Reading what's going on in the US, it's so great to see we've finally, finally evolved into a country that is governed by "common sense", not a nation of sticky laws, even better than religious dogma, another possible improvement over the laws; I mean, the ends always justify

Robert Reich made a great point today that a society needs overriding empathy and trust to be a healthy, fair and happy one. There is always a balance in societies regarding self-interest and distrust vs empathy and trust, and all the degrees and variations thereof, but, we have now

The US-Russia-Saudi connection for the Ukraine talks seems odd on the face of it (why is Saudi Arabia included?), but, when look for the connection, it's right there--oil, & the power and wealth that go with it, personally, for who controls it. The goal, since before Trump's 1st run.

Enough of excusing some of Trump's outrageous comments as just "negotiating strategy or ploys", and, call them what they are: blackmail, extortion, threats of real harm or else, straight from the mobster playbook, no difference. Too bad no one punched him in the face when he was in 5th grade.

The primary focus someone with "common sense" should have, it would seem tom, is what was a military helicopter doing in a commercial airline flightpath to begin with. Perhaps the new Sec of Defense can offer an explanation?

"Meritocracy" would be valid only if everyone started out w/equal opportunity, which is not the case, and, even then, doesn't take into account unequal natural abilities, luck, life, health, etc., and serves, basically, as a rationalization for, "hey, I deserve everything I have"