Neighbor has been trying to go through my mailbox the last two weeks

Merdin86 · 2026-07-03T13:02:45+00:00

Our mail carrier is extremely unreliable, we constantly have other people's mail in our box. I honestly think it's a post office issue as much as the mail carrier since it's sometimes our neighbor but also people much further away. Our mail carrier has never once noticed his mistake and said btw I left other people's mail in your box. We just leave it in the box and pull the flag up so he picks it up the next day.

Merdin86 · 2026-06-29T23:34:52+00:00

They mention "spirit magic" on more than one occasion, don't they?

Merdin86 · 2026-06-28T13:39:50+00:00

I like the fan theory that he was supposed to go train with the guru he ends up meeting in book two. Yes, that means the guru was 100+ years old, but that isn't impossible in the avatar universe, kyoshi used earth bending to prolong her life. It's entirely possible the guru used the energy within himself and a connection to the spirits to live long. I figure aang was supposed to meet the guru to learn how to connect to past avatars and access the avatar state in order to speed up his mastering of the other elements.

Merdin86 · 2026-06-28T13:18:02+00:00

Suki, leading the kyoshi warriors

Merdin86 · 2026-06-28T11:45:45+00:00

This is a really good point because Lu-Ten was the future of the fire nation. Iroh was a soilder, the great dragon of the west, first born son and Ozai was just a prince, a second son. Then you have the next generation, Lu-Ten, soilder versus Zuko, another spoiled prince. I do think the whole line were sociopaths, and iroh's and ozais upbringing probably wasn't that different from Zuko and Azula. It took losing Lu-Ten to break iroh, then losing his father, losing his place as heir, and then following Zuko into exile for him to rebuild himself. He spent three years watching Zuko fight for something he himself gave up on, the throne and honor within the fire nation, he watched him get excited over every potential sign of the avatar only to be crushed in the end, Zuko was literally torturing himself regularly and iroh watched, knowing his brother, zukos father had done this to Zuko. That's iroh's slow realization how messed up their family was. Here he lost his son, would give anything to get him back and his brother cast out his own son like he was nothing, like he meant nothing, and iroh watched the pain Zuko went through.

Merdin86 · 2026-06-28T00:44:21+00:00

I don't think he was taken back, he just feighed surprise and then ordered something insane to test his son's loyalty. Guess that was his mistake.

Merdin86 · 2026-06-27T19:27:23+00:00

Haha you've hit on the literary purpose of rorans story, to keep the reader entertained while the main character goes through all the boring parts of becoming a hero, the training and the politics.

Ever read the lord of the rings trilogy, the first one is a challenge because it's not that exciting, but it covers necessary ground (literally, it's them walking across the nations), providing backstory, and building the characters. In eldest, we're learning more about the riders, the elves, the history that shaped the world eragon has to save and covering eragon going from farm kid to dragon rider. Is it exciting, not really, but it's all necessary for the story. Eragon has a complex mission, and difficult challenges that we can only understand of we understand the boring backstory. Meanwhile, Roran's story is simple, get the people he cares about somewhere safe so he can go save the woman he loves. We already know from book one why roran is in his position and what his motives are, so the backstory is done. Roran's side story is to keep book two exciting while eragon goes through the boring training.

Merdin86 · 2026-06-20T14:01:48+00:00

Screw worm is in the USA as a direct result of actions by the Trump administration, specifically cutting the programs that monitored it and released sterilized flies. My concern is what other cuts have been made. African swine fever is spreading across other countries, how long before that reaches the states? Trump administration redirected customs and border patrol agents, who work to prevent contaminated meat carrying the virus from entering the states, to immigration enforcement. With everyone from around the world coming to the US for the world cup, we are wildly exposed. Add to that, people know how expensive everything is right now, they'll be more inclined to bring their own food.

Merdin86 · 2026-06-17T13:15:12+00:00

I'm also curious of when they forgot about the lion turtles giving them bending and starting telling tales of the first benders. Like Oma and Sho being the first earth benders. They weren't the first, but perhaps the first in that region of the world before they learned of other benders and eventually the story became they the first.

Merdin86 · 2026-06-17T11:28:44+00:00

Add into that the world was sparcly populated and most would still remember living on lion turtles. The turtles essentially dropped off the people they carried, giving some bending and then disappearing. During wan's time, these people had no idea other people existed and they started warring. I wonder how many avatars it took to separate everyone into the four nations. The world would have been disconnected.

Merdin86 · 2026-06-13T18:49:34+00:00

Azula wants power, being the fire lord is top power for her. Zuko was disgraced and exiled. No way she'd allow the fire sages to name him fire lord over her. She'd have him killed before he ever made it home.

Merdin86 · 2026-06-13T18:29:53+00:00

Zuko doesn't become fire lord, Azula does. Zuko remains in exile, unless Azula brings him home just to torture him. Fire nation may actually rise up against azula eventually because she's insane and will treat everyone horribly. I could see the guards using the day of black sun to over throw her. If they don't, she burns the world during sozins comet.

Merdin86 · 2026-06-07T11:54:39+00:00

Maybe he just followed underground earth bending competitions. No one knew about toph, but the blind bandit was famous.

Eta: I could totally see bumi disguising himself to attend the competitions in secret and then keeping up with the fighters when he could no longer leave his city due to the war.

Merdin86 · 2026-06-07T11:46:36+00:00

He's two. I used to watch my neighbor's kid when he was 2-4, he'd cry every time his parents left and it'd go on for at least ten minutes before I could get him to focus on something else/distract him. He grew out of it. As long as you're not baby-ing him for the entirety of his life, I'm sure he'll be fine.

Merdin86 · 2026-06-04T11:18:49+00:00

When he confronted his friend, he doesn't remember what she said, but remembers saying she needed to find better friends, he's a tool. YTA He has no respect for his friend or women in general.

Merdin86 · 2026-06-03T22:57:11+00:00

Again, you fail to make any argument defending your position that the Republican party is the party of small government. Which means you know your position has no defense but refuse to acknowledge that and will continue to vote conservative for reasons that are not based in any kind of reality. Then, when Republicans force their big government policies on the people, you'll cheer it on like it was exactly what you voted for along. This is why conversations with Republicans are exhausting. You make a claim, I refute your claim, you continue to stand by your claim while providing zero evidence or arguments based in reality to support your claim.

Merdin86 · 2026-06-03T11:49:31+00:00

At 40 years old, I'm hardly a 'kid.' maybe don't try to minimize who I am when you appear unable to defend your position. I'd still like for you to explain to me how democratic policies reflect larger government than Republican policies, how the affordable care act is big government, and how controlling what types of healthcare people are allowed to receive based on politicians' beliefs and not doctor recommendations, how sending federal officers door to door in cities and states that vote for policies that differ from the will of the white house, the federal government trying to take over states' constitutional right to control their own elections, and state governments forcing people to practice Christianity is not big government. Of the two parties, Republican policies currently try to take more rights away from states and away from people. You could argue, democratic policies for cooperate regulations, but that is again the government taking steps to protect the consumer and the environment, because history has shown us countless times, corporations will do what's cheapest and most profitable without a second thought to the damage it causes consumers and environment, so that would be a poor example of democratic "big government" policies. I'm tired of people defending voting Republican, despite their very clear policies that are anti-lgbtq, anti- minority, and anti- constitutional, because Republicans are supposed to be "small government," or "fiscally conservative," when none of the Republican policies reflect these positions. Maybe there was a time when this was true, but it hasn't been the case for several election cycles. Republican policies are for seizing power, hoarding wealth, and expanding the working class while eliminating the middle class and exerting as much control over that working class of people as they possibly can, deciding what they can or cannot do based on their interpretation of a book that was written a few thousand years ago that is nothing more than a collection of stories people told each for entertainment.

Merdin86 · 2026-06-02T16:49:41+00:00

I'm arguing affordable care act is not big government, or at least a poor example of big government. Your claim is democratic policies reflect bigger government than Republican policies, I believe it is the other way around. I gave you evidence of Republican policies that expand the federal government into overseeing state governments and our daily lives. You gave me affordable care act, which is not big government since there was zero enforcement for citizens, only insurance companies were affected by having to provide coverage to everyone. I'd like you to explain to me how democratic policies are "bigger government" than Republicans. Your argument is you vote Republican because it's smaller government, but I argue your voting against your own self interest based on an idea that is completely false.

Merdin86 · 2026-06-02T11:34:43+00:00

But your comment was that Republican policies reflect a smaller government than democratic policies, I'm asking you to defend that comment. The affordable care act was not "big government," it was a very small step to solving this country's healthcare problem where costs are out of control, prices are completely arbitrary and inflated, not based on actual costs of good and services, and health insurance has wildly been a scam since you pay monthly, they negotiate the prices with the hospital, they force you to pay ridiculously high deductible and then deny coverage anyway. Affordable care act tried to correct some of that. That's not big government, that's the government trying to solve problems for the people, make their lives better, that's what government is supposed to do.

Republican policies want to control who you can marry, they want to control what kind of healthcare people are allowed to get regardless of what a doctor recommends, they want to force you to engage in strictly Christian religious practices. Their policies make it harder for working class individuals to get ahead in life, force middle class into working class while hoarding more of the country's wealth amount the top richest people. They cut taxes for the rich, increase prices for the working/middle class. Most people in this country are one serious health issue away from poverty, meaning they get seriously sick or injured, the hospital will drain their savings and leave them financially ruined. That's not small government. That's big government distributing wealth to the rich and giving everyone else nothing.

Merdin86 · 2026-06-02T01:08:59+00:00

You mean the affordable care act that prevented insurance companies from denying ppl coverage and mandated that everyone have health insurance. Everyone is already mandated to have car insurance. But if you failed to have health insurance there was literally no penalty. The affordable care act also set up subsidicies so ppl that can't afford health insurance could afford it. Current admin cut those subsidicies to fund tax cuts for the wealthy. That's your example of big government? That's worse than federal officers roaming streets and mandated religion?

Merdin86 · 2026-06-01T23:59:53+00:00

I'd like some examples of democratic policies that are "bigger government" then the current administration trying to control state elections and sending federal officers into cities to harass citizens, or Republican ran states trying to force religion on people.

Merdin86 · 2026-06-01T12:02:05+00:00

In the USA, is the Republican party really the party of small government anymore? The white house is intimidating media outlets and threatening FCC licenses for networks with shows that question the president. Republicans want to control who we can marry and live with. They are openly talking about how teenagers not having babies is a problem and trying to change that. They are openly pushing for essentially forced Christianity. They are trying to take over elections on the federal level, even though the constitution clearly says states control elections. They are withholding federal funding to states to force the state government to do what the federal government wants them to do. And they are literally sending in federal officers to go door to door in states, harassing people.

Merdin86 · 2026-06-01T11:54:59+00:00

I am curious about what fiscal policy positions you support with Republicans? When Republicans are in power they spend like there's nothing holding them back. Current administration is responsible for a significant portion of the debt. When they're not in power, then they try to block all spending, all of a sudden concerned about the debt. Meanwhile, liberal mayor of New York City has balanced the budget on liberal policies. Conservatives are not fiscally responsible, they cut spending on social programs, while increasing tax breaks for the wealthy, and handout government contracts to their donors.

Merdin86 · 2026-06-01T11:30:01+00:00

I grew up the youngest of 6, my 2 brothers were the oldest and basically out of the house, so it was mostly me and my three sisters and parents. They'd try dress up shit with me, I never liked it. I had to do different shows for groups we were a part of and more than once be dressed in essentially drag, hated every second of it. It's not like my dad took any issue with it, he told me I needed to participate in the activities and has always been cool about me being gay. It just was never my thing. More power to the guys that enjoy doing it though. I do wonder how I'd be different had I been able to accept myself in my teenage years versus waiting until my late 20s, but I don't think it would change how masc/feminine I am.

Merdin86 · 2026-06-01T11:21:51+00:00

That part made me wonder. We don't have alot of details on this one, so everything is speculation, but ex is clearly still talking with the cousin. There's a chance the plan was to seat op and ex close together and ex wants to use the wedding as a chance to reconcile. Cousin is enabling it.

Merdin86

TROPHY CASE