Posts by Roger Nelson5

So, what’s the deal with this mobilization?
If the Russian military is such a massive powerhouse with zero issues finding enough people, why weren't they just sending troops out to the Far East for joint exercises with China recently? If they have all those people ready to go, why the sudden scramble?

Christian Torres3 said:The real question is: who's actually buying this stuff, and what's their angle?

That’s always the big mystery whenever you're staring at the stock market and trying to make sense of shares. 🙂

There seem to be some restrictions in place, too—it looks like foreign investors might be blocked from selling off their holdings right now.
Maybe the government is dipping into its rainy-day funds to prop up the exchange, maybe it's Chinese investors jumping in, or perhaps there are big players out there who know something the rest of us haven't figured out yet. Either way, things aren't turning into the total train wreck everyone predicted.

It looks like they’ve officially reopened the stock exchange in Washington, D.C., and shares are already climbing.

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/24/wild...-shutdown.html

vividtiger72 said:Based on what people are saying online, this is actually happening in Syria

It actually just crossed my mind that this might be related to that recent conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
You can find just about anything online if you look hard enough.

Has anyone actually verified this yet? It looks like those MQ-9 Reapers are hitting their marks with some seriously scary precision.
MQ-9 Reaper destroying enemy vehicle
https://youtu.be/example

Selfishness has basically become a lifestyle brand these days.
When people start preaching that being selfish is actually a virtue, it’s honestly like they’re saying Big Brother is the ultimate life coach.

If you want to understand how we got to this level of narcissism in the 20th century, there isn't a better breakdown than this:
The Century of the Self

Seriously, go watch it along with the rest of Adam Curtis's documentaries. You won't regret spending the time.

It's a long one—I think it's listed at about 240 minutes—but hey, the whole thing is sitting right there on YouTube for free.

Larry Morales12 said:I don’t know about you guys, but even with all those tickets being split up, I’m pretty sure the turnout was way bigger than last year. And man, we really did a number on that festival, didn't we? 🙂

And now I’m just sitting here making fun of everyone's precious little "craft beer." $6.75

I'm with you on that one. Honestly, at the end of the day, I walked away from the festival feeling pretty stoked. It was a blast.
Za $100 Man, looking back at all those bands... it was totally worth it. Every single one of them.

Honestly, even the organization was top-notch. I didn't have to wait in line for a beer once, there were no crowds blocking the way, and I breezed right through the entrance since I rolled up around 7:00. Everything was just smooth.
Honestly, my only real gripe is how much they're charging for a beer.

Day two was honestly leagues better than day one.

Elemental... man, even if they hadn't played a single note or sung a lyric, and it was just Remi jumping around on stage in those shorts, I still would've been watching them instead of Rage Against the Machine. She has such an incredible smile. Remi, if you're reading this, hit me up in the DMs! 🧐

Rage Against the Machine was actually kind of a letdown compared to Elemental, which really caught me off guard. It hit me halfway through—hey, we're all speaking the same language here. There was just way too much English for my liking. Still, overall, it wasn't bad.

Mastodon was solid.

Grinderman was impressive, sure, but honestly? A little boring.

The Streets were absolutely incredible. Such a massive surprise, but the guy just has it all—the energy, the storytelling, the stage presence, pure charisma. 5/5, seriously. Apparently, this is their farewell tour, and I am so glad I caught them live. They are a completely different beast compared to their music videos.

It’s such a bummer that Jello Biafra had to pull out of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. At least if you ask me.

But putting that aside, tomorrow actually looks like it’s going to be a blast: we've got The White Stripes, Mastodon, Rage Against the Machine...

Honestly, I don't think the ticket was a waste at all.
Yesterday was more about soaking up different vibes and cultures, whereas tomorrow is a completely different beast altogether. 🙂

EDIT: Oh, and if I'm reading this right, the whole lineup costs less than a single Jon Bon Jovi ticket. Which, to be fair, isn't a bad deal—he'd definitely hit the spot today 🙂—but The White Stripes are just better... plus, you get a nice little bonus on top.

Adam Moore said:That old Yugoslav squad was stacked—we’re talking Chuck Daly coaching guys like Dikembe Mutombo, alongside absolute legends.

Wait, are you actually trying to imply that Dikembe Mutombo is a better center than Arapovic?! 😉

Chloe Howard29 said:Huh? 😕Wait, they didn't play Wake Up? What kind of experience were you looking for then? Or maybe Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)? By the way, I know for a fact they did play that one.

I’m really curious to hear what else people think about Arcade Fire, since I’m catching them live at Lollapalooza in less than a month.

Look, they played well enough, but that specific sound just doesn't click with me. There were plenty of people on stage, they clearly put in the effort and everything, but it’s just not my vibe.

When I said I hadn't heard those songs, I meant I hadn't heard them *live*. To be honest, Jamiroquai is pretty much the only one I've actually heard before. Everything else is new territory for me, which is why I'm being so "neutral." Actually, scratch that—it's not neutral, I just have my own tastes.

I just sat here and listened to "Wake Up" on YouTube... and man, in terms of pure energy and character... 👎

Back when Goribor was playing, I was just thinking, "Okay buddy, you finished your beer, now let's get this concert moving."
When Arcade Fire played, my thought was more like, "I really hope these guys have decent lyrics."

People go absolutely crazy for Arcade Fire, and while they aren't a bad band by any means, I think the hype is a little over the top.

With songs like these, I don't see them ever reaching the level of, say, The Pogues. And honestly, they're much more my style. 🙂 But hey, whatever Pitchfork says, right?

wanderingtrucker9 said:Anyone know how much a beer is running these days? I'm heading out tonight.

$6.75

I can't say I'm exactly thrilled with the lineup this year, especially after day one.
The Partibrejkers were supposed to play later on, and while the crowd was pretty thin, they still delivered that solid R&B sound we expect.

It was my first time catching some of these acts, so here are my raw thoughts (if anyone actually cares for a totally unbiased opinion):
Goribor: (rating: bad) Honestly? Boring and pretentious. After about four songs, I lost all appetite for watching the singer's dramatic poses.
Arcade Fire: (rating: neutral) A bit clunky. They’re a high-quality band and they clearly put in the work, but they just lacked that spark—you know, that "life" that seems missing from indie rock lately.
The Gentlemen: (rating: good) I drifted over to see them right after Arcade Fire. It’s not really my style, and the guy forcing a Jamaican accent is enough to drive me crazy, but they weren't bad. Actually, they had a great set with tons of energy from both the band and the crowd.
EDIT: Right after them, some band came on whose name I don't even know and frankly don't care to learn. They sounded like a group that shouldn't be on any stage anywhere. Everyone I talked to felt the same way—even random people walking by.
The do: (rating: good) Such a pleasant surprise! They play well, connect with the audience, and the whole performance was super energetic.
Jamiroquai: (rating: neutral) Just a guy in an Adidas tracksuit and a hat singing disco (yeah, yeah, I know it's not *actually* disco...). It was crowded, sure, but I expected more energy from him. My impression was that his vibe usually relies on being high-energy, but it looks like he might have aged a little too much for that.

Larry Morales12 said:http://www.verizoncoachella.com/overdose-of-medicine

Man, what a bummer. I had absolutely no clue about this.

So, seriously, where did Jello Biafra disappear to?🤷

That concert was absolutely incredible! 🙂
I’ve only managed to catch two of their shows before this, but hands down, this third one was easily my favorite.

Henry Wright6 said:That particular sellout goes by the name of Boris Kunst—I haven't forgotten him, because I distinctly remember his rhetoric back before he held office, and now he’s crawling his way into this administration just to ensure he reaches retirement age comfortably.

There is an old saying: "If you can't beat them, join them." Well, of course, that's easy to say when you're part of the Republican Party. 😍

Kunst, you hit the nail on the head. This guy is something else. He'll look you straight in the eye, lie to your face, and actually laugh about it. But hey, give him credit—he was definitely a pioneer of pure audacity. And honestly? Expanding those parking zones in Los Angeles is practically an anti-recession move!

Yeah... but here’s what really keeps me up at night.

They say when two armies clash, the winner isn't necessarily the one with more soldiers, but the one with better logistics. It makes perfect sense to me that on a national level, economic muscle is what actually dictates how a country holds its own in the political arena. Economic cycles come and go—this situation feels like an extreme outlier, sure—but the real danger is when a weakening economy starts to erode the actual strength of the state itself.

Now, I know this is an economics forum, not a politics board (sorry if I'm drifting off-topic!), but there’s a real chance that once things hit a breaking point, the country might be forced into making massive concessions. We're talking about stuff like handing over 100-year leases on vital water resources—deals so lopsided that even the most brilliant, capable leader wouldn't be able to undo them later. Those concessions would just make fixing our economic woes even harder, creating a vicious cycle. We've seen plenty of concessions lately if you follow the news; just look at the EPA regulations, which aren't just political theater, they have huge economic implications.

Anyone who’s spent even a little time studying history knows why Josip Broz Marshall chose to build his retreat specifically on the islands of Brijuni. After annexing the Istria region, he set up shop right there just to flex his muscles and show them exactly who was in charge. That archipelago isn't just beautiful or ecologically unique; it carries massive political weight. There was even news floating around about the sale of Brijuni (whether it's true or not), and it made headlines even in foreign media. I saw a comment on CNN that said, "Well, Americans, you lasted a long time." I'm bringing up that specific comment just to illustrate how heavy this news is and how deep the trouble goes if people are even discussing it. Plus, stories like this show how economic weakness can be used to apply subtle political pressure on a nation—especially since this rumor apparently started in English-language media rather than coming from the US Government.

When I watch our politicians, I honestly wonder if they feel even a shred of embarrassment. Do they ever stop to think about how they'll be described in the history books? Or is this all just the same old game we've seen before: grab the cash and run?

It honestly always amazes me how resilient hope can be; it just refuses to quit on people.

The fundamental issue facing America right now is that we’re being led by the very people who caused this mess in the first place. A huge chunk of the current political crowd in Congress seems to have only one goal: securing their own congressional pensions. You see types like that former union boss (I can't even remember his name, what a joke...) who jumps straight into politics with the Republican Party and starts preaching a totally different gospel—that's your textbook example right there. Does anyone here seriously believe that people from this kind of political circle are suddenly going to have an epiphany and say, "Hey, let's actually get serious and fix our country's problems"? To tackle these issues, you need expertise, social responsibility, guts, and actual backbone—things these folks simply don't possess.

What really gets me about this political establishment is just how incredibly timid they are. You've got Đurđa Adlešić meeting with representatives of rowdy hooligans just to "hear their perspective" (seriously??), or Ivo Sanders making major political moves based on protests on Facebook. And then there's those moments where a single farmer rolls a tractor up to a government building and suddenly, miraculously, the money appears... There are so many examples it's impossible to ignore. You could argue about the reasons behind it all, but it's pretty obvious that people acting this way aren't going to pull this country out of its slump.

Even if they suddenly decided to address the real issues, the "challenges" aren't exactly simple. How do you downsize the federal bureaucracy? Do you just hand out pink slips to every tenth or fifth person? What happens if the axe falls on the one guy in the office who isn't some well-connected crony and is actually doing all the work? Do we really expect the heads of these agencies, departments, and bureaus to forget about all the favors they owe their political mentors and fire the people who were hired solely because of political connections? Plus, even if they had the best intentions and the brains to fix the massive government overspending, it's going to take a long time.

What’s actually coming is a general economic collapse, which will drag the whole country down with it. First, citizens' incomes shrink due to new taxes, which kills off purchasing power. Private companies will have to lay people off (which is already happening), and some will have to cut wages, which hits consumer spending and dries up tax revenue. As cash gets tighter, the government will likely try to find new ways to grab more money, like maybe a new property tax. The ripple effect of people getting squeezed will lead to massive trouble with mortgage and loan repayments. People who lose their jobs won't be able to pay their loans, and those seeing pay cuts will struggle too—especially if they were reckless with debt in the first place. Initially, you'll see people selling off cars, which will probably tank car prices. If someone has both a mortgage and a car loan and can't keep up, they'll likely sell the car first to scrape together some cash rather than moving out. Of course, if the economy bounced back in six months, that might work as a temporary fix until they find a new job. But that’s not how this works; next on the chopping block will be housing. People will start selling homes at rock-bottom prices, real estate values will crater, and banks will demand even more collateral for loans, adding even more pressure. Naturally, as home prices drop, the revenue from real estate transfer taxes drops too, and banks will become extremely stingy with lending. As for the banks, they haven't got a clue what's coming. If anyone wants proof, just look at the macroeconomic forecasts from JPMorgan Chase from November of last year signed by Jamie Dimon. The projections for the U.S. GDP movement in 2009 are particularly telling.

This is what you'd call a negative feedback loop: one set of parameters starts sliding downward, which triggers a fall in other areas, which then feeds back into the first set, creating a downward spiral that ultimately leads to a change in leadership.

Once the mass demonstrations and violence kick in and this political crew finally gets pushed out, I expect some "new leader" to emerge claiming to be the savior who can pull the nation out of the crisis. That person will hold onto power for three months, then a new one will step in, and so on. We'll keep selling off whatever we have left until we eventually go bankrupt.

Wages are going to drop, employment is tanking, pensions are taking a hit... but honestly? The thing that keeps me up at night is the social unrest. For instance, if they start auditing veteran benefits or digging into every single PTSD diagnosis on record, we could see that old, dangerous rhetoric resurface—all that talk about "traitors" and people "disrespecting our heroes." It’s classic, nasty demagoguery, but it's incredibly risky. Bottom line: things are going to get wild, and I have a feeling we're in for some heavy rock 'n' roll next year.

Until then, I just hope there's one more big spectacle in NYC to keep it feeling like the "center of the universe," and I truly hope Ivo Sanders stays in good health.