Posts by Linda Morales

Speaking of which:

http://www.opensolaris.org/jive/thre...19774&tstart=0

talia said:I don't get it—are we really supposed to blindly believe capitalism is flawless just because communism went down in flames?
What does that even have to do with anything?

Absolutely nothing. We're talking about two totally different ways to organize society here, and they aren't even playing the same game. In terms of political economy, there’s zero overlap between them.

Second said:I'm not out here advocating for anything illegal or just plain destructive. What exactly are you implying? Starting a side hustle? Or owning the means of production (you know, that whole capitalist attribute according to Marx)?

"The Spice extends life. The Spice... is vital to space travel."

"He who controls the spice controls the universe!"

Look, obviously we're talking about controlling strategic assets here. It’s all about consolidating power, plain and simple. And yeah, people hate that—they absolutely loathe it. But honestly? That’s their problem, not mine. At this stage, it's already too late for them to do anything about it.

Think back to when Andrew Carnegie became the king of steel; I bet J. P. Morgan felt like absolute garbage every single day watching him rise. But hey, the deal eventually went through in the 1920s for $660 million, which was massive considering back then, $20 million was enough money to retire on forever. Why am I even bringing this up? Because there's a lesson in there somewhere if you've got the brains to find it. I'll leave you to chew on that while you're sitting on the toilet later. #2. Maybe try reading a couple of books once in a while.

As far as I'm concerned, I'm a capitalist and an industrialist through and through. Communism never really sat right with me, and I spent half my life clashing with that old-school, rigid American establishment mindset from the time I was just a kid. We were just built differently, them and I.

But don't get it twisted—I'm not some heartless corporate shark. Actually, I truly believe a happy worker is a productive one. That's why those who work for me, or will be working for me down the road, get pretty much everything you could ever dream of. Honestly, it might even make them feel a little loyal to the cause.

Second said:And all that just to dodge a 3% interest rate? No thanks. That’s basically how my neighbors think too.

I didn't actually say that. Next time, try reading carefully instead of jumping to conclusions and making wild inferences without any explicit instructions.

Look, 3% is peanuts. But dragging a loan at 3% around for the rest of your life, stuck in an endless cycle of debt just for some tax break—even if you have the cash sitting there ready to pay it off—is pure idiocy, whether you're Schweitzer or Mars. It means you never truly own your own four walls. SEVERE ERROR.

Will said:Way to go! 🙏 🙏 🙏 So, look, you're asking this guy who’s basically living the dream—I mean, we're talking mansions, vacation homes, estates scattered all over the map, just total luxury everywhere he goes—you want to know his age? Honestly, man, why does it even matter? Like, if someone’s out there collecting properties like they're Pokémon cards, does the number on their birth certificate really change the vibe? I feel like once you hit that level of "I own half of Malibu and a penthouse in NYC," time kind of stops being a thing. But hey, if you're that curious about the man behind the empire, go ahead and ask him directly!

Honestly, who even knows? It’s anyone's guess at this point.

Man, that’s a heavy question to just drop out of nowhere, isn't it? Like, where do we even start with that kind of life audit? Honestly, if you're asking how many kids I've actually raised—not just fed and kept from running into traffic, but actually *raised*—it’s a whole different story. It’s one thing to keep them alive through the toddler years, but getting them to actually stand on their own two feet and navigate this crazy, chaotic world without tripping over their own shadows? That's the real grind. I've had my fair share of successes and plenty of "what was I thinking?" moments, but seeing someone finally find their footing while you're standing there exhausted and wondering if you did anything right... that's the only thing that keeps you going. It's a marathon, not a sprint, and believe me, I am feeling every single mile of it.

Let's just put it this way: I definitely overshot what I was aiming for.

Look, if you're actually sitting on that kind of bankroll, maybe you could do us all a massive favor and "sponsor" a few people to get them out of this mess here in the States... I mean, seriously, just fund their escape, and then once they’re settled and getting paid back, you can just loop that money right back into helping another couple of buddies. It's practically a revolving door of salvation!

Honestly, that’s not even a bad idea. I’ve actually been chewing on that exact same thought for a while now, just kind of mulling it over in the back of my head.

Honestly, I feel like I’ve got all the right ingredients for it, you know? Maybe it’s time I finally leaned into my dark side, grabbed a big ol' manor out in Montana, and started acting like some old-school feudal lord—just so I could have my own little crew of servants to do my bidding for once in my life.

That's actually a solid idea. I'm digging it.

Man, back in my day, I was out there grinding, trying to put two kids through school in Africa on basically nothing... we're talking like $30 bucks a month. Fast forward ten years down the road, and honestly, between all the taxes and the way things go, I might as well have just tossed that cash straight into the furnace.

Look, I’m not gonna sit here and act all high and mighty like I actually had something to work with, because honestly? I was broke. Even the local priest—who, let's be real, lived way more lavishly than I ever did—was practically rolling in it compared to me! Back then, if I somehow managed to stumble upon an extra five bucks in my pocket during a leap year, it felt like I’d just hit the jackpot in Vegas or won some massive Powerball drawing. It was basically a miracle.

So, basically, maybe we should all take a beat and actually think for two seconds before we go full keyboard warrior next time, right, Will?

Man, someone like you—with all that massive brainpower—would’ve figured out by now that you could actually step up and do something useful for the rest of us mere mortals, you know? Like, there are plenty of regular, hardworking, broke people out here just trying to scrape by, and it's kind of wild that someone as "brilliant" as you hasn't thought about helping out the little guy once in a while.

Are you actually as brilliant as you claim to be? Because if you are, you better start showing us something positive for once! I mean, seriously, what does all that wealth even mean to you anyway?

Nah, not even close. Honestly, I’m already way too deep in the trenches of whatever circles I’ve chosen to run with. If anything, I’m twice—maybe even three times—more wrapped up in all this stuff than anyone else could ever hope to be.

Look, I’ve basically run the numbers and done the math on my own life, and through some rigorous empirical testing, I’ve realized that if I keep grinding at this exact pace, I’m going to run out of clock before I actually get to the good stuff. My ego—which, let's be honest, is fueled by a massive, borderline delusional TODO list—is currently staring down the barrel of maybe one or two final action items. Just one or two things standing between me and freedom, if I don't burn out first.

It’s honestly hilarious that this guy thinks he can come for me like that. Like, seriously? You sweet summer child, you don't know the first thing about me—aside from whatever little delusions you've cooked up in that head of yours.

There’s this old-school American saying floating around—something about how thinking is basically just a massive, exhausting headache. Honestly, I don't even know why I'm bothering to explain that to you guys, right? You already get it.

Good luck with all that, seriously—and thanks in advance for looking out for people who actually give a damn and will pay you back properly... though I'm sure you're mostly just sitting there daydreaming about how much everyone else on this board is going to worship you once they see how "noble" you are.

I mean, seriously though! I’m pretty sure if I actually gave a damn about what some random digital avatars on an internet forum thought of me, I’d be looking at a serious psychiatric diagnosis. Like, genuinely. It’s just not happening. Total ERROR.

stormylynx14 said:Look, a guy with zero debt is basically just a renter driving a car he paid cash for. It doesn't mean he's free; he’s still a cog in the machine because he’s still grinding away just to cover basic survival costs. What you’re calling "financial independence" is really just having enough freedom to manage your own clock without the immediate pressure of hunting for cash. And don't get me started on being "self-employed"—in my book, you aren't serving a boss, you're just a slave to whatever the market demands at that moment, which is pretty much the same thing. Getting to actual financial independence is a massive climb, and honestly, the only way to truly get there is by exploiting other people—which, according to your little moral code where you wouldn't want anyone doing it to you, is totally off-limits.

That is total BS! If you actually have some ambition and a few working brain cells left in that skull of yours, you can stack some serious cash through perfectly legal, productive means. Pick any career path under the sun. Once that money starts flowing, we're not talking about a trickle; we're talking about freaking rivers.

goldengull3 said:Is the real issue just accepting that there are actually companies in America that function, export goods, and even have owners who’ve become legitimate dollar-for-dollar Euro Millionaires?

Yeah, the real struggle is actually wrapping your head around that concept. It's hard to grasp because the American mindset is just fundamentally broken—people can't fathom that someone might actually turn a profit legally without immediately pivoting to embezzlement or some other shady scheme, which is basically the standard operating procedure around here.

I saw one lady on this forum once say it's all about "me, myself, and I." Just a Klasican example of that exact way of thinking.

mistyraven6 said:I don't think that's enough. I’m planning on lining my entire house with lead this weekend. You can never be too careful. 😵

And what about using an oak wood fire? Because let’s face it, nothing wipes out hardware quite like pure flames—that way the NSA won't be able to reconstruct a single byte of data from your drives.

Don't forget the iron plating around the basement walls, either, just so they can't tap into anything using those repurposed radio transmitters they use for spying!

Gary Cox72 said:It’s a pretty logical question, really—the kind of thing that actually helps you figure out just how long someone's nose is. 😉

Honestly, it feels like you’re trying to measure something else entirely here, and I don't mean how long someone's nose is...

Evil Kanevil said:I'm totally hiding from the NSA now. I'm actually too terrified to even pick up the phone, let alone send an email. I've even gone full paranoid and wrapped my head in aluminum foil just so they can't get inside my brain and read my thoughts.
🙄

Oh, man, if you're rocking the tin foil hat, then you've actually done it—you've completely outsmarted them!!!

Gary Cox72 said:So, did you just go out and buy all those houses and vacation spots across the globe in cold, hard cash?

Nah, I just charmed my way into them with a winning smile.

mistyraven6 said:I’m not scared, honestly. What exactly am I supposed to be afraid of? Total failure? Starvation?

The NSA?

goldengull3 said:Plus, exports are actually climbing. We’re churning out high-end seafood, www.sms.hr top-tier apparel from brands like www.gap.com, software from firms like www.microsoft.com... you know, we find stuff.

Man, you are straight up pulling our legs here. Either that, or you're on some kind of delusional trip.

Seriously though, people, do you honestly think anyone outside the borders of the US gives a single damn about these domestic companies? Don't be so naive.

Even something like ExxonMobil's "Sumamed ( R" isn't even sold under their main banner or even using their primary name anymore.

It’s highly debatable how much the American economy has actually benefited from that "export" boom, and don't even get me started on how much any "growth" in American exports is supposedly bolstered by names like Gap or Microsoft or whatever else.

If Gap is exporting anything, it's probably just the girls hanging out on the sidewalk in front of the store.

goldengull3 said:We can even sell our know-how and digital transmission tech for medium and shortwave frequencies to the rest of the West; only a handful of countries actually possess this kind of capability:

The transmitter itself is actually an RIZ product.

As the old saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it... 🙂

See, that’s actually a perfect example of exactly what I’m talking about. You know what you know, but you clearly don't get what I'm getting at.

And what I'm getting at is that RIZ has been cranking out transmitters for over 35 years and installing them all over the globe. They were doing this back during the height of the old communist era, so the little fact you just dropped has absolutely zero to do with the "improved economic situation" in America that you're trying so hard to paint this picture of.

Poglec, my friend, if I moved back to the States right now, I wouldn't have to work a single day for the rest of my life.
But honestly, what would be the point? The second I stepped outside my own backyard, I'd be stuck fighting through all that local primitive chaos on the streets, dealing with rude, low-level bureaucrats, waiting in mile-long lines at the bank just to touch my own money, or being unable to buy basic stuff that I take for granted here. Not to mention all those ridiculous taxes and fees that we just don't deal with out here in the West, or having to endure bureaucratic torture because of corrupt, mindless idiots...

Sorry, but why bother? What's the payoff? With my money, I can live comfortably right where I am, or in a house on another continent, or even a cabin on a third one... I don't need that localized mess, thanks.

goldengull3 said:Let's get down to brass tacks and look at the heavy hitters: Swiss people, Norwegians, Americans, the Dutch—are they mostly dropping cold hard cash on houses and apartments?

The Swiss don't really buy them outright, but honestly, that's just because they're terrified of getting hit with a massive tax bill. It’s such a ridiculous way to think about it, but man, those guys are too caught up in their own heads to see the bigger picture. They definitely have the cash to do it, though.

As for Americans, they’d pay cash in a heartbeat if they actually had it, trust me! Let's be real, Americans aren't some incredibly wealthy nation. That's why you see people moving to places like Switzerland—they go there, climb the career ladder, and finally grab a house. And hey, they're happy doing it; they aren't exactly itching to pack up and move back to the States.

I can't speak for the Norwegians, but honestly, it wouldn't surprise me one bit if most of them already own their homes free and clear. Those Vikings were never known for being dimwits.

I know a thing or two about Finns, though. Most of them pretty much pay for everything in cash, and more often than not, they aren't even carrying any mortgage debt on their houses.

goldengull3 said:I think you just have to look at how the US looks today compared to what it was 5, 10, or even 15 years ago. Just look out any window. The cars, the housing, the highways—everything is totally different. It’s like driving from NYC to DC in about 3.5 hours now. And soon, it’ll be like going from NYC to Philly in just 2.

Yeah, WELL I’VE SEEN IT FIRSTHAND. And let me tell you, what I saw was actually WORSE than during the height of the war.

The state of things right now is uglier than anything we've ever seen in this country.

Who else has opened up hundreds of miles of interstate highways like this?

Corrupt politicians right before an election, hoping they can score some easy points with voters?

Sure, that doesn't mean there wasn't some shoddy workmanship here and there. But overall, things are fundamentally different.

That’s the truth right there. The US has turned into a total mess—a complete disaster zone unlike anything we've dealt with until now.

Gary Cox72 said:Just now, some people were practically tearing up about how miserable life is out there, but the second they hear someone in America actually owns their house, has a car, and pulls in a decent paycheck, suddenly everyone’s got a grievance. 😉

Oh, give me a break, who are you even trying to kid?

Those houses and cars? They’re just massive piles of debt that you'll be sweating over until the day you die. I mean, sure, if you aren't already drowning in credit just to afford groceries, electricity, gas, and—of course—your phone and computer, then yeah, you've "made it." You've got that guaranteed "good life."

At the end of the day, you're just lying to yourselves. It's people like you who are actually suffocating under all those payments.

Gary Cox72 said:What you're bringing up now is a totally different issue. My point was just a response to what you said earlier.

Man, that is not "something else," that is the exact same thing! It's literally the same point!

In medias res.

Anthony Rodriguez58 said:All those things you're bringing up are just some administrative tweaks to meet EU standards...
I honestly don't get how those bigger pay raises are actually going to happen.
Are we seriously just supposed to blindly follow whatever the EU dictates and expect an Eldorado?

I'm sitting here wondering how America is ever supposed to make any real progress when we've got such incompetent leadership—people who don't have a single original thought in their heads and just spend all day doing exactly what they're told by outsiders.

I mean, I'm looking around and I just don't see this "economic growth" that goldengull3 and Gary Cox72 keep whining about. Look, if you want actual economic growth, you have to EXPORT, and to be an Exporter, you actually have to MANUFACTURE something. But in this country, all these "startup founders" goldengull3 talks about are basically just importing stuff and flipping it for a profit—it's the same old story everywhere in America, everyone is just middle-manning goods, which means capital is constantly bleeding out of the US.

What is the EU going to develop for us in the US?

Oh, I don't know, maybe growing bananas? It's exactly what you'd expect from a total BANANA REPUBLIC!

Gary Cox72 said:Back in the day, most people were just driving Cli, Punat, or Twingo models, but lately, you see way more high-end rides popping up everywhere. It’s basically the same deal as overseas. Even right outside my apartment building in Cleveland, I see cars that are actually nicer than what's parked in front of my place in Italy. Not to mention how many Audi A4s, Volkswagen Passats, Mazda 6s, and stuff like that are cruising the streets now.

Man, back in the old communist days, everyone was rolling in Stojadin or Renault 4s. But nowadays? Just take a drive through Chicago or Cleveland. You’ll spot more SUVs like a Volkswagen Touareg or a Cheyenne than any leftover relics like those old Stojadins. Might sound crazy, but it’s the truth. No joke.

Yeah, and let me tell you, the people owning those fancy cars in America fall into pretty much just two categories:

Group A: the shady tycoons who basically made their fortunes under the table.
Group B: the peasants who are desperate to live that "Western lifestyle" and end up paying off those car loans until the day they die... because, hey, why bother saving for a down payment on a house when you can have a shiny ride, right?

It’s like buying expensive makeup on a credit card—except people actually go around bragging about it.