A'Villan

Financial security? I'm beginning to think you are that wise owl that flew into my window in retribution for my 'science' post and are using that owl wisdom to guide me with questions.

Just my thoughts. I was actually going to post that I hope I wasn't a jinx.

Just tuning in folks. BBC has as down at 72% and just hitting the woodwork. Am I right in thinking this 6AM start on a Saturday morning might be a worthwhile one!? Let's go!

I have no reason to believe you are being anything but dead serious. Am I right in thinking that? What a f****** sham if so. I was a bit shocked to hear the amount of money that was received for having a certain number of volunteers on duty, but then I thought that the money for operations has to come from somewhere. I just patrol the streets giving aid to people who obviously need it and help out at the homeless shelter/cafe. I don't work the numbers and don't have much of an idea as to what would go where and why. I do work closely with senior staff though and I have seen the 2nd in charge, a woman, literary spending her weekend scrubbing the floor by hand of a huge hall facility that we use for the homeless and sometimes events. That's just one example of a number of stories I could give. I spend from 11pm-5am volunteering for these people, I would never do that if I knew the organisation was something like The Rockefeller Foundation, a seemingly benevolent philanthropy group that is just another disgusting indictment, the greedy leading the poor astray. Fortunately I don't think the Melbourne branch is. If you are serious about your mates story, then I have to wonder, why does he work for them then?

Cheers, bickster. I should have said perfectly understandable.

I remember my first ecstasy pill. I was 14 years old and I remember asking the guy scoring it for us if I could die from it. I was quite nervous. The pills were very good quality, I know because I was in the company of seasoned EDM heads and they were pinging as hard as I was. The elation and warmth towards others was incredible. I never got too heavily into it, thankfully as I think the quality plummeted in Australia soon after. I live in Australia where cocaine is expensive and often of terrible quality. I've had maybe 3-4 times. The only time it did anything for me was through a connect that had quality everything, well connected, we smoked it off the side of a cigarette, and the buzz was greater than any bag of coke I've snorted. I was huge on weed. Smoked bongs daily from age of 14 and was getting rid of a few kilos a week by age 16. It's been almost entirely out of my life for about 8 years now. I don't really have regrets but I think I was a bit young for all that stuff. It certainly has had it's consequences, in Primary school I never scored less than a distinction in any subject, and high distinctions came my way too. But by the age of 15-16 there was serious issues with truancy and my education suffered. I'm grateful I learnt from the street though. One women my step father used to deal to was a prostitute, ended up paying her way through a psychology degree and is now helping other people. I love that. That's a winning mentality for me. Give me a perceived weakness and turn it into a strength. Sorry for going a bit off topic there, Rugeley's post brought back some memories from a past life.

Don't be. Not that it's my place to tell you how to feel, but it was certainly not meant to imply that atheism or an interest in science are indicative of a lack of moral compass as a general rule.

Yeah, very true on your last point. Personally, I was calling out Bruce for his interviews back when I thought we might even enjoy some PL football under him. You did say generally speaking in your post, so probably didn't need to bring it up. We can be glad some of the antics and back and forth of the Bruce is done with, this is the Smith thread. My bad.

Happens all the time. Perfectly reasonable though, even if it is misguided. I volunteer for a Christian organisation, The Salvation Army, helping the homeless. Although it receives large grants for having a given number of volunteers working certain events and programs, which I assume would go into operations and not pockets. It is genuinely one of the best things I've been involved in. The quality of character around and the speeches that are made at events can be quite profound. Not all of the workers or volunteers are religious, but the people who run it instill a moral compass that is so obviously genuine and if I'm honest, quite often lost on those who proclaim science as having all the answers.

Tell me, what reason do I have for currently liking Dean Smith and all that he says? I have a tendency toward being optimistic and Smith has had little opportunity to hamper that. One potential bias. Another is that I have a lot of confidence in Wes Edens to make the right appointments. I don't understand why either should have much significance in me making a judgement on how Smith presents. FWIW when the going was good under Bruce he was quite humble and maintained his 'there or thereabouts' mantra. It was when he came under scrutiny that he palmed off the blame and I was saying that from the get go, at a time that he had my full support, that I disliked some off his choice of words because for me it reflected a poor mentality.

With AI coming in to the picture (as Elon Musk says, more dangerous than nuclear weaponry and to be controlled by a select few companies) combined with the fallacy of biodiesel being a feasible replacement as a fuel source, which will not only place further demands on the environment butnalso means that food prices increase. We are well placed to be living in 'the matrix' soon enough.

The Rockefeller Foundation as a philanthropy organisation.

What's the consequences of the world losing half of its wildlife in the last 40 years going to be? Will this trend continue?

I don't personally understand why someone would want to be babysat, talk incoherently or cry uncontrollably without being fraught with trauma or despair. People seem to do it all the time when pissed drunk though. Yet that one seems to be generally understood and accepted. My experience of edible weed is different from what's described above. Not really my sort of trip, I've done it once and doubt I will again. My guess would be that Gareth likes to get a little weird every now and then and trip out on his own terms.

Hero and an absolute inspiration. Winning mentality personified. Carried the weight of his world on his shoulders from the age of 7. Have a watch.

Online critics have said that is the story of his career, taking it easy I mean. Apparently was offered a place at UCLA and many U.S colleges and also had interest from the NBL. Very talented no matter which way you look at it. There's more to life than professional sport and as far as the person goes he's got heart and is very kind. We used to watch Jordan videos at my place, have 3pt contests and play 1vs1. Being 8 inches taller than me if he wanted a bucket he'd just back me down in the post. I won most of the 3pt contests. He tried to get me a trial with Nunawading Spectres at SEABL level, just as I was finding my feet again in the game after a 5 year break. I still catch up with his brother who's still local to me.

Ma'alo Hicks. 6"8" Samaon. Absolute gem of a bloke but haven't seen him since his move down to Geelong to live with his partner. Won a few rings with Corio Bay in recent years before returning to SEABL with Geelong. Won the last three Prahran Summer Jams too.

Name one of those players who is the only go-to player on their team when the going gets tough. I take your point and agree with it, though I think you've slightly misconstrued mine.

Don't take this the wrong way, as I could be out of line in saying it, but you really stick to your guns regarding Bruce and are headstrong to the point of taking the backlash he received personally. Please excuse me if that's an unfair or inaccurate assessment. I just can't see the parallel between a manager who had seasons to instill whatever he desired and a guy who's barely had a training session. Another thing I don't see is much similarity in the commentary itself. Bruce would simply say the players need to look at themselves, or something of the like. Smith is addressing a specific aspect of the game and why something didn't work out, he doesn't allocate blame to the players or himself, he simply says the passes weren't there. Bruce mastered one thing in his time at Villa and that was pointing out the clubs shortcomings, whether it was our recent history or the players efforts. Don't recall him putting his hand up and saying, I could have done better today.

Got to commend your honesty. I admire the desire to remain medication free. My view is that it just masks a symptom rather than addressing the cause. Even the senior psychiatrist at the clinic I work at said to me just a few weeks back that although medication is not a very good solution, it's the best we have. Of course a psychiatrist would be inclined to suggest medication as the best remedy we have going around, at least he can admit it's not ideal is the point. I was just asking because it does work for some people but as far as I know can take months to take effect on the chemistry of your brain. Communication is everything so that's great to hear you have dialogue. Sorry if I come across as nosy, I just have a real issue with how f***** up society can make the world and the suffering that ensues. There's nothing civilised or advanced about a social structure where its occupants are reluctant to reach out for help due to the perception of others. Enough of my s*** though. It's your journey. I only offer advice where I have seen it work to good effect for others.

@Hornso Do you know anyone from the Geelong Supercats SEABL team? A friend of mine plays there.

It wouldn't surprise me. Both are impressive at this level and I'm glad to have both available.

Shifting from full time to part time at uni so I can enjoy another season playing basketball in Australia's third tier. At 28 years old, there's still opportunity for me as a player for another 5 or so years, and I intend on making up for lost time that I spent away from the game by learning from and working with the best. A friend of mine is moving up in the coaching world, recently running a clinic with Eric Gordon. We will start some training together in November and he's going to put me on to a group of guys all training for contracts in Europe. I have played in the same division as guys who have had trials with NBA teams as well as NBL players. A teammate of mine from two years back went for a 300k contract (which is big money for Australian basketball) at age 32. I have played against Corey 'Homicide' Williams and held my own, Homicide is an NBL MVP and toured with the Harlem Globetrotters for a year, earned the nickname 'Homicide' in the NYC streetball scene because he was so good. I'd like to go from being known as a 3pt specialist streetballer to making a greater contribution in the professional setting. Homicide didn't win the NBL MVP until he was 33 and I know guys who have made their debut at age 30. It's an exciting time for me in this regard. If I commit to the work, I have all the connections to play at a level greater than I thought possible when I was going through some issues and heartache. I remember when I first started stepping back on to the court for the first time after a 5 year hiatus sometimes it would be at 4am by myself at the local park and I was so disheartened with where my life was at I couldn't even focus enough to hit a shot on target. This is the same person who at age 11 was the first selection to represent Victoria at Nationals and was playing for a representative club's Under 16 first team at age 13. I just didn't have the focus anymore. Thankfully I kept going back to the court and soon enough I was practicing with a professional shooting routine. I started out terribly but I was still committing to putting up the numbers, regardless of how bad my makes tally was. Eventually I got good enough to join a semi pro club and 3 years ago I joined a club in Australia's third tier. I was 6 makes from 8 takes in my last competitive fixture from 3pt line and in training and in streetball I generally shoot over 50% from 3pt but I'm yet to replicate that at club level outside of training routines. My nickname in the streetball scene is 'shooter' because of the accuracy of my 3pt and long range 2pt game. I was having a discussion with my coach and he has outlined where he thinks my strengths and where my weaknesses are. Basically my asset is my shooting and that would make sense because it's the only aspect of my game where I actually committed to and maintained professional shooting routine. I'm really hoping the networks I have built and the workouts that will come from them can take my game up a notch. I am also working at a mental health clinic. Volunteering as a youth mentor for at risk youth and with the homeless too. I have lived experience in all three areas and am studying youth work to go into that field. My ambition with basketball is more than just enjoying my prime years at the highest level possible, it's so I can share my story with others who are going through mental health issues or homelessness. I also will be taking up a role as a basketball coach, doing school programs for students. Bit of extra income. Lastly, coming to England end of next year for a wedding, I hear the English top tier for basketball is pretty average but who knows, a season with a club close enough to Birmingham to allow me to come to Villa Park would be pretty cool.

hahaha ah sh**. Slightly embarrassing. Thankfully I don't speak like I write. What left an impression on me is all in a days work for you perhaps. If it were my handiwork it'd be framed and straight to the trophy cabinet. I was complaining in the Things That Piss You off That Shouldn't thread about a specialist doctors handwriting not being readable because I had waited three months for the appointment for this doctor to handwrite his prescription that I couldn't even read. You then posted an image of the message "you got the bad aids 2xparacetamol everyday" scribbled in ms paint. Good times.

You're a bit of a legend when it suits you lapal_fan. It's usually four or five words in to one of your Off Topic posts and I'll be amused by your antics. Don't mind reading your posts on the footy either. You're not missing out on much in my posts, if I understood them myself, I'd bet they are mostly just long winded and pretentious for the most part but I'm glad you see them from a positive. No, my name is not Alan. I've never been much for formalities and I've been called much worse than Alan though so consider it official if you like. You can pocket the whip-round cash as remuneration for your comic efforts. "You got the bad aids" doctors note was a classic. Probably the best welcome to off topic I could have hoped for.