I grew up with metric and moved to an imperial country as an adult. I now have a different view of the systems and honestly prefer imperial. Hear me out.

Imperial organically evolved over centuries to better match the lived human experience. The major units used now are more useful to the average person. The fact they are not base 10 is due to the fact that the main uses for each aren’t related in that way.

For temperature, 1 degree Fahrenheit is the minimum I can feel. 50 F is a middle temperature outdoors for many temperate climates: 0 F is very cold and 100 F is very hot. The temperature at which water boils or freezes at sea level is not as useful to my daily experience and the difference in a degree Celsius is too large.

I like inches, yards, and miles. I prefer ounces and pounds. Pints, quarts, and gallons now make more sense to me. I am not a scientist or engineer (who absolitely should use metric), but a guy trying to deal with weather, get places, and buy things to eat/drink.

Of course, if I learned an aircraft type was designed in imperial only, I wouldn’t get on it. Metric has its purpose. It’s just not as good for daily life.

Well, well, well, if it isn’t the consequences of decades of funding Russian genocide in exchange for cheap natural gas.

Business is morally dubious and absolute truth does not exist which is frustrating, but I lack the patience for bench research though recognize its much greater value. We are all exploited at work, but at least you have decent hours, labor protections, and I hope societal value.

Florida is a state of extremes. I love the warm, wet climate and the food/smells it produces, but it’s even more superficial and transitory than the West Coast you know.

I am writing this from onboard a flight Europe. I appreciate your social cohesion (yes, even in the France of greves et manifestations), food quality, public transit, and historic city centers. I know France quite well and while I love Normandy and Paris, the weather and family draw me to PACA and Aquitaine. Since I debate retiring to France, how do you find life there compared to what you have witnessed of the United States?

Public schools are locally managed and every school board is different, but gifted programs are common in Canada and the US. Children are screened early, tested, and put in dedicated classes. I was moved to a different school that had a segregated group of classrooms at age eight. My children’s school has gifted classes so they could stay starting at seven. Since you are past this age, what leads you to such an interest if you don’t mind me asking?

IQ tests are largely worthless, so I wouldn’t take one formally.

Sorry about your school experience. Being placed in a gifted program allowed me to make friends with similar people.

I am envious of your career in the sciences. I foolishly pursued business, and while it has been financially rewarding, I am left with a sense of emptiness.

My job and residence in Florida require me to follow the news to avoid the nonsense inflicted by populist leaders, but I spend my free time in nature or traveling like you.

It is nice to connect to someone online with a similar experience.

This mirrors my experience.

I was determined to have an IQ of 139 at age eight by a school psychologist. I was educated in a special program, attended an Ivy League university in the US, finished graduate school in the top 1% of my class, and work a well compensated job I dislike and will leave shortly.

To answer the main question, I find it isolating and a bit scary right now, but also stress-relieving.

I cannot connect with the average person though I really like some for their kindness. This is because I have a different lived experience. I consume different media. I don’t have their problems (money, vices, romantic instability, political agitation). I dislike how populism and hatred are rising, and am concerned that we are ignoring real issues (climate change, deficit spending, pollution) for fake ones (immigrants, “woke” culture, crime). At the same time, I wealthy by any objective standard, don’t have to work, and follow most medical guidelines (little exercise due to work schedule) so weigh an appropriate amount and am in good health.

I will acquire the book you recommend. My read French is decent. I have thought little about my IQ and perhaps should.

Kingdom.

Stephen Fry stars as a small town solicitor in the eccentric town of Market Shipborough. It ran for three seasons from 2007 - 2009 and is thoroughly charming.

I have to ask: did you read the article? It is clearly a call for the flattening of classes and more rights for all.

Did you try subscribing to your interests?

Dick Proeneke was amazing.

The answer is they were a wealthy European concept brought to the colonies as a status symbol. They are still associated with wealthier people which raises property values, so are enshrined in local ordinances and HOA rules.

I thought Trump announced a plan of genocide to allow for his fantasy of bearded belly-dancers per the video he posted.