Welcome to General Chat - GAW Community Area
This General Chat area started off as a place for people to talk about things that are off topic, however it has quickly evolved into a community and has become an integral part of the GAW experience for many of us.
Based on its evolving needs and plenty of user feedback, we are trying to bring some order and institute some rules. Please make sure you read these rules and participate in the spirit of this community.
Rules for General Chat
-
Be respectful to each other. This is of utmost importance, and comments may be removed if deemed not respectful.
-
Avoid long drawn out arguments. This should be a place to relax, not to waste your time needlessly.
-
Personal anecdotes, puzzles, cute pics/clips - everything welcome
-
Please do not spam at the top level. If you have a lot to post each day, try and post them all together in one top level comment
-
Try keep things light. If you are bringing in deep stuff, try not to go overboard.
-
Things that are clearly on-topic for this board should be posted as a separate post and not here (except if you are new and still getting the feel of this place)
-
If you find people violating these rules, deport them rather than start a argument here.
-
Feel free to give feedback as these rules are expected to keep evoloving
In short, imagine this thread to be a local community hall where we all gather and chat daily. Please be respectful to others in the same way
So there was a mall shooting in Bangkok. My based friend in Thailand has told me that there's been political pressure on guns (gun ownership is legal) and coincidentally this happens. I'll have to check in on him about this. On the Japanese news this morning, they showed some video a Japanese woman who conveniently filmed herself fleeing the mall. If I heard gunshots and had a camera, I might be more concerned about getting my ass out the doors rather than filming myself getting my ass out the doors. "Ermahgerd! Gerrn sherrts! I'M SCERRD!" That just struck me as rather fake and gay, but then again I am just cynical anymore.
Hey I need some help finding some Info from the Clinton Era in the 90s.
I remember B. Clinton saying that “Rwanda is not of American issue.” Which lead to the U.S. turning away from the genocide in the 90s. Does anyone know what I’m talking about?
https://www.currentaffairs.org/2016/05/bill-clintons-shameful-genocide-denial
I have come here to make a confession. I watched V for Vendetta for the first time yesterday.
Really is a must watch. Fills in much with Q and Anons and Chan Culture and Great Awakening and etc.
https://greatawakening.win/p/16an0kp6N7/elon-musk-comments-on-v-for-vend/c/
I must confess I've never heard of V for Vendetta. Guess I'll be doing research.
I saw V for Vendetta a few years ago when Alex Jones drew parallels to that movie and the Covid plandemic. The movie depicts totalitarianism brought in through right-wingers, but what we are seeing is totalitarianism coming from the left. The movie has some stuff like "boo hoo hoo, muh gayz" and such, but the essence of the movie is using a virus to push political power.
Not my usual "type" of movie, but I really did like it. The msg it sends it great. Assuming a person can see the big picture anyway.
i just love the thought that not all of the rebellious came here to be colonials, a few stayed.
Hey y'all I'm back because it occurred to me that no one is talking about the new Russia Russia Russia sanctions taking effect in the EU and UK, which were announced low-key in the summer and are hitting now. I don't see how they're going to source anything major without YUGE price hikes and quality issues. Metals, tech, cars new and used (!), optical, even services like banking and tech assistance, and any company they didn't like, are blocked, assets frozen (taken?). Of course the prove-you're-innocent-comrade regulatory burden and cost will be borne by the manufacturers trying to stay productive. So, more Chinese metals and tech? What could possibly go wrong.
bee in my bonnet, being poor is not the same as not being wealthy, but the way liberals go on about poverty is just crap. There are hardtimes, there is a need to budget, personal tragedies may need help from the community or church. If you own a house on a piece of land, you are not poor, so sick of the whining liberal lie. Would a millionaire think I am poor? I have a 3 bedroom 2 bath full finished basement and live on 5 acres of land. Of course it would be nice to fix up some of it, but I refuse to borrow money for cosmetics, I will die in this house, not selling it to live in some condo with other old people. I am as wealthy as anyone and get on my knees at least 2x a day and thank God for what I have. No, it is not a penthouse in Manhattan, my view is the river valley below, trees bursting with autumn foliage, gardens, sunsets worthy of gift cards. Its a manufactured double wide on a full foundation, the small cabin I first moved here to live in now houses goats and chickens, the air is sweet and the apple trees all around here are bursting with fruit, the night sky is full of stars. Net worth? under 200,000 k IF I sold my home. I am a wealthy woman, everything is paid for, and on this warm October morning, the bees are still collecting pollen, droning away. At night when I take my dogs out one last time, I hear the owl in the woods across the way. I am wealthy and it is God who taught me how to live and work to have everything I have. The welfare system has created generations of people who, if they cannot make it on their own, it's their own damn fault.
Beautiful!
Does anyone know of a good credit card debt relief company or program? I’m drowning in debt mostly due to C19 income loss. Any help would be appreciated.
When I was made redundant many years ago, I sat down with a large sheet of paper and listed all of my outgoings. Anything that wasn't essential got deleted: TV subscription, magazine subscription, insurance policies, etc. I cancelled them all. That left me with a monthly total that I needed to earn in order to break even. I divided it by 30 to give me the daily total. It came to less than $100 per day, which was much less frightening. So I put out the word that I could do repairs. (I happen to be a qualified electronics engineer but whatever your skill is, use it.) Within a month I was earning $150 per day on average, 6 days per week (Sundays off). I grew my business further as the months passed.
I compiled notes and, at the end of a year, I self-published a DIY repair manual so that others could do their own repairs. The book included a price list of parts that I kept in stock so I started selling those by mail order - viral marketing.
Now I was earning cash from repairs, book sales and component sales. I expanded further but I won't bore you with the details because none of it will apply to you. We all have different skills and interests.
The point is, to minimise your outgoings, figure out your daily needs and try out ways to use whatever skills you have to earn cash - or barter.
Offering to work for free can also lead to earning cash. I offered to edit a weekly blog for free. After a few weeks, the lady writing the blog mentioned me to her friend who was a publisher. He employed me (remotely) to edit the books that he was publishing. More pocket money.
I'm not "blowing my own trumpet": I'm trying to show you, with examples, that you can help yourself by helping others. Miracles happen when you help others. How can YOU help others?
I appreciate the response and I have worked toward cutting down expenses. I also have a decent paying job. My problem is my debt is so large, it will take many years for me to pay it down. I am looking for a reputable debt relief program or company to reduce my interest in the interim.
It's been a long while since I lived in America, but I got wrecked with long periods of unemployment under the Bush/Obama economy. I went through a debt consolidation program for a couple of years. Long story short, those programs essentially wreck your credit score regardless. We ended up just filing for bankruptcy, did a short sale on our home, clean slate, and made a new life overseas. The bankruptcy lawyer said that those consolidation programs are essentially the same, but the more painful route.
Check out Dave Ramsey. I'm pretty sure he considers those companies scammers. Think about it, how do THEY make money? I've heard of people who sign up for those debt consolidation things and wind up`paying and paying and still owing just as much. Just a warning. Maybe there's some out there that are actually helpful.
As for your debt - is there any of it that can be off loaded? For instance, perhaps you have a car that you owe 25k on. If you can get rid of that, you get rid of the payment, and the debt. Buy a cheap but decent beater to get you by for a few years. Do take on extra work. Take on a room-mate or two. Keep your chin up and remember, this won't last forever.
Oh, and I do recommend Dave Ramsey's baby steps and debt snowball program. If you don't know what that is, it is essentially, this:
List all your debts;
Personal loan ----- owe $500 --- $50 monthly payment 2nd person loan ---- owe $1,000 --- $75 monthly payment Credit cards ---- owe $12,0000 --- monthly minimum - $400 Car ---- owe 32,000 --- monthly payment, $650 School loans --- owe $100,000 monthly payment --- $1,200 House ---- owe $300,0000, monthly payment $2,500
First, sock away 1-2k for emergencies. Once you've got that built up, don't touch it unless you need it. Then concentrate on the first thing (lowest owed) on your list. Deliver pizzas if you have to, but get that thing paid off in a couple of months. Then, take that $50 you were making in payment for that loan and add it to your next loan, the one you pay $75.00 per month on. Now you're paying at least $125 per month. Try to get that paid off in a few months, then take that original $50 and that $75 for the second loan, and add them to the $400 you're paying on the credit cards. Now you're making at least a $525 payment on your credit cards. See how it works? Of course, you can monkey around with it and pay the bill with the highest interest off first, etc. He calls this the debt snowball and it works because seeing each thing get paid off juices you up to keep going and get the next thing out of the way. Good luck!
Thank you so much for that insightful comment. I will look into Dave R. Great ideas! It’s just so rough knowing how much these evil bastards have taken our money via taxes. I sure hope the world gets reparations from all of the money they’ve sucked out of us through the generations.
Yes, via unjust taxes AND inflation that devalues our money. I completely understand your frustration. I just hope you can stay positive and focused. And I'm sorry, I didn't realize that my list of debts didn't format as a list when the comment was posted. I hope it made sense to you.
Dave Ramsey has helped tens of thousands of people get out of debt and build wealth. A quick search will lead you to videos, books, etc. I wish you all the best. You can do this, you can succeed. Plenty of others have done it before you and you might find inspiration from their stories if you look into Dave. All the best.
I work. I have a good job. Unfortunately my debt grew for many reasons, including divorce. Your comment has no bearing on my situation, nor any assistance.
I slept on it, and I changed my mind. Trump is Commander in Chief. Biden is not the President. Therefore, the 2024 election cannot happen. I believe that the way for Trump to publicly return to the White House is through the Speaker of the House.
“But, Stumpy! Yesterday you said-“ For every day that there is no Speaker, the Ukrainian money laundering operation is stopped. Every day beyond the first, the DS will feel pain. The Uniparty ultimately has to back Trump, or be destroyed.
That is interesting. It also just occurred to me SOTH has no term limits so Trump can remain in office forever till 100 years old
With the rumors of Speaker Trump floating around, watch how quick the uniparty votes to fix that term limit loophole.
Hearing from friends in Miami that I haven't spoken to in awhile, they say their parents can go out anywhere normal now without feeling like robbery targets. They say that criminals get arrested, processed, tried fairly quickly, then deported, and it's cleaned up the streets.
But they haven't noticed a huge shakeup in the local political scene, city of Miami or county of Metro Dade. I don't know what changed, either, but something sure did. Trump's Doral golf resort is in the county, not sure if that's a contributing factor...
Did you know that Anthony Bourdain said Dick Cheney ate small children for lunch before he died?
Let’s assume, for purposes of discussion, that HRC is Satan’s consort and eats children and puppies whenever possible. In what way is Mikey Cohen, the President’s fixer, NOT a problem?
That's a very odd and disgusting last meal!
Atlanta s03e10 addresses this issue. Was quite surprised to see it.
I don't know this one... guess I'll check it out. Thanks
Those celebrity chefs always looked demonic to me and it didn't really sink in as to why I had that impression. It started to and I could never watch a cooking show again.
The only cooking show's I've watched religiously were Paula Dean & Gida (Italian). I watched Bobby Flay and some southern guy grilling in the early 90s back when we had the huge satellite dish with illegal cards. Not sure if Food network existed back then might have been a local show. I agree especially the cooking challenge shows. Gordon Ramsey gives me the creeps.
They all creep me out now, given that Hollywood doesn't let anyone up without a price. But, just to show my age, old public tv Cajun guy was my go-to, AH GARAUNTEE
My husband and I used to watch him he was a trip. Yeah I agree with you on the celebrities. I'd love to think some aren't bad but then I think why aren't they speaking out. I used to think one hit wonder music artists and new celebrities that famous then disappeared didn't have talent. Now I realize they got the hell out!
I just listened to Clif High and made some notes so you don't have to listen:
Clif High: Happy Trails... anti-detonant injection (ADI) jet engines
https://clifhigh.substack.com/p/happy-trails
Clif High: Personal Discipline - Get it now, while the cost is cheap...
https://clifhigh.substack.com/p/personal-discipline
But I want to listen! "hello Humans" is always soothing to hear :)
Followed by another, "hello Humans"!
Most love him or hate him...
Few really understand what he's saying most if the time...
Because they're not smart enough...
Nobody's got all the answers. Clif fills in a lot of gaps with ideas that make you think.
If you're not into thinking, and you're not open minded, he's not for you... you won't get it.
You might be right but I have an IQ of 140 so I wouldn't know (and I'm modest, too). <gdar>
Is it wishful thinking to suspect that these border patrol agents are actively participating in child trafficking in the open like this so that the kids can be tracked and used to round up the evil ones? I've watched videos of this sort of thing, most recently on Redacted. I do hope that there is a plan in place to save these kids...
I hope they are doing the right thing but isn't border patrol a federal agency? Kinda makes me wonder.
I've been hoping this exact thing myself. Free phones, cards with money, anything digital that can be tracked...
So what happened with the RESTRICT Act?
Haven't heard about that one in a while.
Only got reminded when looking through my own post history.
Are Dollar General's experiencing armed robberies in your area? I follow a local page on Facebook that reports crimes, wanted for arrest, cold cases etc. I figured it was because let's face it the economy is really bad. After researching DGs have been getting robbed for several years in several states. Most articles say they are a target because the stores are rural and/or are in high crime areas in addition to under staffed. The one less than half mile from me was hit tonight. I've been expecting it. I also found several articles about unsafe working conditions at DG. Including multiple concerns workers aren't safe (stabbed, shot, pistol whipped) and working conditions unsafe. Sounds like a very crooked company.
Also criminals have been going around breaking into cars. Many people including us have caught them on camera. They have hit my county and the neighboring county.
Very understaffed, and by their nature, tend to have more cash on hand. We're seeing more than usual amounts of shady people poking around neighborhoods to steal lawn equipment, stuff from yards and cars. Even the libs are getting concerned, lol
Same here it's getting worse. Sad because I've always been independent and I don't go in certain stores without my husband and he's packin. NC just changed several criminal laws one big improvement is not getting out on bond for certain crimes. They have to wait in jail for arraignment. Hopefully once they figure out jail doesn't have a swinging door it might help. Who knows, these people live the criminal life till they die or get in jail forever.At least more home owners have security cameras now. The problem with Dollar General they don't have outside cameras. These guys go in fully masked. Every time I've been in my local DG the staff is in the back. Just bad set up for the staff and customers.
Triad family here, and yes. Our town had its first armed robbery in, maybe ever, last spring. Nextdoor is showing lots of sus people on their ring cams in the neighboring communities. We need to get to know our own streets and neighbors well now, it could be critical later
Excellent point getting to know the neighbors. I live on a busy hwy in the country in between curves. My family on one side and another family on the other side. My grandparents were friends with their grandparents and my mom was friends with the kids. We don't cross the road to talk but if we need to speak or need something it's an option. I'd be comfortable with them if it came down "apocalypse" type environment. There's been people breaking in cars in my county and others next door. After it happened to us my husband flagged down (to tell him as FYI) the city cop across that lives across the road. They had never met. Thankfully I live in the community I grew up in and know many people.
A lot of people don't value that because they've been duped by Hollywood, et al to believe you MUST go to a city to be successful (and happy). You have an awesome situation, God keep your family whole and united!
Thanks for prayers of blessing same to you. Since I was a kid I traveled a lot with my grandparents and mom up and down 95 many trips to Orlando when Walt Disney World was cool, up north, mountains every fall & one trip to Montreal Toronto and Niagara Falls. Went to NYC & Philly when I was about 19. It's true, there's no place like. I loved the big city but would never want to live there. Really hoped I'd get back to NYC before I got too old to travel. I just can't see it unless there's a major change. Even Nashville & Memphis TN is to big. The way I grew up was truly like a movie. I lived beside my grandparents and great grandma until she passed when I was 16. My daughter was raised the same beside her grandparents and great grandparents. Went to a very small private school and graduated with seven in my class. I wanted to get away from here so bad I lied to myself and family, mainly myself thinking I wanted a career in fashion. I lasted from August to March in Richmond VA. It was the biggest culture shock of my life. First time seeing goth people and blue hair. I grew up with guys that had the rifle in the pic up to go hunting after school. Came back got a job tried community college and school just wasn't for me. Met the only person I ever wanted to be around more than two weeks and 35 years later still together. I'm not a good candidate for the brainwashing college professors🤣 Sorry that was so long and I know they say on here don't tell to much about yourself but I'm damned proud we have made a family instead of trying to build careers. Again blessings to you.
That's truly, no lie, heartwarming. A lot of young people stay in the grey cities, refusing to admit a mistake. You broke out and were free again, I'm really happy for you and yours. Thank you for sharing.
Hook Ed on phonics work Ed fer me 😂😂😂
You think it's some kind of five and dime Chinese conspiracy - where they are paying these agent provocateurs to rob every other business but dollar stores?
Interesting...
I stared at this for a long time before I realised that you actually mean "Dollar Generals" (i.e. plural not possessive) and that it's not referring to cheap army personnel but to some local store that I'd never heard of (I live a sheltered life on this Greek island).
Anyway, for me it's a no. I've never heard of an armed robbery here. If there ever were such a thing, the family and friends of the store would dig up their guns and go a-huntin.
See, it happened again! You misspelt "misled". As Q once intimated, spelling matters. If you don't communicate accurately then you can't expect everyone to understand your intended meaning.
Ok, I was nice before because I enjoyed your comment and I don't like being rude! I admit I'm not great at grammar and spelling. I'm not ashamed because I'm smart in other ways. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. Apparently your weakness is trying to shame others because they don't meat your standards. Seriously you aren't any better than people hiding behind keyboards on Facebook calling out everyone's mistakes. This will be my last discussion with you. Very sad because I enjoyed hearing about the differences in Greece compared to America. Don't bother correcting me again because that will be the last time. That block option is there for a reason. Honestly, I come to General Chat because most people are very nice and it's wonderful talking to people about nothing knowing we all believe in a common goal. If you don't what "Bless your heart means" look it up. I'm from the south and we say what's on our minds probably much like the rest of my fellow American's just with southern twang. First thing I tell people is I'm like Scarlett O'Hara I can be your friend or a bitch it's up to you. Goodbye 👋🏻
I'm 💀 🤣 maybe I should use emojis from now on.
The only thing worth seeing in Apocalypse Now. My personal opinion not to offend others. I love Robert Duvall movies but this wasn't a fav.
Napalm
Lord I sound like a looney bird. I replied to your comment "Exactly, us Carolina girls gotta stick together." Sorry I got you confused with suzyq (or something like that). Guess I can't read either🤦🏻♀️
Exactly, us Carolina girls gotta stick together.
😀 I'm doing that more and more myself. Some comments (replies) to my post I shake my head and keep scrolling. Not easy for a natural born loud mouth person that questions everything. If anyone has been reading my posts for a while they will know grammar isn't my strong suit. I'm crafty (artsy) and never was interested in school.
OMG that's hilarious. I'm the worst when it comes to proper grammar. It's nice to know there's some place in the world that doesn't have armed robbery. I'm 56 and it's always been common in USA but it's getting worse. Hopefully will get better as North Carolina government just made stricter laws against criminals.
Thank the good lord you don't have Dollar General or any other stores like it. These big chain stores have put the little local stores out of business.
Have you noticed that Dollar General keeps rural America going?! There are so many. We counted 4 on our short road trip the other day. It’s almost strange. They pop those yellow buildings up in corn fields and pastures.
Edit to say we have two in my rural Midwest town and there’s only 4 stop lights in town! 😂
I have noticed that and it is convenient to be in the middle of nowhere and I get what I need with out driving thirty minutes. Heck I'm three minutes from DG. I'm ten minutes from grocery store in town but the time you drive both ways that's twenty minutes. I can't ever go in the store and get just one thing. That's the female in me. So they are very convenient when you need something to finish a meal or cleaning supplies. I hated it when I learned we were getting one. Boycotted it for at least nine months. Then my daughter shows me the stuff she's buying I went in. They are cheaper but I don't shop DG anymore because everything smells like laundry detergent. The food taste like it. Last straw was when I got to the bottom of the ice cream container and smelled laundry detergent. I read it might be a chemical they use in shipping to prevent bugs. Also read they pack everything together. IDK what's true but I'm not eating anything from that store.
Interesting you say that....I could smell Dollar General while I was reading your comment. 🤔
Dollar General smell: if you know you know!
We have Euro shops that now sell Chinese tat for 2 Euros (inflation). (Tat is a colloquial English word for junk, rubbish, etc.) Nobody would rob them unless they wanted a lot of coins and had a cart to carry it away.
Thanks for the explanation. I love learning how things work in other countries. My first thought was a tattoo because we say tat for short. America is king of slang (not bragging) and it changes from region to region. Dollar General is what we call a Dollar store even though you can't find anything for a dollar. Goes back to these type stores in mid 1900s to 1970s. Some were called five & dime ( 50 cents & ten cents), they were probably the first dollar store types. The content has changed over the years but it's like a mini grocery store plus party supply, kids toys etc. Everything in America is cheap Chinese stuff even expensive things is cheap Chinese. Our government sold us out decades ago. I can remember when everything in your house was American Made. Now we are a country with empty warehouses and most people don't have a clue how to do manual labor. These dollar stores probably have a lot of cash because many people of lower income don't have bank accounts for one reason or another. One store robbery they took cash and cigarettes. They will sell those cigarettes at half the price and people will buy them never asked why they are cheap.
The back country roads have been turning into drug warrens since fentanyl has come on the scene. All the crime around my rural area are due to fentanyl addicts, young kids I knew, some of my sons classmates, they come from messed up parents, it is not rural poverty, people from around where I live do not aspire for a lot of money, we live in a beautiful place and folks have always been good and hard working, live simple, and then there is the trash, and their kids are all on the stuff, used to be you dont lock your doors, hell, even leave the keys in the car, but fentanyl is another game altogether, and it is hitting rural areas like AIDS in a gay bath house. These are kids I remember as little ones from my sons school. Sketchy parenting, bad morals all around, the grandparents are at their wits end, I am talking white rural america here, not some awful city. Our Dollar General is barely staffed, I think the staff stays safe somewhere and all the check outs are self serve, a clerk comes to help if there is a glitch. It's nothing like it used to be. It aint mexicans either, rural white kids. It comes up from New Haven, NYC, and on to Springield Mass, which is a hell hole by the way, and then into the rural hills of Vermont, back roads forever and minimal policing. I have this old sheppie who is was a hell of a watch dog, but she is aging out, God Bless her, and this new dog I got is a Springer Poodle, useless, but cute. As soon as sheppie passes on I am getting another dog, yes, we have guns, but I am too old to shoot well anymore, so a good dog is your first line of defense.
Now may The God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
So, you might have been noticing that I am displaying skepticism over the hype that Trump will be the next Speaker of the House.
I am being skeptical since an honest analysis of the current situation at capitol hill shows that Trump has a snowball's chance in hell at being the next Speaker. Even if by some impossible miracle that Trump does get in, unless the MAGA-men shut down the vacancy rule immediately after Trump sits down (and risking looking like complete hypocrites on holding government officials accountable), the Demonic Rats would probably use it against him and force him out. Sure any RINO will be politically dead after that, but there is probably quite a few willing to make that sacrifice.
It is not just me who thinks this way either:
https://truthsocial.com/@PepeLivesMatter/posts/111177726461806374
Remember that the source of these rumors if from Hannity, one of the MSM talking heads that we dislike from Fox News. I would wait until I get more solid evidence that Trump is seriously considering this path.
For now, we should keep an eye on everything else, for I think this is a big distraction from the MSM and their deep state goons to get us to not pay attention to something important.
Moves and countermoves, what does the mere idea of him being speaker prompt the uniparty to do ahead of time? Trump keeps smoking them out and they -always- fall for it.
Moves and countermoves
I wish I knew how to play chess. I know enough to know Trump is a master at the game and probably a damned good poker player.
Agree.
The point is never about Trump becoming the speaker of the house, but rather what the potential of this happening represents on the chess board.
Hopefully this post from a while back opens up some possibilities for you to think about.
We have gotta stop looking at the events at the layer of public optics and start looking at the big picture behind the scenes. This is the gift that Q taught us and had served us well.
I bet you that one of the conditions of the auction is to exclude any MAGA buyers from participating.
All we need is some pedes registered as independent