Posts by Karen Rodriguez3

Yeah. I’ve seen a few cases where employees just dumped their shares the second they actually owned them.
They could have stayed in the game to influence things, but I guess the urge to grab that cash right away usually wins out.🤷
When things go smoothly, nobody makes a fuss. When they don't, suddenly everyone wants to turn back the clock. Whatever, man.

Sophia Moore52 said:It's because we live in a capitalist democracy, isn't it that simple? If you feel like this version of capitalism isn't the "real" thing, that sounds like a personal issue rather than mine.

Yeah, it’s definitely your problem. And unfortunately, it’s mine too, since people like you are everywhere these days.

Sophia Moore52 said:So, we’re still stuck with nothing but empty promises about aid from the US... meanwhile, America's per capita debt has ballooned to fifty-five times what it was back in the day, all while capitalists pocket the profits at the expense of everyone else...

I guess you're just totally missing the point here.

If someone is being upfront and admitting that things were split up among cronies back in the nineties—which wasn't right—why do you keep acting like that's some textbook example of capitalism? It's not.
Do you really think there aren't any legit businesses in America that actually work and were built the right way?
There are.
And they deserve a fair shake.
Everything that's bothering you isn't actually capitalism, and nobody's saying it was good, but you just fixate on the bad stuff and call it capitalism. You fight against it without actually listening to a word anyone tells you.
Sorry, but you're just lost.

Someone pointed out a weird paradox somewhere, maybe on this thread or one like it.
We end up in a mess because of government overreach, yet the "smart" solution people suggest is usually even more government control.
Sure, we need more influence, but specifically when it comes to shrinking the bureaucracy, staying out of the economy, fighting corruption, and actually making sure laws are applied fairly.
Everything else? Just let the market handle it.

goldenpuma84 said:Socialism was bound to fail because it just didn't work.

But don't go thinking we're all still living in some socialist vacuum that acts like a genie in a bottle, holding back all progress...

Take my buddy, a chef. He’s never worked for some massive state-run behemoth; he’s always been in the private sector—capitalism, right?

He’s always on the books, but thanks to that old "reserve army of labor" mentality, he’s pulling 12 to 14-hour shifts instead of the agreed 8. Part of his pay goes through official channels, while the rest is just cash under the table. Meanwhile, the boss is out buying a new BMW while insisting that because of this supposed "horrible recession," wages have to be cut—even though business is booming. It's just a way for the owner to siphon money out of the business, setting up shell companies to shuffle debts around, leaving my friend constantly short two or three hard-earned paychecks... money he’ll never actually see.

That’s your "private sector." That’s the capitalism everyone brags about. And honestly, it's not an outlier; it's happening everywhere here.

I'm not trying to defend socialism, but those of you blindly worshiping capitalism should probably take a closer look at how things actually play out on the ground. In the American reality—where politics isn't even the issue, but rather pure capitalism left to its own devices—you see some pretty ugly stuff happening...

You gotta be kidding me, right?

The fix for that isn't really what you're always preaching about, haiku.

Charles Lopez3 said:if you're hand-picked for the job,
then sign me up too.

I know I'm probably a little smarter than average,
but honestly, I'd jump at the chance to fit right into a role like that.😁

And honestly, same... everyone wants that if things were different right now.😁
But I've been slammed with work lately, so I'm stuck here and can't really get away.☕

I mean, yeah, but wouldn't she just... if you didn't have to stress about competition, landing contracts, hiring people, salaries, taxes, or all those other headaches... maybe someone else would handle the boring stuff😁

Charles Lopez3 said:I’m just sitting here waiting,
honestly just praying I get my (stolen) property back
and that those thieves get kicked to the curb once and for all
- maybe send 'em straight to San Quentin, Alcatraz, or Rikers Island😁

I've been waiting for over twenty years myself, so yeah, nothing yet.
I just want a cheap apartment and maybe half a beach house like the ones those well-connected types used to build—you know, the ones who snagged all the places my parents paid top dollar for, even though they only ever saw them in brochures.☕
Those same people probably swindled whatever was left, too.

Man, why haven't I ignored you yet... I'm literally just sitting here chewing my lip because your posts get me so worked up.😢

I don't know... I guess Adam Moore11 is just going to claim I'm attacking unemployed people again, because that’s how he'll take it, obviously. But look, I know two people personally who turned down jobs at that big shopping mall opening up those two massive retail spots in downtown Chicago. One passed because the pay was just too low, and the other—who's 35 and hasn't even had a steady job in his life—just couldn't deal with having to walk a mile from the train station to the shop.
So, these folks actually have enough to get by. If things were different, they’d probably take the work. They've got a roof over their heads, electricity, food, phones, TV, money for going out, and healthcare covered. How?

Sure, there are definitely people struggling to survive, but you have to look at the whole picture if you want a fair comparison.

Are you sure you aren't just unemployed and looking for stuff to invent? Maybe you just love blaming everything on others or twisting what people actually write into some weird interpretation. Either show me actual proof using posts, or just stop making things up.

Spot on.

Ashley Gonzalez12 said:It’s pretty straightforward. In Cuba, you have actual socialism where everyone is equally broke. In the States, we have "nepotism socialism" where a few elites hoard everything while everyone else struggles. But if you actually bother with basic math, the averages end up looking identical anyway. ☕

What exactly are we talking about here? What is it that some people have while everyone else is left out in the cold? Are you seriously trying to tell me that only the "Todorićs" of the world are winning while everyone else is just out there grazing like sheep? I don't know about you, but looking around my neck of the woods, it’s just two of us working, plus maybe two neighbors from down the street. Everyone else—like ten or so people—is living off government handouts and doing just fine. That’s pretty much the average in the USA. I even know someone who gets subsidies for uncultivated fields she owns, and honestly, she doesn't even know why she qualifies. In a decent country, you’d be paying taxes on unused land, not getting a check for it.
Yeah, that’s definitely going to lead to most people actually having nothing one day. It's just basic math, really. But I guess Americans have always been pretty terrible at that kind of stuff. ☕

What we're dealing with today is basically just a modified socialist model. If it weren't for the media constantly breathing down our necks, most people might actually think we’re living in some kind of wonderland. But no, the news spends every single day making sure we know exactly how bad things are. Meanwhile, they make it sound like Cuba is some kind of paradise. I guess.☕

Geez, Keti, could you maybe tone it down just a hair? We don't exactly need a massive protest in the streets on day one. Let's try to be a little more subtle about it...😳 (psst...look, I've got two kids and a bunch of nieces running around, so... you know how things work with those agencies...)

William Clark86 said:Are you guys actually on his side, or are people just laughing in your faces? 🤷

Give me a break http://www.smileyvault.com/albums/si...-signs-072.gif

Maria Booth96 said:How did Germany manage to have workers picking from eight different jobs back in 1961, when they were basically a pile of rubble in 1945?

Just keep it moving😁!

Maybe if someone smart actually listens to the suggestions from our forum experts, they might get you an invite to meet with Grčić. And he's easy on the eyes.😍

Ugh... whatever, I guess I'll still give it my best shot.😬

Oh man, you’re actually serious? I totally thought you were kidding me here.🤣

Anyway, we’ve got a situation on our hands. Personally, I’m an absolutist,😢 though I guess I don't know how anyone even functions without a whip.🤷 😈

Sorry Paul Morales3, but what's your deal?😕
If you've got an issue with Jose Williams, fine. Just deal with it somehow.
That whole outburst earlier didn't even make sense, since Jose Williams hasn't actually done anything, and honestly, this just feels unnecessary right now.

Eric Gray2 said:You guys can all collectively laugh at how childish this entire argument is if you want—honestly, go ahead—but do you really expect Joshua Jones13 to just march into the middle of a sandbox like some kind of playground monitor, grab a crying Paul Morales3 by the braid, and demand, "Now, apologize to her right this instant!"? 🤷

I mean, I guess I would’ve expected someone on the first page to just say, "Yeah, that was awkward, and the moderator should have apologized right there in the thread where it happened. We expect better next time." Maybe issue a warning or just delete those personal attacks against the OP from the otherwise helpful users who were actually contributing 🤔 and then close the thread. Simple, right? Thanks, bye.
But nope, apparently it's more fun to lecture people about how they lack common sense and just don't get the spirit of CNN.😍

Edit: Nadia explained it pretty well.

Don't even bother, you're just repeating yourself at this point. And honestly? It’s not all the same, no matter how hard you guys try to frame it that way.
And what’s the best move? Just dragging it out until everyone's exhausted. This thread really should've been locked after a few posts once the person who actually had something to say finished talking.
Look, I’ve got nothing against Paul Morales3, seriously. Everything I'm saying is just based on what actually went down in that controversial thread and right here. But her response in this thread just shows she doesn't really get the difference between sharing an opinion and pulling those cheap ad hominem attacks by leaning on her moderator status.
Besides, there's no need to turn this into some massive circus. Nobody—not even Jose Williams—was asking for everything to be sanitized or for the grit and spice to be sucked out of the conversation (seriously, where are you even getting those descriptors from?).
It’s just about the reaction. Which, somehow, is always exactly the same.🤣
I don't even need to keep following this; I already know how it's going to end.

Sorry, but how can you even call yourself a forum regular when you're a mod? Is there some kind of blue or black button I don't know about?
From what I can tell, she’s been using her moderator status just to mock people. So...😁

Kate Foster12 said:Herp. 😍 🙂

I'm just living in the hope that he'll come back one day...😢

But seriously—why doesn't Paul Morales3 just apologize for overreacting and end this whole thing?

🤷

Paul Morales3, besides looking totally clueless, she’s being super arrogant too. Instead of just owning up to what she misunderstood—since she wasn't even on topic to begin with—she’s basically huddling up with the moderator squad to lecture us "newbies" on what the spirit of ZK is all about. God only knows what that "spirit" actually is. And don't get me started on velvettrucker52.
So we'll end up with a massive thread instead of just a few posts, and then a ban.
Btw, this whole policy of blindly defending moderators no matter what is pretty lame.