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.
Alistair's review at Flares of this German movie, The Lives of Others, is lengthy but fascinating. I want to see the movie - and I do not particularly care for movies.
My wife and I saw The Lives of Others and we loved it. The film gracefully depicts some of the more brutal truths of communism. It's definitely worth seeing.