1. Mastodon Skull Discovery - A 13,600-year-old skull was found. Of a Mastodon! The whole story is insane, cool, and quite unbelievable all in one. Earth and its history in moments like this are surreal.
2. Kamala Speech - Politics aside (I know, not easy for anyone in this climate) - I enjoyed Kamala's speech. No, I don't agree with all of her politics. But it's been a while since we've had a great orator in the White House, and listening to her was refreshing. Her DNC speech was great, and she
3. Largest Diamond Discovery - Speaking of Mastodon and the beauty of the earth's discovery, we've got a fist-sized diamond making its way up from the ground. Again, so special, so surreal.
3 Down
1. No Monkey Pox Vaccine - The Democratic Republic of Congo continues to struggle with the Monkey Pox outbreak and now, has no vaccines to aid the process. No vaccines in the country. Truly, unbelievable. Say a prayer for the DNC and its people.
2. RFK Drops Out - I wasn't a big RFK guy. But the idea of the third party (or anyone else but the two-party system) was thrown out again in a big Presidential race. Third parties haven't been successful. I very much think we need new candidates, new parties, and fresh ideas and energy into our political system. No, RFK doesn't represent that, but his bowing out of the race is just another blow for such a possibility.
3. Community College Effectiveness - 13% of Community College students go on to earn a bachelor's degree. With the glass cliff approaching and the status of higher education in our country in great peril, this statistic is yet another notch for a full re-imagination of how we do education in our country. Access is closing and the reward is minimal. Not good.
Cover Photo
A health-care worker walks past an mpox treatment center in Munigi, Democratic Republic of Congo, on August 19, 2024. The DRC will receive the first vaccine doses to address its mpox outbreak next week from the United States, the country's health minister said on Monday, days after the WHO declared mpox outbreaks in Africa a global emergency.
Moses Sawasawa / AP