Grades are useful, but I still think any coursework outside of your major/minor should be pass/fail. Non-core courses can drastically effect who you are and how you view the world... it is important that you took them and that you achieved a minimum level of understanding/competency, but it is not relevant to your studies.

Your GPA even in the courses of your major doesn't mean much. It helps rank you among your graduating class -which may be useful in finding your first job. After that... not so much.

-Psychoactive drugs are effective at changing minds. The exact effects vary from user to user, but can be largely controlled by the clinician/therapist/shamanic guide. Taken alone or in random circumstances they lead to more random (sometimes bad) results.

-Psychoactive drugs are safe. They will not kill you. They will not cause physical harm. In a controlled clinical situation, the chances of a "bad trip" (emotional harm) are very slim.

-Psychoactive drugs are not broadly accessible only because we choose to limit access to them.

-Psychoactive drugs are cheap. They can be produced in laboratories cheaply and cleanly and in controlled dosages.

The first point is the one that is being studied currently: How effective are they? What are the limits of the effects? How long do the effects last?

I cannot say that I would be comfortable with psychoactive drugs as a first line of treatment. I am not in favor of drugs of any sort as a first line of treatment. If not needed, don't prescribe them. But I would not hold them out as a last resort either. If it will help someone, it should be an option.

Ceuta is a small island off the coast of Africa. It is Spanish territory -but no where near Spain. There are no troops, there is barely a police force on the island.

The invasion consisted of thousands of people going for a short swim... and then going back home in a day or two when they realized that they weren't going to be taken to Spain and given Spanish/EU citizenship. They voluntarily walked back across the bridge to Morocco.

Beware the Pax Americana.

Under the Pax Romanus, Roman citizens could walk the world with impunity, knowing that the simple statement "Civis Romanus sum! " (I am a Roman citizen) protected them from harm. Harming a Roman citizen would bring the wrath of the legions of Rome down upon the entire village where the crime was committed.

The US military is the largest in the world -and Trump is very willing to use it at the faintest imaginary provocation. Using the military in retaliation for a move against American citizens would be the most popular thing he could do.

Thanks to the Unitary Executive power now enshrined by our Supreme Court, then next president will be able to eliminate every Trumpist and replace them with their own loyalists. They won't even get a chance to fight it in court, as the lower courts will be bound by Supreme Court precedent. They may be allowed to retire quietly or there may even be mass prosecutions -depending on how extreme the next leader is.

If the Democrats control Congress as well, they will be able to reshape the Supreme Court, the Federal courts as a whole, and to set new legislation to prevent future leaders from repeating the cycle. The Unitary Executive power will be dismantled (after being used...) and the Supreme Court will be expanded and term limited to prevent such control from re-emerging.

The next elections will set the path. Will it be AOC's path? Pete Buttigieg's path? Or Gavin Newsom's path? Or will we re-elect king Trump for good?

VOTE

It's bad enough we have government spooks doing this stuff, but now we are going to have private corporations doing it with even less oversight. Why not? I hear all the best countries do it this way...

What could possibly go wrong?

/zombie

You cannot force someone to learn. You can only provide the opportunity.

As early as possible, expose children to reading, writing, nature, science, sports, art, crafts, etc. Show them what is possible before peer pressure convinces them that its "dumb" to learn things. Then give them the opportunity to learn, to pursue their interests. But stop trying to force it. Teach the basics to all the children. Then let the ones who want out.. opt out.

We don't all need a college degree. High school should not just be college prep. It should allow for different paths.

OK. makes sense now :)

For those who have not heard of the blueprint for Trump's presidency see Project 2025

Trump is cutting the NOAA budget -- the organisation that it important as it monitors the weather. The orange despot does not like those who produce facts that contradict his lies.

Yes. I can see that. Google could use that against a dev. Or not. I'm sure they have thought of it at least.

They plan to move anyway. The costs are already baked into the 5 year plan.

New location, new employees, new direction from the silent partners. Saudi Arabia put up 24 BILLION dollars cash to fund this deal. They want a particular slant on all future films, news, broadcast and streaming. It is easier to convince new employees to go in a new direction than to convince existing employees to reverse course.

California has a balanced budget, and money in a rainy-day fund. The problem is it relies on extra money from windfall taxes every year to achieve it. Usually there is even a surplus.

It is like planning your budget based on getting a good bonus check at work. It may work out every time... until it doesn't and you cant pay the mortgage.

California has a balanced budget, money in a rainy-day fund, and ...a bunch of unfunded obligations that will bite it in the ass if ignored.

California relies on windfall taxes to survive. As long as the market is booming and tech businesses keep growing, it has extra money year after year. It keeps spending that extra money on new programs that cost money in the future to maintain -betting that it will again get extra money to pay for them. It works because the tech industry keeps finding new ways to make more money. But that is no guarantee.

Far from bankrupt, but hoping to win every time is not a sound financial plan.