Jump to content
Washington Football Team Logo
Extremeskins

Vilandil Tasardur

Members
  • Posts

    904
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by Vilandil Tasardur

  1. I never really understand the point of firing a coach mid season. The season is done. There isn't anything to salvage. I don't believe one iota in any nonsense about development of moral or momentum.

     

    I'm convinced that 95% of mid season firings are cases where the best candidate is already doing the best possible job, and the team just isn't good. There's nothing gained from shaking things up. 

    • Thumb up 1
  2. 14 minutes ago, LadySkinsFan said:

     

    It's like when Clinton was elected, he moved so far right I wondered which party he ran under.

    I think *some* amount of this is sometimes forgivable. At least, I don't find it hard to imagine scenarios where a liberal runs on a platform of certain liberal policies, only to get into office and realize that instituting them isn't really possible without a massive liberal revolution that isn't going to happen, so they settle for some compromises. 

     

    Like, we all know that if by some hail marry Bernie had actually been elected, he would have had to dramatically reign in his expectations or else go down as the most ineffective liberal in history. Liberal policies by nature are difficult to bring about, I think. 

    • Like 2
    • Thanks 1
  3. 12 hours ago, PokerPacker said:

    As someone who wasn't thrilled  about Biden getting the nomination, he's probably been the best president in my life.  Granted, as a millenial, that's a pretty low bar.

    Yeah. I genuinely believe that any standard Democrats/Liberals that are anti-Biden "because he's old" are basically just drinking Russian cool aid without knowing. 

     

    I'm 33. Biden has been as good if not better than Obama, and therefore the best president of my lifetime. I remember the Clinton years enough to know that he didn't really have anything to do with how good the economy was. I remember the first Obama term fondly, but the second was milk toast and borderline disastrous with the Garland gamble on Trump having no chance. 

    • Like 3
  4. 4 minutes ago, TheGreatBuzz said:

     

    To be clear, I'm not advocating for nation rebuilding.  But some targeted strikes on a very limited number of compounds/whatever could help and also send a powerful message.

    Yeah, I wouldn't advocate for that either. But I'd advocate the hell out of "tactically strike cartel members with the added bonus of no longer arming the arming the cartels since they are now the active enemy". 

     

    Mexico doesn't need nation building. They need help cutting the cartels down. The real government is essentially a guerilla insurgence in their own country compared to the cartels who have major money and weapons. If those odds were evened they could probably make it work. 

    • Like 1
  5. 23 minutes ago, TheGreatBuzz said:

     

    Mexico hasn't exactly been knocking it out of the park in regards to this internal problem.  I'd probably support some SEAL Team 6 **** on cartels that, say.......kidnap American tourists.

    Yeah man, as a Mexican American, I'm torn as hell on this. Like, on the one hand, I'm sick to death of war. And I don't think I want any part of US "nation building" in my home country seeing how bad they are at it. On the other hand, I see how much money we spent in the middle east and genuinely wonder if Mexico could become Canada if they had some serious help getting on top of the cartels. 

    • Like 1
  6. All of the following are true:

    • I am very happy she is home
    • I am very frustrated that she put our nation into this position
    • I believe it is our government's job to work this hard to bring all US citizens in similar states home
    • If it were me or my loved one, I would want them to move mountains to bring me home
    • I am very frustrated by the fact that we had to release a serious criminal
    • I am still happy that our leaders managed to bring a US citizen home
    • Like 3
    • Thumb up 1
    • Super Duper Ain't No Party Pooper Two Thumbs Up 1
  7. 4 hours ago, Destino said:

    That second goal by Brazil was a thing of beauty.

     

    Still say this game would be better with unlimited subs.  I just can’t see how watching players stiffly jog around between falling over with leg cramps is a better option than just letting coaches manage their minutes.  

    I'm convinced that the pitch is too big and the sub limit are the two biggest issues with the game. So much of the game is meaningless clock running with the ball either out of play or bouncing around in the midfield by players who are too tired to do anything. 

     

    And I say this as someone who likes soccer. But the pacing ain't good.  

  8. For as easy as it is to say that all Democrats need to do is "run candidates people actually like", I still think they have a really tough challenge. 

    It's obvious that to really enthuse the young vote you need to either (1) promise very progressive change policies or (2) need to be stopping fascism. Or both.

    But I haven't forgotten how badly Bernie performed in some key states that suggest that you'd lose a lot of centrist democrats if you run someone too extreme. I don't think it's easy to just find someone that will keep you competitive on the Midwest while jazzing up gen Z.

  9. Just now, Renegade7 said:

     

    NBC News and ABC News are free love stream news channels on YouTube.  They might be focused in election tonight if results coming in or projections being made.

     

    PBS Newshour did damn good job night of the election, they do more coverage then jus their daily hour show, see their YouTube channel as well (it doesn't look live right now though)

    Cheers. Somehow, it never occured to me to try YouTube. Thanks!

    • Thumb up 1
  10. The key to trying to figure out how Trump and the GOP split or don't split lies, I think, in trying to understand what Trump actually wants. 

     

    If you think Trump WANTS to be president again, then any talk of him running independent is outrageous. He'd never be able to fund the campaign without the GOP and they both know they'd just neuter the other along the way. 

    If you think Trump just wants the GOP to lose if it can't be him, they he may be happy to neuter the GOP by running independent. 

    Personally, I think what Trump wants is to run at all costs to ensure his candidacy so he can cry that any investigations are political attacks. He wants the protection, not the position. And if that's the case, then I think he's running no matter what (Republican or Independent). And IF that's true, then the GOP will obviously just do whatever he wants because with him on the ticket they have a chance, but with him as an independent they have none. 

    • Like 1
    • Thumb up 1
  11. 53 minutes ago, Fan since a Fetus said:

    I just want to say congrats on them finding her. I’m sure that was a bit of a jarring experience and I’m glad she is safe. 
     

    I’ve thought about doing this is in the past, but I was mentally unstable. I didn’t want to have to deal with most people I know and a couple of them I didn’t want to have to deal with me. Looking back, I realize what an awful decision this would have been and I am not sure I would be alive today had I gone this course. It would have been extremely awful to the people who love me such as my wife. I’m really glad I never did that to a wonderful woman.

    This is powerful stuff. Thanks for sharing, even though we're random internet strangers. I'm glad you're well now and have love and support. 

    • Thanks 1
  12. 8 hours ago, Hersh said:

    No social media accounts to see if there are posts or friends to contact?

    All socials appear to have been mass deleted unfortunately. She was never one to use them too much in the first place, but they appear to be offline now. 

     

    Thanks everyone for all the kind thoughts. If nothing else, it helps to see how clearer minds think. I'm gutted for my buddy of course; I just hope she resurfaces soon and can at least give him a little closure. 

    • Like 1
  13. 1 minute ago, Jabbyrwock said:

     

    Good Luck.  Sad as the situation is, best to support your friend, and make sure he supports his parents as I can't imagine how hard hearing something like that is for them.

    Thanks a lot. Yeah. In hindsight, I realize posting this was more for my own self than really anything else. It's quite a shock. And I definitely consider her my friend as well (albeit I didn't know her quite as well). I suppose I'll just breath easier in a few days; I assume no news is good news at this point. 

  14. 3 minutes ago, mcsluggo said:

    a little bit of time, perhaps?    give her some space to figure things out for herself?

    I think this is probably the answer. I think there was an initial panic, because it was so out of left field. There were a lot of conversations surrounding "could they be a suicide risk?" and other such topics that meant waiting felt awfully scary. But I think there probably isn't anything to be done besides wait and see. 

  15. Just now, The Evil Genius said:

    Outside of hiring a PI, i got nothing.

    Yeah, that's about where I'm at. That feels excessive. I'm trying really hard to be the voice that says "give her space, she obviously doesn't want to deal with you all. Leave her room to come back on her own terms if that's what she wants." But it's hard to argue with the parents saying "we at least need to know that she wasn't groomed and kidnapped by some internet rando." Meanwhile, even if she has, that's kind of her right to make that choice I guess.

  16. Friends, I'm shook.

    A good long time friend just called me up and told me that his sister (around 26 or 27), who lived with their parents, up and disappeared while the folks were out of town. Apparently, she moved all her stuff out, left a note asking them to take care of the dog, and expressed that she never wanted to see or hear from them ever again and to please never contact her. She took her car, but left all the valuables in the home, etc. She left the SIM card in her phone. 

     

    We're 99% sure there's no funny business. And of course, this is a grown woman. If she wants to leave and cut these folks out of her life she's entitled to do so. But as far as they know, there was no fight, so inciting incident, no strange behavior suggesting anything was off, no warning sign. They're willing to respect her wishes, but understandably want to make sure that she's at least safe and actually making this decision in her own right mind, etc. 

     

    Is there any realistic way for them to do so? They have basically no leads on where she might have gone. No contact info for her or friends or basically any clue. The police say it's not a missing person (it's not), and they're not going to chase down a grown woman exercising her autonomy (nor should they). Any ideas on a logical course of action to just verify "yes this person is safe and not being groomed by some online predator or something?"

  17. 46 minutes ago, Riggo#44 said:

    It's funny. Ewan McGregor is 51 right now. Alec Guinness was 62 in ANH, in 1977. ANH is set 9 or so years after the events of the Obi Wan series, so the age thing isn't a big stretch.

    Yeah I see this joke getting repeated a lot but I think a lot of folks have a very skewed perception of what Alex Guinness actually looked like. I mean, he looks older than Ewan obviously, and 60 in the 1980s ain't the same as 60 now, but I never thought Alex looked ancient or anything. He looks like a dude who's old enough to be a grandpa, and who may be hitting retirement age, but he doesn't look like he belongs in a nursing home or anything. 

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 1
  18. 57 minutes ago, No Nonsense said:

    Has Nadal replaced Federer as the GOAT, or is he too French Open dominant to be the GOAT? 
     

    Not saying when all said and done that the Joker couldn’t be the GOAT. 

    Roger is unquestionably a distant third to Nadal and Novak at this point. His stats are basically comparable to a little behind them, and that's before you factor in that a lot of them came during a lull in competition and before Rafa and Novak hit their prime. Not to knock Roger; just saying that the other two have basically done 100% of their careers in an era where they had to contend with each other, while Roger won like 5 majors against clearly lesser opponents. 

     

    I think this Wimbledon is absolutely critical for Novak's legacy, because there's a real chance he can't play the next two majors. 

  19. My thoughts:

    Until the finale, I was feeling like it was just okay. Feeling like it was an okay story but one that kind of messed with my preferred vision of the events that set up A New Hope. It felt like the whole Jedi underground railroad thing was undermining the idea that only two Jedi are still left, and also felt like it undermined the really powerful themes built by Rogue One and the the sequels (that it's the ordinary people in the trenches every day that win wars, not the celebrity heroes). But I also felt like it did some stuff great, like show the impetus for Lea to become the badass Princess/General she grows in to. 

     

    The finale though, the finale dramatically elevated things for me. It was really, really good. The scene we're all talking about is some of the best written dialogue in Star Wars, and the artistic vision is, while not exactly subtle, beautiful. The kind of stuff that gives you chills. 

     

    What I'd have done differently/what I wish had happened:

    + Obi-Wan, after desperately trying to contact Qui-gon all series, finally decided he's not getting help and resolutely utters the same line he did: "I have to end this. One way or another, it ends now."

    + And finally in that moment, Qui-gon responds: "Only a sith deals in absolutes. To the Jedi, there is always a other way."

    + Then the duel plays out almost entirely the same, except with the pre established idea that Obi-wan isn't there to kill Vader, just to buy them time. That way, it's a little less jarring when he not only wins, but has a chance to end everything but doesn't. Maybe you shoot it in such a way that a chasm erupts of reinforcements arrive or a pillar collapses and separates them. Obi-Wan wins, but he doesn't have the chance to go for the kill because he wasn't trying to in the first place. And Vader is once again defeated primarily because he was blinded by a need to win instead of seeing the big picture. 

    • Like 1
  20. Just now, Renegade7 said:

     

    Nah, a lot of churches take that money and gove back to the community, I know mine does.

     

    The megachurches make so much some of them have mansions and planes, that's very different, they can pay a fair share and still keep it moving.  If a church makes say over a million a year, they should lose non-profit status.

     

    I want crack downs on these seed theory assholes, obviously political sermons, and inciting of violence as well.  DOJ should be forcing thr issue on sexual assult allegations, not waiting for churches to come forward or handle internally. Even that may look like a purge or crackdown, but a neccesary to help save Christianity from itself in this country.

     

    A lot of smaller churches have nothing to do with this crap we are seeing right now or read about in the news, like Westboro.  My Pastor has a regular job, his main source of income is from that, not the church.  I know he went into his own pocket during peak COVID to keep our church from closing, I don't agree with everything he says, but he's not they guy you and others are after right now.

     

     

    The thing is, I don't care how much good they do with that money. The point is that they have a political agenda. They have to. All churches have a political agenda. Their views, regardless of what they may be, must naturally lead them to oppose or support certain political ideology. And because of that, they must be taxed. 

     

    • Thumb down 1
  21. 3 minutes ago, philibusters said:

     

    I don't know the vote count, but the Senate is 50-50 and you have the tying vote.  If you can hold the party line you can pass a bill.  Given that the Democrats also control the House and the Presidency, it does seem like they could potentially pass an abortion protection bill.

     

    In fact even the more ambituous bill they attempted only failed by 1 vote 49-51 with Joe Manchin being the Democrat who did not hold the party line.   If you went with a more moderate bill I think you could put more pressure on Manchin and a the couple Republican moderates.

     

    I don't know the political situation well enough to know if a more moderate vote had a chance, but at least on first impression that does seem like a possibility which means maybe Democrats want to save the issue for the elections.

    I get what you're saying intellectually, but I just don't think it's right in practice. I can't recall a time in my life since I've followed politics where Republicans DIDN'T hold the party line. My political memory is full of things like watching Obamacare pass only because Dems had a super majority because Republicans voted no to a one, while Dems were all over. Basically, my baseline assumption is that Republicans vote the company line 100% of the time and Dems do not, likely because the Democratic platform is broader overall and encompasses many more political opinions. 

     

    In this case, if Manchin has told you straight up he's not going to vote yes, no matter what, then the bill is dead on arrival. I wouldn't even entertain the idea of potentially poaching Republicans for this issue because it's just never going to happen. Even Republicans who might be outspokenly pro choice are not going to be the scapegoat that allowed the bill through.

    • Like 2
×
×
  • Create New...