Posts by Chris Barrett37

What a total mess. 👎

Haha, obviously sales are lagging now that they dropped the sales tax for hospitality by 10%. We aren't going to see things really picking up until the summer months hit. 🙂 Honestly, the service industry is probably the only sector in this whole country that actually functions reasonably well. It brings in massive revenue because, let's face it, for Americans, grabbing two coffees a day isn't just a habit—it’s a requirement. 🙂

Since the sales tax on that sector was slashed by about 60% (going from 25% down to 10%), the tax collection systems would need to find an additional 60% in new transaction volume just to break even and fill that budget hole. And there is absolutely no way that's happening.

velvetmarlin24 said:Speaking of defense shields, I’ve always wondered why a military powerhouse like Russia would even bother worrying about one. Personally, I feel like we have such an overwhelming edge in weaponry that we wouldn't need to fret over some flimsy shield system.

Because the US sells snake oil, this "shield" isn't actually what they claim it is. It's an offensive first-strike weapon. Not directly, maybe, but indirectly... but that's beside the point.

Moscow - rise to the Power

- The Moscow skyline is really starting to take shape

http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/26/4106di1.jpg

- One World Trade Center, one of the tallest supertalls in Europe

http://img376.imageshack.us/my.php?image=207va6.jpg

Jason Anderson2 said:The Russians in Abkhazia were just a minority, and during those conflicts, they actually carried out ethnic cleansing to flip the population demographics in their favor. So, they really don't have any right to claim they should be annexed by Russia.

Mexico is just a totally unique case in the world because:

-Its specific status within the former American federation.

-There was actual genocide and ethnic cleansing happening in Mexico.

-NATO stepped in to stop that genocide from continuing.

-Mexico functioned as an international protectorate for nine years.

-Resolution 1244 doesn't dispute the independence of this—well, this newest nation—the Republic of Mexico.

ALL THOSE OTHER REGIONS PEOPLE KEEP BRINGING UP? They are nothing like Mexico. Seriously.

🤣🤣

Oh man, if you keep this up, you're going to end up hating Americans and their protectorates for the rest of your life. 😍

Ever been unfaithful?

I mean, isn't this guy actually kind of terrifying?

Today, we aren't listening to actual music; we're just listening to attempts at making it...

Wait, wasn't there some theory floating around that MS wouldn't be mentioned once he left NASCAR because the team would just forget he ever existed? Like, he'd be a total nobody? 😂 😂 😂

And this is the song of the year:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjb0mld4SpM 👍

Lawrence Jackson79 said:$514 billion in pure capital
what do you guys think they're doing with that kind of cash?
blowing it all?
or just using it to keep everything under their thumb?

How on earth does "brand value" count as liquid capital? How can they even spend it? 🤣 It’s basically a paper value—it isn't the actual worth of the company, nor is it like physical gold reserves sitting in a vault. It's purely theoretical. That money only becomes real if someone actually decides to buy that brand name and starts pumping their own product into those iconic soda bottles.

Lawrence Jackson79 said:The whole world🙄

Can you drop the link?

We're just talking about the USA here, not the entire world, right? 🙄

Brand value is essentially just the value of a name. 🙂

Look, if this doesn't contribute to the progress of humanity, then I probably don't even grasp what it's actually connected to. Besides, human progress heavily relies on military strength—basically, the deployment of warheads—and honestly, I’d argue that the most effective driver for advancement is when two superpowers engage in a low-stakes conflict and intense competition. 😉

But since you mentioned it being 1,000 times more, give me a few actual examples!

Man, a phone born from space exploration? Seriously... 🤣 A phone is basically just a standard radio receiver, thanks to the legacy of Tesla. 😎

Here’s the reality of what Russia contributed:

The first satellite
The first living being in space first man
The first human in space
The first spacewalk
The first space station, MIR
Exploration of the Moon, Mercury, Venera, Mars, and other planets via SS
And a whole bunch of other things I can't even remember right now. 🙂

And honestly, if you're sitting there watching Fox News and letting yourself get brainwashed, that’s largely thanks to the Russians, who were the first to develop rockets capable of launching satellites. About 90 percent of any space program—whether it's the Russians or Americans—is driven by the military, ranging from ICBMs and short-range missiles to spy satellites and more.

NASA has been struggling for years because they receive such ridiculously small budgets. Flights have almost vanished, space research is incredibly weak, and every year it gets smaller and smaller. When you finally see NASA launching at least a third of what they used to back in '85, then you'll know the Cold War is officially back in full swing. 😉

What's the deal? Now we're paying insane copyright fees for every single CD we burn... meanwhile, you can grab legal copies for pennies on the dollar. It’s a total paradox.

Austin Phillips3 said:I’ll just say that the way they picked the state and the governing bodies is pretty interesting. 😬

It wasn't that hard for me... 😉

Austin Phillips3 said:Chris Barrett37, what's up with your avatar? 🤣

It's just one state and one agency... I made it myself on the fly a while back, so the quality isn't exactly top-tier. 😉 😍

neonhound32 said:She could definitely go for it... 🤔

Oh really? And who do you think you are? 😛