I don't get why Lost in Translation walked away with so many awards. Sure, Bill Murray deserved his win, but Best Screenplay? Are you kidding me? It feels more like random improv on set than actual writing. And Best Comedy / Musical? Look, it’s not a bad movie, and honestly, I love seeing indie films grab the big trophies, but let's not get carried away. It feels like Coppola just made a few phone calls and spread the rumor that this was some masterpiece. Am I the only one who thinks this movie wouldn't have stood a chance if Sofia wasn't a Coppola?
Keith James812 said:Why didn't anyone warn dustyscout53? On that thread about skinheads... why?
Keith James812, it's because the mods actually have half a brain and notice how obsessed you two are. It's a textbook case of "fighting is just flirting." 😁 That’s why we stay out of it. Plus, watching you guys is entertaining. But hey, if it really bothers you that much, we'll step in and protect you. Though, from where I'm sitting, you don't exactly need it.
It goes without saying that the dynamic between Keith James812 and dustyscout53 is one of a kind. My advice to the other, less brilliant users? Don't try to replicate what they're doing. 😉
Look, nickname, I think you’ve already gotten your answers.
The Boss said:nickname, give it a rest. Steven Ruiz has been on this forum forever and is always civil. Just because you can't control yourself doesn't mean you get to blame everyone else for it.
If Steven Ruiz banned you, believe me, there was a reason. You think otherwise? Then speak up. I see you've opened two different threads about the exact same thing—you have nine posts here and still haven't said anything meaningful. I'll try to answer you without knowing the specifics: anyone can get banned, even the most popular or model user, if they cross the line. Past good behavior doesn't grant immunity, which I assume is what happened here. A ban can be temporary; we aren't monsters and we believe people deserve second chances. Right now, you're just digging your own grave. One thread is a rhetorical question and the other is an appeal to the PM. 👋
Awesome. When I first watched it, I remember rewinding just to catch a few specific scenes, and before I knew it, I had ended up rewatching the whole damn thing!
John Walker74 said:No comment needed. You can all use those precious brain cells of yours to weigh the value of having a psychology forum here..
I disagree. A comment and an explanation are always necessary. Besides, we’re sticklers for the rules here. If things are as obvious as you claim, then writing an explanation should be easy. List ten interesting topics you'd want to start over there. Then we'll open the forum immediately.
People aren't talking about this enough, and it’s huge. We’re looking at a way to build public infrastructure without drowning the government in debt. I’d love to hear some thoughts on this article from The New York Times, though it's a bit murky in parts.
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 23 - Under the auspices of the Department of Labor, experts from the University of Dundee met with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Friday to present the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model for financing public works. In his opening remarks, Radimir Čačić noted that America is currently seeing an intense surge in capital investment. Over just three years, these investments have skyrocketed sixfold—jumping from $3 billion to $19 billion. But is it enough? According to Čačić, it isn't, and he expects these figures to double between 2004 and 2008. "Right now, involving private investors in public sector construction is mostly limited to highway concessions," Čačić stated. "But this model could be applied to the Government's new plans for hospitals, or the renovation and construction of schools, prisons, housing, water systems, and other public facilities. Up until now, the state has footed the entire bill." Professor Malcolm Horner explained that bringing the private sector into long-term capital projects via the PPP model—a method used in the United Kingdom for over a decade and adopted by Germany, Italy, Greece, Benelux, and Scandinavia—serves as an alternative funding source. It allows for massive public projects without forcing the state to take on more debt. Under the PPP model, a concessionaire (like the government) works with banks, contractors, and consulting firms to fund everything: design, construction, outfitting, and full maintenance during the concession period, which can last 20 to 30 years. During that window, the state only covers the construction costs. Once the concession expires, the state takes back the facility and continues to collect revenue from its use—think tolls on a newly built highway. "This spreads the cost for the government over the long term rather than hitting them all at once," Horner concluded. "Meanwhile, the private sector gets a steady stream of income, finding a reliable partner in the state."
placidjackal97 said:Online banking is free here... I can't believe anyone actually charges for it.
In the US, you’ve got monthly fees to deal with, plus every single transaction costs you a buck or two. Even at Wells Fargo, setting up online banking for businesses is $67, not to mention the cost of a smartcard reader.
It makes zero sense to charge for this. Banks should be incentivizing people to move online. Why? Because they wouldn't need to rent massive office spaces or hire armies of tellers if everyone just used their phones.
Jamie Newman40 said:Maria Barnes, can you explain how the bank connection actually works? You mentioned a USB smart card reader and a serial port, which caught my attention. I don't get why you need any special hardware. Hardware? Please. Everyone talks about specs like they actually mean something. You think a faster processor fixes a garbage user experience? It doesn't. You can throw the most expensive components at a problem, but if the software is bloated, you're just buying an overpriced paperweight. Is anyone actually looking at long-term reliability, or are we all just chasing benchmarks?.
I plug a smartcard reader into my laptop's USB port—there’s also a serial port version available—slide the card in, and head over to... Comcast. So, I go to the Bank of America site—the first one here to actually get internet banking right—I punch in my four-digit PIN, and boom. I’m looking at my business account dashboard. Everything is right there: transaction history, incoming and outgoing transfers, bill pay, printing receipts... you name it. The smartcard acts as the ID. Simple, right?
I used to go with the hardware token—you know, that little device that spits out encrypted digits? Total pain in the neck. You have to manually type those long strings of numbers every single time you make a transaction. Who has time for that? A smartcard is way more streamlined; all you need is a PIN. That said, if you stick with the token, you can probably handle payments right from your BlackBerry.
What’s your take on online banking? I’ve been using Bank of America for over a year now and honestly, I’m satisfied. It was highly recommended, and frankly, it's a relief not having to drag myself down to the local IRS office anymore. I use a USB smart card reader—way better than those serial port connections you should steer clear of if they try to sell them to you.
Since we're an internet-based company, online banking finally lets me work from just about anywhere. We use NordVPN at the office and stay in constant contact regarding $0.00 all our business, so everything gets done via phone and web. Regardless, we still show up to the office just to hang out.
By the way, have you noticed how fast cinemas in Washington, D.C. are shutting down? Looking at the storefront of that one Cinema that used to house over 20 screens, there are only about 6 or 7 left now. Lately, places like the Appalachian Mountains, the Studio, and Uranium are all gone. My whole neighborhood is disappearing.