GreatWhiteNorth

Meh. For some, maybe all alone, watching reruns on a 3rd hand Roku to pass the time. Can't walk, can't stand, and in constant pain. Alone in a short-term medical facility that smells like pooh (which scares off some potential future visitors after their first time.) Sometimes literally screaming for an aid for help as those aids quietly chat in the hallway on their break, just outside of view. Won't be the same problem for long, because insurance is about to run out. Then it may get depressing. I guess it's all about perspective. IMO, you are right to feel grateful and lucky.

True. But we are "our" cutthroat bully. Just like the animal kingdom. Generation after generation, evolution continues to be cruel. Still one thing doesn't change - better to eat than be eaten.

Generalizing "people on the left", which is roughly half the population of the US as those that somehow "love to poo-poo" anything is pretty silly. (I'm being kind.) So... soo.. soooo.. many different opinions in that group of 165 million - incredibly different perspectives and opinions. The same goes for the "people on the right." They are not all the same, not even close. Oversimplifying politics, even with the help of some dopey news clowns whos' only goals are to get attention, isn't in anyone's best interest. This is the kind of junk that just dumbs down any potential real conversation. It is what the prevailing political winds have consisted of for a number of years now, but it's not like we can't tell the difference. Both parties. We should know better. Yes - yes - you are absolutely right - China is a cutthroat bully. Anybody that pays attention has known that for a long time. (Yes, the left, too.) Russia is also a cutthroat bully, although it seems Trump isn't in that camp yet (he called out Putin as being a genius for what he's doing in Ukraine and hasn't backed down from it yet.) Considering that he is a presidential candidate and that is his position, that is newsworthy and something worth considering. Why a solar farm in Angola? I don't know. But - who knows - maybe if we learn the facts, we may find out it is a good idea? Or maybe not. It may be an absolutely terrible idea. It is also newsworthy. But we're going to need facts here in order to have an intelligent conversation (rather than oversimplified, unfounded hysteria.) Oh - and the railroad from the Pacific across the Indian Ocean? I don't have any idea what he was saying - it was out of left field. My guess is he's an old guy who doesn't speak well to begin with and reminds me of Grandpa Simpson more often than I'd like. Just my opinion, but I think old guys like Biden and Trump need to be replaced with some sharper tacks. Just not replaced with mean-spirited turds who want to use anger and hate as tools to get elected - we don't need any of those folks in any type of office. From either party. There is no such thing as an angry, hateful, good leader.

Bought a Traeger a while back - one of the ones they made in Oregon before switching to manufacturing in China. Unlike her Chinese counterparts, this ol' gal will probably last a lifetime. It was the 3-speed "Lo-Med-Hi" thermostat model. Was foresight from them, that's all you really need. Talked to some competition BBQ guys and got a little jealous - so I upgraded the thermostat to a fully adjustable one. Now I know - I didn't really need it, but it is kind of nice to have. Learning chicken and salmon was easy (both outstanding), ribs much more difficult (you'll end up ruining more than you would like) - but worth the effort. Once you get it dialed in, you'll make better ribs than any restaurant in town.

Adaptability. If you don't adapt, toughness and perseverance won't get you nearly as far. And, FWIW, the 90% mental is not "stupid" - it's about right. It is, of course, based on the assumption that your opponent is roughly as physically prepared as you are. These are things I learned as HS wrestler. If you didn't, either you didn't wrestle or maybe your coach didn't.

Nah, you're just being a rude and offensive guy. You shouldn't be, you should be better. Lord knows you have the choice. Choose to be better.

That's a dick comment coming from a guy that just wrongly claimed I still wear a mask.

I still wear a mask? You've just proven that you are a simpleton.

Like usual.

It's like that Tucker clown is an incredibly bad tabloid newspaper, but in living and breathing form.

Companies providing search services do agree to providing some level of "filtering" (aka censorship) for certain countries/regions/groups based on their requirements in order to be allowed to provide service (and make money) in those areas. For example, China does have well-documented requirements that search providers filter out their most ugly atrocities (Uyghurs, etc.) or they will be banned from being used in the country. So - yes. There is censorship. And it is happening behind the scenes, with no notification to the users - so, yes, it also qualifies as 'shadow banning.' Every major search provider does the same thing in order to continue to profit. It's the world we live in. Now. Those that don't... ummm.. are kind of like 3rd or 4th stringers (likely much lower, but I'm trying to be kind.) They aren't truly 'independent', they have their own target audience and cater to what that audience wants to see. So, they "shadow promote" things that their audience wants to see - even if they aren't true or real. And they "shadow ban" things that they audience likely doesn't want to see. Not just US Dem's and Rep's - that would be small potatoes - but a wide variety of other groups in countries all over the world. They do things like target Russians with pro-war & anti-Ukraine propaganda, etc., and quite effectively. They tend to be based outside the US where they can operate freely without regard for any kind of US law or regulation. They are quite independent. But - seems here's the part we agree to disagree. I have no interest in changing anybody's mind or engaging in any type of heated argument. Just friendly conversation.

Don't we all. Same to you. Be well.

Being very nearly the mortal enemies that we appear to be, it seems impossible... but I agree 100% with this message.

(1) I did EXACTLY that - I looked it up and didn't find anything, which is why I said "I haven't seen any postings yet" in my post. To be fair, it may not have been an exhaustive search, since it was late. But it was a legitimate effort. (2) I didn't, AT ALL, say you "made this up." Not even remotely close. I guessed FOX News, and I was right. You weren't ever a target here. (3) Meh, don't miss the part where I credited you with your own strong opinions and only offered the 'swayed' part as something that 'seemed' possible. (Also don't dismiss the first part of that where I posted "No offense" - which is where I was communicating that I didn't intend to offend you.) At the end of the day, I don't have any idea what the White House's perspective is on this. My instinct is that I don't agree with it. Then again, I don't know the details and I don't disagree with the WH's ability to make their own policy. Meanwhile, FOX News is their usual hype-machine trying to make something that is almost nothing into something big, while getting people riled up over almost nothing. If the visiting policy affects you, as Mike already mentioned, make your own choice. If you don't go, nobody's feelings will be hurt.

Yes, let's be honest. Only after I made the post did I realize WKN had opened an old thread. At which point I saw my post was no longer as relevant, so I deleted it. You started a kerfuffle with me over nothing. And have since seemed hell-bent on picking at it like any angry dog for no good reason. I'm not calling you names, but you keep calling me an a$$hole - maybe look in the mirror, bub.

It's not at all hard to figure out. Wasn't me. WKN cracked this 'ol thread open and I 'almost' made a post that I instead chose to delete. Next time I'm in town, maybe we sit down and discuss over a couple cold beers. I'm sure you have Bud Lite. Whad'ya say, sport?

By now, you should know I can't edit my post. Bob's finnicky that way. Look back on this thread, just a few posts - it won't take long. I didn't go after you... you were looking for it. You be you. Dunno, hard to tell from where I sit, sometimes you are OK and sometimes you are a complete fukturd.

You, making claims about legitimacy. That's precious.

Sorry you feel... umm.. incomplete. But you keep trying to make up for it - it'll do you good.

... or... maybe somebody actually did "Make This Stuff Up." I haven't seen any postings yet, so let me guess, Fox News? Even if it is/was/were true, maybe (just maybe) details involved make sense? [No offense, but it seems weird to me that you seem to have such strong opinions of your own yet also seem relatively easily swayed by Fox News and their ilk.]

I'm not so sure - but chose to not get into another one of your tedious tantrums. (Or so I thought.)

.

Why? Why would you post a link to a quote from an angry, disgraced, fired moron? It's clear that you did post it - but what's not clear is... what's your point?

I'm all for change. Seems that forward can be better. Staying still can't. Is it good or bad? meh. We shall see.

"Glorified" - I see what you're saying. I guess it depends on who is doing the promotion. If it's the people themselves, then it seems more like celebration. If it's those other than the people themselves, then seems more like glorification. Can't get around it being a messy topic - no absolutes there. It is, without a doubt, a gray area. "Second bullet" - I'm in your camp here, too (maybe surprisingly... maybe for both of us.) It is the word 'very.' I believe the 'straight' community is not quite as big of a majority as most people think. The 'non-straight' community is extremely difficult to count (for obvious reasons.) This, too, is a gray area. Final agreement - we don't need government-financed months and parades and flags dedicated to people being themselves in order to get votes for politicians. We do need the freedom for us all to have parades and flags and celebrations about who we are, regardless of the viewpoint of politicians.