Think about what actually touches your week. The state legislators you elect decide how much aid flows to your school district, which shapes your property tax bill. They write the laws on housing, transportation and public safety. Your town officials decide whether that pothole gets fixed, how your parks are maintained and what gets built on the empty lot down the street. Judges on your ballot will rule on cases involving your neighbors, and maybe one day, you. These races are often decided by a few hundred votes, sometimes fewer. In a local contest, your single ballot carries real weight.
Can we agree that a flagrant display of indecency should end any candidate’s quest for office, especially the presidency? The president must model moral leadership, compassion, forgiveness and inspiration. How have we spiraled so far away from those American ideals of American excellence?
The issues are serious. The differences between the candidates are stark and real, as are the differences between the two major parties, and indeed among the American people. I’m strongly supporting Bruce Blakeman as the leader the state needs at this defining moment.
Up until a few months ago, A.I. was in the news but not dominating it. In July, Geoffrey Hinton, who’s been called “the godfather of A.I.,” warned lawmakers that humanity could lose control of it within a year if proper safeguards were not established. Dario Amodei, the CEO of Anthropic, has been arguing that robust ethical and technical guardrails are needed to prevent misuse or loss of control.
This is a fast read - a day or two brings you to the end of a very memorable tale and definitely a conversation-starter…highly recommended.
The Locust Valley Central School District has recently joined a nationwide legal effort seeking to hold social media companies accountable for their impact on students’ mental health.
Harmony Heights Day School, in East Norwich, is partnering with a Port Washington high school student, Ava Lefkowitz, to introduce an autism debate workshop designed to help students strengthen their communication, public speaking and self-advocacy skills.
About 400 people gathered at Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay on Oct. 17 to celebrate the opening of the new Oudolf Garden, a one-acre landscape designed by internationally renowned Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf.
