Posts by rustywalker42

slyrider34 said:I’ve got the account number and the person's name, but I'm honestly stuck on what to put in the rest of these fields. Their account is over at JP Morgan Chase.
I could really use some urgent help here if anyone can point me in the right direction.

model: 00
Reference number: SSN/Tax ID/payment date

Richard Lewis16 said:Look, I’m just saying... there’s someone out there who wants to make it big here in the States, be the first one to pull it off, so they can get all those headlines and become the next big thing... basically, I've stumbled onto an idea that’s going to hit the American market like a greasy breakfast burrito at 4 AM hits a hungry guy on a midnight run...

We're talking about 3D printing "photographs" of people, essentially turning portraits into physical objects...
All I'm asking for is a simple 15% cut of the monthly revenue to keep things moving...

Give me a few months, and I fully expect to see a massive feature story in a major outlet like The New York Times, with my name right there in the spotlight...🙂

I see what you're doing. 😁 Just be ready to deal with a dozen competitors popping up in your own city within a couple of months. 😁

briskranger5 said:There are certainly plenty of brilliant, talented young people out there, but if my life has taught me anything, it's this:

1.) Behind the vast majority of these "prodigies" stands a set of parents or a support system that invested heavily in them.

2.) You can be incredibly talented and still end up as just an average freelancer; to reach the next level, you need someone to push you through the door.

That means politics, or someone connected to politics—not necessarily you directly, but usually some wealthy patron. It isn't a guarantee of success, but it gives you the opportunity, and if you're smart, you take advantage of it. 😉

Learned the exact same way. (:

Ashley Mendoza6 said:You have to read between the lines here. It’s common knowledge that our local news outlets love to "glamorize" stories like this.

Personally, I know a few people who were hailed by the media as if they had achieved something monumental abroad, when in reality, they were just selling smoke and mirrors. They ended up crawling back to the US because someone overseas finally realized they were total frauds. Of course, the newspapers wrote that they returned to "give back to their country." ☕ mosh mslt

As for what happened with this girl specifically—they probably conveniently forgot to mention that

1) Someone actually funded her studies in Milan (her parents, for instance). She was definitely being pushed along; there is no way she jumped from a low-income housing project in Springfield straight into a high-end Milan design studio on her own.

2) She likely charmed some influential figure during her internship right after graduation. We can all guess how a "versatile" young woman manages to win over someone like that. I'm not saying that as a criticism, mind you.

3) Once someone opens up the world to you and introduces you to circles where people have more money than sense (you start hanging out with the wives of industrial titans and bankers who are never home), it becomes incredibly easy to sell any kind of "art" at astronomical prices.

In any case, the article only presents the positive side. Honestly, it wouldn't surprise me if she decides to return to "help the homeland" once her youth and looks have faded.

At the end of the day, I'm happy for people who get to live their dreams. And you really should be 😉

I.

Of course they sugarcoat it. That's exactly why I started this thread—to see what everyone else thinks. I agree with you, mostly, except on a few minor points... mainly the moral ones. 😁

Thomas Hernandez11 said:Anthony,
How on earth can some absolute pile of garbage cause you to be emotionally unstable? Seriously, I’m struggling to wrap my head around that logic. It’s just nonsense.
Look, if you’re fundamentally unstable, you’ve got a problem that goes way deeper than any single argument or specific situation. It’s a character flaw, plain and simple, and honestly? That kind of volatility is a recipe for disaster. You can't just patch over someone who lacks a solid foundation.🤔
Look, you really could have stepped up and done something about all that mess she caused...😉
They basically wrote her off as a failure simply because she couldn't figure out how to weaponize being a woman to gain some kind of massive advantage. It’s the same old story.😁

Honestly, if you ask me, the whole thing is just a complete joke. It’s nothing more than a pathetic attempt at humor that ends up being cringeworthy. You see it all the time—people trying way too hard to crack these cheap, tasteless jokes in dive bars, thinking they're being clever when they're really just making everyone uncomfortable. It’s just mindless, low-brow nonsense.
Look, I’m not one to preach, but we all know that being able to laugh at the absurdity of it all is sometimes the only thing keeping us sane. It’s good for the soul, truly.😁
It’s honestly pathetic how people go out of their way to embarrass themselves over absolutely nothing. You see it all the time—people throwing themselves under the bus, making fools of themselves, and then acting like they didn't just commit social suicide in front of everyone. It’s unnecessary, it’s loud, and quite frankly, it's exhausting to watch. Why do people feel the need to be so incredibly reckless with their own reputations? I mean, seriously, have some self-respect.

What exactly are we supposed to expect from a country where the same handful of people stay in power indefinitely? It’s nothing but a massive disgrace—a total embarrassment to everyone living here.
They just keep on lying through their teeth without even blinking, acting like they aren't total frauds. It’s honestly pathetic to watch that vein pop in their forehead when they're caught in a lie. If people who are supposedly "upstanding" can't even manage to be honest, what on earth are you supposed to expect from some random stranger out on the street? When someone is just driven by pure instinct to claw their way into a better life, why would anyone expect them to play by the rules? It's all just survival of the fittest at that point.

I’m going to say this again, because apparently, I haven't made myself clear enough the first time.
What exactly makes her so successful? I mean, seriously, where does all this praise come from? It’s one of those things that really gets under my skin because when you actually sit down and look at the mechanics of it—really dissect the way she operates—it doesn't always add up to the hype we see in the media. I remember back when I was working a grueling stint over in Chicago, dealing with some incredibly high-pressure management, and I saw this exact same pattern. You have these figures who seem to glide through everything, and everyone just nods along like they've reached some pinnacle of achievement. But if you pull back the curtain, is it actual talent, or is it just a very polished brand? Is it strategy, or is it just being in the right place at the right time while everyone else is doing the heavy lifting? It feels like we’re constantly being sold this narrative of effortless excellence, but I’ve always been the type to demand a bit more substance before I start buying into the cult of personality. What is the actual foundation here? If you can't point to a specific, repeatable methodology, then calling it "success" starts to feel a bit hollow, doesn't it? I'm genuinely curious if anyone has a real answer, or if we're all just following the trend.
Let’s be real right out of the gate: this supposed "massive success" of hers is nothing more than the standard trajectory for any typical college student in America. Honestly? It’s completely unremarkable. There is absolutely nothing special about it.
So, some journalist just churned out this massive write-up about how she supposedly "saved" that absolute disaster of a local politician. Honestly? It’s nothing special. Just more sensationalist fluff designed to make her look like a hero while polishing the image of someone who is fundamentally incompetent. I've seen better storytelling in a middle school newsletter.
Look, let's be real here—this girl is out there scraping by on whatever part-time gigs she can stumble upon just to keep her head above water. It’s a constant struggle. She’s working these random shifts just to afford basic necessities, fund her travels, or even just have a little bit of fun every now and then. It’s a grind, honestly. One minute you're picking up extra hours at a coffee shop or running errands, and the next, you're praying the paycheck actually covers your flight to Vegas or a weekend trip to Miami. It’s exhausting, seeing someone hustle that hard just to maintain some semblance of a social life and see the world.
Some half-baked design project just wrapped up... honestly, thank God it wasn't some degree from RISD.
I’ve lived in quite a few different cities around the globe—and honestly, I have nothing but respect for that kind of life.
She was clearly trying to worm her way into some kind of position—though, if she actually ended up landing somewhere in China, then it’s obvious those Western bureaucrats didn't fall for her nonsense. They saw right through her stories, which were nothing more than cheap bar talk.
And now they’re slashing prices just to see if anyone is desperate enough to take the bait... Typical.
I suppose she enjoyed wandering around aimlessly for a while, but honestly, it’s about time she actually found a place to settle down. You can't just drift forever. Besides, time waits for no one—the years have a way of catching up with you whether you're ready or not.
Look, let’s be honest about how this world actually works. It’s brutal out there. If you aren't making moves and breaking through the noise at a rapid pace, you aren't just standing still—you’re actively sinking. You’re sliding toward failure while everyone else is accelerating past you. I learned this the hard way back when I was trying to climb the ladder at a firm in Chicago; if you weren't the first one in and the last one out, making sure your name was known, you were basically invisible. And in this economy? Being invisible is just a slow way to go broke. You either find your lane and floor it, or you get left in the dust. Simple as that.
It seems like everyone’s obsessed with playing the part of some high-society, white-collar elitist lately. Nobody wants to get their hands dirty anymore. Everyone wants the fancy office, the designer suit, and the prestige, but nobody actually wants to step foot on a construction site or deal with the grit and grime of real labor. It's all about the image, and zero percent about the actual work.
And then there’s the whole language issue... honestly, that's a massive question all on its own.
I mean, logically speaking, if someone actually lived somewhere for a significant amount of time, you’d assume they picked up the language. It’s common sense, right? But then again... language isn't some static thing you just download and store on a hard drive. It’s a living, breathing entity. If you aren't actively using it, if you aren't pushing it every single day, you're essentially out. You lose that edge. It's like any other skill—you stop practicing, you start fading. Simple as that.
Look, I’m not saying I can sit down in a boardroom in London or Tokyo and conduct high-level negotiations in their native tongues—I can't claim that level of fluency. If things get complicated, I usually just resort to some basic hand gestures or broken phrases to hack my way through the conversation. But let me tell you, when there's someone else in the room who actually understands the nuances of what's being said? Someone who's truly listening and knows those languages inside and out? Man, they’re usually sitting there biting their lip, trying desperately not to burst out laughing at the absurdity of it all.😁

rustywalker42.

Quincy:

How exactly is some random trash supposed to make you lose it? Seriously? So you're just unstable by nature? That’s not exactly a great look...🤔 What did she even do? You could have handled that yourself...😉 So she was labeled a failure just because she couldn't figure out how to weaponize being a woman? Is that where we're at now?😁

I don't know. Am I losing my grip because of Miranda? 😁Yeah, I'm with her on this one. News like this is just toxic. It paints this totally fake picture of success that isn't actually happening.

Quincy:

I’m saying it again. So, what exactly makes her so successful? Let’s be real. Her big "success"? It’s just the standard track for any typical American student. Seriously, nothing special about it. So, some journalist wrote this whole big piece about how she saved some local disaster. Honestly? It’s nothing special. Just more hype for zero substance. She can barely scrape together enough part-time gigs just to keep her head above water, let alone afford a trip or actually have any fun. Some half-baked design nonsense just wrapped up... thank God they didn't graduate from RISD.

Look at how this article is written. Everything is "world-class." Everything is "the absolute best." That’s the whole point, isn't it?

Quincy:

It’s logical to assume if she lived there, she picked up the language. But still... language is a living thing. If you don't use it, you're out. I mean, sure, I can hold my own in Canada or maybe even up in Seattle... but let’s not kid ourselves. It's not like I'm suddenly fluent. I can hack through the basics with an axe if I have to. But anyone actually listening who knows those languages? They’re probably dying of laughter.😁

I'm honestly terrified she actually mastered six different languages just by bouncing around some cities for a few months at a time. How does that even work?

Nancy Green7 said:Why call out Prpić and Bakić? I already know exactly what people have to say about those other two.

Let's not turn this thread into a debate about them. Not here.

Robin Johnson said:Personally, I don't believe even 10% of this crap.

Some woman has connections within that EPH mess—they love running pieces like this, especially when it’s about "successful young female entrepreneurs."

The people I actually know who are killing it—real winners—never do interviews like this. They don't need these fluff pieces; they just don't care.

Gloria (yet another EPH thing) is basically reserved for these fairy tales—they write these myths about women, like the wife of that guy Goluža. He funded her whole company—any smart person reading a "major entrepreneur" profile will realize her biggest achievement was just showing up at an international trade show. Big deal, right?

How many actual contracts did she sign? Zero. It’s always that vague wording: "Foreign investors from Israel and the USA have shown interest," and so on and so forth...

In reality, it's just one big nothingness launched with her husband's cash. But hey, the article paints her as this incredibly successful young powerhouse.

Then you've got them singing praises about Velina—that former dance star—acting like she's some massive business mogul with her own cosmetics line.

They conveniently forget they were writing about her a year or two ago as a huge entrepreneur running an exclusive flower shop—which tanked in the meantime. Both businesses were bankrolled by rich old guys.

And now, here they are again, presenting her as this wildly successful young woman. Of course, they’ll mention things like a one-year certificate in decoupage design or whatever.

There was also that story about the daughter of that woman from America, Nina Oberaiter Gluhak.

The kid decides she wants to do jewelry design, finishes a quick course, and boom—immediately there's an article about a "successful jewelry designer." How much she actually sold? They’re never gonna tell you that. Real results never make the cut.

But she gets portrayed as this incredible success story, and we’re all supposed to be impressed.

Don't be naive. You see these articles about male entrepreneurs too, but since I don't know their specific business backgrounds, I can't call them out. Most of them are just as hollow.

People who are truly successful don't need these write-ups—unfortunately, you won't even hear about them. And those are the people we should actually be reading about, because that's where the real lessons are.

Honestly, I think these kinds of articles are socially toxic. For more naive readers, they trigger depression and resentment toward their own lives. They start thinking everyone else is doing better or is somehow superior. Usually, they aren't.

EPH has specialized in this exact nonsense. Everyone is a superstar in EPH publications.
It's a total fantasy land.

You're not the only one who sees through this. There are plenty of genuinely successful people—some even more successful than her—but you won't find fluff pieces like this written about them.

That’s exactly how I see it. Articles like this just trigger that exact reaction in people. They start wondering—wait, if that's an issue, then where exactly is my problem?

Richard Lewis16 said:It’s not just some morning news rag covering this lady, you know...
You can find an article about her on TechCrunch from a few years back, and if you dig even deeper, there’s stuff in the New York Post too...

And honestly, why would anyone feel sorry for her being over in China? If anything, it should be a wake-up call... I mean, if she could make it happen there, who's stopping me?

This whole thing just reeks of heavy pessimism and people constantly selling themselves short...
People like her really ought to be the blueprint for how anyone can actually make it if they give it a shot, which is exactly what that article felt like to me...

P.S. It’s true that there was a much better profile on that guy who started Icon, he was featured on some major business site recently...

But read him again. Every single paragraph is just a list of "achievements." Seriously? Nobody gets that lucky. Not even the wealthiest people in the country. Look, I don’t mind an article being written, but at least make it realistic. Instead of acting like she's this self-made prodigy when she actually speaks six languages—including various regional dialects and English—and her millionaire parents sent her to school in New York City and have been bankrolling her entire life. That’s my point. This kind of fake PR creates this massive illusion of success that is nowhere near the truth.
That’s like saying you work at Google, then just conveniently forgetting to mention you're actually scrubbing dishes in the Google cafeteria. You didn't lie, per se. You just gave the truth a little makeover.

Nancy Green7 said:It doesn't have to be outright lies; it’s all about how you frame the narrative. That’s what PR is for. You aren't making things up, you're just twisting the truth using vague, loaded language.

The reality is that we read something and then assign our own meaning to those specific words.

Take the phrase "speaks 6 languages," for example. Most people immediately picture a bunch of exotic foreign tongues, but in reality, if you count English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian, you're already at five. Throw in a little Portuguese and suddenly you're at six.

Or look at "top-tier companies are scrambling for these products." Everyone’s mind jumps straight to Apple, Ford, Google, or some other massive conglomerate, but honestly, any small firm could claim to be the "most powerful" within their own tiny niche.

The woman probably has an interesting resume, and this article is more of a poetic, loose interpretation of the facts. I personally know several people who could spin stories just like this. The simple fact that you move through several completely different states in just a few years provides plenty of fertile ground for this kind of storytelling. Looking at my own life, I haven't lived in my hometown for years now, and being an outsider makes it easier—people tend to remember you more easily when you're the newcomer.

Yeah, that’s exactly what I was thinking too. 😁 Time to add Mexican to the list too. 😬

Thomas Hernandez11 said:Anthony,
what is even the issue with this girl!?🙂

I honestly don't see why she couldn't pull it all off, especially after she moved abroad...
I mean, she surely had to be out there hustling somehow (since she clearly wasn't doing anything high-brow) in terms of networking and just rubbing elbows with the right people..
and like Richard Lewis16 said,
with a little bit of luck (which people always seem to forget when they succeed—they act like it was all their own selfish drive when, really, God played a part too),
natural talent, and a massive amount of hard work, I don't see a problem with who she is as a person.
Look, it’s not like she earned a PhD at MIT or even an engineering degree in Chicago... she's just one of those indie/artsy types...
Especially considering she probably only ever showed the "sunny side" of her life...😁
It's common knowledge that in the showbiz industry, everything runs on favors and connections, so I don't see any reason why people over there would be immune to that, frankly...

Besides, ending up in China as a pretty foreign woman carries its own price tag... which is obviously where she can maximize her value..😁

And beyond that, why are we even calling this a success story!?
By what metric is she considered "ultra-successful" (though I suppose she is)? There are thousands of girls just like her..
At the end of the day, everyone defines success differently..
I mean, at this rate, someone might declare Emma Dvornik a massive success just because she lives in London... give me a break...🤣
Or someone could have a kid and suddenly be considered successful... 👏

Other than the fact that I don't believe 90% of what's being written here? Nothing. 😁

I don't see why she couldn't pull it off, especially after she headed out on her own...
So, she probably spent her time out there networking or whatever—running around trying to make connections since she couldn't exactly stay put. Or was she just wandering around aimlessly? Who knows.

Look, that’s all well and good, but did you actually bother to read the article? Seriously? Let me just pull out a few things for you:

She kicked things off studying design in Milan. She actually snagged a scholarship at a top-tier university there—wasn't just some random luck, either. Out of 200 students from all over Europe, she was the one they picked.
Meanwhile, she went ahead and knocked out her Master’s in interior design and urban planning.
So, Miranda’s fronting this massive band in China right now—huge popularity there. And her jewelry and furniture designs? You wouldn't believe it. Top-tier global corporations are practically clawing at each other just to get their hands on them.
Right after she finished school, she landed a job with Renzo Piano. You know, one of those heavy-hitting global architects? The guy TIME actually ranked as one of the ten most influential people in art and music. Plus, he's the mind behind that massive skyscraper in London.
An offer to work alongside that famous Italian architect Gianni Ranaul on some interior design project landed her in Paris, and before she knew it, she was halfway across the world in Mexico City.
So, Ranaulo does this specific thing with lighting. I actually worked on an interior project with him in Las Vegas once—totally wild setup, complete with a speaker that moves up and down. Anyway, a friend of mine who worked with Piano fell head over heels for a Mexican guy, and they ended up opening an office in Mexico City together. She invited me to join them, and you know what? I said yes. I was itching to go back to school anyway; I had my sights set on urban planning, so that became my second master's degree. I was the only non-architect in the program, too. Out of about thirty students, I was easily the youngest. They even gave me a scholarship for it. Then, after I presented my thesis, they offered me a PhD program in Barcelona. So, I packed my bags, quit the job in Mexico, headed back to Europe, and started hunting for an apartment in Barcelona. That’s the story, according to Miranda.
So, while she was hunting for an apartment in Barcelona, she decided—without getting her hopes up too high, obviously—to toss her resume over to an architecture firm in London. Apparently, living in London has always been the dream.

It was my birthday at the time, so I headed over to London for a few days to celebrate with friends. I figured I’d just worry about finding an apartment back in Barcelona once I got home. Then, out of nowhere, I get an email from that office asking me in for an informal interview. They actually asked if I could start the very next day. I pushed it back a few days, ended up staying in London for two years, and stayed on with them for a year and a half before photography caught my eye. The whole thing happened by accident. We had a deadline for some award submission, and since nobody had any free time to photograph our building, I just stepped up and did it. The director loved it. Suddenly, he's sending me on photo assignments left and right. To really sharpen my skills, I reached out to the heavy hitters—Iwan Bann and Fernand Guerra. Eventually, I even ended up collaborating with them in China.
"They scouted me to shoot for Blueprint—you know, that magazine every architect obsesses over. I was out there photographing 20th-century architecture and did a whole series on Wembley Stadium. Not long after, I snagged a year-long visa for New York. I had some freelance gigs lined up for London and was writing for a blog, too. I was only supposed to stay three months, but honestly? I went crazy for New York. I live for jazz. I ended up staying eight months," Miranda says. But apparently, China was her karma all along. She spent forever looking for work anywhere in the world, and where does she land? Beijing.

So, I landed this killer gig as a media promoter for an international firm with offices everywhere. Honestly? I didn't think I stood a chance. But then the director calls me for a Skype interview. And get this—I actually messed up the time zone, showed up in my pajamas, and kept my camera off. Somehow, they hired me anyway. That was my ticket to Asia. My life became a whirlwind of organizing exhibitions, scouting venues, hunting down sponsors, and even collaborating with architects on design projects. I was all over the map—attending conferences in Colombia and Mexico City, lecturing at universities, guesting on radio shows. I basically acted as the right hand to every director across their global offices, according to Miranda. Then, everything changed during the 2013 Beijing Design Week. I met this Italian architect who specialized in concrete. We teamed up, started experimenting, and ended up creating concrete jewelry. That’s where the whole jewelry chapter of Miranda's story really takes off.

Look, I'm done copying and pasting. Just read the article. 😁 Every single paragraph is just one win after another. Scholarships are drying up, yet they call her the best? They need the top talent right now. You don't see stories like that in the movies.

Like Richard Lewis16 says,
Bad luck? Please. People always forget that when things actually go right, they were blessed by God. Instead, they just credit their own selfish egos. Why is that?
Natural talent plus a ton of hard work? Fine by me. I don't see any issue with her just being exactly who she is.

Look, luck is obviously a massive factor. But man, this isn't just being lucky. It’s like... what do you even call it? A landslide of good fortune? Is she just the physical embodiment of luck at this point?

So, let me get this straight. She didn't even get a PhD from MIT, nor did she study mechanical engineering at some top university in Chicago. It was just some veggie-eating, woke nonsense, right?
Especially since she probably only shared the "sunny side" of things...😁
It’s common knowledge that in show business, everything runs on who you know and who's sleeping with whom. So why would anyone think those folks out there are any different? They aren't. Not by a long shot.

Besides, she’ll probably end up in China as some hot blonde. Everything has a price, right? And let's be real—she'll get the best deal there.😁

No way am I getting involved in that.

And besides that, how is that even considered a success story?!
What makes her so incredibly successful? Seriously? There are thousands just like her out there.
Besides, everyone’s got their own yardstick for success. Right?
Oh great, just waiting for someone to declare Emma Dvornik a massive success because she lives in London... what an incredible achievement. Seriously?🤣
So, someone just has a kid and suddenly they're a success story? Is that how this works now?

Look, please. Just like I've asked everyone else on this forum, let's not waste our breath debating what "success" actually means. Seriously. For some people, success is just raising kids and landing a steady job at Walmart. For others? It’s running for President of the United States. To each their own.

So, my question is this: do you guys actually buy into this kind of stuff?

Gerald Palmer66 said:No.

Not me either. 😁 But man, I wish he’d actually explain his reasoning for once. 😁

Richard Lewis16 said:Well, she's 33, so she isn't exactly old (though I'm in those "old" years myself, so maybe I'm biased)

but look, she had talent, she had luck, and then she had the guts to go for it, and things just aligned...
I mean, it can definitely happen where someone offers you a great opportunity, and it happened to me once too; you just have to be lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time, and then have the balls to take the risk (kind of like how she describes it, an "informal interview," which basically means grabbing coffee to see if they like your vibe)
As for the singing thing, she’s white over there, so it’s kind of like how people in Hollywood are obsessed with certain stars, or how Chinese icons are huge in Colombia (heaven knows why)...
those Chinese stars literally get stopped on the street by people wanting photos, even the cops🤣🤣
but when we poor, miserable white guys ask to snap a photo, it's a no-go because we're "on duty," you see the badges and all that...
as for why they can do it, the answer is simply that they look like their colleagues🤣🤣
honestly, he couldn't have been any stupider

Yeah, alright. I'm in that age bracket myself. I was mostly implying she's never actually performed in front of a symphony orchestra, but sure, let's add that to the list.

Quincey:

Look, she had talent, she had luck, and then she had guts, so everything just fell into place. Of course things happen. You get offered a massive gig—it happened to me, too. You just need the luck to be in the right place at the right time, and then the balls to actually take the risk. (Like when she mentioned that "informal interview"—basically just grabbing coffee to see if you vibe with them.) As for her singing career, she's white over there. It's like how certain actors are huge in Hollywood, or how Chinese stars are massive in Colombia (God knows why). People literally stop Chinese celebrities on the street just to snap a photo. Even the cops. 🤣🤣 But when us poor, pathetic white guys ask for a picture? Forget it. We're "on duty," we can show our badges, blah blah blah. Why can they? Because he looks like one of their own. 🤣🤣 The guy couldn't be any more clueless.

Look, I get the whole "white people are famous there" thing, I really do. But did you even actually read the article?

Every other day there's some story about these super-mega-hyper-genius young prodigies who "made it." I usually just tune them out—honestly, I’ve always felt the same way about this stuff—but this one actually made me want to start a thread. 😁

http://www.nytimes.com/life/lifestyle-success-stories/5480043/

So, here's the deal: this woman speaks six languages, she's lived in every major cosmopolitan hub on the planet, she's got two master's degrees, and a PhD—all fully funded, mind you. Everyone just hands her stuff for free. The world's top designers and photographers are all begging to work with her; everything just lands in her lap without her even breaking a sweat. they just call her. On top of that, she sings in two massive Chinese pop bands and now, in her late 30s, she's performing with a symphony orchestra.

Oh, wait, forgot to mention: she's launching a luxury jewelry line because, you guessed it, they called her.

And again, totally slipped my mind: she's also designing a high-end furniture collection because, surprise, surprise, she was invited.

What I want to know is: what do you guys think of these stories? How much of this is actually real, and what's the point of them besides pure self-promotion and selling this illusion of success?

Or am I just some bitter loser who didn't "make it" and is now just here to spread envy on a forum? 😁

amberranger86 said:I’m currently paying my $320 premiums in the States, and I’ve somehow managed to land a 50 percent discount, even though I officially hit my 24th birthday this year. My current policy coverage is set to expire in about ten days, and it got me thinking—is that extra surcharge for young drivers, which usually runs around $67
, actually still applicable to someone in my position?

Why not just call them and ask? 🤔

Jessica Morris6 said:It’s basically just some software you set up for a home theater system that handles downloading videos from torrents and grabbing the subtitles for you. But honestly, it’s pretty flawed because the plugins only work for specific subtitle sites... it doesn't have anything for something like Subtitle Central, for instance. I think it has support for Subtitles and OpenSubtitles, though. From what I gather, it just scrapes through public trackers, which means if you're trying to watch something obscure like this http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3876854/ and there aren't any seeders available, you're pretty much out of luck...

"Niche stuff"? This isn't even a feature film. Besides, you can find it on Vimeo or YouTube.

I don't use Kodi myself, but my brother does, and I know he's managed to dig up some seriously obscure movies on there.

Aaron Ruiz22 said:Three apartments in Washington, D.C. (two of them Downtown), a house in Washington, D.C., a house in Appalachia, two houses in California, and a house in Key West. There is also some farmland, forests, and vineyards.

Get ready—your inbox is about to be flooded with marriage proposals. 😁

Since you’re getting all specific about the inheritance, I gotta ask: are you an only child? Is this all riding on your shoulders?

Rachel Turner2 said:Man, he’s just a kid. You can tell by how he writes.

Exactly. That's why I'm not even bothering to reply.

rowdypilot19 said:I mean, it kind of depends on how you look at it. Like, does everyone who has a million count as a millionaire? And if they spend one more dollar, suddenly they aren't? I guess... 🤣

You're young, you'll figure it out. Just don't ever say "never" in your life, seriously, remember that. My old man used to say "never" about so many things, and then he’d totally change his mind because the situation shifted. 😁

Honestly, I'm pretty sure you're just trolling me. 🍿

Well, pretty much. 😁

But we're talking about a currency that actually holds value. Like, being a millionaire in Zimbabwean dollars doesn't mean squat. 😂

I was a millionaire in Belarus once. Not anymore, though—they chopped four zeros off the bills. 😢

There's a bunch of millionaires on this thread. 😁

Drew Gonzalez12 said:It might seem like a significant amount to you, but when you step back and look at the bigger picture, it really isn't. For instance, my younger cousin is set to inherit two condos from his father and three vacation rentals in Malibu from his mother, whereas I won't be inheriting a single thing from my mother.🙄

I can't help but feel a bit of regret that my mother hails from the Midwest rather than somewhere like Malibu where my father is from.😁 It seems that many local families here possess substantial properties or sizable plots of land that remain quite valuable—even if about 80% of that real estate has already been snapped up by foreign investors. To give you an idea, one of my neighbors could easily walk away with 2 million dollars if she decided to sell off all her acreage.

You’ve got 800 square meters of buildable land just 100 meters from the beach and you’re telling me that’s nothing? You know that old saying about "having it all and realizing you have nothing"? Maybe try that sometime. Look, I'm not wishing that on you, but seriously—a little humility wouldn't hurt.

I didn't get anything, and honestly, I'm not expecting much.

Drew Gonzalez12 said:Back home in the States, everything was settled for me once I hit my eighteenth birthday. I ended up inheriting two apartments within our family home, along with about 8,000 square feet of land, which I suppose is decent, though I can't say I'm exactly thrilled about it. I am just incredibly grateful that it’s located on the California coast, just a stone's throw from the ocean, rather than being tucked away somewhere deep in the Midwest.

Everything I have came down through my father's side. My mother didn't leave much behind, of course—she grew up in the Midwest with five siblings, and they all have to share a single house. To be honest, I don't lose much sleep over that house; at this point, my little patch of land near the coast feels far more valuable than any property out in the heartland.🤣

That is why I always tell people you should marry someone from the coast; those girls from the interior rarely come with any assets to speak of.🤣

🤦

Caught this one on TV shortly after it hit theaters. It was a huge hit back then and stayed in rotation for a while.

Overall? Good flick. Might give it another watch sometime just to refresh my memory. 🙂

Noah Hall98 said:That's a different story. If you open an image in a new tab outside of this site, it hits your browser's cache. That's why it shows up on the forum after you hit F5.

But that’s literally what we’ve been talking about this whole time. Besides, most subforums here don't even let you use IMG tags—they just let you post links.

Noah Hall98 said:has anyone actually figured out what's going on with this issue?

Is this even real? If the owners are just being cheap and won't fix it, why not just start a GoFundMe? I’d actually chip in. 👍

Usually, this stuff doesn't work.

Lawrence Lee43 said:It works. Every single time. Just hit refresh.

Noah Hall98 said:I disagree. It doesn't work. Ever.

Noah Hall98 said:Firefox and Chrome are both acting up here.

It works fine. If F5 isn't doing it for you, try clicking the link and hitting ENTER once it's highlighted. Tested it on both Firefox and Chrome.

It’s working on Imgur, you just have to hit F5, or basically refresh the page you've got open.

Stumbled onto this while hitting F5.

I mean, seriously, I have no clue why Imgur is acting up like this.

vividfox9 said:Well... yeah.

Wait, you mean the Federal Republic of Germany?

Well... looks like we have both the official version and the unofficial one on the table.
I'm not really on board with that.
I don't really see the point in anyone feeling the need to go out and fly their own flag.
That’s just plain disrespectful to the country.

The core components of your argument... Yeah, I see where you're coming from.
Everyone’s got their own take on things.

Are we actually talking about meaningful arguments here?
Look, everyone’s got their own perspective. We all hold onto our own beliefs and just frame them as arguments to back ourselves up.

Exactly. These are global legal standards. And you can stay stuck in your "yeah, right" denial all you want—it won't change the facts.

What about the Federal Republic of Germany?

Of course they can.

Aha... one official and one unofficial...

Both are official. One is the official flag of an independent republic, and the other is the official flag of a people from that first independent republic living within a second independent republic.

I'm not for it.
I don't see any point in anyone flying their own flag if they feel like it.
It’s disrespectful to the state.

And who cares what you think? What kind of factor are you even in legal matters regarding this stuff?

The components of your stance... Sure.
Everyone has their own opinion...

This isn't about my opinion; it's about the law. You're arrogantly throwing the law into the mix without actually backing up a single thing you say. I tried to shut you down, but you just kept trolling.

Argumentative messages..?
I'm saying everyone has their thoughts... Everyone believes in their own convictions, which they then treat as arguments...

Yes, argumentative. Read above. I am responding with concrete points based on the laws of the Republic of America, international law, and UN conventions.

Your messages basically boil down to—if I may quote you:

vividfox9 said:Yeah.

What?
What's the deal with dual citizenship?

Well, if we’re going by that logic, we should be hanging the flag of the United States instead of just representing certain groups within the country.
At the end of the day, there's only one address, not a bunch of them.
You really have to make up your mind... either you're an actual citizen of the US who lives here, pays taxes, and helps build this country, or you simply aren't.

That’s just old wives' tales.

Please clean this up and be precise.

And this one too... That sentence is just something you made up in your head.
Try to be a bit clearer...

Sure, maybe I’m missing something, but honestly, you’re getting so caught up in all those vague terms that—as they say—you're just talking nonsense.

Give me a call at the legal department of the US Congress...

Same thing again, just like your earlier posts... I assume you're letting your hometown emotions get the better of you. You're hyperventilating and talking total nonsense.
How on earth does the age of one country dictate the laws of another modern nation?!

If laughing helps, go for it... But it also shows you don't really understand how law works, since it doesn't necessarily tie directly into historical timelines...

Quote:

Clean this sentence up and be precise, will you?

This one too... Honestly, this sentence is just something you made up in your head.

Try being a bit clearer...

Call the legal department at the American Parliament then.

I guess hometown nostalgia finally hit you. You’re hyperventilating and talking nonsense.

Sorry... arguing with you is exhausting, so I'm trying my best to stay polite. Frustration, I guess. Don't worry, I'll be fine. 🍿

Well, if I'm asking anyone about this, it definitely won't be you... Zvekane!

Just look at the crowd here—nothing but incredibly smart, logical, and well-argued messages. Not a single one. 👍

vividfox9 said:Unfortunately, yeah...

Look, I hate to break it to you, but those are legal precedents used all over the world.

So, what? Are we just supposed to fly the flag of the Fourth Reich—you know, Germany's—right in front of the Ministry of Economy..?!

Nah, because Nazi symbols are actually illegal under the law.

So, what? We just get to pick whatever flag we want to tack onto the official one? Everyone just chooses their own?
Picture this: the flag of Argentina flying right in front of, say, the Department of Defense. There's actually quite a large group of Americans living in Argentina who originally headed over there to fight back in '91.

Exactly. But you've gotta have the American flag right there next to it, too.

Look, sorry... arguing with you is just draining. I'm honestly trying my best to stay polite here, but I think I'm just hitting a wall of pure frustration. Don't worry about me, though—I'll be fine.🍿

It’s exhausting, isn't it? Arguing with someone who just takes your points apart piece by piece like they're performing an autopsy. I totally get it. It's draining.

Well, if I'm going to ask anyone about this, it certainly won't be you... Zvekane!

Nice tone. Really. But hey, I get it—hard to come up with a comeback when you’ve got absolutely nothing to counter my actual arguments.

vividfox9 said:Yeah.

What?
What's the deal with dual citizenship?

Well, if we’re going by that logic, we should be hanging the flag of the United States instead of just representing certain groups within the country.
At the end of the day, there's only one address, not a bunch of them.
You really have to make up your mind... either you're an actual citizen of the US who lives here, pays taxes, and helps build this country, or you simply aren't.

That’s just old wives' tales.

Please clean this up and be precise.

And this one too... That sentence is just something you made up in your head.
Try to be a bit clearer...

Sure, maybe I’m missing something, but honestly, you’re getting so caught up in all those vague terms that—as they say—you're just talking nonsense.

Give me a call at the legal department of the US Congress...

Same thing again, just like your earlier posts... I assume you're letting your hometown emotions get the better of you. You're hyperventilating and talking total nonsense.
How on earth does the age of one country dictate the laws of another modern nation?!

If laughing helps, go for it... But it also shows you don't really understand how law works, since it doesn't necessarily tie directly into historical timelines...

I'll say it again: Canadian Americans are full citizens of America just like the Americans living in America, no matter how much that hurts your feelings.
No, you can't just hang the flag of Canada, because most citizens of Canada AREN'T citizens of America.

Please, clean up this sentence and be precise..

And this one too.. This sentence is just something you made up in your head.
Try being clearer...

I don't have anything to clean up. Everything is clearly stated. The fact that it bothers you and that you're trolling is entirely your own problem.

Sure, maybe I wasn't understood, but your emotions getting mixed up in that basket of vague terms above also suggests that... how do they say it in plain English? You're just talking crap..

Is this what passes for an argued debate to you?

Call the legal department of the American Parliament..

Again, I'm asking the question—which specific item of the law was broken? I'm still waiting for an answer. Your avoidance of it and replying like this only implies you're a troll and nothing more.
You drop a law, a quote that has nothing to do with the topic, and then talk about disrespecting it, without ever actually stating which clause was violated. Brilliant.

Same thing again, just like the posts above... I assume you've been caught up in some hometown emotion. Hyperventilating and talking nonsense.
How can the age of one country determine the laws of another modern state?!

What's your problem? Are you foaming at the mouth because you didn't run into a crowd of people who agree with you?
I won't even comment on that question, because you haven't grasped my previous point at all.
I still maintain that you are a total illiterate when it comes to the history of Canada.

If you can laugh, that's healthy.. And it also explains why you don't know the legal material which doesn't necessarily touch historical trends...

I know the law perfectly well. I'm just waiting for you, "Mr. Lawyer," to explain which specific part of the law was broken by displaying this flag.

Anthony Jackson2 said:I’m just saying what most Americans actually feel—speaking for those who aren't interested in having some quasi-nationalists try to shove a North American quasi-state, largely made up of Mexicans and Canadians, down their throats as a second homeland.

Canada belongs to the Americans just as much as any other group. Honestly, this attitude is completely unnecessary.

@lonebadger6, Americans AREN'T a minority in Canada; they are a CONSTITUENT people. It’s honestly embarrassing that you, as the person moderating this thread, don't even know that.