Welcome to Thunderdome

Raw onion crew represent.

2-1-1

Raw onion wins!

Only time I go out of my way to grill them is with mushrooms, on a steak. Occasionally.

People at the car rental, return, gas stations, restaurants, etc who are typically miserable in the US... Not miserable here in Ireland, based on my limited data. Actually pleasant to interact with everyone

The U.S. should not leave NATO, but this is...man I hope they're trolling.

By the way, when I posted this the Frog of Shame was up 6K+ to 2K+.

Is he anyone? Or just some schmuck on the internet who managed to go viral?

I think it would be interesting if the USA did leave their defense up to them, again.

If nothing more than for them to finally shut up about their "LOL free health care and college" programs, when they realize they can only afford it because they don't need to field an army.

Cakedaddy wrote: ↑Tue Mar 04, 2025 3:55 am Is he anyone? Or just some schmuck on the internet who managed to go viral?

I was trying to figure that out. He's at least "someone adjacent". He has pictures with EU leaders and he's not a child. Apparently an economics person, and he should stay in his lane.

GORDON wrote: ↑Tue Mar 04, 2025 7:57 am I think it would be interesting if the USA did leave their defense up to them, again.

If nothing more than for them to finally shut up about their "LOL free health care and college" programs, when they realize they can only afford it because they don't need to field an army.

Between that and their homogenized population, comparing life here and there was never fair.

Look at how mass immigration has caused so much trouble for them in such a short time.

Leisher wrote: ↑Tue Mar 04, 2025 8:47 am Apparently an economics person, and he should stay in his lane.

Racist. Oh, wait...

At any rate, economics is everything, and everything is economics.

I would not rage if the USA pulled out of Europe. If Trumo was president it would be sold a the end of the world as we know it, if it was a Dem it would be sold as "About time! Greaat move!"

And then a year later, when Russia starts moving west, the story would be "Well, D president was using Trump's plan. Still Trump's fault."

But personally, get us out, save the money, let them stand on their own, I don't care if Russia invades Europe. Europe lost any strategic value to us after ICMB's were invented, but post- WW2 inertia kept us in there defending the Fulda Gap. Stupidly.

TheCatt wrote: ↑Tue Mar 04, 2025 9:15 am

Leisher wrote: ↑Tue Mar 04, 2025 8:47 am Apparently an economics person, and he should stay in his lane.

Racist. Oh, wait...

At any rate, economics is everything, and everything is economics.

Very true.

At least true until strength becomes the primary way to gain resources again, then economics means nothing until the next civilization is created.

Thing is, Putin didn't invade Ukraine until Trump was out of office.

I think he wouldn't invade Europe until he was out, as well.

Let me be clear, Putin is definitely, positively the villain in that whole thing.

But as long as "Trump was sucking his dick," or whatever the socials were telling me constantly, the world was a lot more stable, hundreds of thousands of people were still alive, and we weren't spinning up the missile plants, again.

I don't like any resolution that has russia keeping ukraine territory, but it feels like we have two options.... keep the war machine fed with weapons and billons in aid, or just find a deal and end it as it is, with Ukraine still intact.

Europe never stepped up, and they've had years. They could have even taken a peaceful, diplomatic step of bringing Ukraine into NATO, and never did. They are worthless consumers of russian natural gas, actually worse than useless, keeping russia fed with that energy money. They have actively helped Putin, funneling more money to him over the years than they have to Ukraine, total.

The only way we'd get Russia out of that territory now is nukes, or an invasion of US troops. Is this actually what democrats want? I can't see either being anything like a good option, so damn, it seems like Trump is actually trying to be a good leader, here.

But, hey, covfefe.

I like some things Trump has done, and I have hated some of them, even when those initial "ha ha fuck you here come massive tariffs" were actually just political moves, and he won something out of the threats.

But I've always appreciated the fact he never started a war, even when he was criticized because he didn't. Maybe that's a thing that only someone who did a round as a soldier can appreciate, which is why democrats have seemed very bloodthirsty to me, over the last couple decades.

GORDON wrote: ↑Tue Mar 04, 2025 10:57 am But as long as "Trump was sucking his dick," or whatever the socials were telling me constantly

Just gonna put this here...
So...fucking...sick...of...the...hypocrisy...

This is not a slam on the left, but both sides. The cultist bullshit has to end.

To somewhat play devil's advocate but also have genuine questions. . .

Was Bill's Putin a different Putin? Was he actively going to war with other countries as part of a land grab? Were people falling out of buildings back then? This was pretty fresh off the cold war when Russia was still trying to be friendly.


Also, Elon's summary of that conversation is horse shit. Bill didn't say he trusted him. He said he kept his word. Which to me he's saying "So far" more than he's saying "Yes, I trust him".

Leisher wrote: ↑Tue Mar 04, 2025 10:36 am At least true until strength becomes the primary way to gain resources again,

Gotta pay for that army somehow.

Cakedaddy wrote: ↑Tue Mar 04, 2025 1:30 pm Was Bill's Putin a different Putin?

Yes, the Russian economy was in collapse in the 90s. Also, Putin came to power in December of 1999, Clinton + Putin would have had a total of 14 months of overlap. And, Russia was dealing with separatist issues, and wasn't doing a lot of world posturing, iirc.

TheCatt wrote: ↑Tue Mar 04, 2025 2:26 pm Gotta pay for that army somehow.

You don't watch enough end of the world movies. (joking) But fair if we translate "fight for a cause" to be monetary at its core, which I would agree with. Even if you're just fighting for survival, you're getting something.

Russia's economy isn't exactly kicking ass right now, but point taken. Being top of his mountain this long would give any man delusions of grandeur and making dealing with him a pain.

You can say anything you want, so long as we agree with it.