Well Samsung does put out some quality products. Not sure if that is exactly what I will buy. And then plug my computer to. Muhahahahahahahaha!

I LIKE TOSHIBA.

Dont really have a preference myself.

same here brother: as long as it works fine for my needs who cares if it's made out of parts of little innocent orphans

well what it is made from I do care

some orphans are better than others

I do care who assembles your lux TVs. My cousin is a floor manager at a "Maquiladora" (Factory) and he says the way the young women work is inhumane. They work on a schedule that is machine-like. They assemble units in quotas. If you don't meet the quota, everyone works overtime without pay. So the pressure between workers is intense since they will almost kill you if you don't meet the quota.  And what pisses me off more is that I have to buy my TV's in the US because here in Mexico the TV's cost twice as much! Even though they are assembled here an exported to the US. What's the point of NAFTA then?!

Damn Yanks! They just screw everybody to have what they want for cheap. Oh, and about the drug cartel violence in my country. Yes! it's even worse then what you see in the news. That's why I play videogames instead of going out to parties or nightclubs. And the US is to blame for this violence since they want their drugs to no end! No one here can afford drugs and don't want them. Everytime I see a US celebrity mention that marijuana should be legalized and is harmless I want to show them a day in Ciudad Juarez and see if they think the same way.

Sorry for the rant but it is a reality in my life...but not all americans are like that. They do help my country.

anyway, I'm done

This isn't a rant.  It really isn't.

The problems in your country are because of your country, not mine, and passing the blame onto another nation for your own issues is a cheap way of avoiding having to come up with the solution and doesn't do anything to fix it.  Clearly you've not experience life in the world to know any different then what your own little sphere of influence provides you.  You want us to solve your problems?  Done.  Here's how:

Your workers work the way they do because they don't unionize.  The US used to be like that too until the workers finally stopped putting up with it and walked off the line.  Owners had two choices, give the workers what they wanted or go elsewhere with the work.  Many stayed, but many left.  Those women should be grateful to the US for sending the work there, however they should also be pissed that their own government hasn't stepped in to handle their workplace issues.  That's the beauty of a Union.  They'll step up when the government fails to protects it's work force.  The Union will also lobby politicians or support politicians who will do things in favor of the workforce, rather then the factory owner.  Just like in the old days here, the workers were told there's always someone to replace you, and they're right, but at some point, getting resources to those workers and getting finished products to the market becomes more cost prohibitive then just giving the workers what they want.  Strength in numbers gives the lowly worker the financial backing and political clout to force change in the workplace.  Just like our country though, when you unionize, your jobs will go elsewhere where the people aren't unionized.

NAFTA doesn't exclude the costs of producing a product and shipping it.  It only removes the tariffs for shipping across the borders.  Your TV's cost so much because it's already been bought and paid for here in the US before it's even been made and then resold back to Mexico after the fact.  NAFTA has nothing to do with that.  Case and point, KIA can produce a car for much less then Ford.  KIA pays a tariff on every single vehicle they import.  The Tariff is set up by the US so that the cost of a KIA is comparable to that of the cost of the Ford so that both companies can compete in the same market for the same customers.  Toyota would have to pay the tariffs too except that they have factories in the US and in Mexico so that they can build their cars here, take advantage of NAFTA if they build them in Mexico, and sell a similar car for cheaper then Ford can.  Mexico and Canada were the proponents for NAFTA since it benefited them.  The US...  Not so much.  NAFTA screwed the US worker out of jobs because the tariff is what kept manufacturers here.  Once that tariff went away, so did our factory jobs.  You're welcome, your life is improved because of our loss, and don't say any shit that it isn't because all you have to do is look at your workforce.  They have jobs because those jobs aren't here in the US.

American's don't screw anybody to get everything for cheap, economics does that.  If it costs the same to make something in your country as it does here, the product would be made here.  Same with China.  The only reason we buy so much crap imported from them is because the total cost to get the materials to the workforce there, pay the workforce for their labor, and ship the product back here is still cheaper then building it here.  Blame the Unions for that.  Americans would love to be able to buy products made and manufactured in the US only.  Americans would love to only buy TV's that got built in Idaho and cars that were built only in Detroit...  But we can't because it costs too much to make things work out like that.  Our jobs are in other countries and have been for decades.  Again, you're welcome.

The US is not to blame for your drug cartels and violence, your own country is to blame for that.  The US made a stand against organized crime back in the 20's 30's.  Perhaps you've heard about Al Capone and the Italian Mafia?  The reason that doesn't still happen here like it used to before the 30's, like it's still happening in your country, is because the US grew some balls and went on the offensive and destroyed every crime syndicate they could get any amount of dirt on.  Politicians refused to be tied to anyone linked with a gangster or crime family, and organized crime became bad business here because they were no longer protected.  They got treated like the criminals they were, had their possessions and fortunes taken away from them, and went to jail for all of it.  Your politicians are dirty as hell and take bribes from whom ever is handing out money.  Your federal cops are dirty as hell and rob tourists every chance they get.  Most of your local authorities aren't much better either.  When you get someone in power who has a pair to end the corruption at it's highest levels and actually does it, the trickle down effect will weed out all of the bad eggs and you'll see a sharp decline in crime in your country and mine.

The reason your drugs come here is because the drug cartels realize you saps are too poor to make a living off of, so they get it up here where they can sell it for more, because our workers make more, because we're almost all union...  The solution is to build the wall and militarize the border to stop the flow of drugs and the illegal immigration.  Would you like to know who opposes doing that?  Mexicans living on both sides of the border.  Everyone else is fine with it until you all start screaming it's racist.  All they see is it being a racial thing, when in fact, it's not a racial issue.  Your cartels come up here and kidnap people all of the time every god damned day.  They bring in the drugs.  They bring in the guns.  They bring in the murders.  They bring in the robberies.  They bring in the crime.  Do you really think we like having all of that?  Fuck no.  Our solution is to make sure they can't walk across the border whenever they feel like it.  YOUR country and YOUR people are opposed to that, and go out of their way screaming bloody murder about every reason why it would be bad rather then going on about all of the good it can do, so it doesn't happen.  Your country and your people need to support a stronger border.  Make it damned near impossible to get stuff across it in any large amount and guess what happens?  Business becomes more of a pain in the ass then a way to make millions for the cartels and they go away.

You want to fix your problems, stop blaming us for them and do what we did almost a century ago and fix the damned problems.

Yeah, if you need to vent, then vent. Just remember that some of us US citizens do care (though we may joke otherwise) and are doing what we can. Which is sadly not much.

I do believe Stant has released hellfire upon us.

Had to use this since I could not find a shitstorm graphic...

yes

and now beginnings the flame wars

              To Carbon, wherever you are...Happy Birthday

 Edit: To see original Post, check review edits...                                     

okay, the last one was scary

Yeah, didn't want to take a chance and get banned for the other graphic.....Bison....

from the last picture, the anti-code pigeon turrets are being reprogrammed to eliminate the 'birthday fairies', and are being upgraded from a small .50 cal to 120mm rapid fire

harpo

ROTFcopters

Hey Harpo, just wanted to say you are one of the greatest tech guys who help a lot of folks on these forums.

Merry Christmas. 

Just found this on Steam tonight and i thought Very Cool!!    Gives me ideas for stories, haha, 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHPLjTRwQ0E

-Teal

Haha salvia.  That shit is worse then pot.  Grows on the side of freeways and makes you hallucinate worse then shrooms.

Again, wasn't ranting before, am not now.  It is what it is.

I'm not Republican, I've been registered as an American Independent since the day I turned 18.  I grew up in a poor household and vote in whatever manner enhances my quality of life no matter which side is behind it.  I really don't care for party politics, and fortunately, I don't vote that way either.

I don't smoke anything to avoid reality, though maybe you should start so you can get out of yours.  I just understand the way the world works because I've lived in multiple parts of it and been to most of it.  To quote you:

I also know that blaming others for your problems doesn't fix them, it only pisses other people off.  Like I said, you wanna fix your country, then stop whining and do something.  Those things I mentioned fix all of the problems you bitched about.  Do you doubt it?  The US was in your position 400 years ago getting treated like Europe's bitch.  We did something about it.  When enough of us don't like how something is, we do something about it...  Your country is the cause and the solution to your problems.  You just need someone in charge who gives a damn enough to fix everything.  Maybe that's you.  Who knows if 30 years from now you're on TV after becoming president and vowing to end the corruption and actually doing something about it...  It could happen, it just takes someone with common sense and good moral values to put their boot up someone's ass and get the ball rolling.

You know all I thought about during that last paragraph was....

LEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY JJJJJJJJEEEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNNNNKKKKKKKKKKKKKIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At least he did something about it and got chicken.

Seems I hurt your feelings. I am not blaming others but to deny involvement just proves your arrogance. We are all to blame for not acting towards a better world. If you think only the strong will survive than you are a lost cause. Study some history and you will find out that nothing last. Right now the USA seems to be the becon of the world but it won't last. The Aztecs lasted for 900 years. The Mayans for 3,497 years. Ask yourself, why? How come no civilization, no matter how advance for their time they are, does not last?

You are hurt, your feelings are hurt by my text...how weak can you be? Imagine If I spoke these words; you would crumble...relax...I ment no personal offense. Live your life how you please, but if you impose your will on others you will pay in death.

Even the best politicians and leaders will eventually die. And when they do, so does their vision for the future. Sometimes its a long slow lingering death. But it eventually dies.

You know, for a while now I've been convinced that the US won't exist by the 2100s. But then again, I also think that Germany and Britain will probably take over most of the European continent, Russia will become a superpower again, and that the North and South American continents will be controlled entirely by megacorporations.

To tell truth, I think that partly you're just trolling. And partly you're whining. And as to why no civilization "lasts", well, that's simple.

They all decay into such heights of immorality that they collapse on themselves. To tell troth control-SEVEN, I highly doubt that Stant's "feelings" have been hurt. I think he's pissed by the whole "oh, we all must work together to solve our problems" shtick. And really, I am a bit pissed at it too.

Because it won't happen. The world isn't magically going to look around, say "let's build utopia!" and be able to do it. Really, there's unlikely to be anything that's even close to utopia.

So suck it up, and try and fix your own damn problems.

@whiskey144

I would love to build a Utopia, that would be awesome! (By they way, that's why I love RTS like Elemental!)

I am sorry but I can't be as cynical as you. I belive the world will come together eventually. It has no choice. Just like we have a global economy. Soon we'll have a global culture. The internet has proven that! The US will have to get out of its shell and join the world. You and stan123 think the world works like..."every man for themsleves"...Everyone should fix their own "god damn problems". Well, the truth is, no one can. Everyboy needs help from somebody. If you think you can solve all your "god damn" problems by yourself; good luck!

And, if you think i'm trolling or whining, then grow some balls and stop getting your feelings hurt. That's what getting pissed is! This thread is open for anything. I rarely write in this forum but its fun. So just move on and forget.

Where's the Exiled Possum when you need him?

Okay, here's the deal:

1. I DON'T CARE. I don't care that you think having Utopia would be awesome. I don't care that you would love to build Utopia. I don't care about what you believe or that you can't be "cynical". I DON'T CARE.

2. The Internet hasn't proven we can have a global culture. That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard at this point. If anything, the Internet has proven that cultural subsets (e.g. nerds, PnP RPG'ers, whatever) can communicate on a global scale. I.E., some DnD'ers can play DnD online, and be playing with people all over the world. Push comes to shove, they'd probably end up going with national/regional loyalties rather than any Internet loyalty.

Put another way: are you going to trust the friend who lives down the street and that you see every day, or the buddy who you've never met and lives halfway across the globe.

3. US out of it's shell? WTF man, I don't give a shit about what the US does. I've already passed my judgement on America, and that judgement is that it's circling the drain, and really fast at that.

4. "Everybody needs help from somebody". BS. There's almost ALWAYS the option of DIY.

5. "Grow some balls". Again, WTF. There's at least two or three problems with this statement: 1. You assume I'm a man. While I am a human male, you don't know that for sure. I could have been a girl. And then reported you for a sexist comment. I'm not a girl, so I won't report you because that would be stupid. 2. I really think that you said something incredibly stupid there, because I don't give a shit what you think I should do. I'm simply putting my opinion out there, because you've put up the topic. That's all. If you don't like it, then ignore it or try to rebut it, but don't be a frikkin' 12-year-old and say "grow some balls". That's the equivalent of telling someone "L2P N00B" when they're simply putting their opinion out there.

6. My feelings aren't hurt in the slightest. Pissed != feelings hurt. However, it can be Pissed = Annoyed. Which at this moment for me, Pissed does happen to be Annoyed. Because you ARE whining about the situation in Mexico. Stant nailed the problem on the head. If you don't like the answer, then YOU think of a better one.

7. Exactly. It's open for anything. That means I can offer my opinion, phrased any way I want, and you can accept or discard it at will. That doesn't mean if you don't like it you insult me by saying "grow some balls".

8. Your the one who brought it all up. YOU move on and forget.

And on the matter of Utopia:

Utopia is the stupidest idea I've ever seen. Humanity will NEVER achieve it. It's impossible to do so using solely human efforts; and besides, those things that mankind considers beautiful are sometimes all the more so because of the stark contrast that can be provided by this world.

Would life be so precious if there was no death? Would peace and happiness have meaning if there was no strife or sadness? I don't think it would.

So yeah...what about that local Sports team?