get it?) Typically, legislators gerrymander once a decade, after the census. Today, gerrymandering is a weapon of constant political warfare. State legislators, both red and blue, are furiously redrawing congressional maps in a quest to control the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2026 midterm elections. The skirmishing began in August, when Trump persuaded Texas lawmakers to redraw congressional districts, which will probably let them send five more Republicans to Congress....

I ended my posting yesterday with: Latest hot flash!  Watch this.    NASA WILL TODAY ANNOUNCE WHEN THE TWO ASTRONAUTS WILL RETURN HOME. Well, today we found out that  NASA again delayed a decision about what to do with the stranded astronauts .  They did say that a final decision will be made at the end of August.  Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore had an 8-day mission, which now is into Day 72. Froma Harrop had a fine op-ed today about the presidential election. The Harris-Walz campaign radiates sunshine and good times to come. Donald Trump, on the other hand, spreads gloom through his lame insults and crazy delusions. Harris doesn't have to do much to bait Trump. She and Walz need only ignore, mock or sometimes provoke him, and then view his lashing out with quiet detachment. It is said that the devil cannot endure to be mocked. Trump can dish it out, but he can't take it. The election is far from over, but Trump is already laying the groundwork to deny the...

Froma Harrop had a recent op-ed entitled, Some countries are happier than others--or are they?   Essentially, she said, Finland is the world's happiest country--fourth year in a row!  At least, according to the World Happiness Report from the United Nations.  The U.S. ranked 14th in the latest, but here is a compilation from 2018-2020, where we are shown at #19: Apparently, this UN report did not ask anyone how they felt about the weather.  How can you be happy when the worst day in London, every day, is like Finland everyday?   One February I went to Helsinki and experienced something that was stunning.  Well-covered with gloves, hat and neck wrap, I walked outside my hotel on a sunny day and instantaneously my nose froze.  The ground was really slippery with ice.  I told myself the next time I come here I would wear a motorcycle helmet  ( in case you fall ) with face covering pre-treated for fog breath.  Maybe golf shoes with real spi...