Posts by Paul White9

Grace Ramos said:I’m getting hit with $20 utility fees even though I have zero people registered at this address. On top of that, my ice maker is acting up, and now I’m waiting on the electric bill to settle—including any potential back-pay adjustments. It’s going to be a total mess if I can't make it downtown to settle this 😁

And what about the people who won't be able to get back for months? Everything will just turn into a jungle; you won't even be able to manage it with a standard push mower.

I'm sure Bozinovic will just shell out the cash to have the local public works department fix everything since the owners couldn't. Or, more likely, they'll just send over a fine for not keeping the lawn tidy enough. 🙂

stormybadger8 said:You're saying most people who were in isolation and ended up infected were definitely hanging out in downtown NYC...
People didn't come back from some tiny rural town after skiing trips in Italy or Austria; it was way more likely those folks from central NYC...
If those same people had flooded the streets and parks alongside everyone else who wasn't even sick...
they almost certainly would've spread the virus to a huge crowd, and now everyone's scattered all over the place.

That’s exactly why the earthquake was such a "super-spreader" event, and Božinović basically handed them a nuclear arsenal with his terrible response.
We'll see the fallout somewhere between April 1st and April 10th...

Just because you went to work in NYC doesn't mean you walked right into the house of someone in isolation...
But now, that's exactly why he ended up being your neighbor.

And if they're just sitting in their own house 200 yards away from me in isolation, what does it matter if they're here?

Joseph Taylor11 said:Did I actually read this somewhere, or was I just dreaming that you can't change your registered address right now?🤔
For instance, I own an apartment in the city and want to update my residency. I’ve got the deed and everything is squared away with the Democratic Party..

Why is this blocked? Is it suspended, or is it just gone for good?🤔

The clerk at the police station isn't working because they aren't considered "essential," so even if you want to, you're out of luck.

Apparently, things are just a mess outside of NYC too, from what I hear. Like, if a pipe bursts in your house or something, you can't even show up to check if everything is okay.

stormybadger8 said:Plus, you’re basically spreading the virus to places that haven't even seen it yet...

And where exactly do you think people who moved out actually work? In Washington, D.C.
Do you honestly think husbands, wives, and kids all left their homes just to be infected there? If you actually have a clue what you're talking about, staying in Washington, D.C. is clearly the better move—at least if your symptoms take a turn for the worse, you can be in a hospital within five minutes.
Thirdly, is it really better to be in a house with a yard, living 200 meters away from your neighbors, rather than stuck in an apartment complex sharing an elevator and touching the same door handles and buttons every single day?

What on earth are you even talking about?

Bryan Taylor6 said:No, the geniuses actually implemented the stay-at-home order the day after 300,000 Washington residents had already left town. 😵 😵 😵

Look, there's a massive crowd of Washington, D.C. residents living in places like Suburban City, Dugo Selo, or all those surrounding towns. In reality, you can commute from there to your job in Washington, D.C. in 30 minutes and back home every single day. You don't necessarily need to be stuck in a damaged house or an apartment in the city while renovations are happening. And if a health emergency hits, you're at a hospital in Washington, D.C. in a heartbeat.
And then they roll out the permits. Brilliant. Now I can't even get to work because I can't commute back, nor can I renovate or even clean up my place enough to actually live there again.

Brandon Newman95 said:Honestly, I don't think anyone saw this earthquake coming—I mean, who would have actually wanted this?

And they didn't even introduce those passes until AFTER the earthquake hit!

Around 1,700 families headed out to their weekend getaways following the earthquake because their homes were either damaged or they just didn't feel safe staying put—and luckily, they had their own places to go. Now, how is a father supposed to drive into Washington, D.C., to report damage and deal with all these aftershocks when his wife and kids are already settled somewhere safe and warm?

The geniuses behind this plan clearly didn't account for that scenario.

Amy Hughes91 said:Haha... why so worked up? 😛

There is a massive difference between helping out a friend or family member and running a business. I’m not asking for a favor, so I don't need a "friend" or a cousin. I am offering a deal—like selling someone a car way below market value. I lend them $3,000, they pay back a bit more, everyone wins. Maybe someone bites, maybe they don't....

And no, I don't have time to type away on a forum while I'm working. Is that really so hard to grasp? (I thanked you for the advice, end of story.) 👍

Look, there's no need to get defensive. Not everyone spends their entire day glued to a computer screen where they can multitask between work and browsing the web. Some people work all day, come home, and then they're done. You aren't going to lose your job just because you checked a website.

But seriously, whatever you do, do not borrow money from people on Reddit, or from random flyers on telephone poles, or any other sketchy sources. You don't want to lose your house and everything else you own over a measly $3,000. That's why I say this: if a major bank won't give you a loan because your debt is too high or your income is too low, that's a signal in itself that you aren't a reliable borrower. A loan shark will love that, though—they won't care if you miss a couple of payments; they'll just take your house and walk away with exactly what they wanted for that $3,000.

Amy Hughes91 said:I need $3,000 by the end of the day.
The cost of living in America is getting ridiculous, so I’m not about to go begging my friends and making things awkward—especially since I already know they’re broke.
If anyone happens to have $3,000 sitting around and actually wants to earn some decent interest, let me know.

Banks will offer you unsecured personal loans, and for a sum like that, you can usually get approved relatively easily compared to much larger amounts.

For instance, Chase offers personal loans with fixed interest rates where the APR sits around 8.25%, meaning you'll end up paying back $366 more than what you originally borrowed once interest is factored in. Personally, I think that's fair.
Your monthly payment would be about $250 if you chose a 13-month term.

If you stretch the repayment over 2 years, you'll pay $332 roughly $19 extra per month in interest.

Honestly, I highly doubt you'd get a better deal from a moneylender or some "private" individual. And look, if you aren't creditworthy enough for a major bank—due to garnishments, bad credit, a low salary, or existing debt—then you definitely won't be creditworthy for a private lender either.

Samuel Sanders6 said:First off, you're an only child, which makes you somewhat irrelevant here; you can't really judge the dynamics of a household with two or more siblings.

2. As for this "waiting for someone to die" thing—you remind me of most people on this forum. Nobody actually votes for a Republican Party/Democratic Party split, yet those two somehow walk away with two-thirds of the vote every time.
It certainly isn't ideal to have two generations crammed into one house, but in your early years, it's actually a smart move. It's much easier to take out a larger mortgage when you can use that shared living situation to pay down the principal instead of burning it all on interest.

3. You aren't expecting anything? Did you mention that in the poll? If so, there are only two possibilities: either you have nothing, so you don't care, or everything is being donated to charity. Send me a DM; I can help you out with the data.😛

4. Accept the will as it is? Why on earth would anyone do that? If we are following the law, the law mandates a certain portion for the children. Or, put another way, why should I or my father (who went through this, and God help me, I fear I will too) settle for less than a brother who walks away with 98% of the estate while everyone else gets the leftovers? This isn't just about the money; it's about basic fairness, something that should at least exist among family. But again, you're an only child, so it's hard to grasp that perspective.

And let’s talk about that "forced share" of yours... if the owner of a property leaves it to the neighbor's cat or hands it over to Catholic Charities in their will, then that's just how it is. It's his property, not yours. He could have blown the whole place up a minute before passing if he felt like it. Or he could have sold everything right before death and spent every cent on hookers. Why should you get a piece of it? I'm just being objective here...

Nancy Gomez26 said:For the most part, regarding the concept of a homeland, you make a valid point. It is entirely possible to integrate successfully into a different society. However, moving abroad for work always involves a certain degree of renunciation—for some more significantly than others—and one needs to spend some time abroad to truly grasp my meaning. Besides the decision itself, far too many external factors dictate whether one leaves or stays. If I could simply pack up my business and move it to a location more conducive to commerce, I likely would. But due to the very nature of my work—running an independent trade, agriculture—physical relocation isn't an option. I suspect that in the future, business environments across the European Union will gradually converge, making the specific location increasingly irrelevant, a process that is already slowly underway.

I spent half my life living abroad, so I speak from experience. In practice, if you find a solid crew, a good job, decent social life, and real friends, it doesn't really matter where you live. Later on, once you get married and have kids, you end up being centered around your family, and that’s really that.

Sam Murphy said:Hey man, honestly, that sounds like the absolute dream scenario... it’s actually the exact same thing a guy I know mentioned to me—someone who’s pulling in some seriously impressive money over in Germany, though he barely has a single moment to actually sit back and enjoy any of it...

That’s exactly why it doesn't happen. People get trapped in this endless feedback loop: you earn more, so you upgrade to a bigger house or a nicer condo; you get a better car; you buy fancier clothes; you start dining at high-end restaurants. It’s a constant race where the finish line keeps moving further away because everything just gets more expensive. If someone were making great money for ten years but stuck to eating at Lidl, living in a modest apartment, and driving a basic car, they’d actually have enough saved up to hit early retirement. They could spend the rest of their lives sitting on a porch, sipping a beverage, and just watching the waves.

Nancy Gomez26 said:The moment you feel forced to leave your homeland just to earn a decent wage for the job you do—you have already sacrificed something. You traded today for a slightly better tomorrow (and look, I don't judge; I’d likely make the exact same choice if I were in your shoes). The real tragedy here is that we are being forced to pay for the excessive, reckless spending of the past. We've developed a habit of spending far beyond our means, both personally and as a state, and now the bill has finally come due.

And what does "homeland" even mean? You're born where you're born. Your homeland is wherever you manage to build a life that actually feels good. While you were studying and relying on your parents, they provided the foundation because that was their prerogative. But once you start living for yourself and taking responsibility for your own life, you choose the place that serves you best—and that becomes your home. Then you fall in love, get married, have kids, and the whole cycle starts all over again—at least, that's the classic view. So, it really depends on what you're sacrificing: are you giving up the country where you were born, or are you sacrificing the chance to actually build a future there? Honestly, you might have done more damage by staying than you ever would have by leaving.

Nicole Nguyen6 said:I honestly think we could make a massive dent in helping the economy without needing those dramatic, painful budget cuts everyone screams about. There’s just this mountain of useless red tape and regulations hanging over companies in the Republic of America that makes life miserable for both big firms and small startups. It’s all pretty pointless and really ought to be scrapped. I'm talking about things like occupational safety regs that somehow apply to a tiny office setup where nobody is even lifting anything heavy, labor laws and endless overtime reporting, mandatory minimum wage rules for brand-new businesses, various guild-style restrictions, and so on. A first, painless step toward some actual smart administration would be to either adopt or at least take a page out of the playbook from places like Hong Kong. That kind of move would give the economy a huge boost without having to fire a single administrator.

And what about taxes? If I want to start a company and pay people competitive wages so they don't leave to work abroad, I have to hand over a massive chunk of my revenue to the state. Meanwhile, I'm expected to remain price-competitive on a global market where my competitors aren't paying nearly that much in taxes. How am I supposed to turn a profit? Besides, why shouldn't I just pack up and open my business somewhere else? You only live once, and who says I have to do this here? It’ll be easy enough to fly back for visits or to spend my summer vacation.

Edit: Oh, I forgot—I’m talking about young, educated professionals who are fluent in foreign languages. Whether they are writing a report from Chicago or sitting on a terrace in Tenerife using Word or Excel, or programming or designing something (be it an engineer or an electronics specialist), to God it makes no difference.

Does anyone know where I can pick up some decent gear locally or maybe over in Canada? I’m looking specifically for backcountry setups—stuff that works for hitting untracked powder out in places like Central Park, Lake Michigan, Mount Whitney, or even the Blue Ridge Mountains, as well as staying on groomed trails. I've been eyeing certain models like the Fischer Mountain Crown or maybe an SBound setup paired with some BX6/8 boots and all that. For standard downhill stuff, I know I could check out Iglusport, but that's not what I'm after. While I was in Canada, I saw those specialized skins for trekking on packed trails, which I already have.

restlessbison4 said:I honestly feel like everyone’s just stuck in this endless, grinding loop lately—parents and kids alike. Look, let's assume you've got parents who are actually decent, smart people, genuinely trying to instill some real human values in their children. But in this constant rat race we call modern life, where every job demands every ounce of your time and sanity, most days are just swallowed up by chores and obligations. You spend all your energy just meeting the baseline requirements of survival before you even get to the actual reason you're working in the first place: providing for yourself and, more importantly, your kids. By the time you actually have a moment to focus on them, you're just completely burnt out. It breeds this constant, low-level irritability because there’s zero downtime. Nowadays, the individual, the family—we're all just slaves to our jobs, our mortgages, and these ever-expanding consumerist cravings that force us to work even harder. And what can we realistically expect from our kids? They don't even get to be kids—they don't get to be those free, carefree little beings who just play. As soon as they hit school, they start noticing the gaps, feeling miserable because they don't have the same stuff as everyone else. Then it falls back on the parents who have to scramble to make sure their kids aren't left behind, just so they don't feel inferior. It's a vicious cycle.
Personally, I don't even have kids, and I can barely manage my own basic life after the daily madness.
I don't know, something feels fundamentally broken in America..

I wouldn't necessarily agree that things were better back in the day; let's face it, people live at a frantic pace now and deal with a mountain of responsibilities and material needs. Maybe your parents worked a factory shift from 6 AM to 2 PM and then you could act like a genius and have the whole afternoon to do whatever you wanted.
But even "back then," if you had an intellectual job, you worked all day too. If you wanted to build something... well, a huge number of people actually did. Our parents' generation would build vacation homes down by the coast or take on side gigs just to scrape together some extra cash... Basically, if you wanted to create something, it was the same then as it is now. Even my great-grandfather, who was a merchant, worked hard and had more than most.
Besides, capitalism and the drive to acquire material goods have existed since we were living in caves... Saying that life is more frantic in 2008 compared to the past... it just doesn't hold water for me.

Brandon Newman95 said:Here's my take: I finished high school about nine years ago. Is it progress or just pure entitlement? It's hard to say.
As for sitting in a classroom at 90 degrees without air conditioning—yeah, that sucks. Kids can't focus, they're overheated, it's stuffy, and everything else. Opening a window doesn't do much when it's a heatwave. Back in the day, AC was a luxury, but nowadays it's a necessity. I remember traveling across the state once and I was literally drenched in sweat. So yeah, I don't think it's easy for the kids either.
Regarding technology and being spoiled, honestly, it's a bit of both.
Tech is getting insane, and parents who are constantly working try to make up for their lack of time by buying their kids material stuff.
I was born in '81, so I started school around '87 or '88. The gap between us and kids today wasn't massive (there were rich kids and poor kids, but we looked out for each other) until things shifted around '91 when the war hit. That's when the divide really started showing, though still nothing compared to today.
When I talk to teachers now, they all say the same thing: every generation gets worse, kids have no respect for authority, they call their parents for every tiny little thing, and it's just not what it used to be.
We were basically the generation where computers were rare, cell phones didn't exist yet—just payphones, PlayStations, and stuff like that.
And yeah, I'm with hannah3 on this one.

I actually started school at the same time you did. First off, it wasn't nearly as scorching hot back then, and as far as AC goes, almost no buildings had it... or rather, you couldn't even afford it if you wanted to. Air conditioning showed up sometime in the 90s and was insanely expensive, but now it's much more affordable. If you're thirsty, you drink a glass of water; if you're hot, you turn on the AC. My grandfather had absolutely miserable conditions at school compared to what I had, so progress has definitely been made. Why should we halt that progress just because we don't want to look like fools by "spoiling" kids with AC in classrooms?

Our generation definitely had computers—we had the Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Amiga 500, and Nintendo consoles long before the PlayStation arrived... so it's not true that we didn't have tech. Cell phones started popping up around '92 or '93. By '94, when we were starting high school, you were a total legend if you owned a phone because they cost like a thousand bucks back then. In elementary school, you were the big man on campus if your friends could come over to play "Commodore." It’s exactly the same dynamic as it is today.