FIRST IN OUTLAST

Look out geriatrics, I’m going to need those walkers and wheelchairs! Just read in the paper that first borns of young mothers outlive their syblings by 1.7 times. Seems that an extensive study of the literature, hints that the eggs of young mothers or the generally better physical health of young mothers may cause their first born to outlive their siblings. Though they don’t know exactly what causes the phenomenon, they have documented it. Since my Mom was 17 when I came along and since I was even the first born of all my cousins, I’ve got this chance to live longer than I may want to. I’ll let you know as the years, fears, wear and tear pile up if this is a good thing or not.

THE FOGGIEST IDEA

Photo is from the trip to Port Angeles this summer, entering the fog in the Strait of Juan de Fuca between Port Angeles and Victoria B.C. Speaking of which—we’ll need passports the next time we take that little hour long daytrip over the water to visit our neighbors. When I was a kid, I think I recall being told how wonderful it was to be in a nation which had such friendly neighbors that we had unguarded borders. Not like those backward people in Europe.

THE END OF FAITH is

to help people ignore their mortality? No—to make one group of people feel superior to other group? No—to create untold suffering and murder between the tribe which is not one’s own? No—to foster irrational belief in what the eyes can’t see nor the ears hear? No—that would make all believers not much different from those mental health patients I used to volunteer to work with when I was a young man. Well, what then, is the end of faith? Here’s a longish article on Sam Harris who wrote the book, The End of Faith.