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.
McDonald's sales are dropping because their prices have risen to the point that for about a dollar more a plate you can get a better meal at a chain sit-down restaurant.
#2
Another Guy Named Dan
on
2026-08-06 10:14
(Reply)
"Nothing Can Stop the AI Revolution"
It begs the question. Should unaccountable billionaires be allowed to build huge data centers in towns when the data center destroys the quality of life for the citizens? AND, agree or disagree but there is something fishy going on with the data centers and the suspicion is made worse by those who keep telling us there is nothing to see and citizens should sit down and shut up and accept it.
But it can all be easily fixed:
1. Give citizens of any community the veto power on data centers.
2. Require all politicians and employees to swear under oath that they did not accept bribes or collude with anyone wanting to build a data center.
3. Require data centers to acquire their own water and power and not use the town's utilities OR if they use the towns utilities that they pay for all improvements and expansion costs.
4. To avoid the suspicion data centers have created make them open to the public where anyone can enter, take pictures and see everything in the building.
5. Require that all workers building and maintaining data centers must be local citizens who were born in the local area. No foreign or H1B employees allowed.
6. No tax breaks.
Can you cure mental illness? First know that mental illness is a spectrum. Many, 50% or so, people who are mentally ill would function just fine in a world before 1900. But in today's world were everything is easy and everything is provided for you those with minor mental illness have nothing but free time to act out. And they do. Can a mental health professional help them function better? Probably. Could a cop or priest or teacher or parents help them function better? Probably.
But the serious mental illness is a different problem. Short of a drug that incapacitates them medical science probably can't help them. AND they are mostly able to understand when they should hide their mental health issues and fake being normal. The same crazy guy on the street or a bus who threatens your life can act calm and innocent when half a dozen cops show up. It is this free will and human abilities that make the seriously mentally ill people dangerous. And for the most part no one can help them! Even trying to help them puts you at risk; ask Rob Reiner. Oh! Wait, you can't ask him or his wife. You cannot fix them! They are a danger to you and the public. That is why in saner times we locked them up.