Posts by Jonathan Barnes5

brightpilot6 said:The path Thompson is taking is the same one being trodden by the fans of the LA Dodgers. Robert Torres is poking a little fun at us, but honestly, someone like Madrono—who prioritizes flashiness and has an insatiable hunger for the big leagues—is miles ahead of where we stand right now.

It’s quite a journey, isn't it? To watch the evolution from that gritty, long-haired heavy metalhead, known only in his small hometown and obsessed with primitive displays of machismo like leather jackets and motorcycles, to this polished, gelled-up superstar who hosts events in ridiculously expensive venues and moves massive amounts of merch, all while never truly shedding those old-school, aggressive roots that made him a force in the scene to begin with.

The day is coming...

It’s much like the prestige associated with a brand like the New York Yankees—an institution that carries a certain weight and history wherever they go.😁

stormybison9 said:Barack Obama... the flag of a rival nation

To hell with any flag, whether it represents one side or another.
If you look back twenty-five years, people were tearing each other apart, wasting an unimaginable amount of life just so the same corrupt groups could stay in power, sitting in their expensive suits and offices, continuing to separate families from their homes.
All that senseless violence essentially resulted in the same enemies living together far away from the very countries they once swore to protect.

Half a million lives have been lost over the last decade, and hardly anyone even blinked.
Your true enemy isn't a symbol; it’s the politician, regardless of where they stand. Yet, you still think a flag is the core issue—don't be such a follower.

1. It really is an issue. Just as failing to respect the sanctity of a locker room leads to chaos, failing to respect symbols can lead to the kind of societal breakdowns you're describing. It's much the same; if you don't value the foundation, you ultimately fail to honor the sacrifices made by those who came before us.
2. In any stable and functioning society, there is a necessary categorization of things. Trying to trivialize historical violence by grouping everyone together simply doesn't fly in a civilized world.
3. The flag itself remains a point of contention, if only to ensure we don't lose sight of our history.
4. These points aren't mutually exclusive, so I think you're making an unnecessary leap by trying to link recent migration trends directly to older historical events.
5. To be honest, that last point sounds a bit like what warwa mentioned earlier, especially when you consider how dominant the media narrative has become lately.
6. Most of our youth have moved to nations that formed their national identities under questionable circumstances, often achieving economic growth through methods that mirror how our own politicians line their pockets.
7. Analyst skills clearly aren't your strong suit; this feels more like a casual conversation at a local pub. I'm only just realizing how deeply politics permeates everything in this country.
8. I can almost predict your rebuttal: "I don't care about the fools left behind who keep voting for the same people. Stay stuck in poverty and ignorance while the politicians bleed you dry."

Best regards,😁

steelseal10 said:There were three promo cars parked under the south stands—one red, one white, and one blue. It was quite a sight seeing them get absolutely buried by the crowd back then.😁

It felt like Rajko Dujmić stepped out under the south stands with such composure to rally the Torcida, though I recall a few things being tossed his way during the excitement.🤣
It’s been a lifetime ago, so I might be conflating this with a different rivalry match against Red Star, though I have a nagging feeling the announcer made some sort of joke about it at the time.

analogheron19 said:I’m honestly not sure if any photos could ever top these ones.🙏

Back during those early derby days—specifically when the ticket prices hadn't yet driven everyone out of the North stands—there was a certain wildness where nobody really cared about which section you entered. The atmosphere down in the North end was so electric and intense that even some of the most hardcore groups were just squeezed in between concrete benches.

This particular moment took place ten years ago against Red Star, even though they had played earlier. You could see flares from the turf landing deep in the South end of Maksimir😁. It was quite a sight to witness the sheer athleticism of individuals sprinting across the pitch, perfectly synchronized while waving flares in the air.🤣

The Torcida group held their own during that match as well. It was essentially their final year of being a complete, unpredictable melting pot of different vibes, but they certainly left a lasting impression.

Jason Kern49 said:It’s clear you’re still pretty green. Honestly, man, you probably haven't even watched an LA Galaxy match in your life unless they were playing us.

My congratulations if you're actually celebrating this 👍🤣

I tend to post less frequently here, especially since I rarely attend games anymore, whereas you seem to never watch anything at all—except, naturally, when it involves your team. There are enough deep analysts on this board to make a professional scout blush.

Gregory Doyle26 said:I honestly can't think of anything more nonsensical. Out of all the songs and artists out there, they choose to sing that absolute nonsense about Griffin. 👎

Is that so? It’s been a staple for over fifteen years now, sung with such passion during every cover. I still remember one specific away game where the crowd just took it over. If you haven't lived through those moments in the stands, it's hard to grasp how these traditions take root; it wasn't something forced or manufactured by a few people, but rather a melody that simply grew into the heartbeat of the stadium over time.

Brian Alvarez34 said:Hahaha, you think the Ultras were saving money? There aren't even a hundred of you guys; if they actually wanted to, a local branch of some small-town gang would have wiped you out ages ago.

Why would you assume they're being dishonest? We’re talking about what is arguably the most decent group in the country—they hardly ever post anything online, yet they've proven themselves countless times through their unwavering loyalty whenever things got heated. It isn't easy being a die-hard fan in a small town, especially when you're part of an active group where everyone knows your face.

As far as I’m concerned, those kids at Hard Rock Stadium could have grabbed the jerseys and tumbled over the railings for all I care, since they were fighting for the exact same thing.
I find this whole situation quite disturbing. These fans are the only ones showing up, and more importantly, they are the only ones enduring the backlash. I couldn't care less about anyone's superficial opinion regarding the ownership, as long as the people actually providing the atmosphere are the primary targets of those accusing them of merely celebrating goals.
Some people have become so overly sympathetic toward the "underdogs" that they’ve started repeating the same old "it should have been" mantra. While constructive criticism has its place, much of what we see here is completely baseless.
God help us, because I am truly done being moved by either the elitists from Washington, D.C., or those who think you’re a lost cause just because you don't support a specific faction. It feels like someone will always pop onto this forum to claim you aren't allowed to react, simply because "they are the ones standing up to the establishment."🤦🤣
It seems that making jokes at our expense is perfectly fine in their eyes, yet when we act, it's unacceptable. When they crack a joke, they don't truly mean it or respect our struggle; instead, whenever we celebrate a goal, we are suddenly branded as defenders of the owner.

Honestly, does everyone realize how absurd these comments are? It’s no wonder people look at Washington, D.C. and see a city lacking in pride, honor, or integrity—a city where people are dismissed as nothing more than aimless wanderers.

Frankly, I find it baffling that anyone even bothers to attend Los Angeles FC games anymore. It seems like if they decided to walk through thin air, someone would find a way to complain that they aren't walking on water.

Jack Miller6 said:Comparing State Tech to Ivy League is like comparing an old black-and-white TV to a color one.
I guess we could get into whether the first one attracts a different crowd and how much people actually learn there, but that’s probably a whole different conversation.

Not quite yet, though all the signs point toward it happening soon. It’s especially likely because their students tend to get a hands-on look at what corporate finance and auditing actually require much earlier in their careers.
I suspect some Americans will always be quick to criticize a private university, but I've met a couple of graduates from UPenn who were so operationally sharp they could handle entire segments of a project on their own, and everyone else tends to catch up pretty quickly.

Of course they couldn't care less about the economy; frankly, their grasp on reality is practically nonexistent. The more you consume their nonsense on social media, the more you start to wonder if we’re all just subjects in some massive, bizarre social experiment. It’s truly fascinating how much energy they pour into such incredibly shallow, intellectually stunted rhetoric.

Take, for instance, how politicians jump from the Democratic Party over to the Republicans or how union leaders suddenly find themselves cozying up to the GOP—to them, it’s just business as usual. They treat political maneuvering like it’s nothing more than a game of professional football. And what’s even more grating is the sheer audacity they show when you actually point out that their behavior is completely unethical🤣.

It makes it incredibly difficult for those of us trying to maintain a sense of perspective regarding the bigger picture, because these trivial distractions constantly pull you back down into the weeds, sparking endless ideological bickering depending on which side of the aisle you lean toward.

The conversation is an endless loop of nostalgia for "the good old days," finger-pointing at what others did wrong, or blaming a single specific figure for every single societal failure.

In any actual American corporation, if someone tried to argue about a fundamental issue with that level of incompetence or lack of accountability, they’d be escorted out of the building before they could finish their sentence.

Justin James10 said:If an author can't manage to write a book that actually makes someone want to pick it up and buy it, shouldn't they just hang up the pen for good? Honestly, if you aren't capturing the reader's imagination, what is the point? ☕ No, let’s be clear—this isn't just some misunderstood genius at work. ☕

Even an American film? 🙏 What exactly is this absolute garbage being funded by our hard-earned tax dollars? 🤮

Not every book out there is meant to be a classic of literature. There are highly specialized titles that might never move massive numbers at a bookstore, but their value to society is often immeasurable.
I constantly find myself caught in these exhausting debates where people just take extreme sides without any nuance 😁..It reminds me of attending a conference last fall where someone argued that the entire humanities field was essentially useless 😵..
You end up with a manager who understands the operational mechanics perfectly because they've read all the technical manuals, yet they possess absolutely no empathy or understanding of the people they lead

brightpilot6 said:I wasn't actually addressing you; we’re essentially talking about apples and oranges here.

Fixing a dysfunctional government isn't as simple as just tweaking a handful of administrative functions to make them run smoother. If you try to patch up a few holes while the foundation is rotting, what you're left with is still broken enough to ruin everything else. After all, if the justice system remains sluggish and ineffective, even the most streamlined bureaucracy in America will eventually feel like a living hell.

We can generally agree on the core issue here. There’s really nothing more futile than arguing over which part of a broken system stinks the most when we all know the entire machine is malfunctioning.
There are certainly ways to make it happen and various approaches we could take, though I find myself wondering if we will actually live to see that day come to fruition.

brightpilot6 said:When it comes to public funding, I honestly struggle to wrap my head around how anyone thinks amateur sports—you know, those youth leagues we all grew up in—could actually function without support from the government or local community organizations, whether that’s through logistics or direct funding. It’s the same story with literature.

But I suppose those things don't carry much weight for you all; after all, you can't exactly eat them, wear them, or use them to get ahead in life, can you?

Yet, the moment a nation like Sweden starts paying for translations of their authors into obscure languages like ours, suddenly they're viewed as a cultural superpower exerting dominance over us.🙏

Are you talking about the money being diverted toward massive salaries for foreign basketball players? That entire side of the sport is basically built on that model, but that's a whole different conversation. If you actually look at who receives those grants and where the money is being funneled, it's clear that the entire US Basketball Association is a complete mess.
And once again, you're acting as if we're just simpletons who don't grasp basic public finance. We are pointing out that the system itself is broken, yet you talk to us as if we're just uneducated laborers working abroad who complain about everything without reason.😁

The reality is that when the core system fails, any attempt to distribute funds to various associations becomes equally ineffective. When the government is disorganized, the organizations it supports tend to be just as chaotic.

But tell me one thing: how am I supposed to buy that book? Between paying rent, utilities, and groceries, there isn't much left over for extras. I'd settle for maybe two good titles, which is almost $167. Where am I supposed to find that kind of money? You tell me.

ruggedjackal46 said:The donating institution handles the auditing too. If you can't justify the expenses properly, you end up with a partial payout, getting blacklisted from future grants, or being forced to pay the money back.

Regardless of what anyone thinks about sports fans, the reality is pretty grim. They get systematically crushed—literally steamrolled—while some people take government money and act like they're being oppressed. I doubt they could even manage to eat a meal without someone handing them a silver platter. They aren't any better than those types who say, "Look, I'm not a fan of the NFL owner, BUT..." It's all the same mindset.

That's all well and good, but I fail to see how point number one connects to point number two. Is the government supposed to wait until an organization is practically bankrupt before they have the right to protest?

Brilliant. It’s like a chaotic wedding guest acting as the coordinator, failing to help the one person who was simply too overwhelmed to finish their registration.😁

Well, there's always another side to the coin. Most of these organizations are genuinely dedicated to human rights and building a better community. They just need to be reminded that things aren't stuck in the 1970s anymore, and sports fans aren't some invading force from a border town.

Honestly, the most disappointing part is that no one seems to engage with posts like mine in a constructive way.😳There are certainly many such organizations, but can anyone articulate a better way forward? What should our starting positions be, and how would you actually restructure this? What are the fundamental questions regarding how these grants are generated and distributed?
In a country where grant money has historically been mismanaged, I shouldn't suddenly have to rely on nothing but "take my word for it" arguments to believe everything is legitimate. It feels as though we are being treated as if we are all collectively incompetent or just a malicious mob that doesn't grasp how social activism benefits the wider community. It reminds me of seeing someone fly a political flag for an old dictator on a college campus back in 2018.🤦.
If none of the people running these groups could tell those troublemakers to go take a vacation on a tropical island instead of causing damage with such nonsense, then there's a real problem.
It feels like a dialogue between the deaf. My only concern is who will step up to fund these types of groups in the future. They'll likely end up getting support from colleagues in Dublin or Munich, because no sane person in this country is going to tolerate paying a ransom for someone else's hobby—whether that's posting outdated political slogans or driving around downtown Los Angeles with gas canisters.

ruggedjackal46 said:Every non-profit operates on project-based funding, where the money you get is supposedly tied to your results. That’s just how the system works. Sure, there’s probably plenty of embezzlement happening during both the allocation and the reporting phases, but the system isn't designed to just grab a few billion dollars and toss it at random charities; it’s distributed quite specifically in relatively small increments.

As for the sports fans, I don't know what to tell you, other than the prejudices work both ways. Just as fans ask why certain academic groups get funded while they get treated like criminals, the other side asks why stadium hooligans get any attention at all while the groups doing actual work get nothing but crumbs. Divide and conquer, right?

Who is actually auditing these projects to ensure the money is being spent as intended? Are they required to submit feasibility studies for their investments? And if they fail to meet their projected goals, are they hit with financial corrections or clawbacks?
There has to be some level of accountability. It would be like walking into a major bank like JP Morgan with a solid business plan, failing miserably, and then simply telling them, "Well, I had good intentions," and expecting them to let it slide😁. The same logic applies to any government agency or federal institution.

But regardless of what people think about the fanbases, the reality is quite stark. They are systematically sidelined—truly pushed to the margins—while certain individuals accept government assistance and then complain about being oppressed. It’s a bit like someone eating butter straight from the tub and then complaining about the cost of living. In my view, they aren't much better than those who claim they don't support a corrupt tycoon, only to follow his every move anyway. It's all part of the same mindset.

ruggedjackal46 said:Is it easy to get on the list? If it really is, maybe someone should just leak the whole thing, because what we're looking at here isn't a collection of publicly funded nonprofits; it's just a curated selection of Facebook groups. I actually searched for those "Guerrilla Girls" on Facebook, and turns out they're just some collective of American female artists. What on earth does that have to do with any of this?

Sure, the government is obligated to be transparent about where taxpayer money goes. They fund everything under the sun. It reminds me of an artist receiving a grant from the Department of the Treasury for a film, only to turn around and lecture the President about foreign policy issues halfway across the globe.😁
But I think we’re missing the point. Personally, I couldn't care less about the specific names on the roster; my issue is simply the fact that seemingly anyone and everyone can snag a handout, often backed by some vague justification. I realize people aren't machines, and trying to quantify someone's social impact is a bit like trying to measure the wind, but it’s hard not to feel a sense of frustration when you look at the sheer scale of it. On that note, I’m genuinely curious about the "productivity" of these organizations that receive heavy donations from private sector executives. They claim to defend human rights, yet they seem completely indifferent to the plight of local fan clubs that face systemic pressure, all while these various NGOs soak up federal funding. It’s a glaring contradiction.
And honestly, the state can give money to whoever they want, including those Guerrilla Girls. After all, they did provide support to certain "rebels" during conflicts abroad.🤦 🤣

If you can grasp how much it actually hurts some of us to watch this funding happen—even though we all have our own political leanings—then you might understand why I find the whole "who belongs to which conspiracy" argument so exhausting. Just find the data; it isn't that hard. For instance, there are hundreds of veteran advocacy groups stemming from just one single military division, and while I have immense respect for our service members, seeing them operate in such a parasitic fashion is difficult. In this country, it seems everyone believes they are indispensable and entitled to a slice of the pie.
Once you strip away the endless, almost satirical debates about whether these organizations are truly "essential," I feel I have every right to call them what they are: classic parasites. Just a few weeks ago, I was heading home from work after another meeting, reading through endless messages of support for various fringe figures on social media as if they were some legendary historical icons. Then you see mainstream news outlets pick up the slogans, acting as if these kids are personally out there fighting on the front lines of every historical conflict. The media then flips the script, labeling anyone who questions this obsession with the past as "out of touch." It’s a circular logic. Ultimately, it all boils down to these repetitive forum arguments: where do the conservatives sit on this list versus the liberals, and how much is each side getting?

To make matters even more absurd, people cite mainstream news headlines as gospel, even though both the far-left and the far-right argue that the media shouldn't be trusted. It feels like a collective breakdown in societal logic.

ruggedjackal46 said:I’m struggling to make sense of this roster. A huge chunk of these organizations aren't even based here in the States, half of them aren't even official non-profits, most of them don't lean left, they're all doing completely different things, and quite a few of them don't even receive a single cent of federal funding.

It doesn't really matter whether they lean left or right, or what specific niche they occupy. I am just as convinced that anyone can secure these funds because getting a hold of this list is relatively straightforward. The reason I find this so jarring is actually quite simple: you could just invent a name like "Guerrilla Girls"—which sounds incredibly juvenile, if you ask me🤣—toss a few vague objectives into a mission statement, and suddenly the money starts flowing.
It works exactly the same way if you call yourselves the "Guardians of Seventh-Century National Monuments" and suddenly there's a check waiting for you. Meanwhile, everyone on this forum is busy debating who gets more funding or whether progress comes from the left or the right🤦 🤣...
It is difficult to feel much affection for a government that functions this way, acting like a chaotic collection of nebulous administrative entries where nobody seems to have the public's best interests at heart.
Think of it like this: in a vast ocean of various special interest groups, there are undoubtedly both liberal and conservative organizations that genuinely want to improve this country and act constructively, spending their grants on meaningful activities for the common good. However, it’s impossible for those sincere groups to stay afloat when you see how many others have crowded into that space and what kind of public image they project.
Once the 2017 audit from our local watchdog group is released, we will see how many legitimate organizations the government actually supports versus how much is being funneled toward groups like the "Guerrilla Girls"🤣... it’s the kind of name a twelve-year-old gamer would come up with, claiming gaming existed back in 1982 after watching a few outdated documentaries.

ironpanther5 said:Oh, thank you so much for ensuring America didn't burn to the ground or for making sure the blind aren't just left sobbing on the floor. Truly, we owe it all to you.



#splitcityprices #americaburns #feelinginvisible #blindandvisuallyimpaired #islandlife #nonprofitsector #civilsociety #goodbyeexpensive #howtobelivewithouthelp #giveusabreak #titonowhereverystudentcomesfrom

Good heavens above,🙏🙏
I really have to hand it to these girls, much like those various flame specialists and welders😁..
It's hard to believe anyone would still claim these people lack intellect or vision, because what we're seeing here is nothing short of brilliant.🤣

northernheron3 said:The turnout this Saturday isn't just impressive because of those massive Bad Boys numbers—especially considering the weather we had—it’s more like a dream come true for all the groups who constantly criticize the Boys for not having enough supporters.

You can keep insisting that Washington, D.C. is some kind of disaster, but honestly, if we were still living in an era before the internet, I might actually find your arguments convincing. If you truly want to test this theory, just put in a little effort: take a prominent away match, say against Miami or Seattle, and pair it with a home game against the Boston Red Sox or Seattle. Lay them out side-by-side, season after season, and compare the visuals. You’ll be quite surprised when you realize that... It seems like there are more Bad Boys around these days than we ever saw before.Well, it seems like someone has done a thorough job of brainwashing you all, painting this overly romanticized picture of those old days when you couldn't even find a square inch of space in the North stands because they were so packed. 🤦

Back in those more nostalgic days, the North Stand wasn't even two-thirds full during that match against Chelsea FC back in 2002. I remember when we played AC Milan in 2000; there were only a few thousand people in the stadium. Think about it—that was AC Milan coming straight from what was arguably the strongest league in the world, just months after our club identity had been restored, and the team was actually performing well on the pitch. What are we even talking about here, folks? Let's stop kidding ourselves; aside from that stretch between 2005 and 2008 where the stadium was packed for the big games like derbies or European matches, everything else was pretty much average attendance.

No one is stopping you from criticizing the Bad Boys; feel free to say their songs are dull or mindless, or suggest that the parade should be held on a different street altogether. However, attacking the Bad Boys simply because of their numbers feels, at the very least, quite disrespectful.

edit:

Here is the link to that classic LA Galaxy vs AC Milan match from 2000.

He was standing there against Chelsea FC, surrounded by nothing but North supporters. It was one of those intense moments where you feel the physical pressure of the crowd pressing in on you from every side. I remember that match vividly, too—I actually ended up with my hair stained from those flags they had hurriedly dyed right before kickoff.😁I always find myself reflecting on how reckless we were back then, much like that chaotic scene from the Hajduk 2015 era when the police let that compressed crowd break loose, only for them to surge forward and completely overwhelm the next two sections. It reminded me of how packed the stands were during that match against ZTE just a month prior.
You're absolutely right about the turnout against AC Milan being pretty thin. If my memory serves me correctly, even that match against Kyiv didn't see much of a crowd either—it just wasn't exactly a packed house at the stadium back then.

The turnout numbers can be quite telling, especially when you want to ensure the younger generation isn't being fed those old, tired fairy tales about how massive our support used to be. I tend to look at it through a more practical lens. For instance, back when we were managing to pull a crowd of around a hundred people to buy tickets for a mid-week match at Veluto, that felt significant. Even during our European runs, seeing maybe 400 people travel to London after suffering 0-3 losses shows a certain level of grit. We saw about a hundred Torce faithful make the trip to see Chelsea FC following some intense action, yet when we played a domestic cup match against Cibalia, we couldn't even get a hundred people showing up in the North stands. All of this was happening long before the narratives pushed by guys like Grgic or Stimac started making the rounds.

When you consider the uphill battle our younger players have faced, combined with everything they’ve had to navigate regarding the club's management, it feels like there isn't much left to debate. You have to hand it to them; the way they fought through those circumstances to reach this level is truly impressive. However, I think they might be overlooking just how many advantages were handed to them, which makes their current criticism and unsolicited advice feel a bit misplaced. This core group is a genuine miracle because of that, and they deserve our respect. My generation, stepping out at the tail end of the 90s and moving into the early 2000s, was actually able to dream big, and we saw matches return to being pure excitement almost overnight. After all, even back in the 90s, people were fighting just as hard to get us where we are today.
It feels like we're watching one generation of Bad Boys pass the torch to the next, seeing the young ones step up just as their fathers once did. I can only hope that, in some foreseeable future, our own local kids will finally get their chance to take the field and play.
Honestly, the hardest part is just pushing through this transitional period; it feels like it’s dragging on forever, and sometimes you truly can't see any light at the end of the tunnel.

It seems most of you haven't spent much time handling the daily grind of retail trading, yet somehow you possess an intuitive grasp of how high-stakes options play out on a massive scale.🙏
I suppose it’s because you've all devoured Michael Lewis's work...😁..

To be honest, I don't quite understand why a handful of you don't just power through all three levels of the CFA program and dive straight into the feast of collecting management fees. It would certainly be a kindness to the rest of this forum if you did.

Alternatively, you could join the ranks of the big investment banks and go after conquering the market head-on.