Off-Topic / FIFA World Cup 2026 [84]


You'll be eating crow come July as the mighty and powerful USMNT conquer the soccer world.

Now, if we could only convert some Am football linebackers (6'3 240 pound guys who run 40 meters in 4.5 seconds) into centerbacks and fullbacks, our domination would be so unfair FIFA would expel us from international competition.

Did you know that the term "soccer" originated in England to distinguish Association football from other forms of soccer? It comes from the upper crust...Cambridge and Oxford. I always thought it originated here...but it's a Brit term.

Off-Topic / FIFA World Cup 2026 [84]

It's a very stupid proposal. Hopefully, it won't get the required funding.

Off-Topic / FIFA World Cup 2026 [84]

As we all know, the French have bought off every FIFA official under the sun.

Besides, the Brits choke on the big stage like a 2 month old eating a ribeye.

The Spaniards, while loaded with talent, will drop a massive load in their shorts when they sniff the American testosterone wafting through the American air.

The German Mannschaft are too busy applying for retirement benefits.

The Brazilians are gay.

The Argentinians...they concern me. But, France's bribe money is too powerful to unseat them going to the Finals to face the mighty and powerful USMNT.

This coming year we will officially rule everything in the world: the economy, military might, the papacy, and now...soccer.

Off-Topic / FIFA World Cup 2026 [84]

USA should manage to advance through its group.


For crying out loud, you're supposed to cheer for your country: the USA.

You can even hop on the Path and watch them take on France in the Final.

News / How will Polish-American relations change if Trump is elected president again? [812]

May he rest in eternal peace.

And may we remember the damage he has done to the USA. The costly Iraq War, the blunting of individual freedoms, the ballooning of the federal government, the myopic hubris of using American power to nation building, and selfish use of his position of power.

Off-Topic / Stock Market Talk and Trading - part 2 [747]




Your friend may be knowledgeable, but is he wise?

This economy is weird, like smoke and mirrors weird.

I've been thinking about throwing all my invested capital into treasuries and MMAs-that's how weird I find this market

Off-Topic / Random Chat Thread [947]

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Off-Topic / 75 Years of Israel and the War - part 3 [639]


Say what you want about the IDF, but they sure as hell know how to market.

Off-Topic / 75 Years of Israel and the War - part 3 [639]

And the show-stopping final encore:

Ouch!...My A$$!

Off-Topic / 75 Years of Israel and the War - part 3 [639]


Let's see how far I can milk this:

Boys Night Out On The Gaza Strip.

Featuring a cast of seasoned song and dance men and hungry up and comers.

Ari Goldfarb plays Moshe, the aspiring interior designer who joined the IDF to finally win the elusive approval of his father.

Shimon Putzle plays Tov, the young private from Herlizya who calls his overbearing mother evey night to ensure he is eating enough and being treated right.

Jeremiah Fleischmann plays Ariel, the hard driving platoon leader known for his daily meticulous full-body inspections.

Aron Finkelstein plays Efrem, the nursing student turned warrior who is searching for his true self and his lost gerbil.

You'll hear hit songs like:

Matzo Balls, Matzo Balls...Everywhere

Is That A Cannon Or Are You Just Happy To See Me?

The Rear Guard Is Where It's At

Moshe and Tov: A Love Ballad

Off-Topic / 75 Years of Israel and the War - part 3 [639]

@Torq

Hahaha! It looks like a poster for some kind of musical...Now on Broadway, Boys Night Out On the Gaza Strip.

Off-Topic / Random Chat Thread [947]

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Off-Topic / USA News and Poland - part 17 [1007]

Here you go:

realclearpolling.com/polls/approval/donald-trump/approval-rating

From what I can tell Nate Silver is showing fluctuations, so that -10 could mean approval rating has dropped from 98 to 88. The link above is an aggregate of polls.

Off-Topic / USA News and Poland - part 17 [1007]

@Lazarus

We aren't talking about Trump, but Chicago's mayor. Focus, Lazarus, focus.

BTW, Trump has an approval in high 40s, which is workable nowadays. 26% is absolute sh!t.

Off-Topic / 75 Years of Israel and the War - part 3 [639]

@Alien

Seems the world is generally unhappy about this war.

Off-Topic / USA News and Poland - part 17 [1007]

@Lazarus

Earlier in the year he was in single digits. 26% approval rating is still awful. For him, the most concerning thing is that all demographics-race, economic, religious, etc-disapprove his performance. The guy has no majority support from any group. But, fret not, this is Chicago: next election they'll just exchange one sh!t sandwich for another.

News / Was Charlie Kirk popular in Poland? [601]


If he was "far right", then the middle is much further left than I thought. The guy espoused pretty normal things like marriage between man and woman, having children, faith, responsible government that serves needs of the people (not shadowy special interests), freedom for all viewpoints to be expressed, a respectful exchange of ideas, etc. If this is far right, code word for unhinged whackos, then we really are screwed. And, think just how freaking whacked the far left has to be.

Off-Topic / USA News and Poland - part 17 [1007]

@Bratwurst Boy

I don't believe Iran is nearly the threat we make them out to be.

American intelligence believed Iran was years away from nuclear weapon grade enrichment. We relied on Israeli intelligence, which said weeks away, to decide to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities. We listened to Israel, instead of our own intelligence. Maybe Israel cooked its intelligence to get us to act.

Let's say Iran hets a bomb. And, further, it develops the rocketry to deliver that nuclear bomb to America shores -highly unlikely-but let's go with it. Do you think nuking America would have consequences? I do, Iran would be turned to glass. Iranian mullahs know that. Maybe I'm wrong, but the mullahs don't seem to be suicidal.

No, it's not America that is at real risk-it's Israel. And, Israel wants America to do its bidding.


Agreed. Developing relationships with them, like Trump wants to do, is the way to go, IMO. The neo-conesque thing of lumping them together as nothing but terrorists, therefore pariahs is not the way to go. Developing economic and geopolitical ties with them are more beneficial and more probable to lead to oeace, IMO.

Off-Topic / USA News and Poland - part 17 [1007]

@Bratwurst Boy

I used SA as an example of how a country in the ME may need to behave differently than we expect, ie not scream their disapproval of certain groups, to be more effective in dealing with competing factions.

That deal between Iran and SA, BYW, doesn't seem to be much more than opening dialogue between countries.

Not all Jews are Israelis and not all Israelis are Jews. But, yea, I agree Israelis should decide what they should do for their country. But, they shouldn't decide (or guilt, ie Germany) that other countries should support what they do. Other countries should decide how their own interests are served by supporting or not supporting what Israel does.

So, my question is how does supporting Israel benefit our interest? Hamas was never a real threat to America and I don't believe it was to Germany. So, how does supporting of Israel further interests of western countries?

Off-Topic / USA News and Poland - part 17 [1007]


Not necessarily. Don't forget Saudi Arabia and Egypt have a significant voice.


All over. Jordan, Qatar, Egypt, SA, UAE. I think we have for far too long projected our way of doing things into an area that finds our way ineffective and problematic. We need to look at each place organically and realize that it may not be beneficial for Saudis, for example, to trumpet full blast that the Iranian mullahs must fall. It may be more beneficial and effective for Saudis to be quiet and work behind the scenes.


Did you know that a lot of religious Jews, including influential rabbis, thought the Zionist movement was a dumb idea that shouldn't be done? I think Israel has a right to exist, but it doesn't have to be what Bibi wants it to be.

Off-Topic / USA News and Poland - part 17 [1007]

@Bratwurst Boy

I've come to reject the Israel is fighting our fight for us. No, Israel is fighting the fight for regional hegemony.

While it is a terrible and stupid idea to allow muslim Arabs into western countries en masse or with no consideration of probability to assimilate, it is also not good to label to entire Arab world as nothing but terrorists.

Instead, I think we need a re-calibration in our thinking. It'd behoove us to realize that Arabs are certainly of a different worldview than the west, but that they are also a diverse population with diverse self-interests. It is best to deal with these diverse interests individually than to lump them all together. It is also an error to think they are all terrorists-many Arab leaders are fighting against terrorism themselves.

We should recognize the complexity of the Arab world and make deals where we can and hedge off risks where there are risks.

As far as Iran and Hamas. No doubt they are onenin the same.

But, itnisn't Israel fighting Iran, the US is helping. I'm still not completely convinced of Iran's nuclear capacity being a real threat to US.

Yes, but the SU is no longer.

Off-Topic / USA News and Poland - part 17 [1007]

@Ironside

Israel a proxy of US. What does the US have to gain? How does Israelis regional engagements fit in with Trump's recent deals with Arab nations-seems to be contradictory to me?

Off-Topic / USA News and Poland - part 17 [1007]


I think the better question is why do we support Israel and claim it's an indispensable ally?

What exactly does Israel provide for us, other than outlays of aid and opportunities to engage in war?

Over past few months, I've had a complete 180 on the notion that we are Israel's patsy. Bibi pretty much validated my newly acquired thinking that we are their patsy last week, when he was caught live saying the US does what Israel wants.

Novi, see if you can find some of the testimonies if former US military guys who were in Gaza for the food aid mission. Since you are not really a kill'em and let 'em die kind of guy, good chance those accounts will make your stomach turn.

The big question us USian need to ask, IMO, is what does Israel give us in return for our billions of dollars in aid and weapons? What American interests are at stake?

Off-Topic / USA News and Poland - part 17 [1007]


You are speaking my language. Flat tax is best, IMO. And, I'm also on board with the vote=pay taxes thing.

Off-Topic / USA News and Poland - part 17 [1007]


But he wasn't talking about paying higher state or sales or property taxes, but federal taxes. Your point of cities in blue, or even red, states being stacked with billionaires is good- one of the main reasons any state has a higher amount of federal taxes per person is due to the amount of wealthier people living in it.

It is NOT a myth that the top 10% of earners pay 70% of federal income tax.

Off-Topic / USA News and Poland - part 17 [1007]


I don't think the answer to your question is proving the point you are trying to make. The only thing your question really proves is that wealthier people tend to live in blue states, which many democrats don't want to get out. They like to say the Republicans are the party of the rich, and they are the party of the common middle class man...or, at least, they used to.

But, what really makes your question almost moot is that federal taxes go toward federal spending, which does include subsidies to states for various expenses; so, to prove what you are implying-that red states mooch off blue state taxpayers-you need to look at how much federal subsidies go into state treasuries. When you do that, you see it has nothing to do with red and blue, but with population, federal facilities, and other stuff like indian reservations.

States collect their own taxes to fund their own expenses.

Off-Topic / USA News and Poland - part 17 [1007]

@Novichok

Finally...you came up with a good analogy.

Off-Topic / Random Chat Thread [947]

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