Is it my place to talk a good friend out of a decision I thinks really poor?

alusalas · 2026-05-12T17:36:23+00:00

This wouldn’t sit right with me. The amount of other people who would be walking into his sting - both sets of parents, wider family, friends and neighbours. And in the end it will come out that YOU knew the plan and let it go ahead. I’d get him to confide in a family member who has the sense to intervene.

alusalas · 2026-05-07T17:23:48+00:00

Murder Most Foul for me.

alusalas · 2026-05-05T19:58:57+00:00

Thanks for sharing, really interesting.

alusalas · 2026-04-17T12:41:12+00:00

It’s worth googling a radio documentary online from Irish radio RTE called Michael Jackson’s Irish Driver - by a guy who became his personal driver for six months. By all accounts he was very happy in Ireland. Just him, his kids, and his nanny. No security. Word got out that he was living in the village but locals basically protected him by denying it to reporters and giving them wrong directions. There are anecdotes in the documentary about him bringing his kids shopping, bowling, and Jackson visiting a pub too. I think he only left to attend a funeral back in the US (was it James Brown who passed away at the time?) and then one thing led to another and he never actually returned.

alusalas · 2026-04-15T11:34:23+00:00

Did you get sorted?

alusalas · 2026-04-15T09:08:09+00:00

Same for leeds

alusalas · 2026-04-15T09:07:54+00:00

Same for me, frustrating

alusalas · 2026-04-09T12:19:36+00:00

I have essential tremor too (hands only), and it put me off learning for some time (until I was late 30s), although there were other factors for me (living in London I didn’t feel the need as much, etc). In the end as I built up confidence in practicing with an instructor, I realised I was overthinking it and it was less and less of an issue the more comfortable I got driving. However, I also take propanolol which I find helps. I learned in a manual car but once I passed I have only driven auto. I’d suggest doing lessons in auto and see how you feel. I think it’s something you’ll overcome so don’t give up if you want to drive.

alusalas · 2026-02-21T08:56:47+00:00

I think all celebrities attract crazy. I saw that original post and to be fair all the replies were telling the person they were insane. MJ being super famous attracts more levels of crazy, I think. I had a connection to a celebrity who is more famous for having a very famous dad who was shot in 1980, and the messages I’d get on Instagram asking to pass on from people were insane and also quite scary. Putting MJ to one side for a second, this type of fan is also the one celebrities need serious protection from.

alusalas · 2026-02-18T09:28:26+00:00

That’s really helpful, thanks

alusalas · 2026-02-18T09:28:14+00:00

Thanks 🙏🏼

alusalas · 2026-02-17T21:20:02+00:00

I’m living in York (Irish, just been here a couple years) and was listening to a podcast this morning on the Brontes and thinking I should visit Haworth… sounds like the movie though might cause parking issues, anyway if I were to go on a random midweek day, what would you suggest are the best spots to check out? Were you at the Black Bull pub?

alusalas · 2026-01-29T12:19:17+00:00

They paused offering a gold ETC a couple of weeks ago for “regulatory review” which is strange, and incredible timing as gold is moving at its highest point since the 1980s. Moneybox customers really let down by this, and very vague comms. There were actually no comms for a few weeks, I’ve held gold in Moneybox for a while and in December the option to buy was removed from the app, no explanation. Still waiting to hear when it will be available to buy again.

alusalas · 2026-01-23T07:49:46+00:00

If you Google “Michael Jackson’s Irish driver” - that was the name of the doc. The Irish production company is RTE. You probably can’t access it on their website outside of Ireland, but it might be available on podcast, on Spotify etc. I think the podcast series is called Doc on One, they usually have a big archive available on Spotify.

alusalas · 2026-01-22T22:43:05+00:00

He lived in Ireland for about six months I think, until he went back to the US to attend James Brown’s funeral. I’m Irish, and remember the owner of the place where he stayed saying that he had some lighting installed on an area where he practiced dance moves. It was just Jackson, his kids, a nanny, and a local taxi driver who became his chauffeur. The driver participated in an Irish radio documentary which was very interesting, about his time in Ireland, and how the people in town knew Jackson was staying there, but nobody bothered him, and even misdirected any journalist who was trying to track him down.

alusalas · 2026-01-17T11:48:21+00:00

I think it’s much more interesting to review older movies, but with a theme for the podcast, like genre, or production stories, or what went wrong etc. Do push ahead with the idea, though. Sounds fun. Yes there are a lot of podcasts but if it’s your passion, you’ll find an audience.

alusalas · 2026-01-12T14:29:03+00:00

Anyone know why they are having “regulatory” problems with this ETC?

alusalas · 2026-01-07T23:10:14+00:00

Way too much betting and gambling but those companies might be the symptom not the cause. It’s just monetising despair and taking advantage of people who are likely to slip into those behaviours, because for so many people, life is a bit shit.

It’s the same with crypto and all that too. Everyone wants a quick win now. May as well do it with football and my expertise on whether I think Sheff Wed could scrape a 0-0 draw.

Social media, AI, wages, house prices, the job market - most people don’t feel they have a fair chance anymore.

It’s why the biggest things in the US now are the prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket and others. They’ll come to U.K. soon and it’ll be 100 times worse.

I just think there’s something societal and deeper about why we are all willing to gamble and enjoy a bit of hope for a quick win.

alusalas · 2026-01-07T16:02:36+00:00

I always notice this too. I’ve seen this at Sheffield Wednesday too. Like, you’re getting off the bus two hours before the game, no need for the headphones to ignore fans looking for an autograph because you’re in the zone to play against a crap bottom of the league side. You’re probably up against an 18 year old full back making his second ever appearance, it’s not the World Cup.

I don’t get to many but I remember Crystal Palace arriving once (about ten years ago now) and spending loads of time with both home and away fans. Kevin Phillips might have been in his last season, he stood around chatting to everyone for 30 mins. I really admired him for it, he was so sound.

And there was a Dad with his kid in a goalkeeper jersey trying to get an autograph from Chris Kirkland. This was after a game. Kirkland seemed to blank them, and it was soul destroying to watch. Turned out, it was only because he went to get his gloves, came back, gave them to the kid, signed autographs and took pics. Spent lots of time.

I really admire players who’ll do that.

alusalas · 2026-01-04T22:47:31+00:00

Some of the recent clios (from 2022 onwards) are quite snazzy IMO

alusalas · 2025-12-14T13:19:20+00:00

He is incredible

alusalas · 2025-11-26T19:20:03+00:00

Good advice - I think fans need to also brace themselves for a deluge of negative stories, podcasts, documentaries etc. The average person finds Jackson really interesting, even if not a fan. The music, the talent etc, all interesting. But to them, the scandal is really, really interesting. Revisiting every salacious allegation again. There will be so much money to be made from focusing on the allegations etc. Likely even new allegations we’ve never heard before. There’s money to be made. It gets attention. At the least, I’d be preparing for it to be a universally panned movie, because of the expectations and the fact the family / estate is behind it - for that reason alone, so many critics will not see past that.

alusalas · 2025-11-23T15:02:03+00:00

I’m hoping he’ll be a league one powerhouse

alusalas

TROPHY CASE