I suppose I should probably say something about this, though I’m not entirely sure if it even matters anymore. It feels like we're just spinning our wheels at this point. I mean, maybe I'm being too cynical, but it seems to me that the whole situation is becoming increasingly ridiculous. Every time I think we've reached a breaking point, something else happens to push us over the edge. It’s exhausting, really. I guess some people just enjoy the chaos, but for the rest of us, it's getting harder to stay patient. Maybe we need to take a step back and actually look at what's happening instead of just reacting blindly. Just my two cents, I suppose. kaže: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: boxing is the absolute bedrock of kickboxing. If you don't have a solid foundation in hands, you’re basically just flailing around in a ring. Everything else—the kicks, the knees, the clinch work—it all falls apart if your head movement is nonexistent or your punching combinations are sloppy. You can throw all the flashy high kicks you want, but without that fundamental boxing IQ, you're just a sitting duck for anyone who actually knows how to time a counter. Maybe some people think otherwise, but in my book, you start with the gloves on. Period. 🙂 What does it actually mean when people say that success is more about the coach than the coach, or the club than the club? I guess they’re trying to suggest that individual brilliance—whether it's a star player or a single manager—isn't the whole story. Maybe. If you look at it closely, it’s a bit of a loaded statement. It implies that the systemic foundation—the culture, the scouting networks, the front office stability, the actual DNA of an organization like the Dallas Cowboys or the New York Yankees—is what truly dictates longevity. You can hire a genius tactician, sure, but if the front office is a mess and the infrastructure is crumbling, that coach is basically just rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. It’s a heavy idea. It suggests that the "soul" of a franchise is a collective effort, not just the result of one guy making a call on a Sunday afternoon. To me, it feels like a way of saying that greatness is built through institutions, not just individuals. Or perhaps it's just a way for people to deflect blame when a high-priced coach fails to deliver results. It's complicated, I suppose.
Does anyone around here actually have some firsthand experience with the clubs or coaches over in Osijek? I’m looking for some real input. I guess I'm just trying to weigh my options, but I could really use some solid recommendations before I make a move. 🙂
Keith Gray2 said:Everything you’re looking for is sitting right there in the XXL over in Osijek... if you can handle it.
Thanks for the reply. I guess my question wasn't really about the location, though. I’ve already looked into the gyms and options over in Springfield, and sure, XXL is definitely one of them. What I’m actually looking for is some perspective from people who have been through these specific training programs—either one or both—and what they think about my take on things. To put it simply, I'm trying to figure out if boxing or kickboxing serves as a better foundation for long-term progress. Maybe that's a better way to frame it.
Hey everyone, and sorry if I’m asking something that’s already been covered. I’m planning to start getting into some kind of martial art, just recreationally at first. I’ve spent my whole life playing soccer and hitting the gym, so now I want to mix in some combat sports. My main goal right now is just to master basic striking techniques and self-defense. I feel like I really need to nail the mechanics of punching first—I don't want to look like an idiot and break my own hand or wrist because I didn't know how to hit a heavy bag properly. Once that's settled, I’d like to move into something more diverse specifically for self-defense. I was thinking maybe boxing or kickboxing to build that foundation, and then eventually try Krav Maga, which seems perfect for self-defense since it looks pretty dynamic, versatile, and brutal. I’m curious to hear your thoughts on where would be best to learn striking techniques that I could later apply in a self-defense course or a boxing/kickboxing gym? Also, I’m based out of Chicago, so if you have any experience or recommendations in this area, I’m all ears.
Look, if you aren't worried about the price tag, then just go out and buy an official PlayStation controller. Honestly, you'd probably need to pick up a converter to go with it, too. I used to have one of those official PlayStation pads—in my opinion, they’re easily the best controllers out there—and all I did was grab a converter to make it work. It’s basically just a little cable, maybe 6 or 7 inches long, with a PlayStation port on one end and a USB plug on the other. Usually, these things have two ports for the controllers and one USB lead that plugs straight into your PC. I guess I'm not entirely sure where you can even find one locally, though. You might actually have to wander around some Best Buy or Micro Center locations to track one down. 😁
Noah Ruiz73 said:I think there are maybe two or three reasons why you're hitting this error. Either you spent the whole week installing this as an upgrade over Windows Vista—or even worse, over Windows XP—or perhaps you swapped out your graphics card after Windows 7 was already installed? If that happened, things could easily get messy. Or, it’s possible you installed some kind of pirated or beta version, so I guess it's no surprise if things are breaking. 😁
Anyway, regardless of the cause—a full format followed by a clean installation is worth its weight in gold! 👍
Yeah, that third scenario is exactly what happened to me. I had Windows 7 running first, and then I put in a new GPU... I'd really love to find a workaround, but if I absolutely have to reinstall Windows 7, it looks like that's just what I'll have to do.
Noah Miller6 said:@Keith Hall43/">@@Keith Hall43 If you want that transparency to actually kick in, you've got to go into the Windows Experience Index and run it. You need the system to "grade" your hardware first; only then will the Aero effects finally start working. You'll see exactly what I mean from this screenshot. http://media.photobucket.com/image/W...Properties.png
I've tried several times now and nothing works... "whenever I run the Windows troubleshooting, it tells me the Desktop Window Manager is disabled, yet when I go into Services, I can actually stop or restart the Desktop Window Manager myself (meaning it's definitely running).."
Noah Ruiz73 said:And what about this path?; Control Panel \ All Control Panel Items \ Performance Information and Tools \ Advanced Tools > Performance options >
So, this is how it looks on my end after the second restart (after the first one, it looked just like yours been did)🤷
I’ve run into a bit of a headache with Windows 7. Ever since I swapped in my new graphics card (an ATI 4770) and installed the drivers, that glass effect—you know, where the borders and toolbars look transparent and glassy—has completely vanished. I figured the drivers might be the culprit, so I tried uninstalling them. Sure enough, my resolution tanked immediately. After a reboot, Windows 7 recognized the card and installed its own driver, and after one more restart, everything looked fine again; the resolution was back to normal and the glass effect returned. But there's a catch. Every single time I restart the computer, it reverts to the old state and I lose the glass effect all over again. When I try running the Windows troubleshooting tool, it tells me the Desktop Window Manager is disabled. However, when I check Services, the Desktop Window Manager shows up, and I can manually stop or restart it, which implies it's actually running. I did a little digging online and saw I should probably check the Windows Transparency settings, but since the glass effect is gone, I can't even get to the usual spot. Normally, under Windows color, I could pick a color and toggle Windows Transparency on or off, but now I’m stuck with just a "Windows color and appearance" option. Does anyone know if there’s another way to reach that menu where I can actually adjust the Windows Transparency?
Heh, I see everyone here is feeling pretty "optimistic" regarding my theory about prices dropping😁
Anyway, let's just push that aside for a second and assume the price stays exactly where it is right now... I'm left choosing between one Sapphire HD 4890 for $690 or two Asus Radeon HD 4770 cards for $250... I guess I'm leaning toward CrossFire...
wiredmarlin5 said:I’d probably go with CF. 🙂 But honestly, it's a tough call on which one is actually better. Just look at the prices over at Best Buy; you can snag an HD 4770 for less than $250. 🙂
What motherboard are you running, by the way?
There aren't really many cheaper options out there, I guess. If it were me, I'd stick exclusively to Asus—either the standard models or the Formula series, since they have the best cooling solutions, especially the Formula. Maybe Sapphire too, though the price gap isn't much... anyway, the board is a Gigabyte 790XT-UD4P. I was thinking about grabbing a 4770 right now just to play games on medium settings, or maybe even some high settings if I'm lucky. I might just wait a month or two for prices to drop. Now that the 5000 series is out, I'm expecting the 4770 to get a lot cheaper...
So, I’ve got a massive dilemma on my hands here, and I’m honestly hoping to get some of your thoughts on it... Here's how things stand... I have... So, I've been looking into the ATI Radeon HD 4770 lately. Honestly, it’s a bit of a mixed bag, I guess. Maybe it holds up better than people want to admit, but there are definitely some things that rub me the wrong way. It's just one of those cards where you have to weigh everything very carefully before making a move.I’ve got a brand new card arriving this July, and honestly, I’m torn. I’m looking at two different ways to pair it up with an additional ATI Radeon to round out my setup. $250 Or should I just pass on this one? I’ve been looking into the Sapphire HD 4890 Vapor-X lately, and honestly, I have some thoughts. It’s one of those cards that really makes you stop and think about how much things have changed, though maybe I'm just being nostalgic. I guess it depends on what you're looking for. There is something about the build quality of a Sapphire card that just feels different, even if it's just my imagination. Maybe. But when you look at the specs compared to something like a Radeon HD 4770, the difference is pretty hard to ignore. It’s a powerful little beast, but I wonder if it's still worth the headache of finding a decent unit these days. Just my two cents. I guess I should start by saying that I’ve been looking into this for a while now. It seems like things aren't quite adding up, though maybe I'm just overthinking it. I don't know. I really don't. But honestly? It's getting frustrating. Everything feels a bit off lately, and I can't be the only one feeling this way. It’s just one thing after another. Just... yeah. $230 Assuming I can manage to return this Radeon HD 4770 I’m currently stuck with... the bottom line is that I really don't want any other options besides these two specific choices. So, if you were in my shoes, which one would you pick? Honestly, I’m feeling pretty torn myself. In my opinion, going with dual Radeon HD 4770s might actually be the better move in terms of raw performance. Plus, they probably draw less power and won't be nearly as loud as a Radeon HD 4890—and I’m talking regardless of the model. Even if it were a high-end version like a Sapphire HD 4890 Vapor-X or something from the Toxic line, I still think the 4770 setup wins on noise and efficiency. No.So, my motherboard actually supports Crossfire, so that part isn't an issue for me... what would you guys go with?
wearygull, I know the Vapor-X is the better call here, but honestly, if we're going with a Sapphire, let's just stick to the standard model. I can probably snag it for a better price than the regular retail rate.😁
James Morris, looking at those cooler specs on the manufacturer's site, it seems like they claim compatibility with pretty much any card out there. However, I don't actually see the 4890 listed—the last one on their list is the 4870. Even though the 4890 is basically just a slightly overclocked 4870, I guess it should work fine, but maybe double-check just to be safe.😉
Just a quick question for those of you who actually OWN a 4890 (specifically the standard Sapphire version)... I've been reading quite a bit about the noise levels, apparently it's pretty loud and pulls a decent amount of power... though the power draw doesn't bother me as much as the noise might. I guess I'm just worried about how loud this thing really gets. Is it actually that noisy??😁
ATI's new 5 series cards are basically the fastest things on the market right now. I mean, there's really no arguing with that—they're faster than everything else out there... you can actually feel the difference. The only real question is whether they're worth the hit to your wallet since they just launched and the prices are pretty steep. You could always play it safe and grab a 4890 for now... then, if you find yourself needing more juice later, just toss another one in for Crossfire and you'll be set, trust me 😁. Or, I guess, you could just wait a few weeks for the prices to dip a bit before jumping into the 5 series
Just wanted to drop a note and say I finally managed to sort this mess out... I headed over to the Realtek site and grabbed the latest Lossless audio codecs... and honestly, that seems to have done the trick. The popping sounds are gone now, thank God.😁
So, if anyone else runs into this same headache, maybe give this a shot. It might actually help you out.☕
So, what have you guys been experiencing with the new Windows 7 and gaming? I’m specifically talking about those older titles released back before even Windows Vista was a thing. Are we looking at major compatibility headaches, or does everything seem to run smoothly enough?
Alright, so here’s the deal. I just picked up some new 2.1 speakers, but every time I try to listen to music, there’s this constant popping sound. It happens roughly every five or six seconds. It isn't deafeningly loud, but it’s enough to be incredibly distracting—and honestly, it's pretty infuriating since the gear is brand new. I already did a quick test with my headphones, and yeah, the clicking is happening there too, so I know for a fact it isn't an issue with the speakers themselves. Does anyone actually have a clue what might be causing this or how I can fix it?
Personally, I feel like the price is incredibly low considering everything this thing offers—you get 2ms response time, HDMI, and Full HD. In my opinion, it’s probably a total best buy right now... what do you guys think??
Nicholas Collins8 said:Look, I'm 12 years old, my grandpa just passed away and he left every grandkid 1000 bucks, so I'm looking at what to buy 😁 is it actually possible to put another card right next to a geForce 8600 gts?
Well, you can do it via SLI, obviously you need a motherboard that actually supports SLI... though personally, I've always leaned toward ATI cards. If I actually had that kind of cash and really wanted dual cards, I'd go with Crossfire. You'd need a board that supports Crossfire and then grab two ATI cards—say, two 4890s. Those two in Crossfire are probably about as powerful as anything on the market right now. Or you could go the Nvidia route with two GeForce GTX 275 cards in SLI (meaning an SLI board, not Crossfire; those two don't play together). That would be top-tier stuff, I guess, but the real question is whether it's even worth it. I mean, unless you have some insane 30" monitor or something similar to play at crazy resolutions, you could probably get by with something much weaker than that... My suggestion? Just pick up a new motherboard that has SLI or Crossfire support (depending on which brand you prefer), buy one 4890 or a GeForce GTX 275, and then maybe in 6 months or a year, grab the second one and link them up. Right now, it doesn't make much sense to run two cards that powerful at once...
