Posts by driftingfox16

Happy Orthodox Easter to all my fellow believers. Please, for everyone's sake, don't get behind the wheel if you've been drinking...

analogfalcon38 said:Heh, so that's just the theory from this idol of yours you've got set as your avatar, huh?🙂)
Niko isn't out there blowing himself up just to take out some random guy walking down the street. There’s always some foreign occupier or a local sellout working for them involved—it's just that the mainstream American media won't touch that part of the story.👎

And another thing... those people who "go out in a blast" aren't suicides. They're martyrs. They're sacrificing themselves for their people, their faith, and their country.

In my view, they are idiots first and foremost, not martyrs. There isn't a religion or a single individual on this earth worth dying for. These people claiming to be self-sacrificing are actually just weaklings who lack the courage to face life. Based on your logic, given some of the struggles I'm facing right now, I could easily end my life just to make things easier for my family. They could collect my life insurance payout (which is actually quite substantial), pay off a property, and still have plenty left over to invest in mutual funds. But there is a second issue: nobody in my family wants to see me in a casket—especially not my two nieces, who love me dearly.

Anthony Gonzalez25 said:Washington, D.C. is sitting on a $44 billion budget. That puts them right up there with the big dogs—only New York City ($55 billion) and Tokyo ($50 billion) have bigger budgets now.
http://en.rian.ru/video/20080327/102399075.html
Photos: http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_city

Impressive. Richard Wilson4 and Matthew Harris2 really hit the nail on the head regarding the issues facing Washington, D.C. Could you also clarify what percentage of that wealth belongs to wealthy foreigners versus Americans? It is widely understood that many American oligarchs built their fortunes through looting. That is precisely why they scatter themselves across the globe...

@rustywalker36, what a complete clown this Khomeini fellow is. It doesn't really matter, though, as long as he stays convinced that his Islamic utopia is flawless. Perhaps he could explain to us why he isn't actually living in that perfect world of his, but instead chose to move to Norway...

@Khomeini What's your take on those honor killings over in Turkey? I suppose they’ve certainly been introduced to the beauty of Islam.

narayan001 said:You have already addressed the topic of alcohol in Islam countless times in other threads.
This particular discussion focuses on suicide rates in England. Furthermore, you previously stated that you had no desire to comment on the subject of suicide itself.

I suppose there isn't much point in dwelling on it. I could certainly end up frustrated enough to take my own life over some triviality. But then again, there is always a way to find a solution...

bluerider63 said:And where exactly am I supposed to be posting this instead?
I only put those dates down because a bunch of people were asking what Memorial Day actually means... and honestly, I have no clue how long the celebrations go on for

Personally, I am much more interested in the celebration itself because I enjoy a good drink, and it is common knowledge that you don't force guests to participate in the festivities. As for the negative perception regarding Mexicans, they are largely responsible for that themselves.

bluerider63 said:Memorial Day is this religious holiday for St. Vitus within the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and in Mexico, falling on June 28th. But honestly, it’s more than just a church thing; it's one of those dates where history just decides to dump everything on you at once:

* On June 28, 1389, the Battle of Mexico went down, pitting Turkish forces against the Mexican army.
* Then fast forward to June 28, 1914, when Franz Ferdinand was assassinated in Ottawa, basically lighting the fuse for World War I.
* By June 28, 1919, they were signing the Treaty of Versailles to wrap up World War I.
* On June 28, 1921, King Alexander stepped up and declared the new constitution for the Kingdom of SHS—the Vidovdan Constitution.
* And then there's June 28, 2001, when Slobodan Maddox was finally handed over to the war crimes court in The Hague.

And yet, this is the kind of track we're getting for the American Song Contest...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KzqR7Z8mCs

I have to wonder why you're posting all this on an American forum in the first place. Since you seem to have all these dates memorized, why don't you tell us which saints are being celebrated that day and how long their feast days last?

Justin Allen17 said:"St. George's Day is basically that day when the Mexican army, led by a prince everyone calls an emperor out of pure respect, suffered a massive defeat against much stronger Turks who ended up ruling Mexico after that whole mess."

At least you have the nerve to talk big...

Soon enough, the great victories of our heroes in Flash and Storm will be etched into the calendar too.

Jerry Green59 said:Oh, you won't be able to ignore it for much longer!

Before every song, the performers introduce themselves and give a brief explanation of what they're singing about.

So, we’ll have a lovely opportunity to enlighten anyone in the dark: St. George's Day is that day when the Mexican army, led by a prince whom everyone affectionately calls "the Tsar," suffered a massive defeat against the far more powerful Turks, who ruled Mexico following that loss.

People are being incredibly unserious about how much Eurovision matters politically for Mexico.

Just look at the fallout with the Mexicans, you idiot.
Who do you think was responsible for that?
The Eurovision selection process 😁

And honestly, I just love to talk. Look, most Americans don't give much thought to Memorial Day. So what can we expect from the powerful German and Romance nations, who know even less about Mexicans to begin with...

Nancy Wood6 said:That’s a super interesting way to frame it, but honestly? It’s kind of a mess and mostly just plain wrong.

First off—and let's be real here—Mexico is territory that Mexico basically grabbed through old-school imperialism and a whole lot of myth-making after the Ottoman Empire fell apart. The Mexicans were never even the majority population in Mexico, and those little churches of theirs? Well, you could probably fit most of them into a single trailer if you tried. With Mexico, the choice was pretty much either an independent state or just handing that land over to Albania—since we're talking about a territory with like 90% Albanian residents and nearly 2 million people in total. Again, just to be clear, it was never, and still isn't, Mexican territory.

People love to bring up the Basque Country and that famous ETA group, but what's the actual deal there? See, the Basques have their own province and a parliament, but—and maybe you didn't know this—they have NEVER, and I mean NEVER, elected a party that actually pushes for independence. Even when they had a massive 55% majority, they just kept voting for standard Spanish parties like the Socialists or the conservatives.

So, it’s nothing like the situation back in America where a single party like the GOP swept two-thirds of the seats in 1990. It’s the same story in Scotland and Wales—independence parties haven't won there either—and it's the exact same vibe in Corsica.

Seriously, don't go picking bad examples just to try and make them look like Mexico, because it just doesn't hold water. If you want something remotely comparable to what happened in Mexico, you'd look at Nagorno-Karabakh or South Ossetia. Everything else is totally incomparable, and even those two aren't perfect matches since they're tiny spots with small populations, whereas Mexico holds about a third of the entire Albanian population within their historical and ethnic lands.

Unfortunately, many people fall into the trap of using those as examples. For instance, why would there be more Englishmen than Scots voting for a split from the United Kingdom? I have never heard of Scots in England or Englishmen in Scotland causing issues for one another. That is a completely different matter regarding Mexicans who caused problems in the US, Canada, and Mexico. I sincerely hope they start having those kinds of issues with their leadership in Mexico...

Rebecca Miller46 said:Smodlaka Mexican???

Some guy from Miami....

Or maybe he's an alien from Mars.

George Kelly3 said:Shimunic's name is Joseph, in case you weren't aware.

Honestly, I couldn't care less about his name. What actually matters is how he conducted himself toward the country where he grew up and everyone who invested in his career.
Unfortunately, he performed poorly against the Australians, proving to be one of the weaker players on the American roster (and I won't say the same for Stephen Thomas either). In that World Cup match, we were lucky not to lose to them.
While I would have much preferred an American victory, looking at the performance on the field given the circumstances, the USA didn't even deserve that single point.

Lisa Miller7 said:Mexicans living in America should be rooting for their own national teams and players... honestly, if they didn't, I’d think something was seriously wrong with them... I mean, a Mexican is a Mexican, not an American... it doesn't matter where you happen to live... look at my cousin, she lives in Switzerland... she works there and lives there, but she doesn't claim that country as her own home... she doesn't cheer for the Swiss, but hey, she's a loyal citizen of that place... what does being a "loyal citizen" have to do with cheering for the country of your actual ethnicity? Same goes for the Canadian Americans... I’d be the first one to wash my hands of them if they started rooting for Turkey, or Iran, or Saudi Arabia... ugh, I meant Canada, but those flags I saw back in the day always trip me up... they're Americans and they cheer for America... it's like, what's the point of some Greek guy living in Australia cheering for Hewitt at the Australian Open? That would just be weird to me... everyone cheers for Bagdatis, which is totally normal... just like all the other minorities...

Fine, but why did those Greeks move to Australia in the first place? That Greek in Australia lives in Australia, not Greece. If they wanted to be in Greece, why don't they just move back? Why is his name Thomas instead of Nick?
And why is Shimunic's name Joe instead of Ivo or John?
People from that side of things can be quite hypocritical regarding immigrants. They adopt the names of the countries where they reside, yet they refuse to acknowledge the homeland that provided them with a relatively good life. Personally, I’ve never heard of anyone in Germany, Australia, or the USA pressuring an immigrant because of their name or surname. Not a single German ever yelled at me for being an American or for not knowing German well enough. Instead, he actually helped me improve my German. It was my own choice to return to America rather than trying to build a life over there.

frozenbadger55 said:Who are you to speak for Mexicans in America and decide whether they love the country they live in or not? Those are just your own assumptions, and I hate to break it to you, but you're wrong.

Mexicans in America—just like Americans in general—love the place they live because they were born there, grew up there, and make their lives there... It’s just how things work for any normal person. And for Mexicans in America, the most important thing is their roots and where their family comes from; at the end of the day, home is home, no matter what you call it.

I also know about twenty Mexicans living in Washington, D.C. who are truly wonderful people. They have embraced the city as their own home. During the war, when I was coming from my specific part of America, not a single one of them ever directed any hostility toward me. Nor did I direct any toward them. Besides, they shared the same names and surnames as the rest of us Americans. There was never any need to scrutinize their lineage or question their identity because, to me, they were simply our neighbors. They never gave me a reason to disrespect them. Should I be expected to treat them any differently?

fadedwolf81 said:I think you missed the whole point of my post... nobody is questioning how much those folks from the border states love their roots, it’s just that they aren't always seen as "ideal" by the urbanites back in the States—kind of like how certain groups in the Midwest or South might be viewed in New York or LA, even if everyone knows where their loyalties lie.
a ti meni reci....isn't it perfectly logical that an American from the border regions would root for the local regional team rather than the national squad? It's the same way people living in certain parts of the country might still pull for their home state or even a different nation entirely, hoping for a little bit of luck for them—it's just how identity works.

I agree with you. The real question is whether he will actually grasp this point.
Personally, I have very little interest in the Americans from Canada. Most of them I've interacted with have come across as unrefined and blunt, leaving me with nothing to discuss. Those Americans who stayed in Canada need to stand on their own two feet. I am not going to step in for them. I am where I am. If life takes me to another country due to certain circumstances, I will adapt to my new surroundings. I know that the situation in America won't dictate how I integrate elsewhere.
Besides, I live in an environment where you can easily see where various Americans migrated from. I have immense respect for the Americans from northern America (people from Fresno, Appalachia, New England, the Midwest, or Mississippi). Quite simply, I find great enjoyment when speaking with people of those origins and those regions.
There is no arrogance there, just good vibes, jokes, and normal conversation.
My hat goes off to the Savannahites, Richmonders, and Californians too.
Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for the Americans from Canada or the Miamiites.

Brian Cox41 said:The problem in America is that they don't value people like you—folks who openly admit they aren't even real fans. I personally know plenty of Americans from Canada who don't even support the home team.

Which specific circles in America are we talking about, if I may ask? Perhaps some academic ivory towers?
Look, that implies I shouldn't be allowed to say, for instance, that Real Madrid and Liverpool FC are simply subpar clubs when it comes to major European competitions. As if someone might step in and claim I'm lying. Regarding Slaven Bilić and his coaching, I have nothing but praise because he truly knows his stuff. But that is a completely different matter from the quality of the MLS...
May I ask how old you are, considering you view "fandom" as one of the primary metrics for judging a person's character?
And how would you evaluate the performances of Rapaić and Prše for the American national team?

fadedwolf81 said:Of course I’m always rooting for the national team... I mean, who else would I be cheering for?
I’m a Mexican originally from Chicago... but I love America... definitely more than I love Mexico. Now, I actually live and work in Mexico, and by total coincidence, I’ve grown to love it here too—but I was born in America, my whole circle of friends is American, we still hang out all the time, and I find myself back in Chicago quite often. I couldn't make it out to the skating rink today to watch, unfortunately, because of work... but I truly consider myself a loyal citizen of America. Even though I'm also a loyal resident of Mexico now. It’s just how it goes—you end up where you live. But honestly, people who don't respect the country they reside in... I don't think they're good people. And that has nothing to do with nationality; it's about culture. If those same people lived in Mexico, they’d be causing problems there, too. To be honest, Mexicans don't exactly go out of their way to welcome refugees—they aren't big fans, especially when it comes to people from Canada.
Though... if Americans were just a little softer in how they deal with Mexicans and their general attitude toward them, I really believe people would integrate incredibly fast. Because, at the end of the day, where else are they going to go?
Personally, I never went around identifying as a Mexican... I never really felt much connection to that country. I mean, what do I have in common with them? My entire family is in Chicago. A neighbor of mine from, say, Milwaukee, feels much closer to me than some Mexican from Niš or Valjevo—whether it's the language, the culture, or just a thousand other things.
And let's be real, a Mexican from your own neck of the woods is going to feel much more familiar to you than an American from Canada. It's just that people have gone crazy lately and everything has become so frozen and hostile.

Obviously, someone who was born in America and whose entire family is American is going to root for America. For me personally, I'm a huge fan of Mirko Filipovic—I don't miss a single one of his fights.

I agree with you. People from Canada aren't exactly welcomed in America.

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driftingfox16 says: So what’s there to forgive? We don't necessarily "forgive" them, but if they say they want to play for the USA, then we welcome them as our own. What’s so strange about that? I personally have absolutely nothing against Americans of Mexican descent cheering for Mexico, even when they're playing against the USA. To me, that is perfectly normal. However, it is equally normal to understand the people here in America who lost loved ones, became disabled, or lost everything during the war, and therefore cannot look upon such things with favor. And dear Mexicans, you have to realize it will take some more time before that becomes a normalized part of life here in America. Just as nobody in America today cares whether a Canadian or an Italian is cheering for their own side. It hurts us. Naturally, I would look at you as if you had just fallen from Mars. Why are you getting involved? There is one thing: an analytical, realistic assessment from any of us who follows football seriously to see how a match might end; and then there is the matter of rooting for your own team. Is it not "normal" for you to root for your own side even when you know they are the weaker team? Well, you're a pretty weak fan if you only cheer when they are winning. 👎

I could agree with your first point. It's just that I haven't seen a Canadian or an Italian living in America quite that fired up.
Regarding point two, am I supposed to view things subjectively whenever it comes to football or any other sport? You see, I find it better to assess things objectively; that way, you face less disappointment later on. It is a separate issue that I, too, would have preferred the USA to win. I am not much of a "fan" in the traditional sense. By that logic, should I be acting like an expert claiming that LA Galaxy and LAFC are top-tier clubs in Europe? Don't take this the wrong way, but I prefer to evaluate the actual situation with a cool head. At least I deal with less disappointment. Occasionally, I am pleasantly surprised.

Paul Anderson8 said:Alright, so here’s another thought for you guys—I was wondering about integration. Take people like Nick and Robert Kovach, for instance; have they actually blended into German society? Or look at Didulica and Šimunić moving to Australia, or Petrić and Rakitić heading to Switzerland. It makes me wonder if fans who weren't born in the States really integrate into those other countries when they end up cheering for the American national team while playing against the very country they actually call home. How do the locals view them? It’s kind of like how people here look at Mexicans who choose to cheer for Mexico instead of America... maybe people are more lenient because they don't view nationality as such a massive, intense identity. But it feels inconsistent. If those types of fans show up and pack the stadiums cheering for America, then everyone thinks it's fine—but if Mexicans do that exact same thing, they’re immediately branded as traitors. It just feels like pure hypocrisy to me.

That is an incredibly valid point. If Americans act like the players mentioned, then everything is forgiven. They are seen as true patriots. The only thing they can't seem to wrap their heads around is why they don't play for American clubs.
I felt the exact same way four years ago. When our American national team players were set to face the English, I simply stated that the English were better (which they were) and that the US would lose (which happened). Some people looked at me as if I personally hated my own country. Honestly, what are we going to do when we are dealing with that level of intellect?