THE HAPPIEST STATE IN THE USA

But first, looks like the Federal government will be shut down just after midnight tonight.  How terrible is that?

• To begin, there have been 14 of these since 1980, including three during Trump's first term.  
• In 2018, for 34 days, from December 22 to January 25.
• This broke the 21-day record on one under President Bill Clinton.
• How will the stock market react?  Many times, goes up.  In anticipation of what could happen tomorrow:

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) rose 0.2%. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) rose 0.4%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) gained 0.3%, coming off modest closing gains on Wall Street.  Both the Nasdaq and S&P 500 notched their best third quarter since 2020.

• Want more details on what to expect?  Read this.

About that other matter of importance, Time magazine had some details:  Trump and Netanyahu Announce Major Gaza Deal, Threaten Dire Outcome if Hamas doesn't Sign On.

Can't imagine the Hamas accepting all 20 points of Trump's plan for eternal peace.  In fact, American views have significantly changed.  From the New York Times this morning:

The Times/Siena poll documented a turnabout in public sentiment. At the end of 2023, nearly half of Americans sympathized more with Israelis and 20 percent more with Palestinians. Now, 34 percent sympathize more with Israelis, 35 percent more with Palestinians and 31 percent equally with both. “I actually was pretty pro-Israel the last few years,” one voter told our pollsters. “It just doesn’t feel like a level playing field anymore.” There’s also this:

One more newsworthy item of the day, the Major League Baseball post-season opened today with the wild-card series.

• This is still September, and these games could extend into November if all seven world series game are played.
• Today, all EDT:

• 1:08 p.m. - Detroit Tigers vs. Cleveland Guardians (ESPN)
• 3:08 p.m. - San Diego Padres vs. Chicago Cubs (ABC)
• 6:08 p.m. - Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees (ESPN)
• 9:08 p.m. - Cincinnati Reds vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (ESPN)

• The first team to win two games goes on to the next round.  The higher seeded team hosts all three if game 3 is necessary.
• Most dangerous team?  The Cincinnati Reds have not won a playoff series in 30 years, and they start Hunter Greene, a player I have used on my fantasy teams.  This year he won 7 and lost 4, with a 2.76 earned run average.  He strikes a lot of batters out.
• But here are the DraftKings and FanDuel World Series odds:

• Philadelphia Phillies: +425 to +450 (meaning, their chances of winning are around 18.5%)
• Seattle Mariners: +450 to +550  (15% chance)
• Los Angeles Dodgers: +500 to +550 (16% chance)
• San Diego Padres:  +1600 to +1400  (around 6%....but they have a good team)

Now, on to my posting of the day.  When I opened up my computer this morning, I clicked on Hotmail.  Got a message from Condé Nast indicating This is the Happiest State in the U.S. according to a new study.  There was also a photo of Waikiki Beach and Diamond, just like at the top of my blog site.  So of course I had to see which state was the happiest.  And yes, it is Hawaii.

The Aloha State topped the list due to myriad factors — residents reported the highest levels of life satisfaction in the nation, the second-lowest depression rate, and one of the lowest unemployment rates. Hawaiians also have the longest life expectancy in the U.S., and 72% of adults report being active and productive every day.

• 
  This comes from WalletHub, which has historically roasted Hawaii for having a really high cost of living, also true.
• Based on thirty key metrics in three categories: 1) emotional and physical well-being, 2) work environment, and 3) community and environment. Within each dimension are dozens of sub-factors, including share of adult depression, life expectancy, commute time, weather, safety, and economic security. Each metric was weighted, and the numbers were added up to determine the final scores—a score of 100 represents maximum happiness.
• Worst state for happiness?  West Virginia.

• 
  Happiest states?

1. Hawaii
2. Maryland
3. Nebraska
4. New Jersey
5. Connecticut
6. Utah
7. California
8. New Hampshire
9. Massachusetts
10. Idaho

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THE INCREDIBLE 20-YEAR JOURNEY OF JESSICA SANCHEZ

But first, the latest news of the day.  

• President Donald Trump met with Israel's President Benjamin Netanyahu.  
• 
  In a follow-up press conference they agreed to Trump's 20-point peace plan.
• Hamas hasn't seen it yet, it says.
• But Team Trump-Netanyahu is not this time giving the Hamas any choice:  accept the plan or get totally destroyed!
• Haven't before seen this type of strategy.  Might work.

• 
  By now Trump has met with Congressional leaders to work out a plan to avert a government shutdown at 12:01AM Wednesday.  Watch the news.
• Supreme Court met in private today to discuss what they will do at their next session, which opens on October 2, with official public hearings beginning on October 6.

Jessica Sanchez has had quite a journey through both America's Got Talent and American Idol.  Want perseverance?  She epitomizes that term.

• But first, who is she?
• She was born on 4August1995 in Chula Vista, California, mother from the Philippines and father, a Mexican American from Texas.
• At the age 10 in 2006, she competed in the the first season of America's Got Talent.  Watch her by clicking on that.  She made the wildcard round.
• In 2008, performed The Star Spangled Banner prior to the NFL Chargers vs Jets game.

• 
  Auditioned for American Idol in 2011 and was runner-up to Phillip Phillips in 2012.  
• In other words, she almost won!
• Went on to sing at various political events like for President Barack Obama's Easter Egg Roll and the Memorial Day concert in DC (that's her to the right)

• 
  Then in 2017, she sang the National Anthem for the Chargers vs Raiders game, and took a knee  to promote the cause for racial justice, following the act of Colin Kaepernick.  Her gesture drew the ire of then President Donald Trump, leading to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell banning such acts at NFL national anthems.  You can't today find her doing this on You Tube.

• 
  She did a lot of entertaining and song releasing over the past eight years, and got married to Rickie Gallardo in 2021.
• Finally came 2025 when, obviously pregnant, she auditioned for the 20th season of America's Got Talent.  
• Remember that she was first in Season One.  

• 
  She became the first solo female winner since Darci Lynne in 2017.
• Eliana Mae's due date is very soon, perhaps early October.  Yes, she already has a name.
• She won a million dollars.
• Will headline a Las Vegas show.

Watch her journey:

• All her performances this year.
• AGT in 2005, American Idol in 2012 and AGT in 2025.  

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THE SEARCH FOR AWE

While a chapter in one of my books summarized religions of the world,  I studied up for this feat by reading Religion for Dummies.  As such, accepting artificial intelligence sources as superior to my brain, a good part of my posting today will draw from Google AI Overview.  What is that?  Read Wikipedia.

What inspired me about Searching for Awe, was my reading today about Rosh Hashanah, the Ten Days of Repentance which culminates in Yom Kippur, which this year will begin at sundown on October 1, and extend to nightfall on October 2, a period of 25 hours.

This is also Hebrew year 5786, which began on the evening of 22September2025, the first day of Rosh Hashanah.  Note that when you subtract 2025 from that number, 3781 BCE is the calculated date of creation.  But understand that these numbers are more a chronological reckoning based on early interpretations.  Watch this video about the meaning and warning about the year 5786.  In essence, this is the year for Kingdom Convergence, when everything you have done will begin to make sense.

The Days of Awe are the 10 days from the beginning of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the Holiest Day of the year for fasting, prayer and forgiveness.

The "Jewish search for awe" involves recognizing and embracing the concept of yirah, the Hebrew word for awe, which is distinct from mere fear and signifies a profound, reverential encounter with the divine in the everyday world. This search culminates during the Days of Awe (Yamim Noraim), the period from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur, when Jews engage in deep reflection, repentance, and a spiritual accounting to feel connected to God and find renewed purpose and humility within the vastness of existence.

More specifically:

In Judaism, awe (Yirat Hashem) is a foundational concept tied to reverence and wisdom. 

• The Days of Awe (Yamim Noraim): The period of the High Holy Days, which includes Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, is dedicated to introspection and repentance. During this time, special prayers and the sounding of the shofar (ram's horn) inspire a sense of awe before God.
• The practice of blessings: The recital of blessings throughout the day over food, nature, and other experiences serves to remind Jews of the wonder of creation and the sacredness of everyday life.
• Jewish meditation: Practices developed within the Kabbalistic tradition include the contemplative repetition of divine names or letters and the visualization of God's attributes. These are designed to elevate consciousness and cleave the soul to God (devekut).
• Nature and Torah: Some Jewish thought encourages a two-step path to awe: first contemplating the universal rhythms of nature and then finding God's guidance within the specific path of the Torah. 

If you are not Jewish, can you find awe?

Yes, absolutely. Awe is a fundamental human experience that can be explored and sought in all religions, and by non-religious people as well. While the specific focus of awe might differ, such as God's majesty in Abrahamic religions, deities in Hinduism, or the interconnectedness of existence in Buddhism, the emotion itself transcends specific faiths. It is a perceptive aspect of spirituality that fosters humility, gratitude, and a sense of interconnectedness, making it a valuable, universal pursuit across the religious and secular spectrum

• 

  Abrahamic Religions: 

  Experiences of awe can be found in the recognition of God's power and majesty, often expressed through fear and devotion. 
• Hinduism: 

  The concept of Darshan, or a direct vision of a deity, is a highly sought-after experience of awe. 
• Buddhism: 

  Awe can be experienced through deep devotion to the Buddha and his teachings, and a realization of the vastness of existence. 
• Spiritual But Not Religious: 

  People who identify as spiritual but not religious also find awe through experiences of wonder, mystery, and feeling part of a larger purpose

• 

  Cultivates Positive Emotions: 

  Awe fosters feelings of gratitude, humility, and interconnectedness. 
• Encourages Prosocial Behaviors: 

  Research shows that awe can encourage tendencies to help others and contribute to the common good. 
• Deepens Cosmic Understanding: 

  Awe provides a sense of deeper cosmic understanding, helping individuals to see themselves as part of something larger. 
• Promotes Mental and Physical Health: 

  Awe's connection to self-transcendent experiences can reduce stress and improve overall well-being. 

On the sports front today:

M.L.B.: There’s plenty on the line in today’s regular-season finale. The Yankees and Blue Jays are tied atop the American League East, while the Mets and Reds are vying for the National League’s third wild-card spot.

About the golf Ryder Cup, Europe is embarrassing the U.S. 11.5 to 4.5.  There are 11 singles matches today, but only because Viktor Hovland of Europe had to withdraw from a neck injury.  By the rules, this pairing is split to 0.5 point for each team.  From Sports Illustrated:

Dream as big as you possibly can. Ignore everything you have seen since Friday morning. Tell yourself that these teams are evenly matched. Exactly evenly matched. Imagine that every golfer on the course has the exact same level of confidence. The U.S. needs to secure 10 of the 12 remaining points. If you flipped a coin 12 times, and you needed it to land on tails 10 times, the chances of this happening would be 1.6 percent.

As SI explains, though, because a tie is worth half a point, it's like winning 10 out of 11 coin flips, so the true chance is 0.537%, or, out of 100,000 possibilities, the USA can beat Europe 537 times.  Worse, the American fans were ugly and there seemed to be disgruntlement among competing players and caddies.

Actually, Team USA made a nice comeback today, but still lost.

Humbert was a super hurricane yesterday, pointing straight to the USA.  However, there was slight weakening today back to only a hurricane at 140 MPH, with all projections showing the track making a right turn and into the mid-Atlantic, following the trail of previous Hurricane Gabrielle.  There is, though, another tropical storm to become Hurricane Imelda right behind Humberto.  The potential merging and strengthening through the Fujhiwara Effect, though, now seems remote.

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