Politics & News LC thread - Vivek and John Candy were right

BriansHat · March 10, 2023, 8:10pm

Even ignoring that, I would also say that person is living quite well. Like what is this world where someone thinks putting $5k/month away in savings while living in a decent 2 br apartment in NYC and having a $1500/month car budget and $2k/month entertainment budget isn’t extravagant?

hammypotter · March 10, 2023, 8:31pm

Yeesh. Didn’t realize all those guys died of the same kind of brain cancer.

Surf · March 10, 2023, 8:36pm

I think they’re some sort of fundamental human false belief that you should somehow get to spend money but also get to keep it.

I kinda fall into when I get irritated about having to spend money I saved for home repairs or whatever. Like fixing the leaky roof is the whole purpose I had for that money but still feel irritated

Marksman · March 10, 2023, 8:58pm

I just saw a blurb on them yesterday. It is pretty shocking.

CaffeineNeeded · March 10, 2023, 8:59pm

Ha same but with IVF for me

kerowo · March 10, 2023, 9:07pm

Why do you have a car in NY? Maybe stay home a few more nights and get some cooking done since you’re using up way too many utilities anyway…

And that’s not how sales tax works is it?

CaffeineNeeded · March 10, 2023, 9:55pm

Nooope.

It’s reasonable in some parts, but not generally.

pvn · March 10, 2023, 10:23pm

lol at living in manhattan, owning a car, and complaining. fuck off dude.

Danspartan · March 11, 2023, 4:08am

C’mon. The example had a $0 clothing budget. Dude is wearing a barrel with suspenders I bet. Just proves $400k is not enough money.

DrChesspain · March 11, 2023, 1:24pm

LOL at owning a car if you live and work in Manhattan. One could take cabs/Lyfts everyday and rent a car once or twice or month and still spend less than $1500/month.

pvn · March 11, 2023, 1:38pm

$1500/month seems pretty light anyway, considering how much of that is parking/insurance/etc. Dude has like a 72-month note on a 2013 accord.

Hired_Goons · March 11, 2023, 4:06pm

Everybody’s down on this guy, but no separate line for candles means he’s scrimping,

pvn · March 11, 2023, 4:58pm

shout out to the random fellow kroger customer who found my wallet and turned it into the lost and found!

Danspartan · March 11, 2023, 6:20pm

Take the subway.

Danspartan · March 11, 2023, 6:21pm

In b4 the “good Samaritan” follows the tracker they put in your wallet and then came to your house to murder you.

Hired_Goons · March 11, 2023, 7:56pm

no

goofy · March 11, 2023, 9:24pm

goofy · March 11, 2023, 9:49pm

Random Wikipedia rabbit hole led me to another fascinating part of US history I wasn’t familiar with, from this article:

Panamanian efforts to renegotiate the original Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty had been ongoing almost since it was first signed in November 1903, a few weeks after Panama obtained its independence from Colombia. However, activity to renegotiate or abrogate the treaty increased considerably after the Suez Crisis, and events in 1964 precipitated a complete breakdown in relations between the U.S. and Panama. On January 9 of that year, Panamanian students entered the canal zone to fly the Panamanian flag next to the American flag, per a 1963 agreement to defuse tension between the two countries. Panamanians watching the event began rioting after the students raising the Panamanian flag were jeered and harassed by American school officials, students, and their parents. During the scuffle, somehow the Panamanian flag was torn. Widespread rioting ensued, during which over 20 Panamanians were killed and about 500 were injured. Most of the casualties were caused by fire from U.S. troops, who had been called in to protect Canal Zone property, including private residences of Canal Zone employees. January 9 is a National Holiday in Panama, known as Martyrs’ Day.

That Martyrs’ Day article has much more detail on the incident:

In January 1963, U.S. President John F. Kennedy agreed to fly Panama’s flag alongside the U.S. flag at all non-military sites in the Canal Zone where the U.S. flag was flown. However, Kennedy was assassinated before his orders were carried out. One month after Kennedy’s death, Panama Canal Zone Governor Robert J. Fleming, Jr. issued a decree limiting Kennedy’s order. The U.S. flag would no longer be flown outside Canal Zone schools, police stations, post offices or other civilian locations where it had been flown, but Panama’s flag would not be flown either. The governor’s order infuriated many Zonians, who interpreted it as a U.S. renunciation of sovereignty over the Canal Zone.[2]

In response, outraged Zonians began flying the U.S. flag anywhere they could. After the first U.S. flag to be raised at Balboa High School (a public high school in the Canal Zone) was taken down by school officials, the students walked out of class, raised another flag, and posted guards to prevent its removal. Most Zonian adults sympathized with the student demonstrators.
…
While a Panamanian response to the flag raisings by the Zonians was expected, the crisis took most Americans by surprise. Several years later, Lyndon B. Johnson wrote in his memoirs that: “When I heard about the students’ action, I was certain we were in for trouble.”

The news of the actions of the Balboa High School reached the students at the Instituto Nacional, Panama’s top public high school. Led by 17-year-old Guillermo Guevara Paz, 150 to 200 demonstrating students from the institute, crossed the street into the Canal Zone and marched through the neighborhoods to Balboa High School, carrying their school’s Panamanian flag and a sign proclaiming their country’s sovereignty over the U.S. Canal Zone. They had first informed their school principal and the Canal Zone authorities of their plans before setting out on their march. Their intention was to raise the Panamanian flag on the Balboa High School flagpole, alongside the U.S. flag.

At Balboa High, the Panamanian students were met by Canal Zone police and a crowd of Zonian students and adults. After negotiations between the Panamanian students and the police, a small group was allowed to approach the flagpole, while police kept the main group back.

A half-dozen Panamanian students, carrying their flag, approached the flagpole. In response, the Zonians surrounded the flagpole, sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” and rejected the deal between the police and the Panamanian students. Scuffling broke out. The Panamanians were driven back by the Zonian civilians and police. In the course of the scuffle, Panama’s flag was torn.

The flag in question had historical significance. In 1947, students from the Instituto Nacional had carried it in demonstrations opposing the Filos-Hines Treaty and demanding the withdrawal of U.S. military bases. Independent investigators of the events of January 9, 1964 later noted that the flag was made of flimsy silk.[2]
…
As word of the flag desecration incident spread, angry Panamanian crowds formed along and across the border between Panama City and the Canal Zone. At several points demonstrators stormed into the zone, planting Panamanian flags. Canal Zone police tear gassed them. Rocks were thrown, causing injuries to several of the police officers. The police responded by opening fire.

Canal Zone authorities asked the Panama National Guard (Panama’s Armed Forces) to suppress the disturbances. The National Guard stayed absent. Meanwhile, demonstrators began to tear down the “Fence of Shame” located in the Canal Zone, a safety feature alongside a busy highway. Panamanians were tear gassed, and then several were shot.

~25 Panamanians were killed.

Jman220 · March 11, 2023, 10:00pm

Lol, $60k a year after taxes for retirement.

Jman220 · March 11, 2023, 10:01pm

Also lol $ $1,000 for utilities, $1500 for car expenses (you live in fucking NYC, the whole point is you don’t need a fucking car!) and entertainment $2,000