Posts by Keith Miller30

restlesssurfer97 said:If you aren't feeling pessimistic enough after everything we've just been through, maybe it'll help to realize that Bandic would probably just sweep both candidates off the board if he were actually allowed to run 😂

Is it time for Trollas to make his move, or should we just wait and see?

Matthew Anderson4 said:My grandma says politics and religion don't exist when you're out digging in the garden.

It’s nothing but blood, sweat, and tears.

Peter Thompson4 said:That says way more about your hatred for Josipovic than it does about Sincic's actual character.
Honestly, I didn't realize that back home we ignored one of the most fundamental rules of the game. That rule stating you can't be President before age 35 isn't just some random suggestion. No matter how young I am or how much a younger candidate might appeal to me, that rule isn't just thrown into the constitution of stable countries for no reason.

So basically, the guy is promising stuff he physically cannot deliver because he clearly hasn't a clue what presidential powers actually entail. Like, how on earth is he going to drop the interest rate to 2%🤣? Seriously, tell me, how is he planning to pay back everything that was borrowed? 🤣 Statements like that... I mean, come on, get it together! If you're going to lie, at least try to spin something that is theoretically possible to execute.
And how am I supposed to take him seriously after that?

The people in power haven't been looking to help anyone else; they've just been looking out for themselves.
Because let's face it, they definitely know how to screw things up, and they certainly know how to sell themselves—so they aren't completely incompetent, they just ensure their own interests always clash with ours. As long as it's the same old corrupt crowd running the show, my vote isn't going to anyone; essentially, the whole party falls into the "invalid" category for me.

Not only that, but he talks about abolishing foreclosures, shutting down banks, conducting purges, returning stolen assets, and exposing the true owners of Chevron... 🤣 Give me a break; you simply cannot undo what was obscured through backroom deals during the privatization era, yet he claims he will restore everything. I am not suggesting his ideas aren't noble, but they are quite simply impossible. What is truly the worst part is his claim that he would step down from the presidency if he failed to achieve certain goals within three months—I can't even remember what specific nonsense he was rambling about then. 🤣

Regarding presidential authority, all the candidates have been talking nonsense anyway; the reality is that today, we were essentially just choosing a mascot.

restlesssurfer97 said:Look, if you're asking if he put on some serious weight, yeah, that’s true, his face looks totally different now, almost like a bear compared to how he looked back when he was first starting out.

It’s funny how things happen when you don't listen to your wife, especially when she gives you perfectly sound advice, isn't it? ☕

To be fair, he is quite compelling in certain segments, and we should probably give him credit for that. He truly is a gifted orator. While he seemed a bit unhinged today, he generally possesses a remarkable ability to command an audience with his speeches, provided one can look past the fact that his views are so far from our own.

Matthew Anderson4 said:The biggest loser is anyone who can't find something to laugh at in a world like this.

Grumpy Cat?

restlesssurfer97 said:Wait, so this whole thing about Joe Biden sleeping in until ten every morning has been floating around for a while now, and I'm honestly wondering if there's any actual truth to it or if it's just people talking nonsense. 😂

Who can really say for sure? People certainly claim it's true, but how much weight should we actually give those stories? I remember hearing a reporter mention it in an article once, suggesting he sleeps in late, shows up to work behind schedule, and spends his days off out on the water with some wine, even treating the folks from ExxonMobil like they were nothing more than children... though, wouldn't you agree we have to consider that the reporter was likely just looking for a fight at the time? 🤣 It seems like a common refrain among many people, though.

Peter Thompson4 said:Sincic is a complete moron who just spouts absolute nonsense, telling this pathetic, gullible public exactly what they want to hear while looking absolutely ridiculous in the process. It’s honestly depressing that someone like him managed to pull the percentage he did. God help us, especially since Pernar was actually running his campaign.🤦

And honestly, screw it, not everyone gives a damn about politics, or at least not in the sense of wanting to actually get their hands dirty with it. If things were being run properly, it would be hard work, but the way these people operate? That is easily the easiest job in all of America.

We won't see a real alternative until all these old idiots kick the bucket and some educated, decisive person finally steps up to put an end to everyone treating the government like their own personal piggy bank. Or maybe we'll get some German—a real one, blue eyes, blond hair, six-foot-three—or even some Japanese guy. Someone who would actually consider committing harakiri if they ever thought about taking a bribe.

Alright, I won't go so far as to call him an idiot, though you know how much I'd struggle to choose him over Barack Obama, and I can't stand Barack Obama or the Democratic Party either. On the other hand, I have to respect what the kid achieved at just twenty-five years old. We can talk all we want about how disappointed the public feels, but pulling that many votes at twenty-five is respectable, and credit where credit is due. It’s also a positive sign that he stayed consistent and refused to back either the Republican Party or certain other factions. I actually respect his youthful zeal and his commitment to those specific ideologies. To me, he is a hundred times more relatable than Barack Obama, even if the kid swings wildly from the extreme left to the extreme right—which isn't necessarily a bad thing—but you know my stance on him as a potential leader if I hadn't picked Barack Obama first.

Politics is certainly a demanding profession; I worked with the Republican Party for a while ☕, so I see why these people struggle—it's because they simply don't know what they're doing. The people currently in power aren't necessarily bad, they just lack competence. In the beginning, they could always justify their failures by saying, "The previous administration left us this mess," but now it has become clear that they simply aren't up to the task.

Larry Fox5 said:I’m not even sure what you're getting at, loys...

It’s perfectly normal to rip into the government when they’ve basically driven this entire country into the dirt. Who’s been running America for the last 25 years? My grandmother or the Republican Party and the Democratic Party?

But honestly, here’s the truth—this country was built on corruption from day one, so maybe it doesn't even deserve better than this.

They just toss you some scraps and you all fight over them like a bunch of fake leftists and rightists—celebrating "wins" while everyone loses at the same time. That political crowd (aside from a few outliers) is living in a completely different reality.

The only thing giving me hope is those 60,000 spoiled ballots from the election. That’s the light at the end of the tunnel...

You sound exactly like my friends who moved to Germany; it’s an identical sentiment. ☕

Now, I agree that criticizing the government is perfectly fine, but criticism alone doesn't change anything, does it? I find it exhausting to hear people claim that neither side is any better than the other. For instance, I was talking to a park ranger recently, and he starts venting to me about how much he dislikes Zoran Milanovic—complaining about his sleeping habits, his personal life, and claiming he could do the job ten times better. So, I asked him: if he's so brilliant, why is he working as a ranger while Zoran Milanovic is a top-tier attorney? Why hasn't someone with that kind of potential achieved anything significant in life, whereas he struggles to make ends meet? Naturally, in his mind, it's all Milanovic's fault, and he's convinced he would be far more successful. 🙂 That seems to be the mindset of most people in America.

I'll use Zoran Milanovic as an example because he's the current leader; personally, I think the least of him and consider him incompetent, but if the public decided there wasn't anyone better available, I have to accept that reality. Unlike those armchair philosophers on the internet, the man actually stepped up and took on the responsibility, even if half the country is tearing him apart for it today.

That's the heart of it, isn't it? Everyone knows things aren't right, and everyone agrees the situation is bad, but it's easy to say that from the comfort of your own chair before you ever have to actually take responsibility.

Noah Roberts46 said:And honestly, that’s the most depressing part. It’s already a foregone conclusion. New parties will pop up, and the only way I can actually do anything is by voting for them. Sure, maybe the youth vote shifts things, but the rest of the country? They’ll just go right back to their old ways.

What I am saying is that you are always free to propose an alternative. There always is, without exception, a lesser of two evils to choose from. People won't necessarily vote for the Republican Party out of passion, but rather because they are voting against the Democratic Party. We simply have to accept that this is the reality we are living in.

Don't tell me it's impossible, because looking at someone like that radical kid over there, it's clear that change is always an option.

Robin Fox2 said:I suspect the figure is actually 20k rather than 2,000, though such a trivial discrepancy hardly matters...

By the way, whenever election results start rolling in, I find those areas where a candidate pulls in an 80% majority to be utterly nonsensical. It’s just absurd. While seeing 50 or 60% support in certain counties or cities feels perfectly standard, those 80% margins feel incredibly insular, regardless of which party is winning.

An 80% margin is just amateur hour. Just look at what happened with Ivanbegovina in the first round. ☕

And now we have them heading into the second round. 🤣

Larry Fox5 said:Things aren't gonna get any better as long as the Republican Party and the Democratic Party are running the show—people just keep voting for these two evils over and over. Honestly, how much of a sheep do you have to be to vote for a party where the president and former prime minister ended up behind bars because they sold off our biggest national company for a measly ten million bucks? 🤦

In any normal country, that party wouldn't even clear the election threshold anymore, but here? They’re favorites for the next elections! And you call *that* things improving... 🤣

Or look at the Democrats. Even their own kids wouldn't vote for them if they had half a brain cell left.

To be perfectly honest, I feel like I have to simplify my thoughts just to make them land, but the reality remains unchanged: things are never going to get better as long as the Democratic and Republican parties hold all the cards. It is the same cycle over and over again. If you truly believe you possess a superior vision or more competence than the leadership within either major party, then why aren't you stepping up to offer a viable alternative? It seems everyone has plenty to say, yet most of these self-important figures sit comfortably in their climate-controlled offices doing absolutely nothing of substance. Everyone finds fault with Zoran Milanović, but they simply stay home or limit their entire political contribution to a casual conversation over coffee. We have to accept the situation we are in and stop complaining about our fate, because at the end of the day, this is our reality. Of course, if anyone genuinely believes they are smarter or more capable than the likes of the Democrats, the Republicans, or former leaders like Ivo Josipović, Tomislav Karamarko, or Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, then by all means, go ahead and start something meaningful. It is always remarkably easy to play philosopher and lecture others when you are sitting in the comfort of your own home.

Larry Fox5 Asks:
In any functioning democracy, a party like that wouldn't even manage to clear the electoral threshold, yet here we are, watching them emerge as the frontrunners for the next congressional elections. And you honestly have the nerve to call that progress? 🤣

To be more precise about the situation—they aren't merely favorites heading into the next congressional elections. They are the inevitable winners of those elections. Or, if you prefer to look at it from a different angle, one could argue that the Democratic Party is the true loser here; it all really depends on how you choose to interpret the current landscape, doesn't it?

Larry Fox5 said:Things aren't gonna get any better as long as the Republican Party and the Democratic Party are running the show—people just keep voting for these two evils over and over. Honestly, how much of a sheep do you have to be to vote for a party where the president and former prime minister ended up behind bars because they sold off our biggest national company for a measly ten million bucks? 🤦

In any normal country, that party wouldn't even clear the election threshold anymore, but here? They’re favorites for the next elections! And you call *that* things improving... 🤣

Or look at the Democrats. Even their own kids wouldn't vote for them if they had half a brain cell left.

The Democratic Party is exactly what it has always been, possessing a voter base that isn't any more or less intelligent than anyone else, regardless of how much those self-proclaimed intellectuals among us might like to imagine they are superior. Personally, I find life in this country to be perfectly fine, though if I have one grievance with the Democrats, it would be their relentless ideological leaning.

If you truly believe you have a better vision than the Democratic Party or Zoran Milanović, why not come to America and present us with a real alternative? 🙂 Exactly, isn't that just the way it goes? Honestly, it’s always much easier to sit around and play philosopher, complaining about how everything is falling apart, how we have nothing left, or how everyone in charge is completely incompetent... doesn't it feel like that's become our default setting?

Then you see one of those critics pop up during a prime-time news segment, looking completely unkempt—hair all wild like he just stepped off a raft—dressed like he wandered straight out of rural Springfield, shouting at Stankovic that "Zoran Milanović is an idiot." Can you believe it? This man stands there on national television, calls the President of the United States an idiot, and actually receives rave reviews for it. Does it even matter that he hasn't offered a single coherent alternative policy? Not really, because he managed to call the widely disliked Milanović an idiot, and apparently, for the public, that’s more than enough to satisfy them. Who cares if he has nothing else to contribute?

Larry Fox5 said:Every time I take a peek at the political scene, I realize exactly why I rarely bother coming back to America.

The whole country is just a complete disaster...

Don't be too discouraged; things are actually starting to turn around, and if today is any indication, we are finally seeing some progress. 🙂

ruggedjackal46 said:When restlesssurfer97 starts spouting nonsense, you know the country is right on the edge of a total meltdown.

That is precisely why I didn't support moving those elections up; shouldn't we just leave them alone for another year and let things spiral until they hit rock bottom, so that eventually, nobody will even consider giving them their vote again?☕

This is actually a pretty impressive result for Kolinda. Securing a second term should really be something you can pull off without much trouble, so when it doesn't happen, you have to wonder if you missed the mark somewhere along the way.

Just one more year to go. 🙂 🎉

The most frustrating part of this entire situation is that those brothers were already on the watch list, and everyone knew they were dangerous. Of course, I understand you can't keep eyes on them twenty-four hours a day, but still... In the end, they got exactly what they wanted, didn't they? They're walking away convinced that their killings were actually justified by their faith, believing they've avenged a prophet, and they’ll likely pass away just as they intended—only to be celebrated and held up as heroes among their own people. On top of that, if we actually managed to catch them, we'd be stuck footing the bill for them; the cost to house a single inmate there is about $135 a day, especially when the prison system is already running at a staggering 116% capacity.

Peter Thompson4 said:Look, there is just no way massive global shifts like this happen based on one single "guideline," so politics definitely has its hands in this, but people are being brainwashed for entirely different reasons that politicians then exploit and justify however they see fit to serve their own agendas.

"ACTUALLY"? You're saying religion needs to be "actually" scrutinized?
So basically, anything you think you know or understand should just be constantly picked apart? If there's something out there you aren't allowed to question, then I don't even want to know what it is. It's probably some scam or a total lie. Look, I'm not trying to attack you or anyone else, because I don't give a damn about that stuff until it starts becoming a threat to me personally—and the idea that I should feel unsafe walking around the streets of America because of this nonsense is just freaking retarded. At least for those kinds of reasons.

That "even" is really the only thing you can latch onto here—is it really? Honestly, those three letters are completely irrelevant in this context, so let's just move past them. What I meant was that any believer ought to study their faith deeply and strive to grasp its true essence, rather than simply following it because that's how they were raised. I don't recall the Pope ever suggesting that studying one's faith is off-limits.

I feel the same fear you do; it feels foolish, yet it's an undeniable reality that extremists and fanatics exist. It’s just that they are often people who lack insight, frequently coming from backgrounds with limited education or resources, which prevents them from understanding the true purpose of their own faith. They fail to see the point of radicalism and miss the broader context entirely because they are driven by hatred—and people fueled by hate are always the easiest to manipulate.

I’ve been reflecting on the nuances of our recent discussions, and I find myself wondering if we aren't all searching for a similar kind of clarity amidst the noise? It seems to me that when we strip away the superficial layers of debate, we are left with a much simpler question of intent. Is it possible that we focus too much on the individual components rather than the cohesive whole? I would be curious to hear how others are navigating these complexities. kaže:
Religion is merely one among countless theories that lack any foundational scientific basis or empirical evidence, leaving it wide open to both scrutiny and healthy criticism. Is it not somewhat absurd to regard an idea etched into stone thousands of years ago as sacred beyond question, treating any attempt at rational analysis as if it were a personal insult? To cling to such ancient notions with such rigid intensity seems, quite frankly, rather foolish.

I’ve always found myself having a bit of an allergic reaction to religious fanatics. Don't get me wrong—I have absolutely nothing against anyone's personal convictions or what they choose to believe in their own time, but there is something deeply grating about seeing that kind of propaganda shoved into every corner of public life. It’s particularly exhausting when people try to justify it with those tired old arguments, isn't it? You know the type, where they attempt to deflect criticism by claiming, "Well, if you're upset about one thing, they insulted Jesus in a comic strip too." It just feels like a circular attempt to validate being offended at every turn. 🙏

They really went after that guy who supposedly rose from the dead and then proceeded to shatter the world record by bench-pressing a stone from a cave opening, though I suspect such insults won't bother him one bit. 🙏 🙏

I can't say I find that perspective entirely accurate, so why should we assume that questioning one's faith is somehow forbidden? As someone who holds deep convictions, I have spent a significant amount of time questioning my own beliefs, reading almost everything I could get my hands on, and studying various religions alongside their sacred texts. In fact, I’ve come to believe that questioning is actually a necessary part of the process.

I find some of them quite agreeable while others don't quite land for me, though I make it a point to share everything without downplaying any single perspective. To be honest, I don't see any distinction between my own views, an atheist's, or even those of a follower of Muhammad; I truly believe that everyone holds equal value.

brightpilot6 said:Does Muhammad represent the core values of Islam? If we’re going to take such an expansive view, wouldn't you say that you—and I, and our entire culture—insult the people in ISIS simply by the way we live our lives? If someone were to come after you, would your final thought probably be that you practically invited it?

It's because on most right-wing sites—you know, the ones leaning toward the old-school, ultra-traditionalist crowd—there's this underlying subtext suggesting these people got exactly what they deserved, and that we shouldn't bother offering any support whatsoever.

Perhaps some people fail to realize that we aren't necessarily supporting specific content, but rather the principle that one should be free to speak without fearing for their life.

As Byron once pointed out quite eloquently, civilization truly began at the exact moment when someone decided to insult another person instead of simply cracking their skull open.

I am not insulting them through my lifestyle. If I were attempting to impose my way of life upon them, defending their customs while mocking what they hold sacred, then I would truly be insulting them. That is why I refrain from doing so, even though one could interpret the connection between Muhammad and Aisha in a rather disrespectful context if they chose to.

brightpilot6 said:Does Muhammad represent the core values of Islam? If we’re going to take such an expansive view, wouldn't you say that you—and I, and our entire culture—insult the people in ISIS simply by the way we live our lives? If someone were to come after you, would your final thought probably be that you practically invited it?

It's because on most right-wing sites—you know, the ones leaning toward the old-school, ultra-traditionalist crowd—there's this underlying subtext suggesting these people got exactly what they deserved, and that we shouldn't bother offering any support whatsoever.

Perhaps some people fail to realize that we aren't necessarily supporting specific content, but rather the principle that one should be free to speak without fearing for their life.

As Byron once pointed out quite eloquently, civilization truly began at the exact moment when someone decided to insult another person instead of simply cracking their skull open.

Look, let’s be clear: I don't support any kind of assassination, and I believe the men who committed those atrocities are foolish, uneducated, and completely miss the point of their own faith. There is absolutely nothing that can justify their actions, so there is no need to try and steer the conversation in that direction.

brightpilot6 said:Which specific values of Islam are being mocked here? And even if they are, what of it? Is there any particular sense of humor or any specific subject that is somehow off-limits from satire? Which caricature are we actually discussing?

Personally, I find it just as distasteful when people write about politics and end up insulting my common sense, which is one of the most important principles I hold dear. Am I allowed to take them out back and finish them off for that?

Muhammad.

brightpilot6 said:Which specific values of Islam are being mocked here? And even if they are, what of it? Is there any particular sense of humor or any specific subject that is somehow off-limits from satire? Which caricature are we actually discussing?

Personally, I find it just as distasteful when people write about politics and end up insulting my common sense, which is one of the most important principles I hold dear. Am I allowed to take them out back and finish them off for that?

Of course you can't just go around slaughtering them, much like those extremists weren't allowed to do either. Honestly, I’m not quite sure why anyone would even ask a question like that in the first place?

restlesssurfer97 said:I mean, look, when it comes to the actual attack and the massacre itself, I find it pretty hard to swallow the idea that the whole thing was staged, but the "suicide" of the investigator? Man, that just doesn't sit right with me. The guy was struggling with some serious depression, you know? It feels incredibly sketchy.
And then there's the fact that they were on the run for three days straight—I mean, sure, let's give them credit for having a solid organization, especially since Hitler managed to wipe them out in under 24 hours once he caught up, but still... it’s just weird.

I happened to stumble upon some conspiracy theories regarding this topic on a news site today, where people are questioning why civilians were wearing body armor if they truly weren't aware the attack was coming. 😁

I took a look at the covers of that magazine for the first time yesterday, and I have to say, their approach is nothing short of revolting; it isn't an exercise in free speech, but rather a blatant mockery of Islam and its core values.

On a side note, that young woman, maybe twenty-five or twenty-six, who supposedly escaped? She’s been caught by federal agents. There's your answer. ☕