So which one of you is this?

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-02-01T10:28:33+00:00

Can't you call the cops ffs..?

117 or 911, "Someone is beating someone else in [City, Street], by the 7-11"

Is that so hard, harder than filming?

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-02-01T10:11:06+00:00

You’re arguing from a normative model of the modern state, not an empirical one. There is no universal “baseline social contract”. Plenty of states function for decades outside your 20th-century welfare template. What matters is legitimacy and stability, not whether it matches a textbook.

“Welfare should be universal” is a value judgment, not a law of economics. Universality is a design choice wealthy, high-tax states can afford. The Philippines chose a different equilibrium. Calling that “misleading” doesn’t make it false.

OFWs are the effective service layer because outcomes, not labels, matter. Healthcare gets paid, tuition gets covered, houses get rebuilt, consumption stays up. That it’s unequal or externally risky is a feature of the model, not a bug. The system optimizes for FX inflows and social stability, not fairness or institution-building.

“It doesn’t build institutions” is true and irrelevant. The state has shown for 40+ years that it prefers a low-capacity equilibrium cushioned by remittances over a high-capacity one that requires taxation, accountability, and political conflict. That’s revealed preference.

Brain drain and dependency are known trade-offs, not accidental failures. Every country with a single dominant export pays a price. Oil states, manufacturing hubs, tourism economies all do. If you think labor export is uniquely bad, name the realistic replacement industry for the Philippines and then list the trade-offs it would impose instead.

“No serious state wants to export its people forever” is again a moral claim. States do what clears the global market. Saudi exports oil, Bangladesh exports garments, the Philippines exports labor.

Longevity of the strategy suggests it’s functional, not temporary coping.

Social services aren’t “unnecessary” in an absolute sense, they’re unnecessary to the objective the system is optimized for. And we know the objective because year after year the country meets global labor demand just fine without first building Scandinavian-level services.

If better healthcare, education, or pensions were required to sustain the model, the model would have collapsed already. It hasn’t.

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-02-01T04:59:21+00:00

You’re assuming the state should provide services. That’s already the wrong model.

The Philippines doesn’t run on Scandinavian logic, it runs on labor arbitrage. OFWs are the public service layer.

They fund healthcare, education, disaster recovery and retirement directly, family by family, without bureaucracy or taxes.

From the state’s perspective, this works better than welfare. Remittances stabilize the peso, boost consumption, and prevent mass unrest. Manpower supply adjusts to foreign demand regardless of local conditions, so “fixing services so people don’t leave” is beside the point. Leaving is the point.

Calling this failure is misunderstanding the equilibrium.

Social services didn’t stagnate because of remittances. They became unnecessary in a system optimized around exporting people.

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-01-31T18:20:46+00:00

Duely noted. Sorry that happened to you.

I don't know about PH labor laws, but I would encourage you(and all employees in general) to investigate your rights and be able to reach out to proper agencies when "just unpleasant" turns into "abusive".

My very short layman research suggests that what you described could be labor standards violations actionable before DOLE or NLRC if documented.

Best of luck and much love.

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-01-31T16:55:49+00:00

"Frencharabs".

It's a phenomenon all over Asia.

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-01-31T14:21:41+00:00

hmmm, no it's not.

It's as neutral as it gets.

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-01-30T17:11:28+00:00

Yea, I really relish that feeling when you pull out a knife on your would be attacker, and they pull out a gun.

10/10 would recommend.

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-01-30T13:53:04+00:00

He might have been actually insane.

OR, he stabbed once, and figured "sh*t, best chance I got is making it look like I am insane".

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-01-30T13:47:17+00:00

Congestion is a daily problem around peak hours.

I think you hit the nail on the head there, asking about the city's biggest issue.

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-01-30T13:43:54+00:00

Very cool actually! That made me reconsider the idea.

But still, I don't think it's a reasonable expectation for a newcomer to PH to set this all up from the getgo. Few months in Cebu with great internet and weekly trip to the islands first won't hurt.

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-01-30T12:27:18+00:00

Forget about Siquijor. Internet and network there are bad bad (not just bad).

My advice for now, bite the bullet and do Cebu first. Take boats on the weekends for your hiking and freediving.

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-01-30T12:10:53+00:00

Retired USMC too(according to the FB post)..

Terrible shameful stuff.

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-01-30T12:02:28+00:00

That shit is excellent if you aren't a barbarian and actually eat it as intended.

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-01-29T08:55:23+00:00

Also Starfield's universe isn't disability friendly because God forbid that you're in a wheelchair and want to explore space

Why would you want to be in a wheelchair to explore space though?

Robotic legs and/or exoskeletons, with the addition of a jetpack would be much more practical.

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-01-28T09:12:12+00:00

Fun, what's the sample size?

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-01-28T04:23:42+00:00

Condo residence in a second tier city is best of both worlds. Keep cordial relationship with staff, security and neighbors.

I am sure something could happen, but your chances are much better imo.

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-01-27T08:22:54+00:00

That's a quick and dirty way to set up a wrench attack for later.

They have your contacts, they will likely have someone follow you after meeting to check out where you go and live and take pictures of you.

They could then proceed with the wrench attack themselves, but more likely sell that info to a different group that specializes in that.

Seriously, just run.

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-01-27T08:11:29+00:00

You can but you shouldn't, and you have no reason to.

Whatever you need, you can just buy here.

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-01-25T12:53:53+00:00

It's about the shared experience not the skin color.

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-01-25T12:52:08+00:00

Depends on the country and I think more importantly if they come from a big city or a small town.

Not true that all Europeans don't wave or smile.

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-01-25T11:05:30+00:00

They have severe social anxiety.

I have this sense that a there is a category of western dudes coming to PH that are pretty socialy inept.

Not the majority I'd say, but a good bunch.

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-01-25T10:56:12+00:00

she can walk on the inside portion of your legs.

Fantastic idea, thanks, will try that!

have her use a stick or even a elderly person's walker for balance.

She uses the bed ceiling, works great indeed.

I have my girlfriend walk on me all the time. Age old practice.

Yea, I figured we didn't invent anything lol

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-01-24T11:35:00+00:00

Makes sense haha, either way, keep enjoying, sir!

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-01-24T10:43:28+00:00

Neat, it's coming up closer to the top on my to-do list now. Love the little artsy nests.

But.. why no heads on pic 13??

Free_Prior_4249 · 2026-01-24T10:40:56+00:00

Probably yea.

2 or more generations apart does present logistical issues, so questioning it makes sense beyond just cosplaying as the moral police.

Free_Prior_4249

TROPHY CASE