On one hand, if Will hadn't just slapped that annoying idiot right in the face, nobody would even be talking about the Oscars... But honestly, I don't buy the whole "rigged" theory either. Setting up a scene that perfectly, acting it out so convincingly, all while trying to hide the fact that you were just cracking up moments before? It seems pretty unlikely to me. If you ask me, it looks more like the mother is the one actually running the show at the Smiths' house; the son clearly isn't 🤣 ...
I've had the Netgear router for a few days now and I’m still trying to figure out how I'm going to complain to Verizon about it, but honestly, it’s working pretty well...
On another note, I happened to catch a short clip of Anthony Hopkins dancing in front of the Academy Awards stage recently, which really made me want to revisit *The Father*. It’s easily one of my favorite films from the last few years—I might even go as far as saying it's one of the best ever made. I can't help but feel like it left a little bit of room for more, like there was still more to explore despite how much it already achieved, but man, Hopkins just stays in a league of his own... I mean, who else is even playing at that level lately? It’s a legendary performance. That constant, parallel struggle between losing oneself and clinging to dignity, showing both such profound weakness and incredible strength... it’s just an incredibly moving piece of cinema. It's such a shame it didn't take home the Oscar...
I ran into Vlatko a few times over the years at this little barbershop in Cavtat, right there in the hotel... back before she decided to pack up and move away from the States🙂
It was either we were vacationing during the same stretch of summer, or maybe she was heading to some award ceremony or something... I can't quite recall the specifics anymore...
Switching gears to some more important topics, has anyone actually caught up with Vlatkica on that celebrity dance show, or are we all still just obsessing over what’s happening in Ukraine? ☕
Jonathan Barnes5 said:Let’s keep pushing Zele, maybe aim for 1000
Jbte, this thread has basically gone dormant with just the two of us left active. Inflation is truly killing us all.😁
Looking at the general economic climate and how much people actually have to work with, I don't think we should push the maximum amount too hard; personally, I’d set a cap there as well. It’s more important that the funds go toward a meaningful cause. If I end up receiving a shirt, I’ll just pass it along to someone who needs it, because otherwise, it’ll just sit in my closet collecting dust.☕
1100
Yeah, I'm with you on that. Let Paul Martinez73 have the shirts. Although, if I were picking, I might grab that Republican Party one 😳 you never know how things play out...
It feels like we’re headed toward a bidding war where people will just throw money around recklessly, much like how some folks down South treat cash as if it grows on trees. Perhaps Kalinić could step up as a sponsor to settle the score.😁
900
Paul Martinez73 was actually banking on them making a massive push to bring him over to the US during the second transfer window...
brightpilot6 said:Footage of that horrific incident has surfaced, showing how some cruel bystanders actually mocked their fellow citizen's suffering while filming:
So now our very own Charles Roberts33 is being branded a hipster with a trimmed beard? Just more cheap smears from those Argentine Dog lovers... there really is no worse cult than them☕
This entire subforum has so few members you could practically count them all on one hand, so I really don't see why we have to drive away the tiny bit of life we actually have left... 🤷 If it weren't for Gill and those folks following the La Liga action, this whole section would be a total ghost town, even though it’s supposed to be one of our most active spots. Honestly, if people just want high-level match analysis, they can find that on ESPN or any other major sports site. You can tell how much people crave "constructive" debate by looking at how crowded the other threads get. Besides, what is constructive discussion even supposed to look like when talking about daily stuff like La Liga matches? Most teams follow pretty much the same patterns throughout an entire season, so what's the point in re-explaining the basics every single time? Just stay silent? It feels pointless, because these football threads exist specifically for the people who actually enjoy posting here. That’s assuming trolls actually ruin meaningful conversation in the first place, which isn't even true—most people aren't bothered by them. Walter Grant5 is the only exception, since he’s always reporting ☕
I caught this a few days ago, and man, it really stayed with me... It’s such a moving film. I found the first half particularly striking; the way the camera works is so subtle, almost hiding things rather than showing them, which forces you to piece together the fragments of information on your own. And that quiet, heavy climax with Shot (Kairi jō)... it just hits differently. I didn't mind how the police subplot unfolded, though I wasn't as fond of where the story went after that. There was this one beautiful detail involving Aki (May Matsuoka) peeking into that house that had already been abandoned... that specific thread of the story was what really hooked me. It felt like such a gentle way to close a chapter, especially compared to the harsh contrast of those conversations down at the precinct. Koreeda repeats the core point later on, which isn't necessarily a flaw in itself, but it felt slightly out of sync with the overall atmosphere. Still, the film leaves enough room for thought without forcing a conclusion on you. Some of the plot beats feel a bit flawed or maybe even a little unrealistic if you overthink them, but that doesn't take away from the experience at all. Definitely worth a watch 👍
stormyviper2 said:I was thinking about asking this somewhere else, but I can't find a dedicated chat room or anything similar here. I was wondering, what are the odds of someone starting a single thread specifically focused on transfer news within the five-a-side leagues?
We usually see a similar thread pop up during the summer months. For example.
Paul Martinez73 said:If you want a job in government, 99% of the time you basically have to be a member of a political party. Take the Democratic-Republican coalition in Washington, D.C., for example... if you're actually part of one of those parties, do you honestly think you still have a conscience? The only thing driving you is the dream of getting a cushy, unearned position.
I know this guy who used to be a teacher at a local school; he mostly just messed around and didn't do a lick of actual work. Eventually, he got fired. He wasn't exactly struggling for cash back then, but he was getting by. Once he couldn't find anything else in his field, he decided to head over to Germany. He’s working there now and making twice what he made as a teacher, but damn, he has to spend all day on his feet. He spends half his time trash-talking Germany like everything there is wrong and everyone is to blame, yet here he is, living a perfectly normal life.
Why? Because you have to work, I guess. But he’s constantly looking for a way to crawl back into some cozy government role where he can do nothing and just scrape by—he'd take half the pay just to avoid being on his feet all day. It's the same vibe with the crew at JU; they just want to do zero work and call it a day. They effectively put in two hours a day and don't even care that their offices are tiny.
And people like that are the ones teaching our kids today.
It’s like Seneca already pointed out all those years ago. Being poor isn't about having very little; it’s about constantly craving more...
Casey White13 said:A - ujko B - C - Bryan Adams6 D - E - Ashley Bailey6 F - G - Rachel Cooper3 H - Patrick Wright2
Still waiting on B, D, and F.
I have to admit, I’m feeling a little embarrassed saying this... 🕺
Andrew Hayes2 said:If there aren't any specific rules in place or if seniority doesn't really play a factor in who gets picked, I’d probably just go ahead and take option B...
I wanted to reach out sooner, but I honestly couldn't be sure when I'd actually have a free moment to get back to you...
If there aren't any specific rules in place or if seniority doesn't really play a factor in who gets picked, I’d probably just go ahead and take option B...
I wanted to reach out sooner, but I honestly couldn't be sure when I'd actually have a free moment to get back to you...
Mark Harris66 said:I’ve been hanging out in the Tourism PDF for nine years now—up until February when I stepped down as mod—and we used to have this dedicated thread on American tourism. We’d dive deep into all the stats I brought in, and everyone would chime in on how things should improve or where we were falling short. Around here, tourism just kind of happens by accident... there's zero long-term planning. The US ranks 3rd globally for tourist beds per capita—we were actually 5th just two years ago. We’re right up there with Cyprus and Malta when you look at foreign visitors per resident. It’s wild, though... foreign tourists make up about 93% of our total visitors. Pretty crazy... Unfortunately, we’re lagging behind the rest of Europe in terms of tourist spending. Places like Italy and Spain are pulling in twice as much cash per visitor as we are. We could probably rake in even more if we mandated using local food in restaurants or domestic products in hotels... Also, our transportation links are way worse than most other places. We rely way too heavily on road trips, which basically limits our market. For example, getting from Maui to Key West, or Martha's Vineyard to Kauai, or Newport to San Juan Island... it’s a massive headache. There isn't enough public transit between destinations. If you're coming from Riga or California, getting to Yellowstone is nearly impossible without a car or a tour agency—you end up having to transfer through Columbus and all that! In Greece, 90% of tourists arrive by plane, while here it's only about 12%. In France, about 16% arrive by train. We’re just pushing car tourism instead of investing in better buses, planes, or trains—or even decent inter-city and inter-island transit—so people aren't forced to rent a car just to see anything... Anyway, the trend is toward shorter stays, and the US is holding its own compared to competitors (though Greece is absolutely killing it right now). We’re also one of the most seasonal countries in Europe, meaning our season is super short. Even on the Mediterranean Sea, our warm window is pretty tight, which makes things tough... and the geniuses in charge don't realize there's a huge untapped market with retirees or couples traveling off-season—like in June or September. Same goes for the cycling market and stuff like that... There is so much room for growth, but it’s going to take a real long-term strategy and actual cooperation between different sectors—the Department of Tourism, DOT, construction, local government, and the locals themselves...
Does anyone know if there's a way to track tourist spending trends in America versus other countries? I can only seem to find deep dives into individual seasons, which isn't really enough to see the bigger picture...