According to Google AI: The three most profound and existential questions for Homo sapiens center on our origin, our purpose, and our ultimate destiny . These questions have driven human philosophy, science, and religion since the dawn of consciousness.   Things to think about: Philosopher Marin Heidegger asked, why is there something rather than nothing? One of the most mind-blowing facts is that Cleopatra lived much closer in time to the launch of the iPhone than to the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza .   Cleopatra died in 30BC, while the Great Pyramid was built around 2560 BC, a gap of just over 2500 years. From her birth to the iPhone was only around 2000 years. Day vs. Year: A day on Venus (one full rotation on its axis) takes 243 Earth days, while a year on Venus (one orbit around the Sun) takes only 225 Earth days. More cosmic perspective : There are more trees on Earth than stars in the Milky Way —about 3 trillion trees compared to roughly 100 to 40...

By now you must know that Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate.  I said in  my posting yesterday  that he, Josh Shapiro and Mark Kelly were the favorites.  However: Walz is 60 years old, not from a battleground state and is not a particularly effective orator.  He simply has not done much. I also said that Shapiro and Kelly have serious flaws, so, the Walz pick makes a lot of sense. He is an ideal match. Caucasian male. Is a hunter who owns guns, but is a strong proponent of control. Represents the common man. Is not Ivy League...like JD Vance.  Chadron State College in Nebraska and Minnesota State University vs Yale. Is not flawed...like JD Vance. Is not elitest...like JD Vance. Is calm and reassuring...unlike JD Vance. Common man? Enlisted in the Army National Guard when he turned 17.  Then the National Guard in 1981, in heavy artillery.  Nebraska Citizen-Soldier of the year in 1989.  Gained the rank of com...

Thursday has been Covid day since the pandemic, and has transitioned into medical/health/nutrition day. Today, back to Covid-19 because I just took the latest booster shot.  But first, a few news topics: Texas authorities have blamed power lines for igniting their largest wildfire .  Bad news for  Hawaiian Electric Company . President Joe Biden gives his  State of the Union  message tonight before a joint session of Congress tonight at 9PM ET. Great opportunity for his first major campaign speech, and he will cover all his victories and campaign issues. Senator Katie Britt, Republican from Alabama, will deliver the Republican response.  She is a MAGA-Trumper. Jill Biden has invited 20 guests, including the prime minister of Sweden (see following story). Some history: George Washington gave the first SoU in 1790. Thomas Jefferson discontinued this need in 1801. But Woodrow Wilson in 1913 re-established this practice, and the SoU has since then been presented...