BrandoFan

He so wasn't...not that I wouldn't prefer Big_Hurt931 or whatever over your humorless, attention-starved ass any day of the week. At least he brough the funny albeit of "at him", not "with him" variety.

Forgot about RDivaldi...Hell, if you are lucky, you'll get ever so smart-alecy kmack and Boog_Alou, a quintessencial anti-fan who keeps us optimists grounded...WSI with kermitthefrog, jeremy and Lip ain;'t got JACK in the discussion department. Addition of those guys would be icing on the cake Anyone know what happened to MaindenVoyage, At, moochpuppy, huskers, etc. West was cool, too once upon the time... That's him, alright. That dude was "tormenting" my teenage (then) ass with his dictionary crap. He was hysterically funny if anything else..If that was JustJim, I'll slice off my left nut. Ina ny case I think that's another example of BMR's obcessions and paranoia and pettiness.

Another thoughtless brain fart from the king of empty noise and personal grudges...well, anyway, if you must know, I was known as DimaAl88...noonw can possibly accuse me of favoring WSI, mio amigo. Nice try.

Is "voodoo" the same person as "JustJim"? If so, then I am puzzled because I've known him back at the ESPN boards (which gets a bad rap; if Rio ever "recruits" such regulars as Bridgeport_Joe, Lake_Shore_Drive and southsider2k3 among a few others, these boards would become downright awesome) and he was always a CLASS-ACT. If people say tha FWC (good guy who was/is PHG's b****) is "ah-it", I don't see how ANYONE could bash voodoo. I mean, there is something to be said about power corrupting or whatever...But...let's just say that BMR is one of the most loathed and useless baiters in history of boards, so I will not give him benefit of the doubt. (As for daver, we all agree he sucks as a mod and a poster. Nothing to add to that sentiment.) In any case, this site is great. Keep it up. ETA: I just went over the WSI thread that is still there, BTW, it confirms everything I've ever said about that petty egomaniac BMR. Twice over. I haven't posted over there since I got banned after a spat with randar year and a half ago and generally think their site "featurettes" are overrated...but after reading that walking waste of space of a human being's scribblings, how can anyone take his side?

To say nothing of a preacher's daughter. Jenny was her name?

No, I am not...when it comes to dying for a trivial cause. Maybe if Iraqui soldiers were a bit more individualistic, they'd know what's up and put a bullet through Saddam's brain 20 years ago. Alas, they were to much of "for-the-good-of-the-state"-ish to be nothing more than robot-ants in servitude...Please stop pretending like my dissenting views and self-concern are something out of the ordinary; I am being very reasonable here. Not a hero perhaps, but not an evil pussy traitor either. Reading is a skill, hotsoxchick. OF COURSE I would defend this country in case of an outright invasion! And, NO, Kuwait being bullied by Irq is in NO way coimparable to US situ. It's intellectually lazy of you to make that connection just so you can "prove" that I am a pushover who would stand idly as a chinaman (or womeever else) is raping my mother...the best way to lose an argumement is to (wildy) overstate it and make faulty analogies. And please stop distorting what I actually said. Terrorism is terrorism is terrorism and hindsight being 20/20...It wasn;t preventable and suggesting now that pre-emptive drafting should have been implemented...you could do better than that, girlie. I also have heard hundreds of time that this generation is good for nothing and doesn't know it's luck...Maybe there is some truth to that (although the WWII generation has been saying the SAME thing to baby boomers, etc. Nothing new here, believe me. Take a stroll down the history lane and idealism will be washed out of you in a hurry...); I certainly KNOW and realize that being a young white male living in USA in the 21st century is not the worst thing to be to put it mildly (and in fact have heated arguements with my pals who are less appreciative). It's not my fault that I was born in an era of unprecended peace and progress...If you think this war is about anything but oil and personal agnda, you're WRONG. I refuse to die for that cause. By putting forth demagoguery and idealistic-yet-misguided rhetoric (tyranny and aggression are bad and are still of concern in this peaceful time, check) and calling me a traitor, you are winning no points. Your courage is examplary, no doubt about that. BUT you should become a little more cynical once in a while and look around. This is NOT Cold War and there is no reason to create a military state. Other countries may or may not do it out of sheer hopelessness and necessity or whatever...Recognize the difference. We are a highly evolved and thriving nation. Let's not throw it away with thinly-veiled vigilantism. For one, North Korea is still a true threat, alienating the UN is not the best course of action either. Trust me, I've seen just how "respectable and reponsible" Russian soldiers are...except that most of them are hoodlums or punks before entering the military HELL and worse after and the draft itself is just another form of ridding the streets of them...Besides, like, THERE IS A REASON WHY MANDATORY DRAFT IS OUT OF THE QUESTION- even to the US goverment. When you surmise what it is, then we can have an enlightened conversation. You have my respect regardless. Peace. ETA: the "I'd rather win an Oscar than fight the enemy" was a bit tongue-in-cheek/devil-advocate-ish of me. I hope everyone saw through it

You CAN'T do that; it's either "be ready to be in the front line of an assault" or "stay home". Otherwise, it's having your rhetorical cake and eating it too type situation. Just say you don't want to fight and be killed, especially for a trivial reason. Don;t pussyfoot around it, man. Yeah, but who decides who is meant for anything. I'd imagine not many people would want to partake in a bloody conflict, even if they were paid for it. Am I wrong?>

But in essence you ARE asking me to drastically alter my life and postpone my development for 2 of the most crucial and greatest years in one's life to say nothing of having my life in danger...Such semi-imprisonment doesn't sit well with me. Unless you LOVE being in the military. f*** no!!! Give me ONE reason why...and no, the Bush Oil War doesn;t count. Point is, if the national crisis situation ever arises, it means that Russian, France or China have started a full-on war, which likely means that the world is about to end. 10 million ill-trained draftees/foot soldiers ain't gonna make one bit of difference under that scenario...Otherwise not only would a mand. draft significantly f*** with economy and our way of life, but it's totally UNNECESSARY. You have a small bunch of highly-drained volunteers who are PAID to do the job. Let them do it. So you are possibly comparing standing in a boat just before the D-Day, seeing your buddies mowed down one by one, soiling your pants in a catatonic state knowing that your body is about to be ripped apart by a dozen large-caliber machine gun bullets...to sitting in a classroom?! Common, that's just silly.

But that my friend is how it ALWAYS worked. I don;t have a rich mommy or daddy. The latter lived 1000s of miles away from me for most of my adolescence in fact. Not to toot my own horn, but I certainly participate in assorted charities, food drives and worked with elderly. Always have. Dragged a few of my friends with me once in a while, too if you must know. As far as "comparing" goes, your arguement is VERY simplistic: just imagine your life without books, movies, museums, plays, video games, sports, music and other things that comprise the very fiber of CULTURE and LIFE...Why, there would be NOTHING worth fighting for. We need the military to protect against invasion. Once we are protected (and we have been for 30 to 60 years now dependingon who you ask), you NEED to start living. That's where movie comes in... Not that this matters as far as pertaining to the topic, but you obviously have never seen how much work and preparation goes into making a film if it's to be of HIGH quality. Hell, 70% of work is actually GETTING to the point where you have a CHANCE to make it... Nearly every single moment of my day is dedicated to my craft one way or another even when I am not ware of it. The sheer amount of physical, intellectual and psychological work is enourmous. Just because you don't see it doesn't mean it's not there. This is most highly competitive field, after all. By far. But then again it's not considered as "noble" as science, politics, medicince or soldiering

So, like, hypothetically speaking, if I make movies that entertain and/or make people feel and think, that's NOT "contributing"? If yes, then get off your high military horse. And don't get me started on paying high taxes and consuming as a way of "giving back"...

Hotsoxchick I am not bashing your honesty. It's commmendable in fact. So is your courage to stand up and volunterily fight. I do not wish to belittle your cause because you did what I know I couldn't do. And I am a man... But you need to recognize MY kind of honesty, too. I have said all along that I was against war because I MYSELF WILL NOT BE WILLING TO GO, so what right would I have sending others like a couple of fellers on this board...It;s not cowardice either as I have had about a dozen of school fights for the honour of my girlfriends in which I put my "pretty acting face" in jeopardy. HOWEVER, comparing Pearl Harbor semi-invasion to 9/11 only makes sense because of the number of lives lost. How would extra millions of recruitees have stopped the TERRORIST attack, I'd like to know? I mean, when I say the draft is not practical or necessary in a free, highly-evolved society of US size, I MEANT exactly that. And don't get me started on the NUCLEAR f***IN' AGE and the sheer irrelevance of it all...Dimplomacy and super-evolved covert intelligewnce is the GAME of the future, not Battle of Stalingrad (which BTW was THE turning battle of the WWII, not some pansy ass North African scrap they teach you in school, but I digress...). Saddam will be taken down expediently WITHOUT my talented ass's help. Not that I would fight for oil in the first place, but I think that distinction is lost on your pro-war/pro-gun ass. Whatever. Your unequivocal "you must fight" rhetoric is knee-jerk, plain and simple; it takes into account no circumstances or other factors and it doesn't distinguish. Most men in the history of the world had fought because they had NO CHOICE. I do. I am not a clog in the machine, an interchangeable pawn (remember the Kissinger quote, miss smartypants) or an ant. I am a HUMAN f***in' BEING with dreams and goals and a will to live. I will only risk that in case of severe national emergency. That doesn't make a "pussy"; it makes me "smart" and "ambitious". Boris Pasternak once said during Stalin's regime no less, paraphrased, "In order to fully realize one's individual potential, one needs to rise beyond blind patriotism and, in essence, disown his own country". You'll be surprised how many people YOU respect have adhered to that principle consciously or not. "I would no more be willing to train our children in the military art than I would teach them arsony, robbewry and murder". I fogot who said it... Acting like a fool? Now that;s just idiotic. If you discount the value of art (and entertainment) when it pertains to our very essences and lives, then you are a fool. Plain and simple. Freedom and survival are nice, but once they are out of the way (and Iraq is NOT a f***ing do-or-die threat like Hitler was, remember that, missy;) I am sorry to break it to you, but you live in the PAST (the 40's-50's to be precise). Gone are the days when 100,000 had to die because of some f***ing asshole's whim or war-mongering or profit...Poll majority of young people today about the draft issue and if they have ANY honesty left in them, 85% or so would say something along the lines of "Risk my life for Bush? No effin' way!". Russia/Soviet Union, Pakistan and China among others have mandaroty drafts. Great examples of successful and evolved societies...

1. I am not a citizen of this country. Electively so. 2. If Saddam invades (yeah, um, right!), I will have no other option but to take arms. Self-preservation much? There is no need to take your generational crankiness and "defending to the last breath" rhetoric out on us, "pussies". I guess I don't want to have an anonymous grave just so some shmuck pays 10 cents less for a gallon. Invasion/mandatory draft? Yes. Otherwise, see ya! 3. I enjoy partying, White Sox, writing, readin, acting and LIVING. Why in hell would I want to give all that up? I left my home country for that very reason- TO AVOID a draft in the future... You want to institute a 2-year mandatory draft during the highly globalized and thriving free market era? Are you f***ing nuts? I'd like to see a PRACTICAL reason behind your logic, hotsoxchick...Other countries don't have the military technology we do, so they try to compensate with man-power. They also know that keeping young and dumb teens off the street in military "camps" for 2-3 years without paying them ANYTHING is a great way to "boost" the economy and minimize crime. Nationalism plays well- just look at the hopeless and fanatical faces of Iraqui soldiers who are nothing but pawns in Saddam's game and are as worthless and helpless as insects as far as mattering is concerned...Luckily, US is not "other countries"...

Speaking of retirememnt, why is everyone counting the seconds? I maybe only 20, but no way in hell I am looking forward to it...

(mandatory draft aside)? I wouldn't. I want to LIVE and be FAMOUS...you?

As mad as I was at his (really) ugly ass for blowing the decisive game of the 2000 ALDS...let's face it: he was outstanding for us that year and is looking even better now that he has recovered from the injury. Him and Munoz and Marte should be awesome (compare those three southpaws at their sharpest to the sorry-ass lefty bullpen we jad for the most of 83-win 2001!) and Sox will be on their way to a 95-98 win season. Go Sox!

Yep. Sam McDowell and Dalcowski were the two Hawk mentioned a few years back as 105-110 mph throwers. Of course DJ dismissed it as another old Hawks tale...and here 6'11 Rauch can only go as high as 94mph/100 pitches a game. Howe come pitchers from 40 years ago were healthier and threw harder and more often? 283 pitches? Are we sure it's not a typo and he really threw only 28.3?

Does anyone one know much about the dude? A while back Hawk said this guy had the hardest fastball he's ever seen, clocking at what would have been 105-110 mph on the modern radar...[best Farley impression]: Is that true?

One word: physics Another word: aerodynamics Look them up. Star Wars/Shield is WORTHLESS and IMPOSSIBLE, not to mention it's cost: BILLIONS upon BILLIONS...Stopping one nuke is not that difficult IF you know the location from which it was fired and have about 20-30 minutes for detection, calculations, approval and track-intercepting, or in the event that you plain get LUCKY with timing, something you obvisously can't count on all the time...;stopping hundreds of dummy ones PLUS hundreds of REAl nukes (Russia, China attack would have plenty of both) in an all-out nuclear war is all but...well, they haven't invented a word that would express the correct degree of futility and doom. Let's just say, White Sox won't be taking the diamond that summer... Baggio, you know your baseball, I'll give you that. Alas, on THIS particular issue, you sound like a 7yo with a wild imagination and years of cartoon-watching under his belt. Your optimism/day-dreaming is enviable, but REALITY has something to say about it, too, and it doesn;t look good. Therefore DIMPLOMACY is the only thing that can and HAS saved this planet at this point. That and battling insane lone-wolf tyrants so they could never develop WMD in the first place. John Waynism of "go right ahead, throw at us everything you got!" is beyond INSANE in a nuclear age. All this talk about French being p*ssies, but the fact of thw matter is if they really wanted to annihilate US, all they would have to do is launch 30-40 nukes and WE BE HISTORY even if only half of them hit. (They would be too, but that another story. Besdies, I would imagine it wouldn't be much of a consolation to you to know tha people who vaporised you, your family and friends and their families have also been erased, would it?) ETA: I remember myself 6 years ago arguing YOUR case with my older, much better educated brother to the point of swinging for his head, spit flying out of my mouth. Needless to say, I have been enlightened since

Good cuz for a moment I thought you was headin' to the Big House Lucky bastard. I personally have Cable so there is no "under 10 minute movie download"s for me ):

Oh-oh. What exactly transpired? Kazaa Lite (with source-seeking sweep option and a few bells and whistles is actually faster with new files than D++ because it adds thre users together: if 30 users have a file available, all they have to do is share at the 5 kps rate on average for the TR to be at more than stellar 150, which is basically dowloading a movie in less time than it takes to view it. The problem arises with movies than are older and rarer (anything not a blockbuster success and/or released prior to 2001); Mulholland Drive, The Sweet Hereafter, Vertical Limit, etc both made just a few years back are only shared by a few people at one time if at all. Needless to say, the D/L time increases dramatically and PITA (pain-in-the-ass) factor comes into play. With DC++, you have tons of hubs to search and both flicks (as well as many foreign ones and other files not available on K or KL) are in ample supply. DC sucked because of only one slot (one channel to download) and inability to search in more than one hub at a time, but DC++ fixes those problem with a bang. Recommended. EMule is not bad at all. Faster than DC++ and has more files than KL, though like the former it's of the "user manually seeks the hub/server of his/her liking and sets all the preferences" kind, which may be puzzling for beginners.

I tried Direct Connect++ over the weekend. The best by far.

Or blood.

You mean the DVD Rip/DivX? I found that not ony are they (the ones witrh really high resolution anyway) practically identical to DVDs quality-wise they also beat VHS because of the wide-sceren format, which doesn't bother some people but sure as hell does me. And the price. So not only on DVD-ROM, but actual DVD players? Never done that before. Thanks.

What about VirtualDub? Does it have the dummy default method (the one that doesn't involve f***ing with birates and frames and all that professional s***)? I understand that deconding/compression to fit into one CD is pain in the ass and/or takes to damn long while just splitting it in "half"using VD is much easier? Whatcha think about VD? Thanks again.

1. Anyone think Morpheus is better than Kazaa Lite in terms of speed? 2. Anyone use eMule for foereign/classic movies? I mean they 100s of servers instead of just a few like KaZaa... 3. Let's say, hypothetically of course, that a person has DivX file of Crouching Tioger, Hidden Dragon and it is app. 840 MB. Now a VCD/CD-R is only 700 MB. Is there anyway to re-encode it in such a way that the movie fits on the CD AND doesn't lose it's quality? Is there any way to break the movie into two parts for 2 CDs if it can't be fit into one? Thanks.