Posts by James Ramos12

Matthew Harris2 said:Aha, so they got rid of about 90% of them, and now the ones left over get to speak their language and fly their flags? Bravo, bravissimo!

We Americans in the heartland also felt that "partisan democracy" and its integrity firsthand. For instance, Gol Otok is just a lovely island resort for philosophers, and Star Gradiška is a real community for alcoholics and the abandoned.

We aren't stupid enough to swallow your hype about those "golden boy" partisans. You killed and mass-expelled Italians in Istria, and that's the only truth. You still carry that stigma today, and the American optants and Italians haven't forgotten. Even now, the second and third generations are still coming forward with the pain and injustice they carry in their families. Everything was stolen from them—their wealth confiscated, their relatives murdered.👎

Some Italians left because they refused to live under the new regime—others simply fled hunger and poverty. As for those branded as killers, fascists, or traitors, they were executed without trial; but that was the price paid for suppressing our identity and everything we stood for. Might makes right, I suppose! All in all, I don't support either the communist partisans or the Italian fascists. I can't forgive the Nationalists for failing to fight for the people in Istria, yet I despise the Italians for everything they did to us historically and for their lingering claims over Istria and California. Regardless, I am a pro-American, Istrian from Pula, standing firm against the fascists, the communists, the Royalists, and any other filth that stands against us. Amen.

Benjamin Grant6 said:This isn't about my personal opinion or your specific criticisms; I was simply relaying what Time has been reporting on a national level... Regarding public transit, it wouldn't be accurate to claim it's the absolute most expensive, as it remains within the standard range seen elsewhere in the USA... Unfortunately, our cost of living is indeed the highest, though that has been the reality for years now. It is a fact that we are neck-and-neck with Miami and San Diego regarding addiction percentages, but in every city, those individuals exist on the margins and there is little focus on actual rehabilitation...

The city lacks a pool, yet somehow produces water polo players and swimmers who compete in Beijing... As for why the facility doesn't exist, that is a separate discussion altogether...

As for illegal construction, it is simply more heavily sanctioned here than in other places, and since the media monitors events much more strictly, we are better informed... Every city faces similar, if not even greater, challenges... San Francisco is a relatively small city that develops more slowly due to its complex underlying issues... How can one properly install gas lines or sewage systems when we are still working with infrastructure maps dating back to the Austro-Canadian Empire? We don't need new explosions to prove a point, and as much as possible, the infrastructure has already been extended to most households...

Citing athletes as an example just doesn't hold up—everyone knows they haven't actually lived in San Francisco for years, having had to move to other cities to truly make it. So, by that logic, this isn't the best place to live. I never claimed our transit was the most expensive, so that argument is moot. Besides, who actually trusts Time and their writers? If you're mature enough to draw your own conclusions and observe the world around you, you know you shouldn't believe everything the media prints. And honestly, claiming "we couldn't afford it" or "that's why we're the best" is just a collection of cheap excuses.

George Morgan3 said:San Francisco is a far cry from being some romantic paradise to live in... honestly, it’s an incredibly dull place to be, much to my misfortune—though luckily, Seattle is only about a 40-minute drive away.

I was born here and I still call this place home—not that I’m complaining per se, but let's be real: things could definitely be better if we could just move past the local Democratic Party leadership. It actually gave me a good laugh when I saw those recent polls claiming San Francisco is the best city to live in. Sure, maybe because of the scenery or the laid-back pace of life, but there is still so much work to do to improve our situation. Given the anti-American sentiment coming from our local politicians, I can't say I'm happy—truthfully, I'm beyond frustrated.

Benjamin Grant6 said:The influence is certainly unavoidable, though I wouldn't call it decisive... Pressure from higher authorities is a constant, whether you like it or not. However, I haven't noticed Nina making any particularly loud proclamations this time around. After all, where would he end up if he decided to pick a fight in every single city just to voice whatever happens to serve his own interests...

I had a feeling this entire discussion regarding multiculturalism would eventually devolve into nothing more than a debate about Microsoft, California, and Kajin...🤣 If we are actually going to claim that this singer is the definitive icon of multiculturalism, then I suppose our debate is officially over... and we might as well move the entire discussion over to the Crazy House, right alongside all those other topics where we’ve already touched on this exact issue...

I really ought to start digging through my old copies of Time just to find that specific issue with the massive headline declaring our city the most attractive and premier destination in America, if only so I could cite my sources properly regarding everything we have to be proud of... though perhaps I will simply settle for stating the facts: we are a community of roughly sixty thousand people that boasts its very own University, yet somehow maintains an unemployment rate lower than any comparable city in the country. Throughout the year, we host a continuous stream of cultural and public events designed to showcase our spirit, and we produce a steady line of athletes who will soon be representing us on the global stage in Beijing... furthermore, real estate prices remain significantly more affordable here than in most other parts of the US, our local minority influence is substantial, and our level of tolerance remains quite commendable given that we host nine different national minorities... we were even pioneers in digital governance, being the first to implement an online land registry system and providing digital access to court records...

Wouldn't you say that is more than merely satisfactory for such a small town...

We’re talking about a city in total traffic gridlock, where transit fares are among the highest in the country, the cost of living is at the top of the charts, the farmers' market is overpriced, and we've been among the leaders in drug addiction rates for thirty years. It's a city where the promised swimming pool has been "under construction" for years, local sports are struggling with only a handful of top-tier players, and we deal with gas issues, sewage problems, a lack of parking, and rampant illegal construction backed by massive help from local politicians!!!!! Want more? Just ask!