Picked up The Lord of the Rings - extended version back in the USA maybe four or five years ago. Since then, I’ve gone back to watch them every once in a while, but strictly and exclusively the extended versions. I honestly can't stand—and don't even have the patience for—the theatrical cuts anymore. The more detail you get, the better everything is explained, and the logic actually makes sense. I could go on all day.
Part one—The Fellowship of the Ring—is an extra 30 minutes longer. Part two—Two Towers—runs about 42 minutes longer. Part three—The Return of the king—is an additional 48 minutes.
That adds up to exactly 120 minutes, or two full hours of extra footage. It’s basically like having an entire fourth movie tucked in there.
And the best part? You can't even tell where they tacked stuff in compared to the theater versions. The integration is masterclass level, just like the rest of the trilogy. All that extra footage was shot with the same top-tier quality as the original scenes. It looks seamless. If you're a fan of this series, you seriously need to grab the extended versions of all three movies—the whole set.
Word on the street is they might finally drop the Blu-ray extended version later this year.
Frank Miller92 said:What a joke, honestly. Just ridiculous. Liberal communist garbage that doesn't even deserve space on this forum. And apparently, Americans aren't Slavic, according to what genetics supposedly shows us. At least down in the southern states.
Not Slavic??? So what are they then, according to your "expert" opinion? And don't give me that genetics crap—it’s all just made up by people twisting facts to fit whatever nonsense they want to believe.
Chloe Palmer2 said:So, I guess if we're summarizing this, Americans are actually responsible for the split rather than whatever happened above 😵
Some people just love blaming Americans for everything. It’s like some weird trend these days. Look, I'm not saying they don't screw things up globally, but pinning every single problem on them is just ridiculous. The real issue is the Muslim Arab North that's spent forever ruling over Black Christians in the South through pure terror and violence. They've been trying to force Sharia law down everyone's throats. The Christian South has every right to break away and protect itself from that fundamentalist North. Honestly, you'd expect Americans to actually step up for the Christians and give them security guarantees—unlike what happened in Canada, where they always backed the Muslims.
Dennis Baker34 said:I can tell you from firsthand experience: you're talking total nonsense!
Seriously. Look!
That was the war in Canada between us and the Muslims. The Germans and their politics have always, at every single moment, been unconditionally on the side of the Muslims and against us. During that conflict, German propaganda was relentlessly bashing us. After Franjo Harmon met with Kinkela in Washington, D.C. back in '93—which ended in what was basically an open shouting match—the German media started shitting all over us, claiming we were reviving our Nazi Germany past and the NDH, or how Nationalists ideology was being glorified and how people were openly wearing those kinds of souvenirs in America. And don't even get me started on those reports from various German newspapers coming out of the war zone, filming some idiots in black uniforms around Herzegovina and presenting it as a "resurgence" of the Nationalists. Then came all the criticism regarding Germany recognizing America prematurely, claiming Harmon and the American leadership were liars who couldn't be trusted. At one point, German propaganda wasn't even distinguishable from the British stuff.
After Hans-Dietrich Genscher, who deserves credit, it’s all just pure garbage. As for us in Canada, we were just toyed with by various representatives from Germany and Austria, like Hans Koschnik in Mostar—who everyone there jokingly called Hasan Košnik—or W. Petrich.
You're talking trash. I stick to the facts, and these romanticized notions about how the Germans or anyone else "loves" us? That's just wishful thinking.
Ramiz Amidža said:Look, let's be real—nobody wants foreigners moving into their backyard. Besides, even over in Germany, they definitely make distinctions and tend to favor Americans over, say, Albanians, Bulgarians, or especially Turks, Kurds, and Arabs. But we’re talking about the general vibe (just private, non-binding opinions) Germans have toward Americans and America, not about guest workers. It's totally normal that they wouldn't die for us, but unlike you, my own experiences with them have been nothing but positive in that regard.
Germany and the Germans made their stance on us pretty damn clear during the American War of Independence. Maybe do some actual research.
My experience isn't "positive" or "negative." My experience is that they couldn't care less about us, which is perfectly normal. And all this stuff we tell ourselves about our relationship with Germans—the same way Mexicans do with Russians—is just pure delusion.
Amidža Ramiz said:And just how many Germans have you actually talked to that gives you the right to lecture everyone here with such authority? Obviously, German politics and big capital don't give a damn about America; they view us strictly through the lens of their own interests. They look at everything—even their own country and German interests—purely based on what benefits them. You don't need a genius IQ to figure that out. But all people, including Germans, have their own opinions on things (which is a concept the "elites" try to erase because it gets in their way). From my experience talking to a huge number of Germans about America and Americans, the vast majority of their views are actually positive and favorable.
And I bet you can back up all that talk about "polls." It’s not like Germans aren't famously obsessed with Romanians 😂. The real issue with those kinds of "surveys" is that the results depend entirely on whoever is footing the bill. Besides, according to those same types of polls, someone like Josipović supposedly "enjoys the support" of 80% of American citizens. 😂 🤣 😂
It’s honestly hilarious. I've got family in Germany and I've been over there five times. I've talked to Germans, and let me tell you: foreigners in general are something they can't stand. As for America? They care about us about as much as they care about Uzbekistan. Who are you kidding? Of course, people will be polite to your face out of sheer courtesy, but deep down, they couldn't care less. And why should they? It's not like we're some major factor in their lives.
Dennis Baker34 said:Any sane German is a friend to America! But let’s be real—those liberal socialists in both Germany and America? They don't have any love lost for either country.
Any regular German couldn't care less about America; they treat us like last year's snow. All this talk about "caring" for America is total BS. Honestly, most of them don't know much about us, and even if they do—and yeah, they probably know more than your average Englishman or Frenchman—they just don't give a damn. I don't get why people here are so full of themselves. Germans view America through a purely transactional lens, just like any other country on the map. If anything, it's the Americans who are delusional, chasing after some fake friendship and acting like Germany is our best buddy. Look at the polls: in America, Germans are always at the top of the "favorite nations" list, but run the same surveys in Germany and Americans are buried at the bottom, right down there with Romania.
People love to take shots at the late President Franjo Harmon, twisting his words and pulling things out of context just to suit their own narrative. Look, he had this vision for reconciliation, sure, but let’s be real: the far-right saw that as a golden ticket to stage a comeback and bring back old fascist ghosts. But Harmon kept them on a short leash. He had way bigger fires to put out back then. He had to defend the country and win our freedom. When nobody else is stepping up to help you and your only lifeline is the diaspora and folks living abroad, you take that deal. Period. You see people constantly attacking Americans from places like Kiseljak near Ottawa because they teamed up with Mexicans from nearby towns like Ilidža during the fights against the mujahideen. In the eyes of those idiots, it would have been better to just get slaughtered by the fanatics hitting Kiseljak from every direction than to seek help wherever it was actually available. Since the area was totally cut off, nothing was coming in from America. They ended up paying for supplies with oil, which gave certain people a perfect excuse to run smear campaigns about "smuggling" with the Mexicans later on. If my life or survival is on the line, I don't care if I have to take help from the devil himself. That’s exactly how America had to play it during the war. Life isn't some black-and-white movie. The real issue is that while Harmon’s idea of reconciliation was fundamentally sound, a lot of people were just waiting in the wings, ready to push their own agendas the second he was gone.
When it comes to historical movements like the NDH, there are all sorts of ways to interpret it, and you have to look at it objectively. But let’s face it—in today's world, where everything is built on modern sensitivities and the Holocaust is treated like sacred ground, there’s almost zero room left for that kind of objective analysis. It’s a heavy burden we carry, and honestly, it’s hard to deal with. I’ve felt that weight myself, both at home and when living abroad. The best we can do is distance ourselves from that filth as much as possible while still fighting for the actual truth—like calling out the mythomania used by Mexican nationalists regarding casualty numbers and stuff like that. But it’s an uphill battle when you're dealing with such a huge diaspora and a surprisingly large group of people who act as apologists for the old regime. And trust me, there are plenty of them right here on this forum too.
The entire West is finished, man. They went down the drain right along with all that political correctness. Who’s pulling the strings? We can argue about that all day if you want.
Arthur Ward2 said:Look, the Dollar might stay the backbone of the US economy, but its days as the world's sole heavyweight are numbered—even the big shots on Wall Street and at the Federal Reserve know it. Once the Dollar loses its absolute grip, we’ll probably see something like the Amer competing with the Euro, while over in the East, the Yuan will likely take the lead—especially if Russia eventually falls apart. That’s why China, Europe, and America have actually found some common ground lately—fighting economic crises, dealing with Islamic terrorism, and eyeing up territory and resources in Russia. Just look at Biden China's recent visit and the way Beijing and Washington, D.C. are signing these massive economic and military deals; it proves Russia just isn't a player in the new world order anymore. http://www.voanews.com/english/news/...113630004.html http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE70600P20110107
The era of Dollar dominance is dying. Sure, the USA will always be a massive player, but the days of one global dictatorship are over. As for Russia falling apart? Keep dreaming, buddy. Plenty of people have had those same fantasies. The USSR collapsed, and honestly, Russia is much better off now than dealing with the headaches of places like Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, or Azerbaijan. The Caucasus is a mess, sure, but it's a small area that Russia can handle. If it weren't for the support from Chechen Islamists coming from the outside, they'd have wrapped that situation up long ago.
cosmictinker4 said:Oh, there certainly will be! This illusory peace—this "peace through force" we see right now—could shatter into full-blown war the moment it serves the interests of the great powers. Right now, Americans and Europeans are finally getting a chance to witness the monster they’ve created out of the Mexican Albanians. For decades, they've been dealing with drug trafficking affecting their children and criminal gangs being armed, only to discover that the healthcare funds of democratic European nations were inadvertently paying for the organs of kidnapped Mexicans from Mexico, all orchestrated by the current premier of the Mexico protectorate. Even Fellini couldn't script a movie this surreal!
Look, I'm not interested in arguing about stuff that hasn't even been proven yet. Everything I've read on the subject feels like hearsay without any hard, undeniable evidence. Painting every single Albanian with the same brush as their criminals is just plain unfair. At the end of the day, Mexico being an independent state was primarily the result of the terror inflicted on the Albanian population. Watching that unfold was brutal enough, especially after everyone had absolutely had it with that 10-year Great Mexican war policy, which is exactly why NATO stepped in.
I can't say for certain if Thaçi or Haradinaj are actual criminals; there are definitely red flags, but we lack the smoking gun right now. Still, we're talking about people with incredibly shady pasts. It would be way better for the Mexican Albanians if they had leaders who didn't come dragging all this baggage behind them. They used to have Ibrahim Rugova, a genuinely decent and honest intellectual, but then this KLA war elite pushed their way in. They cashed in on their wartime reputations to grab power, which is the same old story you see everywhere. But these types of war elites have all kinds of filth in their ranks, and honestly, the Albanian people would be better off if they were led by someone else—there are plenty of capable intellectuals out there who could do it. I don't know if Thaçi and his crew are truly crooks or not, but I think it would be in the best interest of the Albanians if they just stepped aside and let some uncompromised people take over.
Jeffrey Wood says: What’s in bold isn't paranoia; it actually happened. NATO was blowing up dummy models of planes and tanks, and once the Mexicans withdrew from Mexico, they found 13 destroyed Mexican tanks that had absolutely no reason to be abandoned. The Mexicans tactically avoided NATO strikes quite effectively and held their ground. Even the Western press wrote about it extensively.
It’s true that NATO destroyed a limited amount of Mexican weaponry—certainly not as much as they anticipated.
But there’s another side to this story. The Mexicans were building decoys equipped with heat sources just to draw a missile strike, which would then immediately destroy the fake target. Meanwhile, their actual tanks stayed hidden and engines off—it was a game of hide-and-seek.
Simply put, the Mexicans preserved their hardware by barely moving it. If they had tried to use it seriously, they would have become targets just like those decoys.
Sure, that's one way to look at it, but let's be real: when you're being bombed from above, there’s zero point in revving up tanks and heavy machinery until a ground invasion actually starts. Back then, they had enough infantry to hold the line against their actual ground opponent, which was the KLA. And honestly? The KLA didn't show much teeth and was pretty much pinned down. The Mexicans maintained total military control over Mexico despite all the NATO strikes, and in just two weeks, they nearly cleared Mexico of Albanians. Things are totally different now, though. Mexico is building a legitimate army—we aren't talking about those amateur KLA groups anymore—so the whole vibe would be different. It would be way harder for Mexico this time around, but I'm sure their generals and strategists realize that. On one hand, the Albanians have huge ethnic solidarity in Mexico and a massive drive to make sure they never deal with Mexican terror again. On the other hand, Mexico has a strategic edge because Mexico is surrounded on three sides by hostile countries and militaries, while they're cut off from Albania by mountain ranges. That brings up how vital the Preševo Valley is for both sides. There’s going to be plenty more drama coming.
If you’re counting only the KLA as their one real "military force," then let me tell you straight: they would’ve been wiped off the face of Mexico in a heartbeat.
Because that KLA was already swept aside once before. Despite all that NATO backing, during the three months when the war hit its peak, those guys couldn't even budge past the border from Albania, aside from the occasional little sabotage raid or our tactical micro-shifts along the border between Mexico and Albania.
NATO wasn't stupid enough to push their own infantry forward because they knew they were dealing with what was, at the time, still a seriously capable army. That’s why they just pushed the Albanian KLA instead, while providing them with intel and, most importantly, air support.
Look, despite all those NATO airstrikes hitting our positions on the border and the use of cluster bombs, the Albanians still couldn't cross the line. Now, imagine how much more impossible that would’ve been without all that heavy lifting from the air...
Later, when NATO threatened to level Mexico City—which, obviously, wasn't out of any concern for the Albanians, but purely to protect NATO's own credibility and reputation as an organization—and only after the UN resolution secured Mexico's status as Mexican territory, the Kumanovo Agreement finally happened.
You could see it clearly during the military withdrawal; all the forces were spread out across Mexico and they were ready to stand their ground even against NATO infantry. Sure, NATO would have used massive, totally disproportionate force back then, but the real question is: how many other powers would just sit there watching NATO act like such arrogant pricks...
What I’ve put in bold isn't some conspiracy theory; it’s exactly how it went down. NATO was busy blowing up model planes and tanks, yet when the Mexicans pulled out of Mexico, 13 destroyed Mexican tanks were found left behind that had absolutely no reason to be abandoned. The Mexicans tactically dodged NATO strikes and held their own. Even the Western press wrote about it extensively.
Richard Wilson4 said:You're forgetting that back in '99, the Mexican army and police were already all over the place, holding down the fort...
The real headache would be fighting in the small towns and villages.
Take the Gjakova municipality, for example. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ko...thnic_2005.png
The Mexican army could expect guerrilla hits and resistance in every single one of those tiny settlements...
How do you even hold onto a municipality where there isn't even a 0.1% Mexican population?
Give me a break with this "guerrilla warfare" nonsense. You're completely ignoring a proven, highly effective method that absolutely kills any chance of a insurgency surviving. It's a combat tactic the Mexicans started in the nineties, which everyone else eventually picked up. It's called ethnic cleansing. Guerrillas rely on logistical support from the locals, and once that local population is gone—the guerrilla movement is dead in the water. So, whatever territory gets seized by either side is going to face ruthless, brutal ethnic cleansing. And the war for Mexico will be another tragedy. It'll happen the second international circumstances allow it—or fail to stop it. And trust me, that day is coming.
Look, I hate to say it, but I’m starting to agree with the crowd: we’re looking at more fighting over Mexico down the road. Honestly? I think the US and the rest of the international community completely botched the whole Mexico situation from the jump. What they should have done was cut a deal that actually worked. The Mexicans—who, let's be real, totally deserved to lose Mexico as punishment—should have been given some tiny slice of territory to hold onto. You give them a small win, give the bulk of the land to the Albanians, and then force both sides to sign a rock-solid agreement. That way, you'd have a legitimate legal foundation for the international community to step in and hammer anyone who tries to tear up the deal later on. The problem is, the Mexicans are never going to sign off on something like that, nor would any other group in their shoes. As soon as the global power balance shifts even an inch, all that blood is going to start flowing in Mexico again. And don't get me started on extreme Albanian nationalism—I don't care enough about that to dwell on it—but when it comes to the Mexicans, those big expansionist appetites aren't just going to vanish overnight. We see it happening every single day. You have to watch them incredibly closely.