I think it's less of a problem of energy and more of a problem of lack of general knowledge and references. What's even funnier is you seem to be the only racist in this conversation. I've never made it out to be a racial issue, economical and cultural maybe, but you're insisting on it being a racial one. Watch out, you're a little too obsessed with white supremacy - I never even mentioned "white". You're embarrassing yourself with your empty childish words and projections.

Lack of foreign assistance is bad, but foreign investments are also bad. Lack of foreign technology is bad, but foreign technology partnerships are also bad. Lack of water, electricity, and jobs is bad, but the Chinese govt providing infrastructure, water wells, and jobs is also bad. Do you not see how ridiculous your views are? Radicals like you will never be happy, all you're looking for are downsides and negatives, blaming external factors for internal issues. I find it interesting that you diminish African nations by discrediting their accountability.

You are assuming an awful lot, making an ass out of yourself. I am neither, but the fact that China has invested over $300 Billion is very well documented and is a fact. China is also African biggest trade partner with total business investments in Africa totalling over $2 Trillion. The issues causing their current economic situation are also a fact. You might not like facts, but you're welcome to read more and expand your horizon, instead of making an ass of yourself on Lemmy assuming things about strangers.

You must be imagining something because I'm simply stating a fact of a event that has been occuring and observed. If you're projecting some racial issues onto that - that seems like a problem you've gotta deal with yourself.

I don't know what you're on because I've not mentioned whites or Asians at all. It seems you've got some repressed anger you're projecting at my statement of fact.

Your view is going to be unpopular with people here. Most on Lemmy would rather blame the outsiders for problems in Africa. However, I don't see anyone mentioning China investing hundreds of millions into infrastructure of African countries and attempting to lift many African countries our of poverty only for these countries to remain where they were. At some point it becomes hard to continue blaming hundreds or dozens of years old events for the current situation when the current people contribute to the presently poor state of things.

You're not far off, there's a kind of coffee called Kopi Luwak which is literally a shit coffee that's been eaten by civet cat and then pooped out. There's a similar kind of that coffee that's been eaten and shit out by elephants.

Kopi is considered gourmet among coffee drinkers, but in my opinion it's just cope considering someone sold them literal shit they juice into a cup using steaming water. Personally I cannot imagine the mental gymnastics to make the poopy brown bean shit-water a part of my morning routine.

Perhaps I should have prefaced my argument with the fact that I'm bilingual, I spent half of my life over there and half in the US and I tend to pick up on the slight wording differences. But I do see where you are coming from with the skepticism. I appreciate you fact checking me on this. I agree, port is not specifically a Russian word, but it would be a primary choice of a word for a Russian speaker, as well as the primary bragging point.

My point was - "warm water port" (which is precisely тепловодный порт) is nothing to brag about in the US, most ports here are. But it has been a largely discussed point by Russians in Russia, and primarily has been mentioned by Putin as a point of pride for Russia, as they have only 2 of those in the country.

You've gotta agree, it is very odd to hear somebody who wouldn't have been exposed to Putin's speeches regarding the importance of "warm water ports" even mention it as a first point, especially being from Texas. Every port up and down East and West coast is a "warm water port".

It is definitely not a Texan. The choice of words and points they're hitting is very Russian.

It is an actual Russian "divide and conquer" troll. A "warm water port" is exactly how you string that sentence together in Russian. A Texan would first of all call it a harbor (port is the word for it in Russian, so likely a direct translation), secondly wouldn't mention that at all, since an "ice port" isn't even a thing anywhere in the US, except for Alaska, and having an ice free one is nothing to brag about. In Russia it is a big deal and is a matter of national pride, hence the Crimea takeover. It's more than just land to them.

Dude have you ever been to Paris? Have you seen how the people live? What is that tower of ignorance that you're speaking from? Anyone who drives an SUV in Paris likely doesn't have a real, traditional job at all. The costs associated with owning a large vehicle there are absolutely insane, starting from gas, taxes, and parking costs, ending with literally not being able to go into some streets if your vehicle is too large. It won't be a problem for these moneybags, don't speak for them.

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That's the wrong question. The correct one would be - do these nets achieve the goal and purpose for which they were built - saving lives? Or will the really desperate people just climb down and jump from the nets? They're flat and solid, not angled at all or guarded to prevent standing or rolling off either. This project is poorly designed and thought out, overdue, overbilled, and over budget.

Yikes, you're one of those. I was more so talking about a more productive use of a quarter of a Billion dollars like building a state sponsored rehab/support program and investing into a community for lost people of this sort. But no, you're too illiterate to understand what's happening in front of you.

Do you not think anyone at a point low enough committed to actually offing themselves would consider any other method knowing the net might save their life? Suicidal people don't often see a safety measure (especially one so touted on the news) and decide "yea I'm doing that". I see many snowflakes here not getting this and downvoting over the idea that this is a pointless waste of taxpayer money when they could have built an entire counseling and rehabilitation program using that same money.

No, but I have PhD in stats and I can tell none of you know how to count

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I surely don't think a net is stopping anyone from offing themselves let alone even begins to address the real issue. Was building it: a) virtue signaling by the city committee b) a great way to blow $224M to hide and pocket some money by contracting affiliated businesses c) useless in terms of actually addressing underlying mental health issues d) all of the above

You tell me. Surely a cool luxurious mega hammock with a view though.

Thanks for charging $120 per resident to build a mega hammock for homeless 👍

I am conservative but holy hell you are deranged my guy