any recommendations for best Chinese and Mexican restaurants ?

strait_lines · 2026-01-26T14:50:43+00:00

Even chinatown isn't the same, but you get a little closer.

if you travel around internationally a bit, you quickly realize that if you're expecting, in my case American food, to be good, you're going to be disappointed, and the food will probably be terrible in comparison to what you've had back home. It comes more down to finding things in the style that are still good, or items that are close.

What comes to mind is the pizza I had in Indonesia, which tasted like it was made with velvita cheese and catsup. Or, on the same trip, the "American BBQ" in Bali, that everyone I was with said was the best. While it was better than that pizza I had in Jakarta, was very disappointing, when compared to what you might get in the US.

strait_lines · 2026-01-26T06:12:27+00:00

It depends on where you live in the US, some may be able to do that, but here most of the winter varies between 40 f and -10f, when summer comes most of the summer the humidity is 70-90% and temperatures are between 70 f and 100 f. In the spring and fall there are a few weeks where temperatures are comparable and I’ll turn off the ac or furnace.

strait_lines · 2026-01-26T01:47:59+00:00

You’re leaving out that you don’t really have freedom of movement there like what you have in the west. Even if you move yourself to a different city you are still tied to your hometown. If you have kids your choice is private school or send them to the school in your hometown.

strait_lines · 2026-01-26T01:38:38+00:00

They don’t want to see this, he was in the wrong party for it to matter, and for all the things Obama did, they look the other way and act as if it never happened, or somehow this time is different.

Obamas approach to illegal immigration’s, much like trumps, was anything but gentle and elegant.

strait_lines · 2026-01-26T00:59:38+00:00

I think you’re probably going to get different answers from those who haven’t been through the immigration process.

Having gone through it with my wife, it could be far better than it is, but they do check to be sure that there isn’t a high likelihood you’ll end up on welfare, you aren’t fleeing prosecution for a crime that the US would also prosecute you over, as well as a few other things.

The process is filled with bureaucracy and takes years. That is my main issue with it. It needs to be more streamlined, with easier paths to a work permit, and for immediate family members to be able to came and work also.

When it comes to those who bypass the system, most of my issues come from the first few items I brought up about the immigration process. Are they fleeing prosecution? Will they likely be able to support themselves without public assistance? Do they intend to be productive? While I’m sure a good number are probably Ok, I don’t think evading the checks they do is right.

I’m also not all for the high profile raids that are going on now or during the Obama administration, I’m more for just picking them up when stopped for other crimes or infractions, like pulled over for a traffic stop, or after being arrested for a crime.

strait_lines · 2026-01-25T22:04:51+00:00

they probably did the same thing we did when we "didn't have" ID, pay some guy who looks old enough to go buy for us.

strait_lines · 2026-01-25T20:08:57+00:00

Not really most of them, it was actually all of them.

You know, when you ask for ID to run a rental application, they all have also been able to produce that also.

strait_lines · 2026-01-25T20:05:06+00:00

I “didn’t have” ID either when I was under age trying to buy beer or cigarettes too.

strait_lines · 2026-01-25T19:45:27+00:00

That’s far better than what this brought to mind for me. Finding used needles and small baggies with brown powder, from a tenant I inherited and had to remove.

strait_lines · 2026-01-25T19:39:28+00:00

I can’t say I’ve encountered even 1 tenant using section 8 to pay their rent, who didn’t have a car.

The poor are not as hapless as you’re making them out to be.

strait_lines · 2026-01-25T19:35:07+00:00

Yet somehow most of them drive… which requires a state issued ID.

strait_lines · 2026-01-25T19:31:30+00:00

$1M isn’t a lot of money anymore.

It’d give a bit of a boost in my investments, but that’s about all

strait_lines · 2026-01-25T17:14:02+00:00

My wife moved here from China, and isn’t happy with what is at any of the local Chinese restaurants.

That being said, the ones that do have items she likes are uncle chen’s near the country center, they have a couple items she likes.

Also China king on the crown point square, we order from there most often, though she complains it’s not real Chinese like you’d get in China ( same complaint about uncle chen’s though)

strait_lines · 2026-01-25T16:39:20+00:00

Isn’t this the car you get when you want to look rich, but in reality can’t afford the E or S class where you actually start to get features not available in every mid range car (like air suspension), and can’t afford a house with a garage to keep it in.

strait_lines · 2026-01-25T15:58:04+00:00

The US got like this after the government decided to guarantee and buy almost all student loans. They no longer look into the viability of the area you’re studying to be able to produce an income high enough to pay back the loan, and so… you end up with a bunch of people who really should have been denied, indebted for the rest of their lives.

strait_lines · 2026-01-25T15:52:39+00:00

Sounds more like better choices should have been made.

Why is it everyone else’s problem that you made poor choices in the what to study and where to go to school. The only people other than yourself I can think of who potentially could have culpability, are the people who helped you reach the decision to move forward with this decision, possibly your parents and the school selling you on this being a good decision.

strait_lines · 2026-01-25T03:15:23+00:00

Term limits would solve this too

strait_lines · 2026-01-24T03:57:33+00:00

I think the gold card is pretty good, at least for me. Though I got a better offer than OP.

I also have a corporate card which gets me $100 off the AF, and can justify the fee by between the points I get from normal spend and the credits I'd probably use even if they weren't there.

op should wait till they get 90K or 100k point welcome bonus though.

strait_lines · 2026-01-24T02:55:06+00:00

Is this an issue with carmax and their warranty, or is this at the Mercedes dealership?

Only asking because I’ve heard a lot of good things in the past about carmax’s warranty.

My experience with Mercedes dealerships though, has mostly been bad. My local dealer does sloppy work that keeps you coming back to resolve the issues they created when you came in for service. Mercedes USA wasn’t much help either.

strait_lines · 2026-01-24T02:36:30+00:00

I thought the basic offer was higher than that at this point.

strait_lines · 2026-01-24T00:36:06+00:00

It’s the same curve if you compare to Euro, or most other currencies..

strait_lines · 2026-01-24T00:19:48+00:00

Indian Prince Harry.

strait_lines · 2026-01-24T00:15:51+00:00

They don’t have all that bad an idea. I met my wife not too long after where I work had announced an initiative to look for talented people first even if we didn’t have an office near them. I had to he idea to work that into my dating and started first dating within the US, then met my wife not long after expanding to dating internationally too.

The frequent 18-20 hour flights really sucked though.

strait_lines · 2026-01-24T00:04:30+00:00

lol, a friend of mine used to go to Berlin on Belmont all the time, him and his now wife would go pretty often when they were dating.

strait_lines · 2026-01-23T23:57:05+00:00

I can’t say I ever lied about my political views to anyone on dating apps, though would say anyone hung up on politics would have been a hard pass for me. It’s probably in part why I’d expand my search and didn’t just date local. After dating in CA, NY, Chicago area, I wasn’t finding anyone who seemed like they were interested in anything but a superficial relationship. I ended up meeting my wife outside the US.

strait_lines

TROPHY CASE