Micah 6:8
Psalm 103:10-14
Yes, your life matters.
Some of you are still sheltering in place, but fear not: I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?
On this date, 10 August 1675, the foundation stone was laid for the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, England. This is the place where GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) is kept, and it straddles the Prime Meridian, the starting point for longitude, which separates the Eastern and Western hemispheres of the Earth (that's the line in the pavement in the picture above).
Interestingly (at least to me), today also marks the founding of the Smithsonian Institution in 1846. James Smithson was an Englishman who never visited the United States, yet used his wealth to found an institution dedicated to the increase and diffusion of knowledge in Washington, DC. It was simple dumb luck that his nearest relative and designated heir, a nephew of his, died without heirs, and Smithson's will indicated in that event that his fortune should go to Washington for the founding of said institution.
I remember visiting as a middle-schooler and feeling very cool, as I was a "member" of the institution by dint of my having a subscription to the magazine, thus allowing us to lunch in the members-only cafeteria. (No, I don't recall what we ate that day. I'm not James Beard.)
Sorry about that, England, but your famous son (an illegitimate son of a nobleman) chose these United States as the recipient of his books, papers, scientific samples, and his money. It's a really cool set of places to visit, should you find yourself in DC. Highly recommended.
Keep Calm and Don't Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.
The mental health issues related to our lockdown and the pandemic are especially hard for people with depression. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, has a 24 hour helpline: 800-950-6264.
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