Posts by briskbison55

I mean, I guess Amber Heard is actually a pretty solid choice. She plays that girl in Drive Angry, which... honestly, that movie itself is kind of a mess, but she absolutely kills it.

I realize I’m probably in the minority here, but honestly, that concert just didn't click for me at all. It wasn't any better than last year's show, which felt pretty lackluster and just plain boring. I mean, if you manage to take an already dull album and make it even more tedious in a live setting, that’s actually kind of an achievement, I guess. But maybe it's just a temporary slump? Nine Inch Nails have gone through so many different eras and always found their way back to their roots before.

I mean, what’s the deal with RATM? Their first album was solid, sure, but everything after that just feels kind of aimless, you know? Like, they have a good song here and there, but it's mostly filler. And Arcade Fire? Give me a break! :-) Maybe I should've gone last year because of those new Alice in Chains tracks, but honestly, I'm just looking forward to seeing Mastodon. Oh, and man, Cypress Hill used to know how to throw a party back in the day.

I mean, Graves is kind of a joke, but maybe that’s what they were going for? Since you just can't replace Danzig—it's impossible, really—especially since he handled everything from the lyrics to the music. Jerry seems like a genuinely nice guy, though. He’s actually picked up some instruments lately, too. I think I might head out to Boogaloo for the show... I went to the last one and it wasn't bad at all, I guess. Plus, having the guitarist from Black Flag on stage can't be a terrible choice, right?

Larry Morales12 said:it looks like Cypress Hill might be doing their final set on the T-Mobile Main stage, while Mastodon plays out in the woods. so, I don't think there will be any overlapping schedules, which is great because my main goal is to catch both Grinderman and Mastodon.

well, if that's how it works out—hooray! ;-)

Besides Mastodon, maybe—just purely for the nostalgia trip—I'll try to catch Guantanamo School of Medicine. And I’m really crossing my fingers that Nick Cave isn't playing during the Mastodon set, because if he is, that little guy is gonna end up stuck behind me in the front row :-)

Mastodon! Honestly, nothing else even deserves my attention this year.

Thanks, I guess I must have really stepped on someone's toes to get banned from there like that :-)

I'm just wondering... why can't I read him?

Adam Collins4 said:I’m talking about how the Republican Party twice requested standby arrangements that ended up stalling—purely due to their own sheer incompetence—even though the funds were eventually repaid...

So, are you actually aware of that, or are we just guessing?

It seems like you don't have a clue what you're talking about, yet here you are, acting like an expert...☕

And honestly, I couldn't care less who sent what to whom or who signed off on it...

Wait, hold on, what exactly are you blaming the Republican Party for here? Just finish your thought so I can figure out if you're being dense or if you're just trolling me.

Quincy:

Honestly, I don't really care who did what or who agreed to what...

Then where do you get the nerve to defend those points today, coming from someone who was totally on board with that mess back then? :-)

Adam Collins4 said:Of course, more insults because there aren't any actual arguments left...

We weren't prepared for the crisis back then, and we aren't prepared now either... it's blatant incompetence by The Administration...

And as for this specific issue, they certainly have the money...

"Libertarian Party members are appalled by the implementation of a three-billion-dollar program to return housing to people who lost their tenancy rights, right when the country is being hit by a massive economic crisis. If those funds were redirected toward job preservation, a huge number of American citizens wouldn't be ending up at the unemployment office," said Daniel Srb, president of the Libertarian Party.

He pointed out that the program was passed back in August 2006 when, as he put it, The Administration decided—based on an agreement between the Republican Party and the Independent Party—to allocate apartments to those who lost their tenancy rights because they hadn't used them for more than six months. These are, according to him, individuals who left America in 1991, went "to the other side," and actively joined the fight against America.

What do you mean, "investing in manufacturing"? That money should be given to Mexicans...

And yeah, generals were convicted and extradited for things that have nothing to do with Operation Storm... who's to blame for that?

How does that not completely dismantle the narrative regarding the defensive war?

Look, I’ll give you two examples—one guy is actually a member of your party and the other is the Governor of the Federal Reserve. If anyone is being insulting here, it’s you, honestly, with this constant trolling and just dodging anything that doesn't fit your little narrative. This person is basically like a bull charging blindly at a rag; they aren't budging an inch from what they were taught.

Quincy:

"The Libertarian Party is absolutely appalled by the implementation of this three-billion-dollar program meant to return housing to people who lost their residency rights, especially while the country is struggling through such a massive economic recession. 'If those funds had been redirected toward job preservation, so many American citizens wouldn't be stuck on unemployment lines,' said Libertarian Party leader Daniel Smith." He pointed out how the program was passed back in August 2006 when, according to him, the administration decided—based on an agreement between the Republican Party and the Democratic Party—to allocate housing to those who lost their residency rights because they hadn't used the properties for over six months. He mentioned these are people who left America in 1991, went 'to the other side,' and actively participated in the war against America. So, what about investing in manufacturing? Should we just hand that over to the Democrats instead...

There it is, the Democrats have finally completely fallen apart at the seams :-) Now they’d probably just ignore all our international treaty obligations and tell the Democrats to go back to where they came from. Come on, seriously, I know terms like 'agreement,' 'initialing,' 'signing,' or 'ratification' might be a bit confusing for you folks in the Democratic Party, but once obligations are taken on, they have to be honored. Why weren't you crying foul when the Republican Party was signing it? There was a full debate in Congress and the Democrats agreed that homes needed to be rebuilt for all the victims.

Quincy:

And yeah, certain generals were convicted and extradited for things that have nothing to do with Storm... so who’s to blame for that? Doesn't that totally undermine the whole argument about the defensive war?

Same answer as before. You keep broadening the topic, and I just can't think of anything because I feel like we've already stretched this one way too far.

Karen Rodriguez3 said:Maybe ask them how business is going *right now*. You know, specifically this month. I mean, sure, if they're mostly working with companies here in the States.
You want me to tell you what it's like in manufacturing?

Business is actually going great, honestly. They work with all sorts of companies in America—both domestic and international. They do a ton of work with firms outside the US, too. There’s one guy about my age running things; he employs 12 people. We're talking millions in revenue, mostly software development.

But wait, what exactly are they producing?

Adam Collins4 said:The Republican Party called the IMF twice before Bill Clinton did, but because they were so incompetent, they had to pay everything back...

Are you even aware of that?

skegro once said out loud in public—basically calling both the lightweight and the church official bluff—that the debt to the IMF was paid back perfectly, and that when he handed over the keys on his way out, the treasury was actually sitting in the black. And those two guys actually backed him up. So, I guess... what exactly are you talking about here?

Adam Collins4 said:Oh, you're absolutely right, it's all just nonsense...

And the absolute peak of your argumentation is resorting to insults... kid, I don't kiss anyone's feet unless I actually believe the idiocy they're writing about...

And you—you can keep denying it all you want—but George W. Bush, along with his cronies, was out there rambling that there was no crisis coming... and claiming we had zero mechanisms to soften the blow...

I mean, seriously, it took us two whole years after the crash just to start trying to set up a fund to help those hit by the recession...

So, comparing us to the UK is just laughable... our economy operates differently, which means we should have prepared for the crash differently too...

And that guy you mentioned—the one who actually warned everyone about the impending crisis—was branded an incompetent by George W. Bush and his circle. Again, just a stellar indicator of how prepared we were for the meltdown...

Deny it as much as you like... the cooperation agreements were signed back in the '90s, and even then, generals were being handed over... basically, the smear campaign against the defense effort started just before that.

Let me ask you something... suppose Desert Storm wasn't put on trial, and only certain specific officers were convicted—would that, in your eyes, somehow disprove the idea that the entire operation was a legitimate defensive war?

I mean, look, Ljube Jurcic and Zeljko Rohatinski are out there claiming your arguments don't hold any water at all. They’re really digging in their heels on that one. But... I don't know, maybe you should just keep going? I guess it isn't exactly news, though. It’s not like this is the first time you’ve sort of lost your way or gotten turned around. Just, uh, keep at it, I suppose.

Quincy:

I mean, honestly, comparing us to the UK just feels... I don't know, kind of ridiculous? It’s like comparing apples to oranges. Our whole economic setup is built on totally different foundations than theirs, so it makes sense that we would have approached crisis prep differently too. We aren't them, you know? I guess it's just a different playing field entirely.

I mean, we just don't have an economy. Period. And honestly, if you’re going to sit there and lecture me about how we should have prepared for this crisis... well, go ahead. Please. Enlighten the rest of us. I guess if you do that, maybe you'll finally snag a Nobel Prize or something. Just saying.

Quincy:

I mean, that Rohatinski guy you’re talking about... when he was actually trying to warn everyone that a crisis was coming, Sanders and Šuker just brushed him off and called him clueless. It's just... I don't know, maybe it's just another perfect example of how totally unprepared they were for everything hitting the fan. Just shows you, I guess.

So, Mason was out there tearing him apart, you know? Mostly bringing up those reserve funds and stuff, but that’s really a whole different conversation entirely... I mean, honestly. But then, in a bit of a twist, Mason actually stepped up and admitted he was wrong. I guess things change. Maybe he just realized he overstepped. It's weird, right? Anyway...

I guess... I mean, if you look at what Quincy was saying there... maybe? It’s just one of those things where you wonder how we even got here, I suppose. It feels like everything is shifting so fast, almost like when we were all watching the coverage during Desert Storm, you know? That sense of something massive happening right under your feet. Anyway, I'm just thinking out loud. Maybe I'm overthinking it, too. Or maybe not. It's hard to tell sometimes.

Go ahead and deny it all you want... I mean, really, deny it as much as you need to... but that cooperation agreement was already signed back in the 90s. Even then, they were handing over generals. So, I guess... maybe they just started the whole smear campaign against the Democrats a little bit before that actually happened.

Look, I’m saying this again... just ask our colleagues over at the Republican Party if you aren't sure. I know you probably will, obviously, but if you're just choosing to ignore all those threads where we actually sat down and talked about this stuff? Man, I really won't be pointing it out to you anymore. I mean, seriously.

I guess... I mean, if you look at what Quincy said, it really makes you think, doesn't it? It’s just one of those things where you start down one path and suddenly you're somewhere else entirely. Maybe I'm overthinking it, but there's something about the way this is unfolding that feels... I don't know, significant? In a quiet sort of way. Anyway, I was just sitting here thinking about it, and I felt like I had to say something. It's all very strange, honestly.

So, I wanted to ask you something... like, just thinking out loud here. If Desert Storm itself isn't prosecuted, and if it turns out that only people like Norac, Glavaš, and those guys are convicted... I mean, would that change things for you? Like, would that basically tear down the whole argument that the war was strictly a defensive struggle for the nation? I guess I'm just wondering how you'd see that.

I mean, you should just go ahead and ask those party buddies of yours to explain exactly what Racan signed over at the Westin that day... and maybe they can tell you why the Netherlands decided to stage that whole blockade against us right then, too. Honestly, you don't even have to bother explaining yourself later after all this nonsense, just... yeah, just disappear, I guess. :-)

Austin Gonzalez13 said:There it is again—that tired old cliché that just doesn't hold water. Foreign debt and national debt aren't even the same thing... honestly, maybe stick to topics you actually understand, because this clearly isn't your lane. External debt is driven by citizens (well, in our case), whereas the actual state debt is the responsibility of the President.

Good grief... :-) okay, fine, I'm just going to ignore you from now on.

Karen Rodriguez3 said:Seems like you might be missing the bigger picture here.
If you're stuck working in an environment that's constantly draining you, how are you supposed to actually grow?
The government's gotta ensure a healthy foundation. I thought that was obvious.

And yeah, a country that doesn't export anything—let alone rely on exports—isn't going to get hit by a global recession quite as hard as you're trying to make it sound.
We kind of tripped ourselves up; we didn't even need a recession.

That’s interesting... I know a ton of people who run their own businesses; everything from design firms to software dev, consulting, PR, you name it. Everyone is doing pretty well for themselves, honestly. They all seem to be expanding year after year, and they're always scratching their heads wondering why others aren't jumping into sectors where there's a massive shortage of experts. So, who's really holding you back from growing? I guess it’s kind of silly to blame the government for absolutely everything.

Quincy:

And yeah, a country that doesn't export much—let alone rely heavily on exports—isn't going to get hit by a global recession nearly as hard as you're trying to make it out to be. We basically tripped ourselves up; we didn't even need a recession to cause us trouble.

I mean, we messed things up a long time ago, but that doesn't change the fact that this crisis hasn't wrecked us the way it would have if we were a more developed nation. Like, what could actually happen to us? Will foreign-owned banks just hike up interest rates? And then what? If they lose their customer base, they lose it. There's really no way.

James Nguyen13 said:So, I saw this massive headline on Newsweek today: "Son of powerful Republican Party figure caught up in traffic accident scandal."
I can't help but wonder, will the media coverage stay this intense once the verdict comes down for Kennedy?

I mean, you can really look at it any way you want, I guess. If someone like a random tech CEO had done something similar, maybe there wouldn't be a single news story about it on our major outlets or in the media at all. But since Čačić is part of this whole political package that's been sold to the public for so long now, suddenly our entire media landscape is being super cautious... almost too subtle, you know? It feels a bit sad and, honestly, pretty gross.

Adam Collins4 said:Aha, so you're just talking nonsense regarding the collision, while I—the supposed "genius" who's actually correcting you—am just using demagoguery? Classic move from people writing about things they clearly don't understand...

Look, it's not my fault gym was your favorite subject back in school...

And the part about probation? That was brought up by actual lawyers... though I highly doubt your grasp of the law is any better than your grasp of physics, so, basically zero...

Nobody is saying he didn't hit them; the point is that we need to determine the exact speed...

People like you think a seventh grader could figure this out—it's a joke, really... though I suppose it does reflect your level of understanding of the subject matter...

Wait, where and when did you actually correct me? In any thread? Any topic at all? Don't get ahead of yourself here.

It's not my fault if gym class was your favorite subject back in school...

We had gym class with girls too, so if that wasn't your favorite subject, man, you really had it rough :-)

And legal experts were the ones mentioning probation... and I highly doubt your knowledge of the law is any better than your knowledge of physics, so... basically nothing.

You won't find an American lawyer anywhere mentioning probation for an offense where someone drove into someone else and killed two people. You wouldn't hear that here, but our justice system doesn't care about that in this case.

Nobody is saying there wasn't a collision, it's just being argued that we need to determine the exact speed...

The speed isn't even the point, and it doesn't change the fact that a collision happened with fatal consequences.

People like you think a seventh grader could figure this out... it's honestly laughable... though it does show your level of understanding of the subject...

You've started throwing around technical terms now, maybe just slow down and actually read what I'm writing. You'll see that you're very careful when it comes to judging a killer who shares your ideology, but you're incredibly quick to judge anyone who isn't on the party list.

Karen Rodriguez3 said:How did they not? It’s just that whenever they try to pass anything actually useful, people call it unpopular and—surprise, surprise—they lose the election.
I'm not even a member of the Democratic Party, just so we're clear, and yeah, they definitely made some pretty stupid moves back then. But man, what this current crowd is pulling... jeez.

you know why that coalition lost the election? because their entire platform was basically just one highway project at a time, and that was right when they realized they'd spent more than half their term just bickering amongst themselves. Honestly, the Republican Party barely had to lift a finger to take over. Now they're complaining about calling the IMF, but even Račan called the IMF back in the day. They whine about highways while they were actually building much more expensive ones. And so on, and so forth... it's all just one big mess. Though, I guess nobody on their side got hit by it either because, like I said before, it's all the same old story—everyone is looking out for each other.

It's just a shame if some people actually fall for the spin about those "tough measures" being the reason they lost the election.

Austin Gonzalez13 said:They actually did plenty, it’s just that you either can’t see it or you refuse to, mostly because you’re leaning too hard on slogans instead of actual facts.
We’ve seen a massive drop in liquidity issues, the budget burden and the deficit have been trimmed down, state bureaucracy has been cut back, and they really tried to stop those political leeches from draining the treasury... but then you had those radical agitators out protesting on the boardwalks—the same ones who now probably have to hide out on some yacht in the middle of the ocean just to avoid getting picked up by the authorities.

haha, man, come on, get real. America hasn't seen this kind of debt levels until what the current administration has pulled off.