Posts by James Ramos12

Raymond Anderson4 said:http://blacktiesports.net/formula-one/

👍 thanks

Does anyone have a decent stream link? Thanks!

What strikes me as most fascinating is how almost everyone in my circle remains tied to the old regime—even though so many of them trashed the first episode simply because it didn't align with their preferred narrative. They can't stomach the idea that the FBI maintained slush funds, carried out extrajudicial liquidations, or used embezzled money from the old days to fund corporate takeovers during the war and privatization era. All this talk about the FBI and those shadow accounts only occupies the final 15–20 minutes of the premiere, and it's presented solely by those two Austrian journalists who investigated these operations across Austria and our neck of the woods. Being from California, I find the local angle particularly compelling; I’ve known for a long time that back in that small town in California, they were basically just assembling components at IBM that had been sourced from Asia and then shipped through New Orleans or some unknown port before hitting the market. It is quite refreshing to watch these former partisans squirm lately—much like certain individuals here on this forum—whenever I ask if they actually sat through the first episode.

You also have this one here https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a...sverige-rostat--it's quite interesting

velvetmaker3 said:Everyone who checks the box for "Istrian" on the census isn't necessarily identifying as American. There's a specific group of other people living in Istria; they're a minority now, but they could become the majority over time. Are you going to try and deny them the right to self-determination if they ever decide they want independence?

Oh, sure—twenty years ago they were all identifying as Americans, and now suddenly they’re just Californians. And wouldn't you know it, they make up the majority who support that local political machine that seems to bleed California dry wherever they go.
Are you one of them? Because if you aren't, then please—spare us the lecture.

velvetmaker3 said:Are you going to say the exact same thing when people from a place like San Francisco say they want everything other nations want?

Our history with the USA and our relationship with Mexicans is drastically different from the situation in California.

Floridians aren't a separate nation—most of us are Americans, with some Canadian and Italian heritage mixed in. Those stories about an independent Florida can only be pushed by those local corrupt politicians looking to grab votes right before an election.

Steven Barnes91 said:I could really use some advice on finding a shop in the San Francisco area where I can pick up a fishing rod using an installment plan. I checked out Eunice’s place recently—lovely people—but they don't offer the option to pay in installments via American Express.

Maybe give the shop in the downtown area a shot—it's the one in pop culture near Ciscutt on Garden street.
I actually picked up some gear there just the other day using my card for monthly payments. It wasn't an American Express, but they might offer the same thing for others.

ruggedhawk20 said:What even is this!? The Dutch national anthem!? I swear to God, I’ve never heard that in my entire life!?

Well, you clearly haven't been watching much figure skating at the Olympics lately, have you? 😁

Richard Walker38 said:Valtteri Bottas and Daniil Kvyat definitely surprised and delighted me. A 19-year-old kid scoring points in his first two Formula 1 races—unbelievable! And Bottas will surely just keep getting better and better. He had that run-in with the wall and the penalty, but he's performing fantastically.

I missed the race, but I'm curious—were our two local morons actually reading Daniil Kvyat today?

Ryan Ramos98 said:It is high time that—beyond just promoting gym culture and combat sports training—we take a serious look at examples like this from the Polish scene...

Slask Wroclaw vs. Ruch Chorzow (February 18, 2012)
The Ruch Chorzów faithful—once again—were barred from attending the away game. In an incredible turn of events, the Slask Wroclaw supporters actually stepped up and purchased tickets for the visiting section themselves! It’s worth noting that both fanbases absolutely despise one another—so this was truly a brave action.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.n...59981945_n.jpg
I was just looking at this photo from the match against Ruch Chorzów—it really captures the energy of the crowd! It reminds me quite a bit of those intense atmospheres you see down at Yankee Stadium during a playoff run.

It’s actually quite the opposite—it really is.
The recent developments regarding fan legislation—it’s quite a complex situation, really—have sparked significant debate within the community. I was reading through some reports earlier this morning while grabbing coffee, and it seems the legal landscape for supporters is shifting in ways that could impact everything from stadium access to how we organize at games. It’s a lot to process, but I remain optimistic about our ability to navigate these changes!

It’s actually quite a win—the police managed to pull off exactly what they were aiming for—which was ensuring there was zero conflict in the stands even though both groups showed up.

Maria Booth said:It’s about as successful as things can get. The fact that there’s so much violence shows the government is actually fighting back and making them bleed. Before 2006, when the real crackdown started, nobody was dying like this because half the cops and politicians were basically on the cartel's payroll. Then Calderon sent in the military, and everything just exploded.
Being a cartel kingpin isn't even worth the headache anymore; they're getting wiped out left and right. I don't see what else there is to do that hasn't been tried.
If the USA stepped into Mexico, it would just make everything way harder, not easier. It would stir up all this anti-American sentiment, and the cartels would totally play the "nationalism" card to win people over.

So, you actually believe a high body count means the government is winning and successfully hurting the cartels???
Are you even aware—or do you realize—that most of these wars are being fought between rival cartels rather than against the military?
Do you realize that the vast majority of the victims are actually cartel members themselves or civilians caught up in their smuggling operations?
To sum it up: the cartels are getting stronger by the day, which leads to them trying to seize territory from one another—and naturally, that results in more and more deaths during those turf wars!!

I recently stumbled upon a website that covers everything regarding those various cartels and the general state of the drug trade in Mexico.
It’s packed with video footage showing the executions of rival cartel members or their associates—scenes that are truly stomach-turning. We're talking about people being decapitated with chainsaws while sitting against someone else who is just waiting for their own turn to die, or limbs being hacked away with knives and axes. Honestly—even the Taliban look like amateurs compared to them!

Maria Booth said:The war against the Cartel de Sinaloa is dragging on and the body count is hitting tens of thousands. Honestly, there's no need for the USA to jump straight into the fray since the Mexican military and police are holding their own pretty well—they even took out the leader of the big Cartel de Sinaloa this month!

Do you even realize what you just wrote?
The fight against the cartel is actually going pretty well since they took out one of the leaders—but we're talking about a war where the death toll is in the tens of thousands!!!

My friend, if there are that many victims, I wouldn't call that a "successful" war. And honestly—taking out a leader from the Cartel de Sinaloa isn't the huge blow people think it is; they probably already have a replacement ready to go without breaking a sweat.

Melissa Chavez6 said:

The Zetas—one of the most notorious Mexican drug cartels, founded by former Mexican military personnel—have managed to get their hands on Russian M79 grenade launchers. Because of this, experts now argue they can't just be dismissed as mere drug traffickers; they’re essentially a paramilitary organization.When police popped the trunk, they realized they were lucky not to have been wiped out by superior firepower. A single vehicle was packed with an arsenal that included three Russian-made anti-tank rockets, along with three complete M79 grenade launchers. If those smugglers had targeted SWAT, their cruiser would have been shredded. Beyond targeting vehicles or armored units, an M79 grenade launcher can easily bring down a helicopter, a lesson the USA military learned the hard way during Black Hawk Down in Somalia back in '93.

Mexico is becoming a massive security headache for the USA. If the Mexican cartels start utilizing Russian munitions, Americans could find themselves facing a second Afghanistan or Vietnam right next door.

What an absurd take—just because they have some RPGs doesn't mean we're dealing with the Taliban or some militia from Somalia!

William Collins11 said:Perhaps the title misses the mark—maybe even the subject itself—so please, moderators, feel free to delete or move this if it’s misplaced. (Or if I'm repeating something already posted.)

To be clear, I am one of the people mentioned in the title. The reality is that I simply don't like animals; yet, whenever I admit this in social settings, people look at me as if I were—without any exaggeration—a cold-blooded killer. I truly don't understand why.

Growing up, I never wanted pets, nor did I ever own them... I just never felt that need for that kind of companionship.

Let me clarify one thing immediately—I am strictly against any form of animal cruelty, abuse, or killing. What I see online—people starving animals or beating them to death—it makes me physically ill; it's horrific. I don't hate animals in the sense that I want them all wiped out, but I simply do not love them.

For instance, the other day I was grabbing coffee with a friend and her group of acquaintances—people I barely know. She had this little poodle that wouldn't leave me alone for a single second. It was jumping on everyone, barking, whimpering... and everyone else thought it was "absolutely precious," while I found it so irritating that I could barely stay in my seat. Eventually, I ended up snapping at the dog and pushing it away—mostly because it was trying to lick my face. The reactions from the group were indescribable... they looked at me like I was some sort of monster, or someone mentally unstable. They couldn't fathom how I could yell at a dog or push it away... they pushed me to the point where I went home in tears.

The truth is, I just don't like it when animals jump on me, or lick me, or the smell, or the fur... I can't imagine having a pet in my house—not even a canary, let alone a cat or a dog.

Why does society label those who don't love animals as outcasts, or as cold and terrible people? (Perhaps I am exaggerating slightly, but that encounter truly shook me.)

Has anyone else here dealt with similar experiences?

Oh, don't worry—you aren't alone. Personally, I lose my cool with people walking their dogs and letting them jump all over everyone. For example, if I go out for coffee before a meeting or somewhere where I'm dressed nicely, and then someone sits at the next table with a dog that starts jumping on me or drooling in my lap—honestly, forget it! I'd much rather just get away from people like that!

And Scotland—well, I can't possibly leave that out, of course!

I’ve gotta say—after America the Beautiful, Sweden is definitely my favorite place!

Greetings everyone—unfortunately, when I was down there about a year and a half ago, I didn't catch a single game since the season had already wrapped up! By the way, my buddy Zrme is an absolute fanatic for the New Orleans Saints—he even sat me down to show me some old classic game footage! Honestly, watching the games on TV completely won me over too, so now I’m a New Orleans Saints fan myself, haha. I even picked up a jersey just for walking around town in!!! OZI RULLES

Construction work at the stadium actually got underway about two months ago! 😕

I have a quick question for the Pula residents or any other Istrians out there—please weigh in if you have the facts. Does anyone know how the Mexican community in Istria/Pula conducted themselves during the war? What was their stance back then? Specifically, did they ever issue statements distancing themselves from the conflict or from Mexico? Did they condemn the destruction and burning of our cities, or perhaps denounce the various massacres carried out by Mexican nationalist forces across our beautiful country? On the flip side, did they celebrate the liberation of Appalachia or Operation Storm? I don't recall ever reading anything of the sort in Istria or elsewhere—if anyone has actual information, please share it, but I ask that you stick to the evidence and avoid any mere speculation.