I can answer that. My extensive, uh, field research suggests that they are. You do, however, owe it to yourself to verify this.
I once got free chocolate chip cookies and coffee for speaking to a group of amateur botanists. Some easy pickings on that gig. Although I always thought that I was worth oatmeal-raisin.
I do think Is should visit every single island just to check and see. Iāll report back. ![]()
Careful on the optics. Maybe the cookies were okay, but coffee too? I mean, seriously, what were you thinking?
Thanks! I look forward to it.
I am embarking on another āfield research adventureā in November. 40th wedding anniversary celebration with the kids, et.al. 
They lose all vestiges of civilization at luaus when they do the hukilau to honor the pig in the pit. 
Iām 68-years-old. I voted for Obama twice because he was the lesser evil. This is the definition of selling out. This is taking personal advantage of an elitist system based on financial rather than ethical and moral values. This is why celebrity worship is harmful. This is why Sanders is the most popular politician in America today.
If Obama donates rather than keeps this money, good for him! Thatās the right example of how power and influence should be usedā¦to benefit others less fortunate.
Well, be careful. You just never know what kind of glorious landscape you may encounter over there.
Congratulations on your anniversary! ![]()
Well, thatās completely understandable. ![]()
FunnyāI too " lose all vestiges of civilization" when I am there (or in sunny Mexico, for that matter).
Thanks!!! 
I guess the Obamaās $65,000,000 book advance just wasnāt enough.
I have no problem with the book advance. He earned all of that. But isnāt that enough? Considering a $1,000,000 invested with a 10% return gives one a $100,000 annually w/o even getting out of bed in the morning.
Put it all under wealth concentration. Are we ever to see wealth distribution again?
No, itās just that very, very stupid people have decided all democrats must be paupers, except Sanders and his three houses, who hate the rich and have no desire to be rich. Because that right there so totally connects with the average voter.
Obama had eight years to convince Trump voters he was on their side. Couldnāt do it. And many of them had voted for Obama. If he had been a tenant, he wouldnāt get his security deposit back. He left the Democrats in terrible shape.
If Sanders is the āmost popular politician in America todayā, a dubious claim at best, itās only because heās promising three-quarters of the country a laundry list of free stuff and further promising that the Koch Brothers will pay for it.
Which has absolutely zero chance of ever happening in this country, barring a mental change to half the population.
Today I want to reject the tribalistic Obama/Clinton v Sanders, heroes v villains polarities. I appreciate that this board is a place to vent (and have done so myself, many times), but I want to be open to the possibility that my guy Obama is not flawless and that this may be a substantive misstep. (Always assuming that the Fox report is accurate, which @NCSteve rightly points out is far from certain.)
It cannot be forgotten that the animosity towards banks and bankers isnāt just a symbolic one. These enterprises have shown themselves to be, to a very significant degree, quasi-criminal organizations that engage in systematic fraud and predation and corruption and racketeering, with catastrophic consequences. (Hereās one of my favorite links on this subject: https://www.lrb.co.uk/v35/n13/john-lanchester/are-we-having-fun-yet.) So it isnāt just a question of optics.
Quite likely heāll do all kinds of good with the money he receives. I think itās great that he can take money from soulless profit-takers and do some good with it (like Hillary did/does). That said, even if he hoarded the money for himself and his family, so fucking what? Heās a private citizen⦠itās his prerogative. Any so-called liberals who rage-masturbate to this are dumber than a doorknob for being so easily distracted from actual issues that impact peopleās lives.
Itās because Progressives are busy trying to foment a class war.
Just what the Democrats need.
Hard to make presentations at conferences from a prison cellā¦
I stand ready to receive some of your wealth distributed my way, and I promise Iāll put it to good use. Iām sure I earn less than you do, being a retiree and all, and Bernie will no doubt approve.
She did donate the fees to charity.