#is the free one. at the start of the game. and one manuel. for one merge. that's it.

[moe-broey]

I'm in so much pain.

[leonsliga]

I need to find a manu safe space. We do need to be planning for the future and I hate to see people turning on him even though he isn’t up to form but give him a reduced wage and transitional role for one year (Thomas stay as our super sub too please and retire together) I’m not ready to let my old men go

You and me both, anon. Maybe we can create a Manu safe space here together ❤️ if there’s anything the footyblr community is good for, it’s giving us a forum to talk about what (and who) we love.

I know he’s been injured more than his fair share in recent years (the football gods are very cruel) and even the great Manuel Neuer can’t stop time, but the way a few off-matches (particularly the one vs. Barça) have some “fans” forgetting everything he’s given Bayern, not to mention all the times he’s bailed us out of otherwise lackluster performances, is something I’ll never get my head around. I know when things go south, a lot of people’s first instinct is to blame the goalkeeper, and for a very vocal minority, that means slinging every possible insult his way in every public forum imaginable. But it doesn’t make it any easier to witness, especially considering we’re talking about a legend and one of if not the greatest goalkeepers of all time. We’ve heard it all before too, haven’t we? Even years back. “He’s finished”, “hang up the gloves, Neuer”, and “the football’s left him” are common refrains whenever Manu makes a high profile mistake. And honesty, those comments always make me go:

The thing about Manu though is that if you underestimate him, you do so at your peril. He’s always struck me as a perfectionist, and he’s never one to stand still. He knows better than anyone how he’s performing and what his weak spots are in any given moment. His tireless work ethic, his unwavering composure, and his unbridled love of the game have kept him at Bayern (& at the very top of his game) for more than a decade, and just when we start to think the man’s past his prime, he finds a way to prove us all wrong yet again. After all, that man can block out the noise like no other. He’s been called Nervenstärke personified for a reason.

I know we need to plan for the future though, as determined as I am to hold on to our legends for as long as I possibly can. I really like your idea of keeping Manu on in a transitional role if it comes to that. Selfishly though, I’m still hoping he’s just going through a bit of a rough patch at the moment (which can happen, he’s human), and that he’s still got some of that Manu magic left in him. And I know Thomas isn’t getting any younger either (don’t remind me 😭), so if we can keep him on in some capacity, even if it’s means he’ll be a super sub instead of a starter, I’ll take it 😅

Also, I’m totally with you; if our team dads don’t retire together I’m suing for emotional damage. They’re the heart and soul of the club.

Anyways, to end this post on a positive note, have an assortment of happy Bayern!Manu pics:

And, as for anyone else who’s read this far, feel free to join us in this little Manu mush-fest. This is a safe space, after all ❤️

[sailorsenshishitposter]

Get in loser, we're going vessel shopping!

Yuji and the gang were exhausted, having just finished exercising a group of curses. It was getting late so they then went to catch a ride back to Jujutsu Tech with Ijichi.

"Man, I'm beat! I had to hit those little fuckers harder than King Dedede's Jet Hammer!"

"Language Kugisaki."

"C'mon Fushiguro, I know you want to hit Gojo sensei as much as I do!"

Before they could continue their conversation, Yuji spoke.

"Is anyone else hearing music?"

Megumi and Nobara stopped. A faint jingle could be heard. Almost as if there was an ice cream truck nearby. But that was impossible. Before Yuji could speak, Kugisaki stopped him.

"No! Do you really think an ice cream truck would be here? In this time of year (fall)? At this time of day? In this part of Tokyo? Localised entirely within the woods?"

"Okay but when you put it like that it sounds bad!"

Suddenly a white van pulled up in the distance. Fushiguro gave a double take and then stated "There's no way I'm going near that thing."

Kugisaki then turned towards Itadori.

"Shouldn't you be going "jinkies!" or is this is the part where your spidey senses forget to activate? Yuji?"

The boy was no longer standing next to her for he had begun running faster than Todo at a Takada chan signing.

"What should we do?"

"I don't know but I'm calling sensei and telling him to bring a dog leash and some Jennifer Laurence magazines."

___________

"Lucky me, I can't believe you guys are open! Anyway I'll take one fudgicle please!"

After paying, an arm reached out and handed him the frozen treat.

"Thank you!"

Yuji was going to peel off the wrapper only to find that there wasn't one.

"That's odd. Oh well, down the hatch!"

It was dark so he couldn't see very well but something was off about his popsicle. After swallowing, he then began to wonder if there was a recall that he should know about because ice cream isn't supposed to be spiky right?

An extra set of eyes then peeled open.

"Fool."

What a moron of a vessel. Sukuna couldn't wait to be free of him. It was then that the window opened.

"I should have figured you had something to do with this."

Inside was totally not Geto, aka Kenjaku, wearing a milk man uniform.

"Hop in Sukuna, let's go to the mall."

"What is your game here?"

"Don't be like that! I figured you would want to join me for some shopping. You know as well as I do that we could use a change of vessels, hm?"

Sukuna grinned and then jumped through the passengers side like in Dukes of Hazard, only the window was rolled up so now he was coated in shards of glass."

Are you feeling alright?"

"Couldn't be better! After all, I'm not the one who's body will be paying for the damage."

Kenjaku then began to drive to the nearest mall. Unfortunately they were now stuck in traffic.

"The sidewalk is wide enough. Go."

"You really haven't changed after a thousand years, huh? All right, just let me put on my mixtape first."

Before Sukuna could ask what that was, he began to hear loud music. It was too loud to hear what the other was saying but he was giving a look that said "Want to watch a massacre unfold?" Sukuna gave a nod and then Kenjaku put the vehicle into to overdrive. Tokyo's poor citizens tried to run for their lives while all one could hear was "Gas, Gas, Gas" by Manuel. They both began to cackle maniacally.

___________

Eventually they made it to the parking lot after leading the police on a wild goose chase.

"So we'll go our separate ways and meet back here in a hour. Don't be late!"

"Fine with me! And it's not exactly like I have all the time in the world, this brats body is on a time limit!"

Sukuna then realized he didn't know where to start.

"Where am I supposed to find the strongest among a crowd of ants? This will prove to be more difficult than I initially thought!"

___________

The first thing Kenjaku did was buy a new set of clothes.

"That last guy had no fashion sense! I'll need to choose more wisely this time."

He looked around until he saw a familiar face.

"No way! Tengen's here too? Alright, change of plans. I'm going to steal her intended vessel before she can make the switch!"

___________

Sukuna was approaching a fitness store when he felt two arms place themselves snuggly around his stomach. He then prayed to Gege and hoped that it better not be who he thought it was. The king of curses then turned his head around to find the culprit. Shit. Why did he always have the worst luck?

"Yorozu... I see the restraining order failed to keep you away..."

"Oh Sukuna, we both know a piece of paper could never get in between the way of our love!"

It took all his willpower to not kill her on the spot.

"...So what are you doing here?""Kenjaku texted me and told me you would be here! It's almost like we're on a date!"

Before he could tell her that no, it was not like a date, she took his arm and began to drag him.

"Unhand me! What are you doing!?"

"What does it look like silly? I'm taking you to Build-a-Bear! It's what all the cute couples are doing!"

"Stop. One, if you were the last woman on earth, I would rather split myself into fingers then and two, I already have plans and I don't need you interfering with them!"

"Aww! Can't I come with you?"

"No! I'm shopping for a new vessel and I don't have time to-"

Yorozu then cut him off

"Wow! Like, you're going to be renting a new body? Let me help! I can help find the perfect choice for you!"

The king of curses scoffed.

"Yeah right! You can't even get your poetry right. How am I supposed to trust you when it comes to good taste?"

"Because if you let me help than I'll stop taking pictures of you when you're not looking."

Yorozu had a massive shrine dedicated to her love with so many creeper shots that her collection put other stalkers to shame.

"Fine. But you're also going to be burning the ones you already took."

"Sure!"

What Sukuna didn't know was that the girl had figured out how to navigate technology far quicker than him, already having stored her files on a two terribyte hard drive.

___________

Kenjaku watched his targets from behind a small potted tree. Once the two had met and started arangments, he knew he had to put his plan into action. Suddenly the speakers could be heard.

"Would Tengen please arrive to the head office - Your powers are being requested by management and there is an emergency - Thank you for your consideration -"

"I'm sorry but you'll need to wait a little longer before assimilating. Just know that your sacrifice won't be in vain."

Kenjaku watched her walk off and then nonchalantly came up beside them.

"Nothing personal kid."

He then twisted their neck causing instant death. Kenny began to drag the corpse with him to the bathroom stall so no one would interrupt him.

"Time to get to work."

___________

Yorozu had taken Sukuna to the food court and was now arguing with the staff.

"Whadda mean you don't serve monkey brains! I'm calling corporate to file a complaint! Let's go dear!"

Sukuna and the worker then shot each other a look of pity. Yorozu was angrily babbling when she bumped into someone.

"Oh, hey Kenjaku. I see you're already finished."

He took off his hat, revealing fresh stitches on his forehead.

"KENJAKU, YOU BASTARD!"

"Gross, what is that! A thumb thumb!?"

"Yo, granny!"

It turns out that it wasn't grandmother willow but Tengen. Or at least it used to be.

"Don't you "hey granny" me! Do you realize what you have done!?"

"Don't look at me like that, can't you just get a new one?"

"You know damn well that that's not how it works! I'm now stuck as this creature for all of eternity!"

Kenjaku waived his hand dismissively.

"Being immortal sounds pretty cool to me. Besides, do you know how irritating it is to constantly hop from one body to another?"

"Didn't ask, plus I don't care!"

Tengen then pulled a glock from underneath her robe and shot Kenjaku at point blank range. He was still alive so she would have to move fast. Tengen then began to unscrew the heads top lid and revealed a brain with teeth. It was hissing and citizens started to take notice. Panic ensued and while the crowd was screaming, Tengen pulled out a jar and plopped the brain into it.

Kenjaku's rabbit teeth tried to chomp through the glass but she quickly sealed it up in a layer of talismans, followed up by flex tape. Tengen was now leaving and Sukuna looked towards his side to find a missing Yorozu.

"Where did she go?! I mean, I'm glad she's gone but what can she be plotting."

He didn't know it but she leapt outside and was laying face first in the grass to study the bugs.

"Well there goes my ride."

Suddenly sirens began to blare."

Shit, it's the cops!"

Sukuna took the chance to switch places with Itadori. When Yuji woke up, he was at the police station and locked in handcuffs.

"Not again! I guess I'll have to use my one phone call on Gojo sensei and ask him to bail me out."

Panic began to set in.

"What was his number again?"

Yuji tried to ask Sukuna but he refused to answer, too amused in the boys misery."

Looks like I'm never eating ice cream again!"

[oriley42]

Tl;dr: here's the chart I made, react at your own time if you'd like<3, sorry for the bible below.

Hello again legend, I present to you my magnum opus relationship chart, updated to where I reached when I started it which was about early-mid s7 (I now finished) and therefore does not feature Park or Addams.

You can probably tell which parts might be inspired by your fics (the og ducklings polycule, House and Wilson married, Cuddy and frankly any woman, 13 and Amber etc), which parts are rooted in canon (Cuddy and House, Taub and Rachel, 13 and Foreman etc) and which parts are fully just me going ham (some friendships and ships with people who never met in canon, some of them sharing homes oops).

I would absolutely love to read a live reaction from you on stuff you agree and disagree with and what makes no sense to you because I honestly think your brain is huge as far as dynamics go. Feel free to add anything you can see I blatantly missed, I for sure didn't include everything here.

I know most of your fics don't venture outside of the earlier seasons regarding characters and dynamics but I've been having brainrot about the whole lot of them, I have loads of headcanons regarding the chart:

- It took Foreman a long time to give up his house but because he literally cannot do casual relationships and is hardcore married to 3 people and dating 13 he just sleeps wherever

- Kutner and Masters have a crazy bonding arc that ends with them sharing a house and they balance each other out

- Stacy and Cameron used to fuck over shared weird ass relationship with House

Anyway seriously ama I can explain everything even why Lin Manuel Miranda's character made it to the magnum opus I'm being so fr

No pressure at all to respond unless this brings you equal brainrot, at your leisure boss

Wahoo! This is so cool! I’ve only seen charts like these occasionally, and never gotten a chance to really dive in. I love how this visualizes the complex network of relationships and their nuances, and crystallizes a particular snapshot of them. And I’m so flattered that my stories could play a role in how you imagine these relationships! I do tend to favor the early seasons, so this is a good chance to think about the later fellows as well, who I also love <3 (Will attempt to put my response under a read-more...if I can figure out how these work...)

Starting with Foreman: I love how he’s his own big nexus! The show has such intense main character syndrome with House, but I totally agree with how you’ve framed Foreman and Thirteen as other key spokes in the bonkers wheel of toxic polycule-ism that is PPTH. Foreman wants to be a responsible homeowner but he’s got marriages all over town! And really he’s married to his job! How’s a guy supposed to manage a mortgage situation like that? 😅 Foreman and Kutner (I almost just misspelled his name as Kuntner, which, honestly…serve) didn’t really get to do much together in canon, and I love to imagine them getting to have a relationship of their own, not just in the context of PPTH. Would they chill and play video games, and it would be a chance for Foreman to just be a person, instead of A Doctor? Would he get to enjoy Kutner’s laid back nature, but because they keep things casual, he doesn’t have to deal with the stuff that would absolutely drive his ordered mind crazy—you know he wouldn’t stand for a fridge that’s empty except for a jar of mustard and one (1) liter of Mountain Dew. Also I can’t believe I forgot about that plot point that Taub roomed with Foreman, oh my god. Yes. And Foreman and Rachel Taub secret pals? Delish!

Thirteen has pulled every young, gorgeous, eligible person in her orbit, as she should. Sampled all the flavors, as it were. Except C&C—I agree, she doesn’t vibe with the blonde twins, especially as a set, though I think there could be something interesting in the whole ‘Thirteen is House’s metaphorical daughter’ vibe that Cameron would just go apeshit over. ‘Oh, it’s House, but he’s a hot, impressionable young girl who’s also dying?!’ ß catnip for that messed up gal! (Sidebar: I am fighting for my life every time I try to make Cameron sapphic because that actress simply reads as unbearably het to me. It took everything I had to write explicit Cuddy/Cameron. I’m so sorry to all the lesbian!Cam truthers out there, you’re stronger than I! Especially considering Jennifer went on to be half of such a powerhouse WLW ship on OUAT…I don’t know why, but the only kind of queer for her that really works in my head is aro-ace. That girl just wants to save lives, she doesn’t have time for any other nonsense!) On that note, love the idea that Cameron/Stacy had a thing. Go girls, the best way to get over House is to get under someone else (who also wants to fuck him!) Cuddy/Amber is galaxy brain, god, let these powerful yet deeply insecure and structurally maligned women try to step on each other, fail, and fuck nasty about it 😭 I’m also glad you fit sweet little Masters in, I’ve only written her as a cameo because s7 is so…Like That…but she’s delightful and deserves the (intimate) attentions of beautiful and terrifying women such as Thirteen and Amber. And Kutner & Masters friendship, what a delight that would be! I think they would both bring eldest sibling energy to it that would turn out to complement one another, as Kutner shows her the ropes of having fun and learning when to bend the rules, and she can help him buckle down and connect with the times when the rules are actually important to follow. Kutner was always the youngin’, so he didn’t get to mentor anybody, and he should have gotten that chance!!

I think Cuddy and Wilson have a Something…that cannot be defined. Is it sexual, platonic, friendly, familial? Are they besties, are they both just good at being social, are they bonded primarily over their UST for House, would they have been the world’s most perfect Lavender Marriage??? (Which raises the point of kids, yikes! That would need to be a whole other chart, of kids had, imagined, and desired…) Similarly, canon implies that Wilson and Stacy are good friends and have been for quite a while (though we don’t get to see it enough!) and I always wonder how that went for James ‘Trips Over Friendship Into Marriage’ Wilson. Was his friendship like Stacy like his relationship with Cuddy? Are they surface level friends who really bonded over House—or over the kinds of things that draw them to someone like House, e.g. the dark unspoken desires they both paper over in their pursuit of appearing “normal”? Maybe it’s like what Bonnie said, if she’d slept with Wilson right away, she could have gotten over him…maybe Wilson slept with Cuddy and/or Stacy and they were like ‘that was fine, but what if we just did brunch once a month and gossiped instead.’

I agree that Cuddy should have gotten to keep Lucas, like a pet. He was delightful! House Lite, a little scamp, but one who could be kind and relied upon when it was important. And totally agree that House should get to keep Alvie, that musical theater freak helped him keep it together in one of the worst times of his life! Those episodes of s6 are a fever dream that I wouldn’t trade for the world. House needs his emotional support boy best friend (there’s that one post that says without Wilson, House flees to the nearest manlet…so real.) It’s so natural, then, for the two manlets to bond. Lucas and Alvie have killer karaoke sessions together that are as humiliating to witness as they are incredible to experience.

Thank you for sharing this inspiring chart (and for referring to me like I’m a mafia don, it makes me feel so butch and famous) 😎🥰 Please do reblog or reply if any of this stream of consciousness sparks clarifications/questions/additions!

[urbania-resident]

So I started the Urbz on GBA recently. I’ve played through Urbz like, a million times over. But, I’ve only ever done that on the DS. It’ll be interesting playing through on the GBA and spotting the differences, though I’m not expecting any drastic differences by any means.

Under the cut is all of the minor differences between the games that I could find. I know, you’re enthralled.

So far, after my first little play session— I stopped when I got to jail— the only big difference is the opening montage isn’t on two screens (obviously— I just remember that was the thing that blew me away when I played the game the very first time) but it’s more or less the same. Choosing what to talk to the other characters about is a bit different too, maybe because I’m used to getting the option to select with either my finger or the stylus.

While in Urbania, I’ve noticed Mokey is missing in the park, which is understandable since as far as I understand, Splicer Island is DS exclusive content

With that being said, as I continued to play, no Sharona Faster, either. This also means one of my absolute faves, Busta Cruz, is not around either 😔

And— it took me a bit to notice this one— Jack I. Deal is missing too.

Also, on top of the jail where you play basketball, in the DS version there is a pile of trash at the top of the stairs, and a trampoline on the opposite end of the court. In the GBA version, so far there seems to be the pile of trash at the top of the stairs and at the opposite end of the court, near the free weight system that has replaced the trampoline.

I was going to work through the top 3 people I always feel the need to get 100% friendship with (Guiseppi, Ewan Wahtahmee, and Phoebe Twiddle) and I managed to do it with Guiseppi, but after getting into Sim Quarter, I realized I may not need to do that with Ewan! I somewhat cheated and took a look at the Manuel I got with my game and read that there was a bumper car mini game, I just didn’t know when/where/how/etc. and it actually seems to replace the off the deck cavernous bonus house area (I never know what to call it lmao). Very interesting! The bumper car mini game also seems to replace the Xizzle Factory dialogue with Lily (though I feel I may be a touch off with the Xizzle Factory? It was definitely some kind of factory that was not really mentioned before or after Lily’s goal here)

Throwing in an edit to the previous bullet: I was wrong! Later in the game I was trying to raise my popularity and, for the hell of it, got my relationship with Ewan up to 100 and he still built the little cavern place under the bridge! Lesson learned.

Also, in Sim Quarter just outside of the Crawfish Shack and Mambo Loa’s place, in the DS version there’s an artist who lets you use his easel to paint. In the GBA version there’s a lady who sells pets.

Also, gotta mention that in the carnival there’s someone who sells stuff there too, next to Lloyd the Gator Man (or his look alike?? I always just guessed Lloyd worked for the circus post-bayou mission). But I never really bothered to interact with that person before in the DS version honestly, so it could be a difference, or it could just be the same thing.

I was doing some shopping in the Mega Mall after speedrunning through the bayou without meaning too and while upstairs, I notice the TVs upstairs near the elevator doors have The Sims logo being advertised. Again I could be wrong but I don’t recall that being in the DS version (for some reason???)

When I was getting the map for Paradise Island to Gordie Puck (who has to be on the list of Arguably Underrated Characters in This Game. I want to know more about him!) I noticed the bird wasn’t in Olde Salty’s cabin. Probably related to lack of Splicer Island stuff.

Out of curiosity, I tried to see if I could access the moon base area, but after getting my hands on the meteorite, all I could do was make a normal call from the phone booth.

The last thing I tried out before officially finishing the game was, I managed to complete the Artsies Rep mission (forgot to mention that I was deemed an Artsie at the start of the game) all I got was a new bumper boat to access for the mini game.

[thevoicetournament]

VS READY!!

the bracket is ready! please remember I randomized the seed!

first poll will start in a day

until then feel free to ask me anything!

(under the cut)

The Narrator (Pokémon) Vs. The Pa Announcer (Mash)

The Narrator (Little Big Planet) Vs. The Narrator (The Stanley Parable)

Delamain (Cyberpunk 2077) Vs. The Narrator (Dude, Stop!)

Brooke Page (Ever After High) Vs. Sissel (Ghost Trick)

Cave Johnson (Portal 2) Vs. God (Miitopia)

Computer (Star Trek) Vs. Dr. Glen Pierce (Superliminal)

Narrator (Dialtown) Vs. I.M.O.G.E.N. (Stellar Firma)

Alexa (Amazon) Vs. Game (There Is No Game: Wrong Dimensions)

The Beast (Over The Garden Wall) Vs. The Star Stream (Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint)

Yaweh (The Prince Of Egypt) Vs. Encyclopedia (Disco Asylum)

Hand Unit (Fnaf Sister Location) Vs. The Narrator (Manuel Samuel)

The Announcer (Scp) Vs. Mr. New Vegas (Fallout)

The Beyonder (Moon Girl And Devil Dinosaur) Vs. The Narrator (The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy)

Announcer (Super Smash Bro's) Vs. Allen The Amorphous Cloud (Dilbert)

Hal 9000 (2001: A Space Odyssey) Vs. Voice (Scream)

The Fail Screen (The Henry Stickman Collection) Vs. Palutena (Kid Icarus Uprising)

David Attenbourough (Nature Documentaries) Vs. "X Hours Later" (Spongebob)

The Narrator (The Powerpuff Girls) Vs. Phone Guy (Fnaf)

God (Christianity) Vs. Ness' Father (Earthbound)

Discord Text To Speech (Discord) Vs. Guardian Angel (Clowntown)

Ron Pearlman (Fallout) Vs. The Voice (Trapped!/Trapped! Ever After)

The Ghost Host (Luigi's Haunted Mansion) Vs. Sayer (Sayer)

Airy (One) Vs. F.R.I.D.A.Y. (Marvel)

Dr. Death Defying (Danger Days) Vs. Art (The Murderbot Diaries)

Siri (Iphone) Vs. The Narrator (Pushing Daisies)

End Poem (Minecraft) Vs. Howard's Mother (Big Bang Theory)

The End (Sonic Frontiers) Vs. The Narrator (Word Girl)

Computer (Courage The Cowardly Dog) Vs. Hinawa (Mother 3)

Conscience (My Brain) Vs. Boxer/Unknown (Transistor)

John Doe (Malevolent) Vs. Lil Hal (Homestuck)

Disembodied Voice /Text (Scott Pilgrim Vs The World) Vs. Mr. Voice (Little Misfortune)

Narrator (Dr. Langeskov, The Tiger, And The Terribly Cursed Emerald: A Whirlwind Heist) Vs. Your Tie (Disco Asylum)

[diemannschaftblr]

@/iMiaSanMia: Nagelsmann on tomorrow's game: "Scotland are a very good team that have four or five important players in their group. They put in lots of crosses. They have made big progress in the way they play football. Their mentality is certainly extraordinary. We are under more pressure than the Scots. We want to win the opening game. I also demand that we believe in ourselves. We have good players and have shown mentality in recent games. We have everything we need and want to bring it onto the pitch."

• Julian Nagelsmann: All of our players are healthy - except Pavlović. The tonsillitis is so serious that he won't be fit to play any time soon. Big compliments to the medical team. I can rely on the full strength of our team, we're ready and really looking forward to tomorrow evening.

• on his decision to nominate Emre Can and whether Leon Goretzka was an option: It's not the time to talk about the players who are not here. We have chosen Emre Can. Rocco Reitz has trained well, but we wouldn't be doing him any favors by giving him his first international match during a European Championship. It's to protect him. Emre is very quick, strong in the air, and well accepted within the group. He made a good impression today. It is not easy to come back from vacation so abruptly.

• on Kroos: Toni is important for us, you can give him the ball at any time. He is an important player for all of us, but especially for the young players. It took me a while to persuade him. He said that he would only be back if he felt that we could win something with the team. And then he said 'Yes, let's do it.'

• Nagelsmann calls for fan support tomorrow: I want us to do everything we can to have a great tournament. I want the country to push us forward as Germany. Please all be loud in the stadium tomorrow. I'm confident we'll play a good game.

• on whether the failure in the past tournaments is in mind: I don't want to talk about the past. It's about the status quo. We want to be more successful than we were last time. It's important to start well tomorrow. There's no point in talking about past tournaments.

• on Manuel Neuer and the discussions in the media: Manuel and I know how the media works. Everyone has to do their job. Things have calmed down since my statement [that Neuer remains #1]. I'm not interested in what you discuss about my players. I trust Manu and he will play a good tournament.

• on whether the lineup is decided: Every player knows his role. But this distribution of roles is not a free pass. We have a first eleven in mind. If one of the first eleven players doesn't perform well, we have guys who can put pressure on them. We want to give the players psychological security. Everyone in the team is welcome to give their all.

• on Leroy Sané's fitness: Leroy is pain-free, at 100% and can play.

[chicagocubsreactions]

Craig Counsell Always Wanted to End Up With the Cubs

[original article]

As Craig Counsell headed into manager free agency this month, two objectives stood at the top of his wish list: kickstart what had been a fallow financial market for managers and coaches and to honor his Midwestern roots. Only the Cubs could satisfy those two objectives. That is why he is the Chicago manager today.

The results of managerial manic Monday—Counsell to the Cubs, David Ross out of a job in Chicago, Carlos Mendoza to the Mets and Stephen Vogt to the Guardians—seemed shocking in the staccato burst of news. Counsell to the Cubs seemed like the biggest shock of all. But based on Counsell’s roots and desire to get to free agency in the first place, the result makes perfect sense.

The Cubs knew this, which is why they placed a call to him on the first day he was a free agent.

Chicago was very much aware that Counsell grew up and lives in Wisconsin, played at Notre Dame, has sons playing college baseball at Minnesota and Michigan and has two daughters in high school in Wisconsin. “The Midwest [pull] is real,” says one source familiar with negotiations between Counsell and the Cubs.

As the Cubs did their homework, knowing Counsell chose to play this year out rather than sign an extension with Milwaukee, they were told by one of Counsell’s friends, “If he ever managed anywhere else, the Cubs have always been his dream job.”

Counsell became a free agent on Nov. 1, the day after his Milwaukee contract expired. The Cubs called Nov. 1, such was their interest in acquiring what one team source called “one of the one or two best managers in the game.”

By then, the Mets already had contacted Counsell. They jump-started the process when David Stearns, the Mets’ newly hired president of baseball operation, called his old club, Milwaukee, for permission to talk to Counsell before his contract expired. With the money of New York owner Steve Cohen and with the shared history of Stearns and Counsell—seven years together as GM and manager in Milwaukee—the Mets were portrayed as the most likely team to sign Counsell.

There were two problems with that assumption. Stearns did not hire Counsell in Milwaukee. He inherited him when he was named GM in September 2015. They worked well together but were not particularly close, especially as Milwaukee emphasized analytics more in game decisions. Moreover, the Mets’ advantage of money was offset by geography and where the team stands on the winning curve. It is not a plum job despite plum money.

“Over the last few days people were still writing that it looked like it was Counsell’s job,” says a source who spoke to Counsell during that time. “That wasn’t the case. He was all but out over the past few days. New York was not at the top of his list.”

Says one executive, “If you look at recent history, managers don’t come out well on the other side of that job.”

Mendoza will be the sixth named manager of the Mets in the past eight seasons, following Terry Collins, Mickey Callaway, Carlos Beltran, Luis Rojas and Buck Showalter. Going back to Jerry Manuel and Art Howe, the past seven Mets managers have not landed another managing gig after leaving Queens.

Stearns needed a manager with experience and/or a working understanding of the New York landscape. He settled on Mendoza, the former Yankees bench coach who turns 44 this month and has not managed above Class A ball. It comes at a time when the race to identify the next inexperienced managerial whiz has lost its luster as experience returns results. The ages of the past six World Series managers: 58 (Torey Lovullo), 59 (Rob Thomson), 65 (Brian Snitker), 68 (Bruce Bochy), 72 (Dusty Baker) and 73 (Baker).

The Mets were 29 games worse than Atlanta last year, the furthest they have been from first place in 20 years. The job comes with uncertainty in terms of how quickly they can rebuild. Likewise, Counsell’s free agency came just as Milwaukee is staring at a rebuild. Pitcher Brandon Woodruff underwent shoulder surgery and could be out for all of next year. Pitcher Corbin Burnes and shortstop Willy Adames could be traded this winter in advance of pending free agency.

The Cubs, however, are on the upswing, just as they were (if not quite as sharply) when the team dumped incumbent manager Rick Renteria in favor of free agent manager Joe Maddon after the 2014 season. Similarly, the Cubs liked Ross but decided when one of the game’s best managers is available and that person has strong ties to the Midwest, they felt obligated to pursue the top talent.

Chicago gave Counsell $40 million over five years. The annual salary of $8 million is a record, topping the $7.5 million Joe Torre earned from the Yankees more than 20 years ago ($13.3 million in today’s dollars). As analytics grew in baseball, executives became stars, not managers. Executives not only came to earn more than managers but they also reduced the influence of managers by relying on information-backed systems rather than wisdom.

For instance, when the Cubs hired Maddon, they paid him $5 million per year. President of baseball operations Theo Epstein was making $3.7 million. By the time Epstein left he was making $10 million, and the manager/GM balance of power in MLB had flipped.

The financial market for managers cratered in the analytics age. Terry Francona, with two World Series titles, reportedly was the game’s highest paid manager last season at $4.5 million. Maddon’s contract eight years ago (before he won a title) equates to $6.8 million in today’s dollars. Likewise, contracts for major league coaches remain stagnant at a time when the minimum player salary has risen 42% in the past eight years to $720,000.

“That’s one reason why you see so many coaches today who never played in the big leagues,” says one AL coach. “It’s almost like asking, ‘Who wants to coach for $120,000?’ There are a lot of guys who never played who would volunteer in a heartbeat. But if you’re in a big market, with taxes and living expenses, you’re almost working for free.”

The investment in Counsell is a signal that the Cubs are all in next season. You don’t hand out the most lucrative contract for a manager without consolidating that investment on the player side.

Conversely, the Brewers offered Counsell a raise from $3.5 million to $5.5 million but were never going to get to the level of Cubs money. Just days ago, they traded veteran outfielder Mark Canha to Detroit for a minor league reliever, rather than bring him back for $11.5 million or pay a $2 million buyout.

“What I don’t get is why the Brewers just didn’t pay to keep him,” says a source close to Counsell.

Based on how the teams are positioned and market resources, Counsell was worth more to the Cubs than to the Brewers. Milwaukee is scheduled to meet Tuesday morning with Pat Murphy, Counsell’s bench coach and former coach at Notre Dame, about replacing Counsell. Murphy also is expected to be offered a job on Counsell’s staff in Chicago.

Milwaukee could stay in house as it develops young players from its productive farm system, or it could try to take the public relations sting out of losing the franchise’s best manager—to the rival Cubs, no less—by hiring a “name brand” manager. Among those likely choices, according to a source, are Ross and Don Mattingly.

[tealenko]

15 Questions, 15 Mutuals

A 10000000 thanks to @sillyliterature for the tag <3 <3 <3

1. Are you named after anyone? 

I'm named after a place.

My mum liked names that started with the letter "A" and someone suggested Africa. And she thought that it was stupid to name me after a place she'd never been to, but liked the idea of naming me after a location... So I'm named after a village she went to a couple of time when she was younger.

2. When was the last time you cried?

Yesterday (But today is still young XDDD) I listened to some Bo Burnham and Lin Manuel Miranda's music, watched Fast and Furious 7 and the Princess and the Frog... So yesterday I was basically a faucet lol

I'm an easy crier (but I'm quite proud of it ehehehehe)

3. Do you have kids?

Nope

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?

Do I? 😏

6. What's your eye color? 

Brown eyes (With a line of black that crosses through the iris if you look close enough... Just like my dad's)

7. Scary movies or happy endings? 

Pleeeeasseeeee...

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️Happy endings❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

8. Any special talents?

Too many, I'm AWESOME XDDDDDDDDDDD Let me see which of them is more useless...

Ah yeah... I'm a walking mp3 player (song I listen, song I remember). So aamaaaaazing memory, but only to memorize songs ehehehehehe

9. Where were you born? 

Valencia, Spain 🇪🇸

10. What are your hobbies? 

Singing, writing, reading, drawing, playing computer games, cooking, baking, nailart, and all the usual stuff: watching TV series, movies, losing hours and hours on Youtube, not sleeping, etc.

11. Have you any pets? 

Not really... But my partner has a dog named Mandy and she almost seems like my daughter (loves me more too XDDDD)

12. What sports do you play/have played?

None... I'm not an active person. I was forced to do ballet for a while, not really my thing (but I'm still flexible because of that soooo... It had its perks ehehehe). The only sport I've ever enjoyed is skiing (but it's been a while because you need money and free time for that one, and I don't have neither T-T)

I like seeing sports on TV though, especially what my friend call "old people sports" XDDDDD Because the ones I follow the most are: tennis, golf and snooker.

13. How tall are you? 

1.60 m (shortish~~ for anyone who suffers the others meassure systems)

14. Favorite subject in school? 

All of them except biology and Valencian (2nd language we speak in my region)... But if I have to narrow it down it has to be a triple tie between Maths, Music and Computer Science (which kinda explains my next answer ehehehehe)

15. Dream job? 

Back up singer (or any kind of singer where I can have a comfortable life without being famous)... Or teacher. I went for the latter XD

----------

As always, do as you wish... And tagging: @fshenkoescape @ficbrish @halesshepardn7 @bluestardust23 @psychoteacher90 @zizzlekwum @kat-hikari @wolfwhisperertf @commander-krios @acciokaidanalenko @nothisis-ridiculous @normandya @cave-1 @laelior @witch-ofthe-wilds

[mayasdeluca]

Hey there, I just wanted to send a quick response to you and the Anon who wondered if Danielle was pressured into posting the Safari video because of the paparazzi photos or something else and I don't think she was. If you look on Kevin's page he does a lot of these "sponsored" trips with this celebrity travel agency where they plan the trip and then he'll post about it and it's free publicity for them. I'm sure Danielle knew this and was on board. And considering that she has her own SM "team" with Maddie, she knows how to play the game of when to post, what to post, etc.

I also wanted to note that I am finding old interviews of Danielle (hey anything to get through this hiatus) and she used to talk about her boyfriend all the time. They were together for like 6 years and even moved to Chicago (for his job because she didn't need to be based in LA when her roles filmed everywhere) but about a year later she booked Station 19. She went back and forth during the 1st season but then whatever long distance happened and they broke up.

I think as with many celebrities that get looked at closer under the microscope they become more private; as a bit unrelated/related example, when Lin-Manuel Miranda was just some Broadway guy he used to share pictures of his older son on SM all the time but when he blew up with Hamilton and more eyes were on him, he stopped showing his face and never showed his other son who was born after Hamilton made him a household name. So Danielle probably hasn't been serious with anyone since that breakup (even asking Stefania on an IG live to teach her how to flirt and be her wing-woman) and especially not with anyone else in the public eye.

Danielle's ex was a random guy and to my knowledge neither of Kevin's ex-wives are in the business (in front of the camera anyway) so this might be the first "celebrity" relationship either of them have been in and so navigating that because they are both so public but also semi-private might take some getting used to. I mean Kevin did PEOPLE magazine photoshoots for his wedding and baby announcements but that was sharing private stuff on his terms and this was the same. They probably went public now since his divorce was finalized last week and it was on their own terms. It seems like Kevin only posts milestones for his kids (birthdays and holidays) and Danielle uses IG to self promote so it will be interesting to see if they do start posting their relationship or if they're just not hiding it anymore but also not flaunting it either.

Thanks for the info! I hadn't really noticed that Kevin did those kinds of post in the past since I never paid attention to him much but it makes sense since a lot of celebs do that now, post the hotels/places they stay at for sponsors and whatever else. Stefania has been doing it during the hiatuses lately too which...good for them, able to travel the world and get paid to sponsor the hotels they stay at 😂 And you're right that it's definitely a different relationship now since both of them are in the spotlight so I'm sure they have to figure out how to navigate that and what to make public and what not...it seems like a lot of stuff Kevin does is picked up by People Mag so that must be his choice and the place he goes to to get stuff out there...I just wish that Danielle wasn't already getting degraded as just his girlfriend since she's obviously much more than that. He's not the only 'star' in the relationship but I guess tabloids are gonna do what they do. I feel like now they're just not hiding it anymore and will just post when they want to like after trips they go on or milestones and stuff but I guess we'll see. I just hope it doesn't end up being this whole big dramatic thing every time they do and this fandom just leaves it alone. Some people really need to realize that they don't need to have an input/opinion on every single thing and make it public good or bad. Things just end up spiraling out of control that way one way or the other.

[gabimedialuna]

Tag Game To Better Know You! Send this to people you'd like to know better!

tagged by @knivesofwater aw

what book are you currently reading?

im just starting with the condition of the working class in england by engels

what do you usually wear?

im very unstable in style hehe

how tall are you?

172cm, taller than messi :]

what’s your star sign? do you share a birthday with a celebrity or historical event? 

aries. AND I SHARE BIRTHDAY WITH VAN GOGH (and also ALMOST rene descartes *pukes*), and juan manuel de rosas *pukes*

do you go by your name or a nickname?

i love my nickname gabi. i wish it was my name. although it might be weird seeing just 'gabi + middle name + lastname' in any id card, so i'm trying to work on it with gabriela c:

did you grow up to become what you wanted to be as a child?  

i wanted to be so many things as a child and i always hated the idea of becoming a teacher as i was growing up. so, considering that right now im studying to become a teacher might answer the question

Are you in a relationship? If not, who is your crush if you have one?

sorry beforehand that i'll be cringe, but my crush right now is my pote de 1 kilo de dulce de leche

what’s something you’re good at vs something you’re bad at?

hard question for someone with impostor syndrome

Dogs or cats?

birds. cats are nice. and dogs are alright

if you draw/write, or create in any way, what's your favorite picture/favorite line/favorite etc. from something you created this year? 

i think my fav thing this year might be this silly ms paint panel i drew for a comic that's like 23 pages long but i feel too lazy to edit and reorganize

what’s something you’re currently obsessed with?

a silly idea i've got for a fanfic. it's in my head spinning and i dont even know how to spell

what’s a hidden talent of yours? 

for irl people it'll probably be that i draw or sometimes bake cookies. i am very shy about it lol. and for mutuals it'll probably be that i am very capable of moving my ears I CAN MAKE THEM MOVE they're such dummies

what's something you wish to have at this moment?

right now i'm sick and in my period and the liquid snots are so annoying and my head hurts please get better. OH and inspiration to write pls

Tagging... *drums* @figurante-no1 @laucha-posting @redcandieddust but feel free to ignore mwah kissins

[holyiker-blog1]

FC 25 Best New Icon Rating Leaks - Angerer, Buffon, Bale and more

With EA SPORTS FC 25 releasing on September 27, 2024, there have been rumors about which icons will be in the game. This is usually a big part of EA's football video game.

This icon pack features one of the all-time greats and their stats have been upgraded, which makes them a must-get for Ultimate Team. Parts of their cards that receive an upgrade are their dribbling, pace, passing, shooting, defending, physicality, skill moves, weak foot accuracy, and playstyles. So make sure you keep an eye out for when these icon cards will be released.

Nadine Angerer - 92 OVR

Angerer has played for Frauen-Bundesliga clubs Bayern Munich, Turbine Potsdam (with whom she won the 2005 UEFA Women's Cup), and FFC Frankfurt. In 2008, she played for Djurgårdens IF of the Swedish Damallsvenskan and she spent two periods on loan with Brisbane Roar of the Australian W-League in 2013 and 2014. During her extensive international career, Angerer was recognized as one of the world's best female goalkeepers.

Germany won the UEFA Women's Championship on each of the five occasions Angerer was involved and won the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2003 and 2007. Their best finish at the Olympics was third in 2000, 2004 and 2008. Angerer is a penalty-saving specialist, having stopped Marta's kick in the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup Final and both Trine Rønning and Solveig Gulbrandsen's during the UEFA Women's Euro 2013 Final. She was appointed captain of Germany in 2011 following the retirement of Birgit Prinz. On 13 January 2014, Angerer was named FIFA World Player of the Year, becoming the first goalkeeper – male or female – to win the award. She announced her retirement from the international team on 13 May 2015.

Gianluigi Buffon - 91 OVR

Gianluigi "Gigi" Buffon is a former Italian professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, and by some the greatest of all time, he is one of the few recorded players to have made over 1,100 professional career appearances and holds the record for the most appearances in Serie A.

Buffon was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players in 2004. He is the only goalkeeper to win the UEFA Club Footballer of the Year award, which he achieved after reaching the 2003 Champions League final; he also won UEFA's award for best goalkeeper that year and was additionally voted into the UEFA Team of the Year on five occasions. Buffon was the runner-up for the Ballon d'Or in 2006 and was elected part of the FIFPro World11 three times. He was the first-ever goalkeeper to win the Golden Foot Award and was also named the IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper a record five times, alongside Iker Casillas and Manuel Neuer. He would go on to be named the best goalkeeper of the 21st century, of the past 25 years, and of the decade by the same organization.

Aya Miyama - 90 OVR

Aya Miyama is a Japanese former footballer who played for the Japan national team starting in 2003, and from 2012 to 2016 served as captain of the team. She appeared in four World Cups between 2003 and 2015 and was part of the team that won the 2011 World Cup for Japan. Miyama also led Japan to a silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

At the 2011 World Cup in Germany, Miyama scored the winner – a curling free kick – to help Japan beat New Zealand, and netted Japan's first goal in the final against the USA. Miyama also scored Japan's first penalty of the eventual penalty shoot-out in the final which ended 2–2 after extra time. Her team won 3–1 in the penalty shoot-out, making them the first Asian team to win the World Cup. In the moment of victory, Miyama did not join her teammates in celebration but instead went to the American players to hug and congratulate them. This has been reported both by Hope Solo and the Japanese media as evidence of Miyama's sportsmanship and respect for her opponents.

 Gareth Bale - 88 OVR

Gareth Frank Bale is a Welsh former professional footballer who played as a winger, most notably for Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid, and the Wales national team. He is widely regarded as one of the best footballers of his generation and one of the greatest Welsh players of all time. He was known for his explosive pace, athleticism, and powerful strikes from a distance.

One of the fastest footballers in the world at his peak, Bale started out as an offensive left-back or wing-back at the beginning of his career. It was at Tottenham Hotspur that his manager Harry Redknapp decided to utilise Bale's pace and played him as a left winger, where he developed into a world-class player. He was predominantly known for his speed, strength, stamina, and heading ability, but also possessed good technique and ball control. His skills, combined with his acceleration and physicality, allowed him to get past defenders regularly and make runs into space, where he was able to score or create. Bale was also a free-kick specialist and was known for employing the "knuckleball" technique (popularised by Juninho Pernambucano) when taking free kicks. As he moved further forward onto the wing, he began to score goals on a regular basis with powerful strikes from outside the penalty box. In addition to his athletic and offensive capabilities, Bale also drew praise in the media for his work rate and defensive contribution off the ball.

The best way to get FC 25 coins

Are you worried about lacking the necessary coins to complete your ultimate team in the early stages of FC25? Fear not, as the LootBar trading platform is your go-to destination to buy FC 25 coins and ensure your team is top-notch. You can visit in advance and bookmark LootBar to quickly complete your coin purchase after the game is released.

LootBar stands out as a premier destination for all your gaming currency needs, offering a secure and efficient way to buy EA FC 25 coins. The platform boasts a fast delivery system, ensuring that your FC 25 coins buy experience is smooth and immediate, allowing you to dive right back into the action. With competitive prices and a user-friendly interface, LootBar makes the purchasing process a breeze for gamers around the world. Whether you're on Xbox or PC, buying FC coins has never been easier. 

Other related FC 25 blogs

EA FC 25 Top 50 player ratings – Real Madrid and Man City stars dominate

FC 25 Arsenal Rating Predictions

FC 25 Manchester City Rating Predictions

EA SPORTS FC 25 - Career Mode Deep Dive

[smartcompanynewsweb]

US gold-medal swimmer credits his faith, plus a massive catch in Michigan - Notice Important Web - #GLOBAL https://www.merchant-business.com/us-gold-medal-swimmer-credits-his-faith-plus-a-massive-catch-in-michigan/?feed_id=182871&_unique_id=66d114f256c02 Google News“When you put something else above God, He’ll take it away,” Armstrong told Fox News Digital. (Photo by Maddie Meyer via Getty Images)Google News Welcome to the Fox News Lifestyle Newsletter. If this newsletter is not already delivered to your email, please subscribe here.‘CHRISTIAN OLYMPIAN’ – U.S. swimmer Hunter Armstrong of Ohio won a gold medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics for the 4x100m Freestyle Relay. In an on-camera interview, he credits his faith for his success. Continue reading…PATRIOTIC PETS – Could JD Vance’s German shepherd continue a long and beloved history of dogs in the White House? A celebrity trainer weighs in after the poor behavior of Biden’s pets. Continue reading…PREHISTORIC CATCH – Michigan Department of Natural Resources staff were conducting their annual sturgeon survey when they reeled in a massive 125-pound catch on Lake St. Clair. Continue reading…Lake sturgeon can live to be between 50 and 100 years old, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)HOLIDAY HOTSPOTS – Ahead of this year’s Labor Day travel surge, check out these U.S. and international cities that are trending vacation destinations. Continue reading…SIP & THINK – Can red wine in moderation boost brain and heart health? Some experts still stand behind the theory. Continue reading…CLEAN KITTY – A young cat was rescued from an active car wash in Ohio after it was blown out from its vehicle hiding spot. “Turbo Rinse” will soon be available for adoption. Continue reading…A stray kitten that was rescued from a car wash is now up for adoption, with the name “Turbo Rinse.” (Fayette Regional Humane Society; iStock)FREEDOM CELEBRATION – A marriage was called off at the last minute, but the bride decided to go ahead with her dream wedding, joined by close friends and family. Continue reading…HEAD START ON HALLOWEEN – Check out these trending costumes to help you get ahead of the trick-or-treat game. Continue reading…CALLING ALL CROSSWORD PUZZLE LOVERS! – Play our Fox News daily crossword puzzle for free here! And not just one — check out the multiple offerings. See the puzzles…Play the Fox News daily online crossword puzzle — for free! Solve daily puzzles, learn new words and strengthen your mind with fun games.  (iStock)FOLLOW FOX NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIAFacebookInstagramYouTubeTwitterLinkedInSIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERSFox News LifestyleFox News AutosFox News HealthDOWNLOAD OUR APPSFox NewsFox BusinessFox WeatherFox SportsTubiWATCH FOX NEWS ONLINEFox News GoSTREAM FOX NATIONFox NationThis article was written by Fox News staff.Source of this programme “My fancy sister says this plugin is magnificent.”“The Fox News Lifestyle Newsletter brings you trending stories on family, travel, food, neighbors helping neighbors, pets, autos, military veterans, heroes, faith and American values…”Source: Read MoreSource Link: https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/us-gold-medal-swimmer-credits-faith-massive-catch-michigan#GoogleNews – BLOGGER – GoogleNews http://109.70.148.72/~merchant29/6network/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/simone-manuel-becomes-first-african-american-female-swimmer-to-win-olympic-gold-medal-e1470971437466.jpeg BLOGGER - #GLOBAL

[casino-usa]

5 Best Casinos In Southern California

When traveling to California there is always that breath of excitement you take before setting foot on the Golden State, the trill of running around free in the wild wild west. Southern California offers various pleasures to people from all walks of life, this sunshine sees no color and everyone gets love.

In Los Angeles and the surrounding cities,  you can certainly find something that gets your jollies going, no matter if you are a theme park enthusiast or a strip club connoisseur.

-We got it.

I have a couple friends who love to gamble at casinos across California, so I've asked them which are the top 5 best casinos to visit while in Southern California.

Here's the list of 5 best casinos for your 2017 travel

5. Hawaiian Gardens Casino

Located at 11871 Carson St, Hawaiian Gardens, CA.

Hawaiian Gardens Casino recently underwent a serious $90 million dollar renovation and expansion project and opened earlier this year. The old 59,500-square-foot casino has been remodeled with a modern and very appealing 200,000-square-foot gaming, dining, and entertainment complex.

For the serious poker players or even the amateurs who want to try cashing out on their beginners luck, the Gardens Casino offers a full spectrum of no-limit games, starting at $20 and $40 buy-in no-limit hold'em, ranging up to $500-$1,500. As of the moment, the casino also offers smaller buy-in daily tournaments and the occasional $100,000 and $150,000 guaranteed prize pool events. Worth checking out.

For more info visit their website thegardenscasino.com.

4. The Bicycle Hotel & Casino

Located at 888 Bicycle Casino Dr. Bell Gardens, CA 90201

The casino here is astonishingly bigger than you would expect, and if you specifically like card games this is the place you want to be in, seriously theres only card games but various types of games.

-Not a slot machine in sight

Also you get free food when you play at the $100-$200 buy in no-limit tables. Food prices at this location are very good either way. The Korean BBQ here is amazing and taste very authentic. There has been in noticeable change in the casino as it has went under recent upgrades in the interior. Overall a very nice spot to get your poker face on. Don't forget to swoop a drink from the brewery.

3. The Commerce Casino

Located at 6131 East Telegraph Rd, Commerce, CA 90040

The biggest card casino in the world isn't in Las Vegas. It's in Los Angeles.

This is by far one of the finest carding casino in the Los Angeles area. Not a bad place to get your experience on the poker tables and get your education up. Arena grills has savory food also.

No-limit tables are: $40 table- that's it, not 40-80, 40-140, etc, just $40 max buy in. $60 max rebuy after bust-out. $100 table - same as above $100 only, $150 max rebuy after bust-out. $200 table - same as above $200 only, $300 max rebuy after bust-out. $300-500 table then it goes from there. Minimum bets all around are $5 for blackjack and $10 for baccarat.

It's a clean casino excellent for a night out with friends. The food is delicious, outstanding service, and a huge parking lot. Lots of tables to play, many different games, the dealers are nice and welcoming. There are other perks that make this joint pretty interesting but the point is if you want to play cards you can never go wrong here at commerce.

2. San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino

Located at 777 San Manuel Blvd Highland, CA 92346

One of my personal favorites, only because of the vast memories this place has provided. This casino is located in Highland, Ca, a small neighboring city to San Bernardino, CA about 45 minutes east of Los Angeles on the I10 freeway.

This casino is always very alive and vivid, Fridays and Saturdays it gets fairly crowded. I have a few friends employed here which makes every visit very welcoming so I can say San Manuel has friendly employees and no to mention the payout. My last time here I won $400 after I stuck a $100 dollar bill in a slot when I was walking out.

Valet parking is the way to go its only $3. If you're new to betting on slot machines remember to bet the minimum to avoid losing all your money to fast and maximize potential earning. If this is your first time here then you should sign up for a free players card since you get to spin a wheel which most likely you will get $20 free slot extra credit.

Good luck though finding an open slot machine that you like. There is no cellular signal or reception for your phone in this place but they offer free uncapped WIFI 24/7 for free you can connect to.

I enjoy coming to San Manuel and if you're in the SoCal area give it a try, you won't regret it.

1. Pechanga Resort & Casino

Located at 45000 Pechanga Pkwy Temecula, CA 92592

I just want to add a quick important fact: There's a few pokestops here. So if you're looking for Pokemon on Pokemon Go you're in luck. Not that I play that stuff or anything, wink-wink.

I love how classy the vibe is when you enter through the valet and how all the employees are so amicable, I feel as if this Resort is a second home. When you are here you are family. This is by far one the most immaculate casinos I've been to. Why even bother with Vegas when this hidden gem is so close to home. Only about another 45 minute from San Manuel on the 215 south towards San Diego. The food here is exquisite, there is a gorgeous tree surrounded by gorgeous waterfalls. If your not the gambling type their is a dope Spa&Saloon to check out. Everyone gets treated like VIP here. Lots and lots of slot machines. They have poker rooms, high stake limit slots, a live show theatre, buffet and food court.

If you have a chance to check it out on your 2017 travels or trips make sure you do and you will see what I am talking about. It's worth the 2 hour drive (depending on traffic) if you are coming from Los Angeles.

[newstfionline]

Monday, May 6, 2024

The American paradox of protest: Celebrated and condemned, welcomed and muzzled (AP) They’re hallmarks of American history: protests, rallies, sit-ins, marches, disruptions. They date from the early days of what would become the United States to the sights and sounds echoing across the landscapes of the nation’s colleges and universities during this activist spring. And just as much a part of that American history? Those same events being met with irritation, condemnation, anger, calls to desist, and at times the use of law enforcement and aggressive tactics to make that happen. Americans cherish the right to assemble, to speak out, to petition for the redress of grievances. It’s enshrined in the first of the constitutional amendments. They laud social actions of the past and recognize the advances toward equality that previous generations made, often at risk of life and limb. But those same activities can produce anger and outright opposition when life’s routines are interrupted, and wariness that those speaking out are outsiders looking to sow chaos and influence impressionable minds.

With a vest and a voice, helpers escort kids through San Francisco’s broken Tenderloin streets (AP) Wearing a bright safety vest with the words “Safe Passage” on the back, Tatiana Alabsi strides through San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood to its only public elementary school, navigating broken bottles and stained sleeping bags along tired streets that occasionally reek of urine. Minutes later, Alabsi arrives at the Tenderloin Community Elementary School, where she is among several adults who escort dozens of children to after-school programs. Long known for its brazen open-air drug markets, chronic addiction, mental illness and homelessness, the Tenderloin neighborhood is also home to the highest concentration of kids in San Francisco, an estimated 3,000 children largely from immigrant families. A group of mothers fed up with drug dealers started the child escort services in 2008 after a child temporarily went missing. The program’s safety stewards guide the students along the cleanest and calmest routes, redirecting them to avoid people acting erratically or overdosing.

Hundreds rescued from flooding in Houston (AP) High waters flooded neighborhoods around Houston on Saturday following heavy rains that have already resulted in crews rescuing more than 400 people from homes, rooftops and roads engulfed in murky water. Others prepared to evacuate their property. A wide region was swamped from Houston to rural East Texas, where game wardens rode airboats through waist-high waters rescuing both people and pets who did not evacuate in time. “It’s going to keep rising this way,” said Miguel Flores Jr., of the northeast Houston neighborhood of Kingwood. “We don’t know how much more. We’re just preparing for the worst.”

Two women are seeking Mexico’s presidency. But the race is about a man. (Washington Post) The June 2 presidential election is shaping up as a clash over the very identity of Mexico, a nation of 130 million that’s intimately linked to the United States by trade, migration and culture. Is Mexico a young democracy sliding back toward authoritarian rule? Or a country that was never all that democratic—but finally has a government that looks out for the little guy? A win by Morena candidate Claudia Sheinbaum, 61, could cement the grip of a party that already controls the presidency, both chambers of Congress and two-thirds of Mexico’s governorships. She’s pledging to continue the policies of her mentor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the first president in modern times to emerge from the left. He’s one of the most popular leaders in Latin America. Morena’s dominance has raised concerns Mexico is returning to a one-party system of the kind that controlled the country for much of the 20th century.

Madonna’s concert transforms Rio’s Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor (AP) Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro’s vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans. An estimated 1.6 million people attended the show, G1 reported, citing Rio City Hall’s tourism agency. A number of huge concerts have taken place on Copacabana beach before, including a 1994 New Year’s Eve show by Rod Stewart that drew more than 4 million fans and was the biggest free rock concert in history, according to Guinness World Records.

UK water sports call for clean-up as sewage crisis deepens (Reuters) British water sports groups have joined forces to call on the government to clean-up rivers and seas, blaming the country’s sewage crisis for causing illness and cancelling events. Raw sewage has been dumped into rivers and seas more and more frequently in recent years by water companies, sparking anger in Britain, where voters blame a privatised system that prioritises profit over investment in infrastructure. The pollution is making swimmers, rowers, sailors and other users of British waters ill, say seven national governing bodies of water-based sports, including the Angling Trust, British Rowing and Swim England. Last month, rowers in Britain’s University Boat Race who for nearly two hundred years have celebrated by jumping into the River Thames were warned not to expose themselves to water because of high levels of E.coli bacteria from sewage spills.

Family Values or Fighting Valor? Russia Grapples With Women’s Wartime Role. (NYT) The Russian Army is gradually expanding the role of women as it seeks to balance President Vladimir V. Putin’s promotion of traditional family roles with the need for new recruits for the war in Ukraine. The military’s stepped-up appeal to women includes efforts to recruit female inmates in prisons, replicating on a much smaller scale a strategy that has swelled its ranks with male convicts. Recruiters in military uniforms toured Russian jails for women in the fall of 2023, offering inmates a pardon and $2,000 a month—10 times the national minimum wage—in return for serving in frontline roles for a year, according to six current and former inmates of three prisons in different regions of Russia. Dozens of inmates just from those prisons have signed military contracts or applied to enlist, the women said, a sampling that—along with local media reports about recruitment in other regions—suggests a broader effort to enlist female convicts.

Ukraine marks its third Easter at war under fire from Russian drones (AP) As Ukraine marked its third Easter at war, Russia launched a barrage of drones concentrated in Ukraine’s east where the situation on the front line is worsening. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Ukrainians in an Easter address to be united in prayer and called God an “ally” in the war with Russia. Officials in Kyiv urged residents to follow Orthodox Easter services online due to safety concerns. Zelenskyy called on Ukrainians to unite in prayer for each other and soldiers on the front line. A majority of Ukrainians identify as Orthodox Christians, though the church is divided. Many belong to the independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine. The rival Ukrainian Orthodox Church was loyal to the patriarch in Moscow until splitting from Russia after the 2022 invasion and is viewed with suspicion by many Ukrainians. Eastern Orthodox Christians usually celebrate Easter later than Catholic and Protestant churches, because they use a different method of calculating the date for the holy day that marks Christ’s resurrection.

Drones Changed This Civil War, and Linked Rebels to the World (NYT) In flip-flops and shorts, one of the finest soldiers in a resistance force battling the military junta in Myanmar showed off his weaponry. It was, he apologized, mostly in pieces. The rebel, Ko Shan Gyi, glued panels of plastic shaped by a 3D printer. Nearby, electrical innards foraged from Chinese-made drones used for agricultural purposes were arrayed on the ground, their wires exposed as if awaiting surgery. A laser cutter was poised halfway through carving out a flight control unit. The generator powering the workshop had quit. It wasn’t clear when there would be electricity again. Despite the ragtag conditions, rebel drone units have managed to upend the power balance in Myanmar. By most measures, the military that wrested power from a civilian administration in Myanmar three years ago is far bigger and better equipped than the hundreds of militias fighting to reclaim the country. The junta has at its disposal Russian fighter jets and Chinese missiles. But with little more than instructions crowdsourced online and parts ordered from China, the resistance forces have added ballast to what might seem a hopelessly asymmetrical civil war. The techniques they are using would not be unfamiliar to soldiers in Ukraine, Yemen or Sudan.

Israel, Gaza and the Law on Starvation in War (NYT) On March 19, Volker Türk, the United Nations’ human rights chief, said in an official statement that Israel’s policies regarding aid in Gaza might amount to a war crime. “The extent of Israel’s continued restrictions on the entry of aid into Gaza, together with the manner in which it continues to conduct hostilities, may amount to the use of starvation as a method of war, which is a war crime,” he wrote. His comments made waves. Using starvation of civilians as a weapon is a serious violation of international humanitarian law, and a war crime under the Rome Statute, the treaty of the International Criminal Court, or I.C.C. Israeli and foreign officials told The New York Times last week that they were worried that the I.C.C. was preparing to issue arrest warrants against senior Israeli officials—including potentially over accusations that they prevented the delivery of aid to civilians in Gaza. (They also said they believed that the court was considering arrest warrants for Hamas leaders, which could be issued concurrently.)

The unprecedented destruction of housing in Gaza hasn’t been seen since World War II, the UN says (AP) The world hasn’t seen anything like the unprecedented destruction of housing in Gaza since World War II, and it would take at least until 2040 to restore the homes devastated in Israel’s bombing and ground offensive if the conflict ended today, the United Nations reported Thursday. The U.N. assessment said the social and economic impact of the war launched after Hamas’ surprise attack in southern Israel on Oct. 7 has been increasing “in an exponential manner.” It called the level of casualties—5% of Gaza’s 2.3 million population—“unprecedented” in such a short time. By mid-April, it said, over 33,000 Palestinians had been killed and more than 80,000 injured. About 7,000 others remain missing, most believed to be buried under the rubble. Abdallah Al Dardari, UNDP’s regional director for Arab states, told a U.N. press conference launching the report that almost $50 billion in investments in Gaza are estimated to have been wiped out in the conflict, and 1.8 million Palestinians have fallen into poverty. According to the report, the U.N. Human Development Index—which measures key issues for a long and healthy life, for gaining knowledge and for achieving a decent standard of living—has been pushed back more than 20 years in Gaza.

Israel wants to go into Rafah. It's taking a big risk. (WSJ) Israel insists on targeting Rafah in Gaza to eliminate Hamas. Its military will somehow have to thread the needle between not doing so much damage that it inflames international outrage, further impairs its crucial relationship with the U.S. and kills some of the Israeli hostages believed to be held there, while not going in so softly that it fails to rout Hamas and puts its own soldiers at risk.

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FC 25 Manchester City Rating Predictions

Champions again ole ole… After a treble-winning season in 22/23 it was always going to be hard to follow that up, but winning a 4th Premier League title in a row wasn’t a bad way to do so. It could have been another League and FA Cup double for City but Ten Haag’s Tricky Reds undid them in the final. Despite only winning the Premier League, we’re expecting plenty of upgrades for City, especially for the young stars!

Goalkeepers

Ederson (88>88) - A solid enough season for Ederson but no need for any change in terms of rating, but will there be a change of club? Links to the Saudi League have been around since the start of the summer, so don’t rule out Ortega taking the Number 1 spot next season.

Stefan Ortega Moreno (79>81) - Ortega may have only had a small part to play last season, but he was responsible for one of the biggest moments in the title race. His 1v1 save against Son in the dying moments kept City in the lead and secured a vital 3 points with just one game left. Deserves a +2 for that save alone. 

Scott Carson (65>65) – This man has the best job in world football and long may it continue. He gets paid to be Erling Haaland’s best mate and he’s great at what he does, kept his 65 rating after 2 years of doing nothing on the pitch, so we’ve gone for the same again. 

Defenders

Ruben Dias (89>89) - Ruben Dias has been in Manchester for 4 seasons and is yet to experience the feeling of losing a Premier League title race. We expect world-class performances from Ruben Dias but we need even more if he wants to hit that 90 OVR for FC 25. 

John Stones (85>86) - If it wasn’t for his injury issues, John Stones would be up there with the best in the world, and on his day there isn’t anyone better. It’s just a question of how often those injury-free days are. He only featured in around half of City’s games last year but was incredible when he did so. +1 for The General and maybe a CDM alternate position too?

Joao Cancelo (86>86) - Will Cancelo still be in Manchester by the end of the transfer window? Who knows, but he’s back for now so gets included. He had a good season on loan with Barcelona but missed out on the title to Real Madrid, we’ve kept him at 86 but would not be shocked to see him back to an 85. 

Kyle Walker (84>84) - Aside from a poor performance in the Euro 2024 final it was a decent season for Walker so we see no reason for change. Maybe a little downgrade in defending but across the board should stay fairly similar. 

Manuel Akanji (82>83) - Akanji’s showdown card will go down in the FC 24 Hall of Fame and we’ll be expecting to see a lot of him again at the start of 25. A brilliant season from the Swiss international, we’ve played it safe with a +1, but an 84 certainly isn’t out of the question. 

Josko Gvardiol (82>83) - Pep roulette can strike at any moment, but for now Gvardiol is safe. He locked down that left-back position towards the back end of the season and even started scoring screamers for fun. One more year like this and we’ll be expecting 85+ in 26, but for now, we’ve gone for a +1 at 83!

Nathan Ake (81>82) - Gvardiol made the LB his own last season but that meant Ake he’d play second fiddle and fill in where necessary across the back line. Was brilliant when he played so we’ve opted for a +1 here as well!

Midfielders

Kevin De Bruyne (91>91) - Kevin De Bruyne may have been injured for the first half of 23/24 but when he returned, he transformed Manchester City and helped them on their way to 4 in a row. The Belgian returned 18 Assists and 6 Goals in just 26 matches in all competitions. Manchester City only dropped 6 points in the matches KDB featured in this season, he is that guy.

Rodri (89>90) - There is an argument for Rodri to be the highest-rated player, not just in the Premier League, but in the game. He is the best player in the world and should win the Ballon d’Or, but we’re just not sure everyone sees it. 90 would be well deserved, but don’t be surprised if he edges into the 91 category…

Phil Foden (85>87) - If we were choosing ratings we’d have Foden at an 88 or 89 but we don’t think EA will be quite as generous. He was by far the best player in the Premier League last season and deserves a massive upgrade, but could range anywhere from 87 to 89. 

Bernardo Silva (88>88) - It’s not summer without a Bernardo Silva to Barca transfer rumor, but we expect him to stay in Manchester for the upcoming season. An average season for his standards so we’re keeping him at 88.

Mateo Kovacic (82>82) - The Croatian’s first season at City was one to be proud of, finally winning the Premier League and adding that to his trophy cabinet. Played a huge role in the team, filling in across all midfield positions.

Matheus Nunes (79>79) - Nunes struggled a little bit in his first season at the Etihad, but when called upon he did impress. We’ve kept him at a 79 due to limited minutes but hopefully, he can improve on this in 2025!

Rico Lewis (73>78) - Rico Lewis will hopefully be running the City midfield for the next decade, and has been putting in a shift at both DM and Right Back. A fantastic season in 23/24 so we’ve gone for a huge +5 for Rico.

Attackers  

Erling Haaland (91>91) - After a 52-goal debut season, it was always going to be hard for Erling Haaland to replicate that. He only scored a mere 38 goals in the 23/24 campaign, just about enough to keep him at a 91… The guy needs to grow up and score some proper goals to really earn a 92. Tap in merchant. 

Jack Grealish (85>85) - It was a disappointing season for Grealish and he’d say so himself, missing out on the England squad and not featuring for City as much as he’d like. He still showed his quality when he did play so we’ll keep him at 85.

Savio (70>83) - One of the biggest upgrades for City goes to their new summer signing, Savio. The Brazilian was key to Girona’s success last season, guiding them to the Champions League for the first time in the club's history. We’re expecting a HUGE +13 for Savio in FC 25. 

Jeremy Doku (77>81) - Due to how stacked the Manchester City attack is, we only saw glimpses of Jeremy Doku, but when we did it was unbelievable. He was the only player who decided to turn up in the FA Cup final and was their only outlet in that game. We’ve gone for a +4 for the Belgian. 

Oscar Bobb (64>75) - Ole ole, ole ole, Oscar Bobb Bobb Bobb. Another HUGE upgrade for a Manchester City winger and this time for Norwegian Oscar Bobb. Again maybe we’ve been a tad ambitious here, but the quality is there to see with Bobb. It wouldn’t surprise me if he stole the RW spot from Bernardo Silva this season and solidified himself as a starter for Pep Guardiola. 

Will it be 5 Premier League titles in a row for Manchester City? Let us know which team you want us to predict next!

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