We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.
"We can forgive the Arabs for killing our children. We cannot forgive them for forcing us to kill their children. We will only have peace with the Arabs when they love their children more than they hate us."
Population growth in Turkey, Egypt, and Jordan is out of control. In twenty years, there will be tens of millions of angry unemployed teenagers. And of course Arab governments will try to blame Israel for the approaching food crisis that they created.
Population in Iran, however, is crashing. Just like China, Iran will be old before it gets rich. China is corrupt but it seems to be allowing the economy to work. Of course, a lot of the Chinese economy is stolen from us or is the trade deficit.