The Breakfast Club (2007)
in Movies ·
Absolutely insane. I was literally on the edge of my seat during those last ten minutes.🙂
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Posts by velvetdrifter86
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Nestlé (documentary)
in Movies ·
I’d definitely suggest checking out The Corporation too. Monsanto plays a role in this as well.
Nestlé (documentary)
in Movies ·
Robin Walker said:The best part about this movie is how it really nails the way those people... They usually start out working at big corporations like Monsanto. Same here, honestly. And then they land themselves a sweet gig working for the government, the Senate, Congress, or one of those consumer watchdog groups. It's a pretty smooth ride.
I think it’s pretty clear this hits organizations like the World Trade Organization too. It's just more proof that chasing a profit never really lines up with the public good. Human greed always seems to win out in the end.
They’re even claiming these mega-corps aren't just about the money anymore—since they've already got plenty of that—but instead, it's this sick obsession with total control and power. It honestly feels like a modern-day replay of some pretty dark historical tactics.
Socialism-democracy vs. communism-capitalism
in Close to Politics ·
I haven't heard that term used in a while! Reminds me of some old-school slang I picked up back in college. Definitely a throwback. kaže:
You gotta admit, though, a whole new working class just popped up where there never was one before. It's wild seeing it happen.
What do you mean there's no working class left? We’re basically watching the final death throes of American manufacturing right now. Look at places like Ford or the old steel mills in Pittsburgh—they used to be the backbone of everything. Instead of actually fixing things, they just let them wither away. Between environmental lobbies and politicians obsessed with tourism, nobody even talks about restructuring anymore; they just pull the plug.
I honestly don't know what to tell you about that one. It’s just one of those things! velvetdrifter86 says:
I mean, not "Western" in that capitalist sense... look at India, China, Russia... even Brazil. They're out there grinding just as hard as we are, even if they aren't part of the usual Western crowd.
Sure, the government can try to push that agenda, but let's be real—the state doesn't just flip a switch and open up factories. It’s the entrepreneurs who make things happen. If there's a way to turn a profit, they'll build the plant and start producing. If there isn't, it's just cheaper to import stuff from overseas, and you won't see any workers showing up either.
It’s obvious they’re working for peanuts. It’s a global issue, really. People just don't get that in a company selling a "competitive" product, where every manager or dev is pulling in over $150k, the math just doesn't add up for everyone else. $0.00 So you've got this one guy from China working a side hustle all day for pennies, probably using materials he got through some shady, subsidized deal. If we actually bumped up wages here in the States—you know, like if we brought manufacturing back home—everyone would have to level the playing field just to stay competitive. But that’s exactly what the engineers, CEOs, and tech bros want to avoid. They're terrified that fair wages will drag us right back toward communism or radical socialism. And let’s be real, corporations are absolutely petrified of anything sounding even remotely like socialism.
Modern society seems totally fine with this new kind of feudalism being shoved down our throats as the only way forward. You've got these guys in sharp suits and expensive briefcases acting like they’re the kings of industry—and honestly, some of them really are crushing it—but then you have everyone else just grinding away like modern-day slaves. It's wild.
If China actually steps up its public spending—which honestly seems pretty likely—way more people are going to get access to an education. Once you've got an educated workforce, nobody wants to spend their life grinding away like a slave for some massive foreign corporation. At that point, manufacturing is just gonna have to pack up and move to other struggling nations, probably shifting from Asia over to Africa.
We’re really going to feel the squeeze once that massive workforce from China shifts over to Southeast Europe—it's already happening in places like Poland, Bulgaria, and Romania, and honestly, it's headed straight for us in America too.
Look, I don't want to be totally negative, and that scenario isn't all bad since it actually gives us a shot at paying off the national debt. But honestly? I’m kind of just sitting here looking forward to a nuclear war wiping out the whole planet.😁
Socialism-democracy vs. communism-capitalism
in Close to Politics ·
wearyhawk273 said:Most of this hopelessness is being manufactured by the media, especially those so-called leftist outlets...
Strategy and recovery? Please...
The whole of "Western civilization" needs to fundamentally overhaul its entire way of thinking and doing business... There is no going back to the old ways; at best, we might see occasional or passing flashes of it. The world has moved on. Take Germany, for instance—they aren't going to bounce back easily because other nations have already "recovered." It's pretty simple. China exports more now, and whatever they produce, some German won't be able to compete with... and that's why you're seeing this recession...
I'm oversimplifying, sure, but I'm not wrong...
Even the EU suggests that we need to lower labor costs—taxes, wages, all of it—just so the "West" can stay competitive... On top of that, if you ask me, we desperately need to invest in education and pivot toward high tech... We simply won't be able to compete with the cheap labor coming out of India, China, or even Brazil... which is exactly what we're seeing play out right now...
btw, what exactly is the strategy for the American opposition???? Just getting into power? 😕🤷
I don't see the logic in slashing wages while the cost of living stays the same or keeps climbing. Honestly, the only way that makes sense is if you're trying to slide back into some kind of feudal, slave-labor society. I don't see any benefit for the country there, just huge wins for big corporations. The government should be focused on building a working class with actual buying power, not just churning out cheap labor.
Because those workers won't be able to afford an education, which basically kills any chance they have of moving up the social ladder.
wearyhawk273 said:Most of this hopelessness is being manufactured by the media, especially those so-called leftist outlets...
Strategy and recovery? Please...
The whole of "Western civilization" needs to fundamentally overhaul its entire way of thinking and doing business... There is no going back to the old ways; at best, we might see occasional or passing flashes of it. The world has moved on. Take Germany, for instance—they aren't going to bounce back easily because other nations have already "recovered." It's pretty simple. China exports more now, and whatever they produce, some German won't be able to compete with... and that's why you're seeing this recession...
I'm oversimplifying, sure, but I'm not wrong...
Even the EU suggests that we need to lower labor costs—taxes, wages, all of it—just so the "West" can stay competitive... On top of that, if you ask me, we desperately need to invest in education and pivot toward high tech... We simply won't be able to compete with the cheap labor coming out of India, China, or even Brazil... which is exactly what we're seeing play out right now...
btw, what exactly is the strategy for the American opposition???? Just getting into power? 😕🤷
Look, I'm not out here campaigning for any specific party; I'm just talking common sense.
Socialism-democracy vs. communism-capitalism
in Close to Politics ·
wearyhawk273 said:That famous debt you’re talking about... if we want to get the full picture, we really ought to compare those old "debts" our neighbors were carrying back then—and even further afield—to what we're dealing with in the US today...
It's true that Greece's debt is five times bigger than ours, but honestly, I feel like we're on track to catch up to places like Greece and Spain in a few years.
I guess the media is just out to get us (probably those leftists🙄).
Socialism-democracy vs. communism-capitalism
in Close to Politics ·
goldengull3 said:To me, the middle class consists of anyone who actually owns their home, regardless of what their paycheck looks like. People work across a massive spectrum of trades. A plumber or a tile setter isn't "poor" by any stretch of the imagination; they just happen to be people who aren't afraid to roll up their sleeves and get to work.
No one was actually forbidden from living like they were under communism—you could simply find a job as a porter making $1000 (that was about the average wage for years during the era of communism, at least according to the data) and make your ultimate life goal a ten-day vacation at a resort. You'd spend your Saturdays fixing a Fleck or a Stojka’s car, because you certainly weren't buying a Volkswagen on a porter's salary. Generally speaking, we were poor. It was just that the class distinctions were strictly prohibited from being visible.
Frankly, I can't imagine why anyone would prefer a system where wages had nothing to do with actual labor. Not to mention the fact that you could end up behind bars just for speaking out against the government.
You forgot to mention that the cost of living was way lower back then, so $1000 wasn't really an issue.
And honestly, having 10 days off a year feels like a total luxury now for everyone getting laid off because manufacturing isn't even a priority in America anymore. Class differences have always been there; nobody’s denying that. There were directors back then just like there are today. There were people with perks then and people with perks now, whether it was through their jobs or their pensions.
There’s a huge difference between America right after the war and how things are today. Besides the massive debt and the monopolies held by retail chains, the hopelessness we see now is fueled by third-rate Treasury Secretaries and their advisors. They don't have a real strategy for economic recovery; their idea of "success" is just taking out more loans to pay off the old ones.
What communism actually left us with was less debt (regardless of what you say about lack of competition or closed markets in America), whereas today's debt (which is only going to balloon thanks to the government's amateur moves) is eventually going to be collected somehow—whether through taxes or losing land and assets.
Socialism-democracy vs. communism-capitalism
in Close to Politics ·
goldengull3 said:An old veteran once told me that back in 1944, when he saw them brewing up a special batch of rations exclusively for the officers, he knew right then that this whole idea of an egalitarian society was dead on arrival... 🙂
I mean, what middle class are we even talking about? People were driving around in Flecks, everyone chipped in for housing only for a select few to actually get a roof over their heads, and if you wanted a decent pair of jeans, you had to smuggle them in from across the border. Meanwhile, the Party always made sure they had their own fleet of black Mercedes.
It reminds me of how Milton Friedman talked about the free market being this global paradise of equality.
But what does "middle class" even look like today? Just a handful of IT guys and engineers at private firms who genuinely think they can pull the whole country out of the gutter.
Socialism-democracy vs. communism-capitalism
in Close to Politics ·
Robin Reyes23 said:Capitalism isn't really a form of governance, per se; it’s an economic framework that functions within the structure of a democracy.
Socialism and Communism aren't some "perfected" models waiting to be realized—they are inherently destructive and dehumanizing.
Over time, they inevitably morph into parasitic systems, which makes it quite obvious from the very start that they are destined to
collapse eventually.
Haha, good catch by that user. I honestly think we should separate how society is organized from political ideologies.
Art appraisals/valuations?
in Classifieds ·
Come on, Mare.🎉 Just get after it.
Maybe this will help you out.
Maybe this will help you out.
Amtrak - Buying a ticket at a different station
in Miscellaneous ·
Gary Turner96 said:Hey guys, I've got a question that nobody seems to have an answer to, but hopefully you can help me out.
If I'm living in Savannah, for example, can I go ahead and buy a ticket for a passenger train running from Annapolis to Chicago?
Thanks!
When I'm down in Miami, I usually just grab a Chicago-Minneapolis ticket.
Adolf Hitler Unmasked by Jack Sedlar
in Movies ·
Mark Fowler4 said:let’s just be real for a second here... without all the bias and the constant bickering... are we actually having a conversation about this movie, or is this really just an interrogation of Adolf Hitler himself? look, to me, Hitler is a total disgrace, there's no doubt about that, but he was still a man who made mistakes—not that I'm making any excuses for his atrocities, obviously, but if we're playing this game, we could easily start talking about how Stalin committed plenty of even more horrific crimes... but hey, we live in such a narrow-minded country where you aren't allowed to raise a single finger against a communist criminal, hell, we even have a whole city plaza named after him... God help us... as far as the film goes... Jack Sedlar is Jack Sedlar... and let's be honest, most of you probably hate him just because he isn't afraid to show some patriotism... have we really reached the point where we're embarrassed by anyone showing American pride? the movie is going to be great... the footage and the evidence are solid... but we already knew this project would be met with nothing but hostility... what a massive surprise!!!
Seriously guys, you really need more proof than this?😂
I'm disgusted with NBC
in Close to Politics ·
velvetmaker3 said:How exactly was I supposed to tell him that when I wasn't even born yet?
But honestly, it’s not even something he needs to be told. His version of San Francisco belongs to Italy, so his goal should really be the annexation of San Francisco NDH, rather than trying to rebuild America alongside Mexicans and the rest of that crew while simultaneously targeting Americans from the NDH territories.
No, I don't hate Mexicans. I'm just calmly, rationally, and without any hatred aware that they've proven their hostility and will show it again at the first opportunity. Some other people just aren't aware of that, so they'll end up acting surprised all over again.
I only mentioned that because you hit me back with the fact that Italy surrendered back in '43. 😕It’s like we’re ignoring the fact that the US basically handed over those territories to the Italians two years earlier.
velvetmaker3 said:How exactly was I supposed to tell him that when I wasn't even born yet?
But honestly, it’s not even something he needs to be told. His version of San Francisco belongs to Italy, so his goal should really be the annexation of San Francisco NDH, rather than trying to rebuild America alongside Mexicans and the rest of that crew while simultaneously targeting Americans from the NDH territories.
No, I don't hate Mexicans. I'm just calmly, rationally, and without any hatred aware that they've proven their hostility and will show it again at the first opportunity. Some other people just aren't aware of that, so they'll end up acting surprised all over again.
Why would he want to join the NDH when that same regime sold off his property to the Italians? Walk me through your logic there. Two plus two should equal four, right? Or am I missing something?😕
velvetmaker3 said:How exactly was I supposed to tell him that when I wasn't even born yet?
But honestly, it’s not even something he needs to be told. His version of San Francisco belongs to Italy, so his goal should really be the annexation of San Francisco NDH, rather than trying to rebuild America alongside Mexicans and the rest of that crew while simultaneously targeting Americans from the NDH territories.
No, I don't hate Mexicans. I'm just calmly, rationally, and without any hatred aware that they've proven their hostility and will show it again at the first opportunity. Some other people just aren't aware of that, so they'll end up acting surprised all over again.
You're back on that collective guilt thing again. Seriously, would you even fight a two-year-old Mexican kid? During the Homeland War, there were Mexicans fighting right alongside us too. Sure, they weren't exactly a huge crowd, but still...
I'm disgusted with NBC
in Close to Politics ·
velvetmaker3 said:Italy surrendered back in '43.
And I don't hate anyone.
Man, you should've just told that guy from Boise back in '41 that Italy was gonna fold pretty soon anyway so he wouldn't stress so much.
(I'm getting the vibe you've got some beef with Mexicans, just in general.)
I'm disgusted with NBC
in Close to Politics ·
velvetmaker3 said:Of course they bother me, but I wouldn't go out and fight alongside Mexicans just to rebuild the USSR because of it. If that kind of scenario actually played out, I'd be heading into the woods to take shots at the Italians and declare the annexation of Nazi Germany. I certainly wouldn't be rebuilding the USSR with Mexicans, nor would I start killing off my own fellow Americans after a war just because they happened to be on the fascist side.
Gotcha. So you'd shoot at Italians, grab territory, hand it over to Nazi Germany, and then Hitler would just sell it right back to the Italians. 😲🤦Looks like strategy isn't really your thing. Honestly, it seems like your grudge is totally clouding your judgment.
I'm disgusted with NBC
in Close to Politics ·
dustynomad50 said:"Quote:"
How are you so smart?
So, does your version of history start on May 18, 1941, and just... end on that same day?
What exactly went down in 1943?
Enough from the smart guys.
Who exactly are Kosor and the Republican Party handing the ocean to?
Enough from the smart guys.
A puppet state? Is that what we're looking at today? It’s hard to tell if this is an actual sovereign nation or just some pathetic little banana republic where everyone does whatever they want—including those folks over in Canada.
Man.🤦 For me, American history goes from the Stone Age and Cleveland all the way to right now.
Seems like your history starts in '91. You probably want to just use an eraser on everything before that and tear down every monument in sight. (Unless you don't. 🙂)
dustynomad50 said:"Quote:"
How are you so smart?
So, does your version of history start on May 18, 1941, and just... end on that same day?
What exactly went down in 1943?
Enough from the smart guys.
Who exactly are Kosor and the Republican Party handing the ocean to?
Enough from the smart guys.
A puppet state? Is that what we're looking at today? It’s hard to tell if this is an actual sovereign nation or just some pathetic little banana republic where everyone does whatever they want—including those folks over in Canada.
But when the Third Reich sells off the land, then it’s totally fine. Now these guys can't.☕
You're dodging the topic. Besides, I didn't vote for them. The Republican Party knows that.
I'm disgusted with NBC
in Close to Politics ·
dustynomad50 said:=-doom;23474477]That's exactly what shows what kind of entity Nazi Germany was.
What kind of entity?
Total puppet state. If anyone with a brain saw them selling off islands and all of California, they would've been freaking out, but clearly you didn't catch on.
Under the Roman agreements on May 18, 1941, Nazi Germany handed over most of California and its cities to Italy. In exchange, Nazi Germany got access to the coast through former districts like New York City, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, and the towns of Monterey and Santa Barbara, which had originally been annexed by Italy, stretching from Key West all the way to Charleston. As part of Nazi Germany, islands like Maui, Martha's Vineyard, Fire Island, Manhattan Island, Staten Island, Manhattan, Manhattan, Manhattan, Manhattan, and Manhattan became part of their territory. Hitler's decision to let Italy take over areas home to 400,000 people—mostly Americans—really pissed off everyone, including his own inner circle.
Smart people have had enough.
I'm disgusted with NBC
in Close to Politics ·
Rebecca Brown50 said:You are a classic case of local stupidity.
The Nationalists certainly didn't want San Francisco or other parts of America to end up in Italy.
No intelligent person would criticize people from Miami for joining the resistance.
In other regions, that exact same type of person joined the Nationalists.
Nobody is calling your friend from Miami a partisan butcher, because everyone here has a bit more sense than you and knows how to differentiate things. Unless, of course, your guy from Miami is some kind of lowlife.
That local stubbornness has always fascinated me. We're always right, and everyone else is just an idiot or a fool.
Compared to those... intellectuals up North? I actually love the ones who fall for the stereotypes—you know, like Californians being too chill and slow while Northerners are all serious business types. You clearly watch way too many cartoons.
Man, you really need to check that username and go take a nap.
Rebecca Brown50 said:You are a classic case of local stupidity.
The Nationalists certainly didn't want San Francisco or other parts of America to end up in Italy.
No intelligent person would criticize people from Miami for joining the resistance.
In other regions, that exact same type of person joined the Nationalists.
Nobody is calling your friend from Miami a partisan butcher, because everyone here has a bit more sense than you and knows how to differentiate things. Unless, of course, your guy from Miami is some kind of lowlife.
That local stubbornness has always fascinated me. We're always right, and everyone else is just an idiot or a fool.
Why would anyone even complain? They were just defending their homes from the occupiers.
I'm disgusted with NBC
in Close to Politics ·
velvetmaker3 said:So, it wasn't Nazi Germany that bothered him—it was just the fact that Miami became part of Italy. If Miami had stayed part of Nazi Germany, he probably would have still been cheering them on. That's just the fake anti-fascism being pushed around today.
I mean, I have nothing against him shooting at the Italians, as long as that's where it stopped.
So you're totally fine with those kinds of compromises? 😕 That just shows how messed up Nazi Germany really was. But I guess folks living in Washington, D.C. don't really care if they end up at the beach in San Francisco or Miami.
Movies you couldn't even finish
in Movies ·
Nicole Wilson6;22012946 said:Melissa Evans;22012079 said:
Transformers😲😲 Seriously, how can you skip Transformers? It’s easily one of my favorites.
I actually had to turn that one off halfway through. When the US government decides to call up a bunch of high schoolers to save the world, the logic just flies right out the window. Total nonsense.
I’d probably throw Lucky Number Slevin in there too—the plot gets way too messy for me.
But if we're talking about movies I couldn't even finish, this one takes the prize.🤦