TBoneTX

Thoughts/comments/reactions? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Happiest States in America (2024) Even though people across the U.S. are facing difficult times, the state in which you live may have an impact on how happy you are. In this study, WalletHub drew upon the findings of "happiness" research to determine which environmental factors are linked to a person's overall well-being and satisfaction with life. [...] we examined the 50 states across 30 key metrics [...] https://wallethub.com/edu/happiest-states/6959

This is the continuation thread for https://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/672709-90-day-fiance-season-merged-threads/page/200/ which was closed because of its large size. Be sure to continue unfinished conversations here!

I was never a Macy's fan, although I scored on my (only) two online purchases from them. Does this closure news disturb you? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Macy's Closing 30 Percent of Its Locations If you're a Macy's fan, it may be time to cross your fingers. The store plans on closing 50 stores this year and 100 more by 2026. The 150 store closings represent about 30% of the store's current number and will leave Macy's with 350 remaining locations nationwide. [...] https://pjmedia.com/miltharris/2024/02/27/macys-closing-150-stores-30-percent-of-its-locations-n4926820

There Are New Rules for Pooping on Mount Everest Poop it out, pack it down. That's the new directive for climbers on Mount Everest this year. On Thursday, February 9, Nepali officials told the BBC that mountaineers ascending the world's highest peak will have to bring their feces down to Base Camp using plastic wag bags. The rule was instated by the Pasang Lhamu municipality, the local government that oversees much of the Nepali side of the peak. "Our mountains have begun to stink," Mingma Sherpa, chairman of Pasang Lhamu rural municipality, told the BBC. "We are getting complaints that human stools are visible on rocks and some climbers are falling sick. This is not acceptable and erodes our image." [...] https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/everest/mount-everest-poop-rules/

In case you've been lying awake in bed at night fretting about this... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ After 140 years, researchers finally learn how giant sea spiders in Antarctica reproduce Sea spiders may be relatively large and found in abundance in Earth's oceans, but little remains known about the mysterious marine creatures. An understanding of the reproductive habits of giant sea spiders in Antarctica, for instance, has eluded marine biologists ever since the species was discovered more than 140 years ago. To solve the mystery, researchers at the University of Hawaii at Manoa traveled to the remote continent to study and observe the strange invertebrates, which are named for their resemblance to their eight-legged land-dwelling counterparts. The researchers' findings, published Feb. 11 in the journal Ecology, "could have wider implications for marine life and ocean ecosystems in Antarctica and around the world," according to a news release from the university. [...] https://www.yahoo.com/news/140-years-researchers-finally-learn-131941440.html

Brief discussion of evolving opinion in Greece consequent to a study over a period of years. Take a look, and at the source article linked within. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Understanding Islam: Theory vs. Experience The gulf between understanding Islam in theory and practice is wide and telling. Based on the findings of a recent study, what Western peoples think of Islam when relying on secondhand information from the powers-that-be (the media, the political "elite," etc.) is vastly different from what they think of Islam after personally experiencing it. [...] https://pjmedia.com/raymond-ibrahim/2024/02/07/understanding-islam-theory-vs-experience-n4926231

El Salvadorian Hardman, President Nayib Bukele Wins Blowout Re-Election Victory El Salvadorian President Nayib Bukele has won a landslide victory in the country's presidential election, earning him a historic second term and underscoring his status as one of the world's most popular political leaders. [...] https://redstate.com/benkew/2024/02/04/el-salvadors-nayib-bukele-secures-second-term-in-blowout-election-victory-n2169652

For anyone within reach who's interested, a full-sized Filipino supermarket is now open in the Houston area. Here's a nice report from a news station: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ An inside look: Texas' first Seafood City Supermarket opens in Sugar Land The supermarket specializing in Filipino foods is the first Seafood City to open in the state of Texas. This is not a mom and pop sized store, this is a 50,000 square foot store with a Filipino specialty bakery and a Filipino Bar-B-Que restaurant located inside. Seafood City Supermarket, first founded in San Diego in 1989 has quickly grown to 32 stores nationwide and the stores that are being opened are being strategically located in communities with the largest populations of Filipino-Americans. "Seafood City brings a sense of Filipino home to the Houston area. It's a place where you can find products and ingredients specifically for Filipino dishes," said Meg Austria, store manager. [...] Story with video continues here: https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2024/01/02/an-inside-look-texas-first-seafood-city-supermarket-opens-in-sugar-land/

Obeisance, you inferior primates! https://nationaldaycalendar.com/monkey-day-december-14/

Well, finally, some good political news. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Courts Strike Down Gun Control Measures in Two States https://townhall.com/tipsheet/madelineleesman/2023/11/27/courts-strike-down-gun-control-measures-in-two-states-n2631637

This is the continuation thread for https://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/789861-vawa-part-26/ which was closed because of its large size. --- Absolutely remember ongoing issues and unfinished conversations from Part 26, and carry on with them here! We had some great approvals within Part 26, and we look forward to celebrating yours here in Part 27.

Texans Announce Plan To Keep Pretending Whataburger Is Good SAN ANTONIO, TX — Following a closed-door meeting to discuss the issue and take an official vote, residents of the state of Texas announced their plan to continue pretending Whataburger is good. [...] https://babylonbee.com/news/texans-announce-plan-to-keep-pretending-whataburger-is-good

VDH on fire! Comments? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Sickness of Our Universities—and the Cure The sheer madness that has gripped many elite universities since October 7 and the butchery, rape, torture, and mutilation of some 1,000 Israeli civilians by Hamas murderers have shocked the public at large. Campus craziness is, of course, nothing new. But quite novel for campuses was the sudden jettisoning of prior campus pretenses. Universities have brazenly dropped their careful two-faced gymnastics to reveal at last–unapologetically, proudly, and defiantly–the [...] https://amgreatness.com/2023/10/23/the-sickness-of-our-universities-and-the-cure/

No online articles in English yet (will post, when found), so here's the scuttlebutt directly from Ecuavisa television: Daniel Noboa, a businessman, who at age 35 becomes Ecu's youngest-ever president, defeated socialist Luisa Gonzalez, approx. 52% to 48%. Noboa will fill the remaining 1.5 years left in the term of Guillermo Lasso, who was booted out months ago.

Israel Declares 'Readiness for War' After Hamas Launches Rocket Barrage, Infiltration The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) declared a "state of readiness for war" on Saturday morning following a surprise, coordinated attack from the Gaza Strip carried out by Hamas terrorists. [...] https://townhall.com/tipsheet/spencerbrown/2023/10/07/terrorists-launch-surprise-attack-on-israel-from-gaza-n2629493

'Will the Last Steelworker Out of Pittsburgh Please Turn Out the Light?' CLAIRTON, Pennsylvania -- The first steel plant located here along the Monongahela River just over 20 miles south of Pittsburgh was built in 1901. By 1903, the borough of Clairton formed around the industry, and by 1904, U.S. Steel acquired the plant from St. Clair Steel, and the industrial base of America began its reign here in Western Pennsylvania. [...] https://townhall.com/columnists/salenazito/2023/09/19/will-the-last-steelworker-out-of-pittsburgh-please-turn-out-the-light-n2628599

McDonald's Franchisees Slam Draconian CA Fast Food Bill, 'Will Result in a Devastating Financial Blow' [...] Here are some of the new rules franchisees will face if Governor Gavin Newsom signs the bill into law (which he has already pledged to do): • It would raise the minimum wage for fast-food workers to $20 per hour. • It would apply to restaurants with at least 60 locations nationwide, except for restaurants that make and sell their own bread. • It would also create a 10-person council to govern fast-food chains and set guidelines for working conditions and wages. Why are restaurants that make their own bread exempt? I'm guessing some well-financed lobbying group got that language inserted. [...] https://redstate.com/bobhoge/2023/09/16/mcdonalds-franchisees-slam-draconian-ca-fast-food-bill-will-result-in-a-devastating-financial-blow-n2163902

Unthinkable: Local police raid, shut down local newspaper A local news story out of Marion County, Kansas is rapidly going national because of its potential implications for the First Amendment and freedom of the press, along with the puzzling details that set the events in question in motion. [...] https://hotair.com/jazz-shaw/2023/08/13/unthinkable-local-police-raid-shut-down-local-newspaper-n570947

This is frightening. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WATCH: Mitch McConnell Freezes Up, Has to Be Led Away During Presser A scary scene unfolded amidst all the other news on Wednesday after Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell froze up during a presser. After nearly 30 seconds of silence, he was then led away by his colleagues, not seeming to know where he was. https://redstate.com/bonchie/2023/07/26/watch-mitch-mcconnell-freezes-up-has-to-be-led-away-during-presser-n782399

Frozen Climbers On Mount Everest Decorated For Pride Month NEPAL — In an inspiring international gesture in honor of Pride Month, the frozen corpses of climbers on Mount Everest have been heavily decorated to reflect the celebration's rainbow theme. [...] https://babylonbee.com/news/frozen-climbers-on-mount-everest-decorated-for-pride-month

Comments, please!

Ending Legalized Robbery: Report Shows How a Nebraska County Is Using Civil Asset Forfeiture to Plunder Drivers In case you haven't noticed, I detest civil asset forfeiture with the fire of a thousand burning suns. This story illustrates precisely why we should all despise this practice, which is one of the most glaring examples of tyranny that most don't know about. [...] https://redstate.com/jeffc/2023/06/16/ending-legalized-robbery-report-shows-how-a-nebraska-county-is-using-civil-asset-forfeiture-to-plunder-drivers-n762821

Iowa vs. Minnesota: Neighboring States Show Different Futures for America There is no Berlin Wall or 38th Parallel separating Lyle, Minnesota, from Mona, Iowa, just 1.4 miles south along 1st Street, but the two towns are under governments with widely diverging visions. Iowa, once a "purple" state that leaned Democrat is now a "red" conservative state, while Minnesota, long a reliable Democrat state, has taken a radical, leftward turn. These neighbors exemplify the different visions for America that its citizens are likely to be offered in 2024. [...] https://www.realclearpolicy.com/articles/2023/06/13/iowa_vs_minnesota_neighboring_states_show_different_futures_for_america_940304.html

This is the continuation thread for https://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/772877-part-iv-the-big-ir1cr1-dqd-message-group/ which was closed because of its large size. --- Absolutely remember ongoing issues and unfinished conversations from Part IV, and carry on with them here!

The Rant Thread. Circa 2013. Continuation thread for: https://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/757097-save-the-last-rants-for-me/ Tell us your gripes, fears, hopes. (And we'll quickly put you down.) Tell us your deepest, darkest desires. (We will return you to reality) All are welcome -- chew the fat here, pass the time. A brief history of this thread: Created by Steve (user name SAT), it started off as a place for VJers to rant, vent, talk. It has evolved into an everyday friendly (and rude) conversation. THE RULES of the thread, from the undersigned. 1. We like each other here. So don't be a jerk. 2. No Facebook links. 3. This thread is not for debates, not for fighting. 4. This is a conversation. Keep it light-hearted. 5. If you see antagonists, just put them on ignore. 6. If you think that your stinkiness don't stink, please stay out. 7. Not everyone on the planet is going to agree with you, so don't push issues. 8. Please don't push your political and religious beliefs here. 9. If you don't like the people here, please don't post here. VJ is full of other threads. 10. Please don't post anything that'll link anything to your identity. We've had problems in the ancestral threads. 11. Have a sense of humor; don't be such a stiff. Remember? Humor? Don't take anything personally; half of the stuff said here is just jive (In the case of Steve, it's 100% jive). From SAT, the now sadly inactive OP: This thread is politically incorrect. Come in, come in, rant away. Let us tell you how to suffer. Let us make fun of you. We're rude and crass. Business, all business!