Sometime yesterday, the estimated population of the United States crawled above 297,900,000. This means, reports the Census Bureau via the New York Times, that sometime in October the 300 millionth American will be born. And while there’s no way we can actually know which bundle of joy will have been the round number, it’s likely that news organizations, magazines, the makers of TV movies, and ghost memoirists will seize upon some lucky toddler and turn him or her into a celebrity, even if only for a few moments (a span of time we call the Joe Millionaire).

Why should we be caring about this now, you ask? Well, a few quick shuffles of the biological abacus will tell you that to have a shot in the 300 mill sweepstakes, you need to be taking action of some sort, oh, say now. This weekend, perhaps, when many of us will have an extra day off and will likely be knocking a few back as we cheer on the Redskins. Just something to consider. Enjoy the long weekend.

Picture taken by Peter F. Martin.