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.
Biden’s Saudi Arabia Visit Was Worse Than an Embarrassment. The president’s 24 hours in Jeddah were dominated by photos of his fist bump with Mohammed bin Salman. Things went downhill from there.
The four corners of deceit are: government, academia, science, and the media. I had a hard time coming to this radical conclusion myself, as I wanted to believe otherwise, was not a conspiracist, and have attained all the laurels on offer from our current system. Just read my memoir, Davos, Aspen & Yale. I have been behind the elite curtain...
The brute reality is that most kids slot themselves into academic ability bands early in life and stay there throughout schooling. We have a certain natural level of performance, gravitate towards it early on, and are likely to remain in that band relative to peers until our education ends. There is some room for wiggle, and in large populations there are always outliers. But in thousands of years of education humanity has discovered no replicable and reliable means of taking kids from one educational percentile and raising them up into another.
Recreational is a different topic, but that goes back to college years. Don't want it, don't need it. I view weed as the lazy and stupid drug. Not so for all.
There is a contradiction between the "grief" and "anguish" and "rage" about the reversal of the Roe decision and ordinary feminist, or plain ordinary views about peoples' sex lives.
Yes, sex is a powerful driver in life for men and women. It is biological and psychological. However, at least after adolescence, we are all endowed with a brain too. In my view, women have all the power. They have the power of attraction, and have the modern power of birth control.
Excepting rape (or maybe substance-addled non-decision-making), men and women are in charge of conception. It is not rocket science. Women can not leave it all to the boys and very few do.
The 4th of July weekend is a good time to remind everybody about the genius of the US Constitution. This founding document (1787) is a work of genius, especially insofar as it took into account human nature.
Declaring independence from Britain was a bold move (Thank you, France, for your help), but the cornerstone is the Constitution.
Spectator: 
8 Things Sleep 
New York’s Parents Are Exercising Their School Options. 
“The Act of Mourning Itself is a Final, Destitute Version of Love.”