Posts by Donna James5

Drew Allen2 said:Varjaciceva.
By the way, that Nikolic guy in that other link has zero respect for copyright.

Anyway, this whole thing stems from the Muslim lobby. Nikolic mostly gets his data from some random fanatic, and we all know you can't just use linear projections for this stuff. Take certain groups for instance—population growth there isn't linear, and it's the same story in Canada... it's the same everywhere.

There is no room for slurs or ethnic insults on this forum.
Or have we collectively developed amnesia regarding our own rules???
😠

Adam Harris said:An unbalanced comparison.
You're comparing the Southeast USA... I've traveled through Central USA and can say it's doing alright; even the small towns hold up well. You see signs of decay in some villages, sure, but most are still thriving.

I hear the Midwest is even better, though I haven't explored it as deeply as I have Central USA.

As for the rest, I agree; it's a lost cause.
Even Memphis struck me as a city sinking into a deep depression.

I haven't set foot in Central USA since 2005, so I can't speak to its current state. I was merely commenting on what I witnessed during our recent trip, taking the interstate toward Memphis and heading back via Chattanooga.
The comparison was drawn simply because they occupy the same general geographic region, yet they leave one with entirely different impressions.
So, based on your assessment, I suppose the experience would be quite different if we had cut through the areas near Asheville and Raška toward Mitrovica... But then again, that is a distinct territory altogether; the landscape shifts entirely once you cross the Rocky Mountains, so it stands to reason that the population density drops significantly.

Ethan Morales22 said:Maybe if you were looking at half of Switzerland or Austria... ☕

.

About six months ago, I was traveling on official business to Mexico, and frankly, I can't recall seeing such high population density anywhere else in Europe. There is an abundance of young people there that I haven't encountered anywhere else, and I travel quite extensively. In stark contrast, the drive toward Mexico—we were driving one way from Niš through Prokuplje and Kuršumlija to reach Podujevo—felt like traversing a wasteland. Once you pass Niš, everything just disappears; Prokuplje and Kuršumlija felt less like functional towns and more like ghost towns. Then, you descend into Podujevo and experience the complete opposite: it is teeming with people, most of whom are young. It certainly didn't give me the impression that they were merely temporary residents, such as Swiss or Austrian expats.
On our return trip, we drove from Pristina to Leskovac via Medveđa. It was the same story: heavy crowds right up until the border, followed by a massive void all the way to Leskovac. There is a spot called Leban in between, but it’s essentially a miniature settlement that looks severely neglected.
Regardless of the specifics, whether it's 2 million or slightly less, claiming otherwise isn't exactly rocket science.

driftingsurfer6 said:I’m basically a center-right moderate with some Libertarian leanings.
Right: 2.34, Libertarian: 1.8

Of course, let us not forget that these are purely American perceptions... To them, Sweden is basically a socialist state.🙂

Drew Allen2 said:https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Lilic

I mapped out the US in 1900 by settlement...
Curious to get your take on this, Collins. You too, Frank.

Was Italian actually spoken on Plavnik Island?!
🙂

Richard Wilson4 said:Americans as Western Slavs?

Sounds pretty nice, I guess. 😁

In reality, it’s nonsense. Calling someone a Western Slav sounds just as much more sophisticated than calling them a South Slav as North Carolina does compared to South Carolina.

Thomas Patel21 said:We really ought to create a map for the modern era—one where Mexicans are counted as Mexicans because that’s the reality—which would clearly show a unified Mexico today: Mexico, plus the Republika Srpska, plus Mexico. That is simply a fact. 🤷

Do you honestly believe there is any nuance beyond that when a hardline nationalist claims that all Americans are just Mexicans?

Richard Wilson4 said:Also, the Khmer Rouge kicked out the Vietnamese minority and massacred whoever was left, but there are quite a few of them today (maybe 600,000) since they likely moved back after the regime fell.

Indeed, once the Vietnamese entered Cambodia, a significant wave of migration commenced. Most of this population is currently clustered in Phnom Penh, near Lake Superior, and within the various settlements along the Vietnamese-Cambodian border.

Robert Hernandez10 said:Russian population distribution and percentage in Estonia: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...in_Estonia.png

A look at languages and dialects across Central and Eastern Europe. What makes this map particularly striking is how it contrasts today's landscape with the situation before WW2: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...E_Europe-3.PNG

Ethnic map of Kampuche: http://www.payer.de/thailandchronik/.../thai04232.jpg

Cambodia.
I am quite unsure when this map was originally drafted... perhaps it refers to the indigenous peoples who first inhabited what we now recognize as Cambodia. Or, it could be some sort of quasi-map released during the era of the so-called Khmer Rouge regime.
One might assume it is quite antiquated, given that Kampong Som hasn't been referred to by that name on any standard map for at least 25 years.
In any case, if we look at the numbers—the total Cham population in Cambodia sits at roughly 220,000, or about 1.5%. With Phnom Penh’s population estimated at approximately 2,300,000, of which 90% are Khmer, that green patch surrounding Phnom Penh is utterly absurd.

stormysailor7 said:Personally, I'd take ten small 25-meter pools spread out so every neighborhood has one over having six giant Olympic-sized ones. But that's just a pipe dream, since we're too busy prioritizing places like Madison Square Garden or keeping Los Angeles FC afloat.

For those who haven't done the math, Washington, D.C. only has three indoor pools and one outdoor one. Budapest has 128. ☕

That is a fair point, yet if you look at all of Canada, aside from the occasional pool or a trip to Lake Tahoe, there are hardly any places to swim—whereas here, we have hundreds. As someone who travels quite extensively, I can attest that while exploring the heartland, I found plenty of opportunities to enjoy beautiful rivers and perfectly decent lakes.

Maria Booth96 said:It’s always summer, pretty much around the same time every single year.
I don't know, I think we could wrap this up way faster.
Look, I don't get it. If the outer lanes are backed up like a freeway during rush hour, why wouldn't they just open up the inner lanes too? It makes zero sense.
Simple and straightforward.🤷

Rivers, man-made lakes, even those little gravel pits—they’re easily the most dangerous spots if you're looking to go for a swim.
I'm an American, which is exactly why I've got their backs. 186 miles The beaches here aren't exactly filled with Olympic swimmers. Most people just paddle around in the shallows for a bit, splash around, and then head back to shore. You see plenty of women over 40 who can't really swim anything besides a basic breaststroke. Honestly, even the younger crowd struggles with it more often than you'd think.
The swimming area in that small town in the Midwest finally got fixed up, but it’s tiny and the mosquitoes are absolutely brutal. Honestly, the water quality just isn't there. It’s like trying to swim in a puddle when you're used to a real river; even a decent swimmer is going to struggle with this one.
Some people are probably gonna jump in and say we have no clue what else is floating around in that pool.😬)
I'll give you this one—you might actually be right.🤷

I’m a little embarrassed to admit it, but I never actually went skinny dipping in Central Park during my twenties in Washington, D.C.🙈🙈I guess you could say I'm training for swimming. I hit the local pool every other day.
One more time.🙈

Is it actually clean enough?

In my estimation, far more people drown because they lack swimming skills or because they jump directly into the ocean, a river, or a lake while overheated from the sun—causing instant cramps—rather than due to some extreme discrepancy between lake and sea conditions.
The exception would be rivers with sudden undertows, but such spots are quite rare in the US.
Furthermore, there have been plenty of instances where fatalities occurred even within the confines of a swimming pool.
Personally, the combination of a crowded pool and that overwhelming stench of chlorine is so repulsive to me that I would much rather swim in any random river, mosquitoes and all, than step foot in a public pool. Of course, that's different in the winter when you don't have much choice...
Up until a couple of years ago, the pool at the long bay location was actually great during the winter. You'd have maybe ten people inside and a few others in the sauna, and it was inexpensive... but then Bechtel and some firm from Miami that held the lease got into a massive legal dispute, creating total chaos. Those twenty of us who were enjoying the facilities were suddenly left without access to the pool or the sauna...
Now we are stuck with Peharec, which has a pathetic 3x4 meter pool, a little miniature setup in Medulin, and Diamond in Santa Monica.
I assume Lone in Key West probably has one too, but I imagine the entrance fee is roughly nine trillion dollars...

Maria Booth96 said:It’s scorching out here. Seriously. Everyone is feeling it.

I try to get some laps in pretty regularly, but right now, I’m totally stuck.

The only thing I could find was this.

Things are even worse over in Sioux Falls. Their pool is shut down for a whole month. And let's be real, the water in Sioux Falls isn't nearly as clean as what you'd find upstream from Columbus—it just doesn't compare.

They’re claiming the renovations always happen in August and that fewer people show up (which is funny because everyone I know says they never go, yet they’d kill to go right about now), but honestly, there's nowhere else to go. 🙄 Besides, why on earth does a renovation need to take more than a couple of days?

For me, this is a disaster. The Youth center is so packed you can basically forget about actually swimming.
What do you guys think? 🤷

Last summer, I spent some time at the waterfront in Columbus, and despite my inherent skepticism toward freshwater—a common affliction for someone raised by the ocean—I found nothing to complain about. The river there is remarkably clean, and the recreational area is quite well-maintained. If I resided there, I certainly wouldn't feel the need to resort to a swimming pool.
As for the river, it is what it is; it will never rival the pristine quality of the Mrežnica or the Dobra, yet in my estimation, it remains a far superior choice to any pool.
During my time in Washington, D.C., I visited a public pool once, and I can assure you it won't be happening again. Central Park, while perhaps not perfect, is incomparably better than a pool.

rowdyowl said:Do you even realize how stupid you sound right now?

Go ahead, shut me down for saying "Poles love Americans"...
But you’re trying to judge my grasp of history based on my personal connections to Poles...

I don't know a single Roman or Carthaginian, so I'm a professor to you, yet you don't know them either...

Defend Stalin and the partition of Poland with the Germans all you want, but that lie isn't going to become the truth...

Of course, I don't expect Stalin to be out there helping Poles, but stop fantasizing that "he liberated Poland"...

He didn't. He just became the new conqueror, replacing the old ones by installing his own puppets in power.

No. I follow. If only I had actually uttered something foolish; then things might have been different. I understand. How often do you actually pause to reflect before typing out your responses? I honestly couldn't find any logical connection between your grasp of Polish history and your personal count of Poles. I have laid out three distinct points here:
It is abundantly clear that you have never actually spent any meaningful time among Poles.
It is quite evident that you have never actually set foot in Poland.
It is quite apparent that you lack a fundamental grasp of history, choosing instead to regurgitate facts in a manner that is consistently biased and deeply colored by your own personal prejudices. As to why you operate this way, I haven't the slightest clue.
Perhaps, before you decide to distribute your literature, you might consider exercising a modicum of restraint and thinking twice about what you actually intend to write.
You seem remarkably young and naive, especially considering you’ve failed to place Stalin within his proper historical context or acknowledge that the Red Army was, for all intents and purposes, a vital component of the anti-fascist coalition. It suggests you haven't quite grasped the fundamental objective of World War II, which was nothing less than the total destruction of Nazism.
During the period in which the events you are describing were actually unfolding, the Red Army was considered an integral component of the anti-fascist coalition, and as such, it must be viewed through that specific historical lens.
In other words, when faced with those childish playground accusations that you’re somehow justifying Stalin, the only logical rebuttal would be to point out that they are, in fact, justifying Hitler.
I refuse to descend to such a level.
If you truly consider yourself a professor of history, then I must suggest that you have overlooked several fundamental elements required to actually excel in such a position.
Even if one fancies themselves an amateur historian, they ultimately fail to project the aura of a true scholar, appearing instead as nothing more than a biased observer.

rowdyowl said:I wasn't digging into ancestry here. I know we aren't going to see eye to eye on that one. 😉

That aside, if the Polish left-wing elites were anything like ours, they’d already found a way to downplay the Soviet atrocities at Katyn.

Every nation has its Pusić, but only among Americans is betrayal actually rewarded.

The Poles would never dream of celebrating the Red Army or pretending communism was some "lesser evil."

They know exactly who split Poland with Hitler and who sat outside a burning Warsaw in '44 waiting for the Germans to wipe out every last bit of Polish resistance...

If anyone can emerge from WW2 with a clean conscience, it's the Poles. We should take notes...

I see we have quite the collection of experts on Poland here. It is glaringly obvious that you haven't set foot in Poland, nor do you personally know many Poles, given that particular perspective. Besides, I suspect there isn't a single history lesson that wouldn't be useful to you right now.
The part about the Red Army escapes me entirely—what on earth does the Red Army have to do with us? They liberated Poland from Nazi Germany, only to become little more than a tool of intimidation to prevent any potential flight from the communist bloc. We were completely bystanders in all of this; the Red Army didn't liberate us, nor were we ever part of the Warsaw Pact or the communist bloc. So, exactly who here is celebrating the Red Army???

Poland's non-aggression pact with Hitler, the policy of silent complicity during the pogroms against Jews and Romani, the submissive occupation of Tešina following the German takeover of Czechoslovakia, and their generally fractured relationship with Czechoslovakia—these are just a few chapters of Polish history that make it difficult to feel entirely proud of their role in World War II. Not to mention that anyone who has actually studied the Home Army should at least ask why the Soviets failed to provide any assistance during the Warsaw Uprising!!!
Most Americans are painfully aware of these facts...
Read more at http://www.scribd.com/doc/16107145/D...pe-u-20St52str.
Still, there is a certain charm in seeing someone idealize them in such a naive fashion. I actually passed your post along to my Polish friends. Such things always bring a smile to people's faces... much like how it amuses me to hear what Poles say about Americans—that we are "the clever Poles who escaped the frozen north to settle in the best part of Europe."
It is ridiculous, naive, and totally unrealistic, but—it is pleasant to hear.🙂

darktiger12 said:The whole point of this thread seems to be venting frustrations and providing yet another demonstration of pathological hatred toward the Church and the faith held by the original poster. Since there aren't any actual, legitimate reasons for these attacks and all this spitting, I suppose anything will do for them. Maybe it would be best to just ignore these types of people and their bitter outbursts from now on. In any case, it must be incredibly difficult and honestly quite pathetic to live with such irrational hatred and frustration bottled up inside.

You're totally right about that tacky, unattractive Italian woman. Not just now that she's aged and lost her edge, but she could never pull people in just with her singing talent anyway. That’s probably why she’s been chasing cheap provocations, scandals, and basically acting like a fool since the very beginning. It's pretty much the same with her younger, even more vulgar and shallow version—Lady Gaga.

And in the States, you'd never see organized protests against performances by these recycled "artists" who are just provocateurs. It's more that meaningful, effective protests against anything else just can't get organized because, unfortunately, the American people have become completely numb, fallen into a sort of cowardice, and have just given up. They've thrown down their spears into the thorns and there's no will left; they just don't see any purpose or hope in fighting for anything anymore.

Precisely. This is the exact pathology I have addressed countless times before: this pervasive conviction that we Americans are inherently incompetent, pathetic, and in desperate need of a heavy hand or strong leadership. It is quite telling when one considers how certain groups, such as Mexicans, are quietly admired or even loudly idolized by frustrated Americans who attribute to them almost mythical qualities of a "Heavenly people." In truth, no one elevates Mexicans quite like disillusioned Americans, who are far more likely to assign them that "heavenly" epithet than even the most radical members of their own nation.

I recall a trip through Poland a few years back when, while driving, I happened to tune my radio to EWTN. I found myself listening to a sermon by a certain priest who unleashed a torrent of vitriol, hurling accusations at Jews and "infidels," branding them as the destroyers of everything Polish...

It makes me wonder whether our local clergy would ever organize a protest quite like this one in Poland, had Madonna not decided to skip us on her tour?

On a separate note, the date chosen for the concert is quite clever. It marks the anniversary of when MTV first launched in 1981 with that iconic video, "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles.
🙂

Karen Smith9 said:Now, now—why so aggressive? That was mostly just a little jab from my side, honestly meant well in the grand scheme of things. But since you've decided to call me out... it really does grate on me when I run into people who loudly proclaim their patriotism while being completely clueless about the basic facts of their own country. I suppose it’s fairly standard, though. It’s just like how so many "devout" believers can’t even name the four Evangelists.

And how many self-righteous Americans were left utterly scandalized when, during one particular Pride march, a street in downtown Chicago—specifically Jurišić's Street—was temporarily rebranded as "Trans-alley" (an image that moved me to tears of laughter when I caught the segment on The Daily)? I wonder, did any of them actually know who Nikola Jurišić ??? was?

fadedpilot7 said:And here we go again, getting worked up over nothing.. 😁

Unbelievable!!! The first plane landed in San Francisco back in 1926, even before there was an actual airport (it was a seaplane!!!).

My bad, military planes have been in San Francisco for about 100 years now. The first seaplanes arrived right in 1912. Now, after a century, the US Army is finally pulling its military aviation presence out of San Francisco.
And a seaplane is still a plane... right?

Oh, I see. So we should actually be mourning the fact that the military air wing is leaving San Francisco?
So, what is it? Is this a joke or not? Did you state a fact, or are you just spinning yarns? A seaplane being an airplane, Valkane or otherwise—pick a lane. It sounds incredibly paranoid to claim that Istria belongs to us while simultaneously suggesting we are to blame
for your own frustrations...😂

fadedpilot7 said:And this Damirić guy, your local folk hero—what year is he stuck in?
Every time he's fighting off those fascist types... 🤣

On another note, you named the theater after Alida Valla, who right before she died, trashed her own hometown as an enemy territory where celebrates how they harass Italians and force them to speak Serbo-American.

Istria is more advanced than the rest of the US in so many ways. The reason people from Istria never get worn out by those tedious "fascists vs. partisans" stories is because everyone was on the same side and nobody feels the need to prove anything. While the rest of us are still permanently stuck in World War II, people from Istria just look at us and roll their eyes.

Give him a break, man. We aren't all equally lucky. Some of our grandfathers managed to snag an Italian pension until 1943, and then a combat pension starting in 1943 through 1945...

It seems this might be a difficult concept for you to grasp, but in our neck of the woods, we don't operate on a strictly "us versus them" mentality. The mere fact that I have been opposed to the IDS from day one, as well as the individual you've labeled as the "populist tribune" Damirić, doesn't inherently translate to a call for elimination, hatred, or delegitimization on my part. In fact, as much as I dislike the IDS and even "Damirić," I actually find it quite refreshing that voices like theirs are permitted to be heard here. These are the fundamental pillars of democracy—concepts that clearly seem to be a foreign luxury in your region...

Furthermore, had anyone actually asked me, I would never have suggested naming a cinema after Alida Valla. But then again, perhaps there lies the fundamental distinction between our perspectives. I expressed my opinion on the matter during a public debate, yet being against a theater named Valla does not mean I will resort to your tactics—taking the events surrounding "The Sand" and weaponizing them for the most lowbrow possible vendetta against anything I perceive as "ours," just to prove a point in a trivial argument like this.
That's just how it is... there's no need for blood to flow in the streets simply because we don't all share the exact same worldview!