Posts by slydrifter39

Nicole Gomez38 said:Regarding those four major banks—I already told you they aren't, so please don't badger me with the same question ten times over—but regardless, they’re all undervalued.

As for a bank run, it would definitely be a problem depending on the level of credit multiplier—from what I gather, based on $33 bank deposits, they can issue $50 in loans. Honestly, I'm dying to know just how much of that "virtual money" is actually out there. So, yes, I think it would be a problem, though I have no clue to what extent since those details are kept under lock and key by the big players. It's definitely something we should dive into eventually, but it's a bit of a tangent right now. I suspect that credit multiplier will always exist; it’s just a matter of how high it goes.

What a total joke of an entry. You’re basically trying to be Buffett, Trump, and Branson all rolled into one. 🙏

Nicole Gomez38 said:Sure, deposits are technically "placed," but let's be real—about 93% of the money supply stays tucked away inside the bank at any given time. The cash isn't actually leaving the vault; it's just being shuffled from one checking account number to another.

Yeah, real smart, Sherlock. Banks just take all the cash you deposit and shove it into one massive piggy bank. Then, when you pull out $33 at an ATM, it sends a signal for some teller to run over, smash the piggy bank with a hammer, and toss the cash into the machine.

It’s hilarious watching thesewannabe Marxist pretenders bicker about nationalizing banks. Yeah, because we all know how legendary state-owned companies are—just look at the massive losses at Wells Fargo. And don't even get me started on those industrial "success stories" like the old shipyards... nothing but non-stop wins there.

redheron12 said:I honestly don't know what people expect from the strategists over at Mercedes—you simply can't outmaneuver a massive gap in car performance and driver skill through tactics alone. If they get lucky with a bold call, maybe they'll snag a podium, but if they just play it safe and follow everyone else's lead, they aren't going to see any meaningful results...

Exactly. You've got bad strategy and good strategy. That’s why Button finished third while Alonso ended up fifth.

Kimberly Davis61 said:Kudos to McLaren... Ham's drive was something else... and seeing those pit strategies and tire management dialed in... maybe this season won't be a total snooze fest after all...🙄

As for Ferrari... it’s just classic sloppy Italian mismanagement... ever since they lost their top-tier engineers from the UK and Germany, their pit stops have gone downhill and the car itself? Don't even get me started... I guess they're still leaning on a bit of luck to stay relevant, but that window isn't going to stay open forever.

Time for some sodas.☕

Facts. This is the Ferrari I actually used to root for back in the day.😍

Massa: 🤣 :damonhill1999:

Hamilton 🙏 my respect for him keeps growing.

I honestly can't believe how much everyone is obsessing over that mistake by Felipe Massa. 🤦

I wanted to say more, but I'm not trying to spam. All I'll say is the race was pretty dull, and it sucks that the only guy this season who hasn't messed up wasn't fast enough (Jenson Button). Maybe he just had to save fuel. Anyway, cheers to the former champ. 👋

Hulk 🙏 🙏 🙏
Honestly, the guy looks like Kimi Räikkönen, and he kept it pretty chill too... kind of refreshing compared to that other German who screams into his mic every time he wins something ☕
Fingers crossed the two Red Bull Racing cars tangle up at Turn 1, let Robert Kubica slice through the mess into second, and leave everyone else stuck behind Hulk until the checkered flag 🙏 🙏

Quote:table> div>Of course. Since he started posting, he's been nothing but a McLaren fanboy. When Kimi grabbed the title, he acted like he'd just sucked on a bag of lemons. How can anyone actually root for this guy?

hollowdriver18 says: edit: and now you're obviously just trying to trash him 😢 >> >> >> div>

I said "even on the BBC they're defending them," implying even some Americans are siding with Ferrari, which happens just as often as anything else. Let's not get bogged down in semantics here.

hollowdriver18 said:I watched it.

Coulthard and the lead commentator were totally aligned with Ferrari's strategy, while that third guy was acting like a complete lunatic. 😁

And Stefan said all sorts of things, too. ☕ Everything is live. ☕

At least try to act like a journalist for once, instead of doing this. 🙂

Ah... Martin Brundle. Look, he was teammates with Schumacher, so of course he's got that "second driver by a mile" complex.

hollowdriver18 said:@ aside from slydrifter39 lying through his teeth, ☕

that guy on the BBC couldn't even begin to describe how absolutely chaotic it was 🤣
which BBC were you even watching? I have no clue ☕

😁

Read

Give me a break. As if Massa actually knows how to drive well enough to have a right to lose his mind like old-school Villeneuve, but this is just straight-up ridiculous. It’s just like what Alonso said over the radio 😬

stormyviper11 said:This whole mess with team orders and those idiotic bans is just a direct result of one guy, Rubens Barrichello, acting like a total loose cannon while he was on the ground in Austria. That scandal was so bad he should've been fired on the spot.

Look, if I’m dumping hundreds of millions of dollars into a business every single year, I have every right to decide how my drivers—who are being paid a fortune just for the privilege of driving for me—cross the finish line. In any real American corporation, if an employee acted out like that—publicly undermining management and making it obvious they don't give a damn about following orders right in front of investors and partners—they’d be kicked to the curb immediately.

Because of these stupid rules, we had to sit through that pathetic excuse for a press conference yesterday where the drivers were basically forced to dodge or ignore every question. Honestly, I really hope Ferrari hits Massa where it hurts financially for repeating a slightly toned-down version of Barrichello's nonsense... if they don't just fire him outright.

Three aces 🙏 🙏 🙏

cosmicridge5 said:I also like Button, and I can't wrap my head around McLaren's strategy, which says a lot. 😁

Regarding the team dynamic, I think they definitely favor Lewis. At least on an intimate level. 😁 I’m not saying they tell the drivers this openly or make it blatantly obvious, but I think it's definitely in the air. And look—the relationship (in terms of power and point gaps) between those two isn't even close to something like Massa and Alonso's. I believe McLaren expected Button to fall behind Lewis more significantly. It will be really interesting to see how things play out if they reach a situation where they actually *have* to help Lewis at Button's expense, which hasn't happened yet.

I suspect how much equality Button is 'allowed' will depend largely on how well he manages to push Lewis. I imagine if he weren't this close—if the gap between them were as obvious and massive as it is at Ferrari between Massa and Alonso—then Button would likely know his place too. 😁 In a situation like yesterday's, he might voluntarily 😉 offer less resistance to Lewis, allowing him to pass without having to issue an explicit order like they did to Massa, and without making the whole thing look as messy as it did.

One of Button's traits—and I'll call it a quality—is that the team's interests actually matter to him. He strikes me as an incredibly rational person who doesn't have ego issues. I think in a scenario like yesterday, he would realize that, for the sake of the team and the loyalty he seems to feel toward them, he doesn't need to defend his position tooth and nail. Unlike Massa, it would be clear to him what serves the team best and what the team legitimately expects from him. He wouldn't act foolishly or fight back so aggressively, only to end up embarrassing the team by forcing them to give him a direct order for something that should have been obvious. 🙄

I also feel for Massa that they had to say it to him. You know, the narrative sounds nice: "let them race, let him pass on track, blocking is cheating"—but when you look at the bigger picture, I don't think that mindset is right. From the perspective of the team, which the drivers are part of, that moment matters. They aren't just driving for themselves at the end of the day; they drive for the team. They should have some sense of belonging, respect, and 'loyalty' to that team, rather than focusing solely on their own selfish individual interests—at least when their own title chances are gone but the team's still remain.🤷 Don't forget there's a massive difference here because Button is still very much in the title hunt, whereas Massa isn't. So, I don't really buy your argument about him "defending his own title chances at all costs."

If I had been in Massa's shoes yesterday, I think I would have let my teammate through in that situation. Not obviously, but let's just say I wouldn't be defending myself quite as aggressively as if someone else were behind me. First off, I’d probably feel like it was my own fault for being such a huge distance behind in the points. It seems reasonable, and honestly fair—both to the team and the fans—to step aside for whoever actually still has a shot at the championship. To be honest, I’d feel like an irresponsible, selfish jerk if I were desperately fighting against my own teammate in a moment like that (especially knowing he's faster, and even if he is, it'll be hard for me to pass him anyway). It would feel like I was being selfish just to take first instead of second—even though being second doesn't realistically change my title hopes—and in doing so, ruining the team's last genuine chance to secure the Drivers' Championship 🤷

I suppose it just depends on your perspective and how you frame it in your head... but I view Formula 1 primarily as a team sport (regardless of the fact that only one driver can win the title). And again, Massa is out of the running here, which he himself has admitted—so in a team sport, I think different rules should apply, or at least ought to, compared to individual sports. 🤷 It reminds me of when soccer players get greedy and refuse to pass, trying to take shots from terrible, unrealistic positions instead... They end up missing, and they directly hurt the team. Personally, I find that ugly, selfish, and just plain wrong. 😳

Bottom line: having a Brazilian and a Spaniard on an Italian team is a disaster waiting to happen. It’s the perfect recipe for total chaos. When was the last time anyone speaking a Romance language actually won a title for Ferrari? Ask Juan Manuel Fangio back in 1956.

Basically, Ferrari isn't winning anything until they put someone like Jenson Button in the lead seat.

stormybadger8 said:Everything here is spot on, word for word. 👍

Look, personally, I'm not that bothered by Red Bull's messiness. Screw it, they have the drivers they have, and they're the ones who "raised" them—that's their problem.

Of course it wouldn't work with them. If they actually tried it, Webber would've been kicked to the curb last year, Kovalainen would be driving an RB, and Webber would be stuck in a Trulli's car—it's obvious as day.

But that's not the point. Honestly, I don't care if they do it one way or the other. I like them better this way, though I'd have loved to see Vettel win the title.

One thing that really pisses me off, though, is the moralizing fans and even worse, the obnoxious journalists. They attack Red Bull for a perfectly logical decision and some of Helmut's comments, yet they stay silent and smirk about this Ferrari crap. 🙄

I mean, look at our guys—Blažičko is talking trash about the US vs. Chile match and trashing Red Bull, yet he’s staying dead silent about this whole Ferrari mess.👎

Honestly, I'm just sick of this double standard.

Look, Ferrari doing what's best for them is totally fine by me; it makes sense and I don't have an issue with that. But Alonso playing games while the media stays quiet? That really gets under my skin.🙂

What should Alonso have said at the press conference? "Yes, it was your order, just ask the boss to let me through." Then they actually would've punished them. What I'm seeing here is just typical Italian sloppiness. Instead of planning it out ahead of time and masking it like the English do, they execute it with the same level of incompetence seen in their pit stops during the pre-Schumacher era—you know, when they couldn't even tighten a wheel and Mansell ends up sliding into a wall on three wheels.

Even the journalists at the BBC are out here defending them (give me a break!).

cosmicsailor11 said:It’s honestly hilarious how everyone is piling on Ferrari right now, when every single team does the exact same thing. You see the fans and even the leaders from other teams dragging them, but their excuses—the whole "low oil pressure" or "saving fuel" routine—are identical to what Ferrari goes through. It just seems like the Italians haven't quite mastered the art of using the same secret codes yet.

Yeah, let's slap them with some penalties since they're sloppy and disorganized. Plus, they aren't even cheating well enough. Honestly, rigging a race isn't even unsportsmanlike—it's just optimizing results. Like I said before, what's the point of having two drivers on a team if they both have to work against the overall result?

Look, I gotta mention Massa. He had his shot at the title back in 2008, but he choked because he just didn't have the backbone to handle the pressure. You can't keep handing him opportunities forever. And look at Barrichello—he was the number two guy at Ferrari, then last year he was supposedly on equal footing, and what did he actually achieve? Absolutely nothing.

rustystag7 said:I mean, if they're just going to spend the whole season cannibalizing each other's points, what's the point of putting two top-tier drivers in the same garage anyway?🤷

And then you hear them talking about how every team should have three cars... man, imagine the chaos if that actually happened.🙄

It actually works if the car is a total beast (think '88 or '89 McLaren, or maybe '96 Williams). In those cases, both guys fight for the title while everyone else is just playing catch-up.

redheron12 said:Hmm, based on what I know about McLaren's internal codes—"save fuel" usually means you stop racing hard to protect your position, not that you slow down enough to let someone pass you.

At the end of the day, Lewis Hamilton earned that 4th place through pure driving, a solid start, and by overtaking Mark Webber—it wasn't some gift from Jenson Button.

I think they were talking about that mess from five or six races back when Jenson Button jumped Lewis Hamilton, only to get yelled at to save fuel, which basically handed the lead right back to Lewis.

Joseph Young57 said:It comes down to the sport itself.
And honestly, nothing bugs me more than those idiots who pull the whole "but everyone else does it, so why can't they?" excuse.☕

Why? Fernando Alonso was faster (he built a 4-second gap after passing). He could've gone for a direct overtake, but he risked a Sebastian Vettel-style collision.

As for why Felipe Massa is number two... it's because he's down by 30 points with more than half the season left. It's that simple.

The only thing I don't get is why they didn't just settle on a plan before the race if Massa was ahead of Fernando, instead of all this messing around mid-race.

Joseph Young57 said:Trying to justify one crime by pointing at another is just pathetic, honestly.😉

Neither way is a crime. It’s just a different philosophy. Some teams don't bother having a clear number one driver, while others go all in. That's their call. But honestly, sticking to a single lead driver usually pays off better. Just look at Prost versus Nelson Piquet and Nigel Mansell back in '86, Michael Schumacher against Mika Häkkinen and David Coulthard in '00, or Kimi Räikkönen against Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton in '07. Same story every time.

rustystag7 said:Not to be blunt, but Vettel just isn't cut out to be a champion yet....
I know the locals here are gonna come for me, but man to man, what has he actually done smart this season?...

They've got a car that could make you fall on your backside, yet he ends up slamming into Mark Webber entirely because of his own fault. Back in Australia, I recall he had a similar mess with Kubica....

He’s still miles away from being a champ, just totally immature....

Sure, he's fast, but he constantly falls apart when things get critical....

I'm rooting for Mark Webber to win.... honestly, right now Vettel reminds me of Massa during that season he was driving alongside Alonso.... back when Kimi won🙏

Facts. He's not championship material. If he were, he'd be leading the standings.

Then again, Mark Webber isn't championship material either since he only has one good race out of every three. Being consistent is what matters, and this season we've only seen that from Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button. If Hamilton—who’s pretty wild and prone to errors—is leading because of consistency, it just shows how damn good he is.

redheron12 said:The logic holds up, but you can't execute it like that—it's disrespectful to the fans, the sponsors, and the competition alike. If you absolutely have to make a tactical swap, do it with a bit more subtlety; show at least a modicum of respect for F1 as a sport.

Look, realistically—what difference does it make if they cut past the pits or do some "dramatic" move on the track when we all know it was pre-arranged anyway? Look at Brazil back in '07, Kimi cut past Massa through the pits to take the title. If he hadn't, what then? He would've just stayed behind him and lost the championship just to be "fair" to the fans and sponsors?

I don't see anything immoral here. Like "Baby" said, this is a team sport. Otherwise, just give every driver their own car and let them go at it.