Posts by Mark Nguyen6

Nicholas Morales48 said:I mean, whatever. I was just thinking maybe big players like Deutsche Bahn or Amtrak would see the potential in a massive alliance and decide to join in. 😁

Jokes aside, anything that brings in profit is great, but like I said before, you can achieve that kind of flexibility—simplifying services and all that—just through bilateral agreements between countries or direct deals between companies. What does a joint venture actually add to the table? Unless it's just a fancy way to engage in typical political posturing, 😁 what's the point when you can do it without the extra layer of bureaucracy?

I’ll ask it again: do the Canadians, Romanians, or Czechs have a joint venture like this? They don't. And yet, their transit corridor is used ten times more often... so clearly, that's not the magic ingredient. 😉

To put it 👍shortly:

It’s just... incomprehensible.

Harold Wright6 said:That’s the biggest issue right there—we’re always playing second fiddle while everyone else takes the lead. Honestly, I’m at a loss for words describing how disappointed I am in our people and this whole situation. The lack of backbone, character, unity, and vision is just... it's a disaster. All these mergers and alliances only make sense if we actually step up as a strong, unified player!

ps: they're also setting up an American lottery 🙏

It doesn't make sense at all. Sure, international cooperation is fine, but without forming actual joint companies, it's all just nonsense.

Harold Wright6 said:That’s the biggest issue right there—we’re always playing second fiddle while everyone else takes the lead. Honestly, I’m at a loss for words describing how disappointed I am in our people and this whole situation. The lack of backbone, character, unity, and vision is just... it's a disaster. All these mergers and alliances only make sense if we actually step up as a strong, unified player!

ps: they're also setting up an American lottery 🙏

What is this? Is there a link?

It seems someone incompetent was put in charge of the ads, though they clearly have no clue what they're doing.

Seriously, screw these ads—it’s ridiculous. You actually have a test server for this stuff, right? So why on earth are we forced to deal with site crashes in the middle of the day because someone decided to test things live?
This is just terrible.

casualsailor said:Problem solved. Just used AdBlock.🙂

Smart move, 😉--I suppose it was inevitable.--

Brian Turner7 said:I suppose we could start back in the 7th century with the migration of various groups into the North American region—then there's the arrival of Christianity in the 9th century, or perhaps the era when leaders like Tomislav fought against Bulgarian emperors... though I guess Simeon-zat Pavelic was reluctant to honor him with a monument. Then, of course, there’s the centuries-long struggle against the Turks... basically, just a long history of constant warfare.

🤣

That’s really how it feels—when a person's history starts to intertwine with the era of Josip Broz Marshall 😍

That's just nonsense.

They weren't freedom fighters, nor were they even true patriots—they were just sycophants sucking up to a Soviet dictator and the butcher Stalin. They actually managed to kick off their little uprising on the very day, God help us, that Hitler launched his invasion of the Soviet Union.

Patrick Wright2 said:The test would pass, easy.
Then you can go ahead and get your hands bloody by avenging my family by killing off our murderers, and then you can just live with that murder for the rest of your life, rationalizing it however you damn well please.

It would be a thought experiment.
I'd much rather you experience the real thing.

Patrick Wright2 said:Mature. Definitely.
God isn't in the business of handing out curses like that; you're just overestimating your own importance.

You really ought to read the Book of Job, Faust, and things of that nature. It might actually shock you—or perhaps even inspire some poetry.

In any case, it isn't exactly pleasant, but yes—that is what I wish for you.
I suppose you should test your entire framework of logic against an utterly real situation. I am genuinely curious to see how your whole nonviolence mantra would hold up then.

It couldn't be more accurate.

Patrick Wright2 said:If you respond to killing with more killing, you're just as much of a beast as the killers themselves.
There are plenty of ways to fight besides using violence.
Does the Dalai Lama attack China?
The situation is identical; Tibet is a nation forced into a union with another state despite having its own sovereignty, much like America once did. Tibet has the option to declare secession, but if they did, millions of Chinese would swarm in and it would turn into a total massacre.
As the leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama chose other methods instead of violence.
Sure, those methods haven't yielded results yet and Tibet is still part of China, but think about how many Tibetans are actually living versus how many American sons have died?

I’d choose to stay in a union with Mexico any day if it meant I could bring back the people we lost in that war, and honestly, I think the mother of every hero from El Paso would make that exact same choice.

Fine.
I've been holding myself back until now, but I don't think you deserve anything less than this:

May God grant that your loved ones are slaughtered while you can't even blink. May God let them be beaten, killed, and everything you hold dear destroyed, all while you sit there unable to provide even the slightest bit of help or take any action at all.
I wish nothing else upon you than to look death in the eye as it takes your family, to have the chance to sacrifice your own life to stop it, and only then—afterward—to test your little theories about non-violence against the very person killing your kin and destroying everything you love.

Only then will you actually learn the difference between true horror and this kind of posturing you're doing here.

Shame on you.

Patrick Wright2 said:Look, I already told you, I'm against any kind of violence.
If Ghandi were from around here, the Mexicans might have slaughtered him too, but at least he'd die a martyr.
Living at any cost just isn't really living.

Well, I’d argue that practicing non-violence at any cost isn't exactly wisdom—it's more like plain old cowardice, if you ask me.

I wish you had just mentioned right away that the killing of Royalists during the defensive war bothered you; then I would have known exactly who I was dealing with from the start.
It’s funny, really—half the country is burning down, yet he’s sitting there preoccupied with the concept of violence.🤦

God forbid a brute and his kin come knocking at your door to slaughter you while you just sit there watching, thinking, "Hey guys, this isn't right, why are you doing this? Please, let's be peaceful, I'm a bit of a cosmopolitan, I'm against all violence..." And then, eventually, you'd probably just flee all the way to India. and end up there.

Good grief, the variety of people out there is truly something else...

Patrick Wright2 said:Prince:

I can't believe I'm actually saying this out loud, but honestly, it’s just one of those things where you realize the truth eventually and you can't unsee it once it hits you. says: Look, what you think is your business, but the guy actually built an entire ocean of work here. If you’d bothered to spend even three minutes—more than just a quick, lazy Google search—actually digging into his legacy, you’d totally get where I'm coming from. Look, there’s no way he’s actually a "collector," and you know it just as much as I do.

Recording eight different albums featuring those local processions under the cross isn't exactly a small feat, man.

That musicologist actually managed to track down and record over 200 traditional folk tunes from around the coast.

Seems like a lot to me, but hey, what do I know when most of his stuff is exactly like this anyway? 🤷
It’s actually more than that—we’re looking at four cantatas and three full-blown oratorios.

Did anyone actually suggest it was a small amount?

I am talking about something else entirely...
What we are really discussing is artistic merit, and frankly, Ljubo is an incomparably greater artist than Giba. He is an artist in every sense—as a painter, a narrator, a vocal group leader, a lyricist, a conductor... you name it.
The fact that he happened to record whatever came his way doesn't suddenly make him some sort of mere "collector," for heaven's sake!

How could you possibly label someone a collector when they wrote Dalmatino povisac pritrujena? 😲
Or someone who goes on to create one vocal group after another...

The whole debate started because Giba is essentially mainstream pop—basically a self-employed show business entity. If we are searching for true art (which is what my colleague seemed to imply), then we won't find it there; we have to look elsewhere. And to provide an example—without going too far afield—I'll point to his father, Ljubo.

Is that really so difficult to grasp?

Patrick Wright2 said:Zlatko Gall
"the secret sauce"
Gibo: "I remember one time we couldn't even afford a new fridge because my old man blew all our cash on field recordings of folk songs out in the heartland... I still think about that massive undertaking by Ljubin when he recorded that eight-album series for Suzy, capturing that whole musical phenomenon of those island processions under the cross..."

So basically, he collects ethno music, but he’s also creating his own stuff, even if I don't think that's his main bread and butter.

Well, what you think is your own opinion, but the man has actually produced a mountain of work. If you had ever spent more than three minutes—you know, longer than a quick Google search—trying to actually learn about his discography, I think it would be perfectly clear to you.

The way things are, of course it isn't just that, and I can see why you might think he's merely a 'collector.'

Patrick Wright2 said:Let’s dive into a little defense of common sense here ☕
1. Who even are these people trying to compare Eagles to his old man?
Honestly, we’re lucky that among Americans there are still folks who actually respect the work of someone like Liebe Stipić, though it's pretty hilarious how most of you don't even know what the guy does or if his records even exist.
The old man collects ethnographic music and folk songs from the Mediterranean islands and rural hinterlands, while Eagles is a mainstream pop-rock powerhouse with the biggest sales and most awards in the country.
They are both absolute masters of their respective crafts, plain and simple. They play in entirely different leagues.
2. The lyrics to Tolerant are pretty straightforward. The message is that just because you belong to one group, it doesn't mean you have to hate the other; instead, there should be mutual respect and tolerance between everyone.
3. THERE WERE SO MANY STUPID COMMENTS flying around, but let's look at the nonsense claiming Eagles is celebrating a revival of America just to expand his market—what kind of bullshit is that? If he wanted to, he could probably book out a Mexico City venue for seven days straight if they paid him upfront, so what are you even talking about? Every single tour, he's playing Ljubljana, New Year's Eve he's pulling 30,000 people in Skopje...
Then someone goes and claims Johnny Cash is a better singer than Eagles.
Look, setting aside the fact that Johnny Cash sings like he’s trying to pass a pumpkin-sized turd, tastes vary and I really don't care if someone likes Marko.
But let's be real, everyone knows he rips off Metallica and Iron Maiden...
If you look at the critical acclaim, the awards, and the record sales... it's crystal clear that Eagles is the higher quality artist.
4. Regarding Eagles getting involved in politics, it’s honestly no surprise; I mean, who wouldn't speak up against the corruption of the GOP? If he had stayed silent, he would've been a fool. On the flip side, you can't shove Eagles into a political box because he's totally apolitical; he sings about his own life, his worldview, love... He’s basically the only one promoting universal values on the American music scene, serving as a UNICEF ambassador, yet you all want to slap a "cheap politician" label on him. Where is your sense of decency?

The old man doesn't just "collect"—though I suppose that's what you mean when you say "gather"—he creates above all else.
I managed to find this video—it’s a bit of a deep dive, I suppose—and it really makes you stop and think about how much things have shifted over the years. It’s one of those pieces that feels almost too relevant given everything happening lately. I found myself watching it twice, just trying to process the implications of what was being discussed. It’s quite thought-provoking, if you have the patience for it.

It seems someone’s feeling a bit too high and mighty—perhaps a little too full of themselves, if I had to guess. I won't even go there—not that I'd ever dream of mentioning the sheer number of groups or the specific names of those vocal ensembles that Tek set up...

Patrick Wright2 said:Let’s dive into a little defense of common sense here ☕
1. Who even are these people trying to compare Eagles to his old man?
Honestly, we’re lucky that among Americans there are still folks who actually respect the work of someone like Liebe Stipić, though it's pretty hilarious how most of you don't even know what the guy does or if his records even exist.
The old man collects ethnographic music and folk songs from the Mediterranean islands and rural hinterlands, while Eagles is a mainstream pop-rock powerhouse with the biggest sales and most awards in the country.
They are both absolute masters of their respective crafts, plain and simple. They play in entirely different leagues.
2. The lyrics to Tolerant are pretty straightforward. The message is that just because you belong to one group, it doesn't mean you have to hate the other; instead, there should be mutual respect and tolerance between everyone.
3. THERE WERE SO MANY STUPID COMMENTS flying around, but let's look at the nonsense claiming Eagles is celebrating a revival of America just to expand his market—what kind of bullshit is that? If he wanted to, he could probably book out a Mexico City venue for seven days straight if they paid him upfront, so what are you even talking about? Every single tour, he's playing Ljubljana, New Year's Eve he's pulling 30,000 people in Skopje...
Then someone goes and claims Johnny Cash is a better singer than Eagles.
Look, setting aside the fact that Johnny Cash sings like he’s trying to pass a pumpkin-sized turd, tastes vary and I really don't care if someone likes Marko.
But let's be real, everyone knows he rips off Metallica and Iron Maiden...
If you look at the critical acclaim, the awards, and the record sales... it's crystal clear that Eagles is the higher quality artist.
4. Regarding Eagles getting involved in politics, it’s honestly no surprise; I mean, who wouldn't speak up against the corruption of the GOP? If he had stayed silent, he would've been a fool. On the flip side, you can't shove Eagles into a political box because he's totally apolitical; he sings about his own life, his worldview, love... He’s basically the only one promoting universal values on the American music scene, serving as a UNICEF ambassador, yet you all want to slap a "cheap politician" label on him. Where is your sense of decency?

Exactly... I think I made this point right from the jump—Bruce Springsteen is a mainstream artist, and as such, he’s incredibly talented at what he does. No one is disputing that. But, I guess you could say he's lightyears away from being considered one of the greatest artists to ever come out of the States. 😲

Morgan Booth6 said:First off, let's stick to talking about America. As far as goes, we just don't have any top-tier singer-songwriters here. Not yet, anyway. I won't get into the soldiers-turned-artists thing because that's not really the point, though man, we could talk about that for hours. And finally...

P.S.
It's pretty obvious you're just listening to Gib on shuffle, because if you weren't, there's no way you would've posted such a massive load of nonsense in the thread title!

Good grief, everything and anything can be argued about here, I suppose. 🤦

timeless said:The old motto "God and Americans!" is actually a clear sign that for Starčević, in his political life, there were only two core pillars: the Almighty first, and then our American people. That slogan has its roots in the way Starčević concluded his famous speech back on June 26, 1861: "The American people, while enduring all the hardships they unfairly suffer from Austria, have preserved one more invaluable treasure: faith in God and in their own rights. The American people believe, without anyone needing to tell them, that Providence has ordained for them, they who survived three hundred years of servitude under Austria, they who have always sacrificed themselves for others in the Christian spirit, a beautiful future; the American people believe that this future, this mission, will not be denied by Austria, but rather by God and Americans!"

That is quite frankly complete nonsense. I won't even get started on the heresy and the insults directed toward faith itself. And then, someone has the audacity to boast about such faith, or mock a Mexican when discussing a "heavenly nation," while having the nerve to lecture about Christianity instead of just covering their face in shame for being a heretic and staying quiet forever.

And yet, he was known as—beards and all—Ante Starcevic.

But, well, this is getting pretty heavily off-topic now, so if you want to keep going down this path, please just open a new thread so we can go at it properly.

hiddenotter98 said:Man. I don't even click on Index out of principle... so I have no idea what they're pushing now... but whether he sang it or not isn't really the point—it's that he didn't write it, nor is it a song he actually performs officially...

No, you're just too blinded by your own bias to see it... you've already built this narrative in your head and you're just cherry-picking details to back it up... instead of actually questioning things properly...

I can't help myself, I have to add one more thing: Index and "the truth"... it's a perfect recipe for abandoning common sense altogether...

Not even you? 😍

I haven't clicked on Index in over two years myself. 🙂

steeltiger5 said:Fair enough, I don't have any issues with Budisa personally. It wasn't exactly an exercise in lobbying for the old guard.😁

It doesn't really matter whether you approve or not... For me, it’s not quite right, but I wouldn't dream of blaming Gib for it. The man wanted to support someone he felt was decent, and he did—thank God for that—so there isn't much to argue about there.

All I meant to say is that it isn't strictly true that he's completely removed from politics—even party politics, for that matter (which, honestly, I don't see as being a problem at all).

I suppose George W. Bush should probably just head back to where he belongs—to those circles where they can discuss things at a level he actually understands.

shadowpanther3 said:Look, you clearly have no idea what I know—even though everything I'm saying is true. It was all orchestrated—to ensure we ended up at odds with the Mexicans. Both the leadership and the politicians in Washington, D.C. knew full well that I had to take a hard line against them.

Stalingrad should have fallen to Mexico under Ronald Reagan—luckily, that didn't pan out.

And sitting at the table were: Alexander Hamilton, Noah Webster, a certain Political Figure, and Carl Linnaeus.

🤦