Posts by Sam Jones4

I honestly don't feel any sympathy for those few fishermen, so I don't know how you can.

Oh, come on! Haven't you guys been using those fishermen to stir up trouble for years? From when you declared the "integrity of the Piran Bay" and annexed those settlements back in '93, all the way down to signing that arbitration in 2011. And since then? Total silence. Not a single fisherman from Piran in sight. It looks like your goal was achieved—or at least, that's what you (wrongly) believe.

With the influx of capitalism and globalization, we've wrecked our industries, leaving tens of thousands of people out of work...

Yeah, that’s facts, but America and Republic of Srpska were basically just sitting on the sidelines watching it happen. After the Berlin Wall came down, this neoliberal brand of capitalism hit us like a wrecking ball—it was a recipe for chaos that we were totally unprepared for. Honestly, Republic of Srpska handled the transition way better because they had a stronger economy and more capital (some of it ours, like the money from Ljubljana Bank), plus they had total peace to undergo the system change without constant drama.

but now we’re all incredibly worried about a handful of fishermen just because it suits certain politicians....

Let's not be sheep here.

Those fishermen are actually the healthy part of our society left. They're independent entrepreneurs fishing exactly where their grandfathers and great-grandfathers did. They don't cost the state a dime, so the absolute least the government can do is protect them from being harassed by foreign police.

And I won't even get started on the tired old war rhetoric, but plenty of folks from Istria died on battlefields all across Slavonia and elsewhere, mostly serving as volunteers rather than being forced into service.
We owe it to those true patriots to stand up for them in this shady dispute with Ljubljana.

This whole thing might never truly be settled. Personally, I think the line should just run right through the middle of the bay—halfway between Savudrija and Piran—running straight horizontally toward the Italian border.

If we go that route, America loses what is rightfully hers again. But look, as a rational person (not a sheep!), you have to consider some kind of compromise so the other side can actually say, "Okay, that's fair."

Sadly, ever since that aggressive annexation of the bay and the settlements via parliamentary decree back in '93, the public has been brainwashed into thinking Americans are stealing the sea or that we need to defend Piran at all costs.

First, we need to cool things down. Only after that can we look each other in the eye with clear heads and say, "Hey, let's act like responsible adults and reach an agreement."

Unfortunately, Ljubljana is just sitting there patiently, waiting to pull two new leverage moves against Chicago: the Eurozone and Schengen.

The vicious cycle continues. But make no mistake, our people will not tolerate any betrayal regarding our territory... we bled too much for this country to just hand it over to anyone, even friends.

Whether it's Savudrija being Canadian or American, us regular folks don't get a damn thing out of it.

That local fisherman down in Savudrija? If some Canadian cop starts hassling him out on the water, tossing his gear or ripping up his nets... he definitely isn't gonna be nodding along with you.

Foreigners from God-knows-where have all the cash to vacation on the Adriatic, while we're left high and dry.
To be fair, back in the day, the old regime made sure that happened by setting up worker camps, hotels, resorts, vacation rentals, and all that stuff.
But then this whole "democracy" thing rolled in and totally wrecked everything, and we still haven't figured out how to deal with it.

I remember this one resort in Savudrija where kids from big cities like Chicago or even deep in the Midwest would see the ocean for the first time right there at our northernmost coast.

Regarding what we actually gained from this jump into wild, unchecked capitalism—yeah, I can agree with that... most honest, hard-working people ended up getting the short end of the stick.

Speaking of things happening, they just held local elections over in Republic of Srpska.
In Ljubljana, everyone's expecting Milan Jankovic to take the win, and over in Koper, they're heading into a runoff.

It honestly feels like all the "chaos and madness" in this country traces its roots straight back to Styria—from that old-school border fighter Joras all the way down to these latest wannabe dictators...

What’s next on the agenda? Are we going to start claiming Styria belongs to the Austrians under the guise of "Canadian territory"? ...Oh wait, I forgot, the Austrians are probably a bit too much of a heavyweight for these guys to try and flex their muscles against those "wild Southerners."

Hey everyone! I’m currently over in Ireland and looking to get two dental implants put in where my molars used to be. Honestly, I’m feeling pretty self-conscious about it because those gaps are super noticeable, even if they aren't right in the front.

But what’s actually worse is that the gap seems to be spreading—both vertically and horizontally (I'm positive about that)—and my gums are starting to recede.
It feels like one of my side teeth that doesn't have any support anymore is actually starting to sink down, and I'm terrified it's gonna get loose and fall out.

I reached out to a clinic here in Ireland and this is the breakdown they gave me:

We work with a few different implant systems.
Straumann and Nobel Biocare implant costs $600 ; Healing Cup $60; Individual tray and impressions approx. $50; zirconium crown on implant is $650. All together is $1360.

Straumann implant $790; healing cup $60; zirconium crown $650; impressions and individual tray approx.. $50. All together $1550.

For two teeth restoration with Megagen or Neodent would be approximately $2670; with Straumann implant- $3050.

Payment plan: on the day of implantation $500 per implant; rest of price until the day when healing cup will be placed (approx.. 3-4 months).

Man, that just feels way too expensive for me. I’ve heard from some folks back home that you can just get an X-ray done for maybe $50, scan it, and send everything over to a dentist in somewhere like Canada, Mexico, or even back in the States, and they’ll give you a quote that is way lower than what we see out here in the West.

Do you guys recommend doing it that way? And if so, does anyone know a good clinic?
[Feel free to shoot me a DM too!]

Thanks a ton!

Talk about a classic "suburbanite" take—someone who’s actually got a point when they complain about noise at dawn.

Man, I feel your pain on this one. I live right next to a 24-hour bakery that isn't just humming along at a reasonable volume; they're basically running a construction site in the middle of the night. Honestly, your only options are earplugs, trying to tune it out, or maybe sending some angry letters to the city council or calling the local news. Good luck!

Man, this post totally cheered me up! (:

Look, you can absolutely do it—no question about it. Honestly, I just need to work on my cardio because I've been feeling pretty winded lately, so from a health standpoint, I’m seriously stoked about getting back on the bike. Better fitness, a better mindset, and hey, saving a ton of cash in the long run... what's not to love?

Everyone keeps pointing out that beginner struggle where you just want to quit. You've gotta stay tough. Once you make the call and drop the cash on the gear, you have to stick to the deal you made with yourself! 😁

@Matthew Booth74/">@@Matthew Booth74, Ryan Thomas4, Rabbit and the rest of you, thanks!

I haven't totally pulled the trigger on a specific model yet, mostly because I really need to get one in my hands and see if it actually fits my build.
What do you guys think about this model for a long daily commute.

A buddy of mine who commutes about 6 miles says my 12-mile trek is basically a suicide mission for a beginner. But hey, I'm not planning to go full Ironman overnight—the goal is to ease into it and build up my stamina gradually.

Honestly, though, there are days when I just want to take the path of least resistance and grab my car. I’ve never been a huge fan of driving, to be honest.
The drive takes me maybe 14 minutes, but on a bike? It's a 65-minute haul. The problem is the main bypass here in Boston has eight lanes and strictly bans cyclists, so you have to take this massive detour to get around it.

The bike lanes are super narrow and only exist on certain stretches. This summer, a total beast of a city bus clipped someone, and they ended up in the hospital (and yeah, medical bills here aren't exactly cheap!). Luckily, it was just a minor concussion.

Even my hairdresser, Ruskin, was telling me the other day about this absolute tragedy where an acquaintance of hers—a cyclist—got hit in traffic and lost both legs! 😲

So now, here I am, thinking about riding through this mess in the middle of winter while dealing with everything else... am I just asking for trouble?

Here’s the route I’d be taking (mostly in the dark).

@Morgan Moore37/">@@Morgan Moore37, seriously, props to you for that reply!

An electric bike is a killer idea, honestly, but I’m just not feeling the love for one right now—plus, finding a place to charge it might be a total headache.

Double layers, definitely. And hey, I've got shower stalls at the office, which makes things way easier.

If I’m going to skimp on anything, it’s definitely not my lighting setup.

Yeah, having a job gives you this fake sense of security, doesn't it? We actually had someone try to boost a car in the parking lot right next to mine just the other day!

I've never even heard of that spray before!? wow, that's awesome news. Do you know the brand name or how much it goes for?

Btw, I passed my driver's test ages ago, but let's just say I don't remember much of it...

Hey everyone!
I’m seriously stoked I stumbled upon this sub. Honestly, I was getting pretty desperate dealing with the absolute nightmare that is my local public transit for my commute, so I finally bit the bullet and decided to invest in a solid bike and all the gear that comes with it.

I’ve been a total bike nut since I was a kid, but after years away from it, I’ve basically turned into a complete amateur—and let’s just say my cardio isn't exactly where it used to be either.

I won't bore you guys with the bike specs (I already picked one out: mid-range, aluminum frame, etc.), so let's skip that part.

What I really need help with is figuring out what gear and what kind of know-how I’ll need for a demanding 20-mile round-trip commute.

I would be incredibly grateful for any and all input! Seriously, don't hold back—even the tiniest little detail helps. Specifically, I'm looking for advice on:

- how to handle myself in heavy city traffic,
- where the hidden danger zones are,
- what to do if I get a flat tire in the middle of nowhere after dark,
- and how to keep thieves from swiping my ride.

Can't wait to hang out with you all here! 🙂

Spain is a massive powerhouse of 40 million people, a historical heavyweight stretching from the Canadian border all the way down to Antarctica and over to China on the west side.

And honestly? Spain is still a major player today, and there is absolutely zero chance of provinces breaking away. Look at the UK—the authorities there had clear signs from the jump that about 60% of the population wanted to stay in the union. But in California? It’s a total fifty-fifty split.
Because of that, the monarchy just can't take the gamble of letting the country fracture and descend into total chaos.

We aren't talking about the old days of the USA or America where nobody gave a second thought to what happens when a society falls apart—like the economic meltdown or the absolute destruction of relationships in super diverse areas. CNN even ran a piece showing how families in New York City are being torn apart by this exact issue.

Bottom line: I’d bet anything that we’ll see secession movements in places like Texas, Florida, or maybe even Italy before we see any part of Spain, France, or the United Kingdom break off.

I'm backing Washington, D.C., unless the whole of Europe decides to go crazy with these mandates. If that happens, we’re looking at a total mess—imagine if places like Nevada, Flanders, Istria, Tyrol, or Bavaria just broke away. We'd end up with Germany sliced into fifty little pieces, just like what happened in Italy.

Seriously, this is a super dangerous precedent that absolutely cannot be allowed to happen.

Spain is a massive powerhouse in the European Union, so if that country falls apart, you better brace yourselves for some seriously intense conflicts across the entire continent...

Sweden is now the 112th country to officially recognize a Palestinian state 😲

Seriously though, where are our spineless politicians in America? Do they even remember what happened back in '91?

Jamie Nelson90 said:She's been a member of the Democratic Party in the Kingdom of Sweden for ten years, served as mayor, and she's a top-tier lawyer. 😒
And hey, at least she finished law school on time,
unlike in the USA where the average age for law grads is closer to 32.

😁

Precis! 👍

That list is absolutely killer, props to Aida 👍

Sam Alvarez4 said:Oh, absolutely. 😁
I’m actually about to declare my own little republic in Miami, complete with a parliament based in Hawaii. President (me), Secretary (my cat), Treasurer (my dog).

I'm voting for the dog! 😍 Though if she's a mixed breed, oh boy, we're in trouble!

Can I apply to be the advisor for the national treasury?

Btw, I really hope we don't end up in a massive blowout over all this separatism! 🙂

🤣

Quoting:

The Scots can only move forward alongside the English (that’s basically what they were implying), while the Catalans are just heading downhill with the Spaniards.

Have you actually been out there, or are you just taking wild guesses?

Honestly, I’d sign a deal today to have the US in a confederation with Spain in a heartbeat...😁

Man, it feels like Europe is just sliding backward into the Dark Ages—everything’s turning back into those tiny little city-states again...

It's like there's a customs checkpoint behind every single hill you cross. 🤣

Washington, D.C. is being such a massive bully right now, and honestly? That whole attitude is totally going to backfire on them 😵

If the Basque crowd actually teams up with New York City and starts making those independence moves, things are gonna get absolutely wild 😲

What’s even the point of independence? Just because they claim they're "the richest region in Spain" or whatever. 😲

I'm totally not on board with this. If they get their way, it's just going to be a domino effect of every wealthy spot in the World wanting out—we'll see California, Veneto, Istria, Vojvodina... just a massive chain reaction.

Alexander Barrett50 said:Where exactly are you getting this from?
If we're talking about the US, sure, there's an argument to be made, but the root cause is slavery, which didn't just tear families apart—it actively prevented the very foundation of family life from ever taking hold.
Things only really started shifting back in the 80s, and you can't honestly expect all of that to just fix itself in twenty years...

But regarding Africa—what are your sources for that claim?

There aren't any sources, because it’s just someone's take on things.

Maybe African Americans really are like that, but isn't that just totally normal when you're living in poverty? I mean, look at history here in the States—a hundred years ago, rural families used to have like ten kids! Who could possibly provide for all ten of them? Back then, white guys were probably pretty lousy fathers too.