News / European News and Poland Thread - part 4 [352]

@Bratwurst Boy @Alien @Tacitus

What in hades has happened to Germany?

globalpost.com/stories/can-germany-restore-its-former-economic-glory/

Today, however, it seems again like a broken nation that can't get out of its own way.

The country is just a little tired and in need of a "cup of coffee," German Finance Minister Christian Lindner told CNN earlier this year.

But that old moniker is being trotted out again to describe the country. That's because last year, the economy was the worst performer of the major economies in the eurozone, and the only G7 economy to shrink, according to the International Monetary Fund. This year, it is set to be the latter group's slowest-growing economy again.

Meanwhile, Germany's income per capita shrank 1 percent between 2019 and 2023 - the 34th-worst outcome out of 41 high-income economies. Of the G7 economies, only Canada performed worse. The US rise of 6 percent was in another league.

"Germany is struggling," the IMF concluded.

Off-Topic / Arts and crafts [124]


I agree with this. His work is much better in person than a image printed in some book or webpage. There's detail to discover when viewed in person.

The Lepanto thing looks not bad, but those red circles...looks like two year old graffiti. Unlike Pollock, no detail to discover. The red circle comes across as what I call esoteric statement art. The artists is making a statement but its so esoteric and self absorbed only the artist and a few others get the statement. There's an elitism in it that I find repulsive.

Off-Topic / Arts and crafts [124]


I'm with you. I have at least a few dozen pieces of art like that in my house. They stored in a plastic bin where I keep all of the painting my kids did when they were two.

I'm redoing my kitchen--white walls--so let me remove you from the invite list. :D

Off-Topic / Best posters [885]

@Bobko
You are a very smart Bob.

Off-Topic / 75 Years of Israel and the War - part 3 [404]


That was the plan at one time, but then I noticed practicing lawyers were always in a hurry to get back to their office to put in billable hours.

So, I was going to go into teaching instead, then a job in tax fell in my lap and seeing the differential in pay between that and teaching took me down a path in the utterly uninteresting world of tax (although cross border transactions have some interesting aspects). :D I do much less direct tax now and more analysis type of stuff.

Off-Topic / Best posters [885]

@Bobko

Well, it would depend on the amount of resources you allocate to the 25% as opposed to the 75%.

But, on an internet forum, it doesn't matter, because the real gold isn't in the 25% but the 75%, because it is in that 75% of disagreement there is more potential for mining a new deposit of gold which will generate much greater return than the already discovered point of agreement.

Off-Topic / 75 Years of Israel and the War - part 3 [404]


I am not.

Off-Topic / 75 Years of Israel and the War - part 3 [404]

The first two questions I was going to guess it was you, but the third has thrown me off.

More hints, please.

News / How will Polish-American relations change if Trump is elected president again? [634]


19?

Off-Topic / 75 Years of Israel and the War - part 3 [404]


Who are they?

News / How will Polish-American relations change if Trump is elected president again? [634]


The honeymoon is over and Kommielala cannot answer substantive questions.

I've read some posters on here say that Trump is showing cognitive decline or is incoherent. It's not true. He gives at least one interview a day and he shows absolutely no signs of cognitive decline. He rambles and lacks polish, but he will offer substance--he just surrounds the substance with rambling. In contrast, Kommielala gives platitudes and no substance (plus the timbre of her voice and speech mannerisms grate on many)--and, that's probably why her campaign seems flat.


Yeah, it seems nothing they say about Trump hasn't already been said a thousand times. They can't seem to produce any more negative sentiment toward him, so all they can do is prop up Kommielala.


I don't see it that way--still could go the wrong way.

Off-Topic / 75 Years of Israel and the War - part 3 [404]

@Ironside

Who are hypocrites?

Off-Topic / 75 Years of Israel and the War - part 3 [404]


What about attacking thee enemy: Iran? It's coming...and it must, IMO.

News / How will Polish-American relations change if Trump is elected president again? [634]


USians who support her don't want her--they just don't know it.

Off-Topic / Best posters [885]


You should hear what I think, but don't write. :)


Bobko Bobkovich has the characteristics of a poster that draws one to an internet forum: humorous, intelligent, opinionated, and wrong 75% of the time. :D


Yeah, Irish chicks are alright. A certain elegance mixed with a slight touch of the acidic. I should probably invite her over to USia for a week, though, to show her that USia and USians aren't as bad as she appears to think.


I would not be shocked to find out that he spends his Friday and Saturday nights outside random pubs picking fights. Matter-of-fact, I'd be shocked to learn he doesn't. He then spends his Sundays in prayer, of course, because it's his duty. :)

News / How will Polish-American relations change if Trump is elected president again? [634]

It seems that the dems internal polling is causing them some heartburn. The public polling may be giving some credence to that heartburn. It seems that almost every Presidential election cycle the repubs win, the polling shows the repub candidate losing up until October, then the polls start to tighten. Same is happening now, so there may be some credence to the dem's heartburn.

I've been paying attention to the reporting of Selena Zito, she seems to have her finger on the pulse of PA. Zito is seeing more organic support for Trump. Who knows what that means when it comes casting ballots, though.

The election is tight, I don't think anyone can make a prognostication of who will win.

Off-Topic / Music Thread - part 2 [765]

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Off-Topic / Music Thread - part 2 [765]

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Off-Topic / Music Thread - part 2 [765]

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Off-Topic / Arts and crafts [124]

@Paulina

Give Doig a look-see.

Off-Topic / Arts and crafts [124]

Any of you familiar with Peter Doig?

He has some good stuff. There's balance in his work.

Off-Topic / Arts and crafts [124]

@Bobko

Haha! I genuinely like your screed, but it is a caricature, not the reality of monastic life throughout the ages, including those that remain alive today. Ora et labora.

Christianity is not dead--shrinking, but nowhere near dead.


I'm out for rest of day, but we should.

Off-Topic / Arts and crafts [124]

It's not the still life aspect, it's the technique. Again, it's incredible skill--just doesn't draw me...at all

Off-Topic / Arts and crafts [124]


Yet, it seems the western monks did contribute to saving Western culture, as Eastern monks did to their cultures (disclosure: I'm not well educated on Orthodox history).


I may seem to be belaboring the point, but I think your distinction is upside-down. The dedication to prayer, contemplation, and pursuit of holiness in not put a barrier between oneself and the world, but the barrier is to provide an environment for one to pursue a life of prayer, contemplation, and pursuit of holiness.

If the monastery was about the former, I'd agree it's a stupid thing, perhaps I'd even call it anti-Christian. The latter, however, is of enormous value.

I'd argue that the monk doesn't enter the monastery to save the world, but to save his soul--that holiness then has a mystical effect on the world because we are inter-connected on some level.

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

Don't be too impressed, I've walked past that thing at least 100 times over the past 20-odd years.

Off-Topic / Arts and crafts [124]

In the Western monastic tradition it is more about seeking communion with God. Atoning and confronting sinfulness is part of it, but it's more about confronting the obstacle which impedes one's union with God.


Which is certainly a good, but merely an ephemeral good. I'd be willing to bet the farm that a young man as yourself hasn't quite settled with absolute certainty the "is life ephemeral?" question.

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

*bows

History / Pol-Shorpy Photo Thread [950]

@GefreiterKania

Is that relief of the soldiers from Poznan?

Off-Topic / Arts and crafts [124]


I did not know that.


Maybe over entering the monastery, but one is never over what one seeks in a monastery...even when one thinks he's rejected that which is sought in a monastery. ;)

Off-Topic / Arts and crafts [124]


I agree. I just think that art has varying degrees of redeemability and value (to the human soul--not monetary).


I like all different types from all different periods.

I don't necessarily have a favorite artist, but if you put a gun to my head and forced me to choose, I guess I'd have to flip a coin between Cezanne or Ver Meer. Although, I very much like Bobko's references.


That's probably why I find it soulless, it's more commercial/advertising art.


:D So you wouldn't be shocked to know that I actually considered becoming a monk.