The state of American politics is, for the first time in my life, at a threshold I've never seen before.  This will not be the usual partisan Republicans vs Democrats election.  American voters will decide whether democracy will continue or not.  Surely, those MAGA types must realize what is at stake.  Or maybe not, and perhaps they want victory to fully take charge.  If so, and I warned you, don't be surprised if you lose total control to someone named Donald Trump. The Democratic National Convention has made that issue the theme of November 5.  I don't ever remember watching long segments of any political convention.  But I did beginning last night.  The driving motivation was the danger posed by Donald Trump.  All the speakers recognized this common cause, and the  Democratic Party actually yesterday released a law and order ad condemning him .  Watch it. Otherwise, there were no lowlights, and a few highlights.   Hilla...

Today is September 1, 2023.  Before I get into SALT, let me send you back to my posting of exactly a month ago, alerting you to  Super Blue Moons in the month of August , for here are some global photos from  Time  of the recent Blue Moon.  The summit of Piestewa Peak in Phoenix by Rob Schumacher: The Pyramids of Giza, Egypt, by Mohamed Eishad: So by now you've figured out why the color of the Blue Moon is not blue.  But if not, go back to my  1August2023 posting .  From David Gray, behind a ferris wheel at Stokes Hill Wharf, Darwin, Australia: A photo by Izhar Khan from Sydney, Australia: As seen by Tariq Zewahi from Liberty State Park, New Jersey: Over the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, by Tayfun Coskun: Photo behind the Marin Bay Sands in Singapore by Roslan Rahman. No Blue Moon, but my photo of the Marina Bay Sands  when I was there last year. Alexander Zemlianichenko's photo in Red Square, Moscow, with St. Basil's Cathedral to the ri...