unicorn

WTF? I never said that. Complete BS. As usual, I present evidence, others have their imagination.

A bit gullible maybe? How is the fact that Spielberg donated $25,000 to the widow evidence of anything? Spielberg is probably the wealthiest director of all time, estimated by Forbes to be a multiple billionaire: Who is the richest director of all time? AI Overview The richest movie director of all time by net worth is generally considered to be Steven Spielberg, with estimates around $7.1 billion, followed closely by George Lucas (creator of Star Wars), largely due to their iconic franchises and major studio deals, though figures vary, with James Cameron and Tyler Perry also among the billionaires. Top Billionaire Directors (Net Worth Estimates) Steven Spielberg: ~$7.1 Billion (Jaws, E.T., Jurassic Park). George Lucas: ~$5.3 Billion (Star Wars, Indiana Jones, sold Lucasfilm). Peter Jackson: ~$1.7 Billion (Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit). Tyler Perry: ~$1.4 Billion (Madea franchise, Tyler Perry Studios). James Cameron: ~$1.1 Billion (Avatar, Titanic). Key Factors in Their Wealth Franchise Ownership: Lucas (Star Wars) and Jackson (LOTR) benefited immensely from their iconic worlds. Major Sales: Lucas's sale of Lucasfilm to Disney for over $4 billion significantly boosted his wealth. Back-End Deals: Directors like James Cameron have huge success with blockbusters like Avatar, earning massive profits. Studio Building: Tyler Perry's ownership of his own studio complex in Atlanta contributes to his wealth. AI Overview Steven Spielberg's net worth is estimated to be approximately $5.3 billion as of May 2025. As the highest-grossing film director in history, his fortune is largely driven by iconic films like Jaws, E.T., and Jurassic Park, alongside a lucrative lifetime deal with Universal for theme park revenue. Key Details regarding Steven Spielberg's Wealth: Net Worth: ~$5.3 billion (Forbes 2025). Primary Income Sources: Film directing, production company Amblin Partners, and a 2% stake in Universal theme park ticket sales. Ranking: Consistently ranked by Forbes as one of the world's wealthiest celebrities . Spielberg's career, spanning decades as a pioneer of the modern blockbuster, has cemented his status as the richest celebrity billionaire. That compound (with a main house of 5150 square feet, multiple additional bungalows, and 36 acres/14.6 hectares of land) was purchased weeks before JvdB died. Do you actually think he would have made the purchase, with his impending death, if he felt his surviving family wouldn't have the income to make the payments and additional living expenses? Unthinkable! And the widow did admit to the press that they did have health insurance (as required by law), but made vague claims of uncovered expenses. I'd rather help the needy than a rich swindler (the wife, not JvdB).

In the Olympics, I watch mainly the artistic stuff such as figure skating, ice dancing, freestyle skiing/snowboarding, and so on. I personally find it boring to watch people go down a hill in skis, luge, bobsled, etc., just to see how who can get down faster within fractions of a second. But I do admire the athleticism in those who express themselves artistically with skill, strength, and talent.

Well, it feels good to send money to a shyster instead of the needy, please be my guest. After all, why stop to think before doing? As for me, I feel good when I'm actually doing some good on this planet--not by stuffing the pockets of a rich widow. AI Overview James Van Der Beek's Texas ranch, located in Spicewood near Austin, features a 5,149-square-foot main house. Purchased shortly before his death in 2026, the 36-acre property includes five bedrooms, three bathrooms, a commercial kitchen, a pool, and additional cabins. Main House Size: 5,149 square feet. Property Size: 36 acres. Location: Spicewood, Texas (outside Austin). Features: 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, commercial kitchen, pool, and cabins. The property is a "compound" that the family initially rented in 2020 before buying. (Nb. They also own another 7-figure home in Beverly Hills)

You haven't read this thread carefully. No one is criticizing JvdB. This GoFundMe campaign was started after his death (and, as I said previously, I doubt he would have approved of it). Ever since the Affordable Care Act came into effect, all US citizens and permanent residents are protected from catastrophic medical expenses. The only expense which it doesn't cover is nursing home/long-term care, which JvdB clearly didn't need (and one can buy separate insurance for that, which I've done in order to protect my husband). It's hard for me to imagine how his uncovered medical expenses could even reach the $250,000 which she originally claimed, much less the millions of dollars she's collected instead. She's simply capitalizing on his good name (and shows no signs of stopping, no matter how many millions people donate). Well, I agree. The question, of course, is who is really needy. I donate thousands of dollars annually to various charities which help the POOR--the truly needy. I use the financial research done by charitynavigator.org, which studies the documents of the charities, and ensures that the money is spent efficiently to those who really need help. I almost always give to 4-star rated charities. Donating money to a multi-millionaire widow just because you liked her late husband constitutes giving $$ to a scamster to the detriment of the truly indigent. If you want to donate money to the needy, here are some suggestions: https://www.charitynavigator.org/search?causes=Food+aid&page=1&pageSize=10&sort=rating https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/363673599 https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/135660870

And another item of suspicion comes from the fact that if they were spending all of that money due to lousy health insurance, why wouldn't they have started this campaign prior to his death? My hunch is that JvdB wouldn't have approved...

As I indicated in my OP, I was a fan of James van der Beek's, and mourn his passing. I apologize if my public service message to start getting screened for colon cancer at age 45 was interpreted as a criticism of his behavior, as it was not intended that way. I will take the opportunity to reach out to a friend who recently turned 50, just as a concern. Obviously, it's not possible to obtain life insurance after obtaining a life-threatening diagnosis. Clearly, life insurance would not be sustainable if one could wait until one received a potentially mortal diagnosis to buy it. I have no idea whether or not he had this insurance, as the widow hasn't indicated one way or the other. However, I found an article in today's People magazine which heightened by suspicions that the widow may be attempting to profit from her late husband's popularity: https://people.com/james-van-der-beek-gofundme-rasied-1-million-less-than-24-hours-11905270?campaign=16874595&did=21968353-20260212&hid=089247988732f9a900151e1f8c73f2c531df3c3a&lctg=089247988732f9a900151e1f8c73f2c531df3c3a&lr_input=3911d0b923e8d92c50f8b74007080afa59d66697825b8a1e414be8db883b8062 "...The goal for the GoFundMe was originally set at $250,000, but grew as more and more donations came in throughout Feb. 11 [to $1.2 million, then to $1.5 million]....". As of this writing, the funds keep pouring in, easily topping the $2 million mark. If they had very lousy health insurance, which is questionable, I can understand having to cough up even tens of thousands. But millions? He was a well-liked and popular man, and clearly the wife is just raking it in. The problem with GoFundMe campaigns is that the truthfulness of the claims are never vetted. 😉

It hasn't been that long since I posted a string about a GoFundMe page for, I believe it was Mickey Rourke, which had me going "Hmmmm...". At least in this case Mickey Rourke called BS on that (he wasn't the one who set up or OK'd the GoFundMe page), and made sure all monies were returned. I was saddened to hear about the early passing of James van der Beek at the age of 48 with colon cancer. (Public health reminder: the USPSTF strongly [A-level recommendation] advises colon cancer screening starting age 45. Colon cancer screening is by far the most effective cancer screening we have) I was surprised to read, however, that his wife is now claiming poverty, although the man was valued in the millions. She claims that his cancer treatment sent them to poverty. Are we to believe that this man broke the law to avoid health insurance? Proof of health insurance is required when filing income taxes in the US, and one gets find the equivalent of what one would pay for basic coverage if one doesn't at least have that. And no life insurance, either? He had no accountant or financial advisor? And I believe SAG/AFTRA membership comes with pretty good health insurance. I asked AI about his earnings, and he didn't seem impoverished to me. Yet his GoFundMe page has amassed well over a million dollars, and climbing. I suspect the wife may be a scamster. I wonder what the decedent would have thought of this. AI Overview James Van Der Beek’s career earnings and net worth estimates fluctuated, with reports in late 2024 to early 2026 placing his fortune between $3 million and $15 million, driven by acting, producing, and, earlier, a lucrative divorce settlement. Despite his fame, he noted limited, if any, residuals from his breakthrough role in Dawson’s Creek due to a poor contract, forcing reliance on subsequent roles. Key Earnings and Financial Insights: Net Worth Fluctuations: While some sources estimated his net worth at $8 million to $15 million in 2024-2026, others, such as Celebrity Net Worth, placed it closer to $3 million–$6 million. https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-james-van-der-beeks-family

Because I don't take orders from you? 😜

Well, there are a lot of other songs which talk about welcoming death, but I found lyrics such as "No one ever cared if I should live or die," and "Loneliness and empty days will be my only friend" as particularly specific, poignant, personal, and disturbing. Who else have expressed the feeling that at no point in their life have they ever felt love? Not even as a child? Didn't even her brother tell her at some point that he loves her? How much more gut-wrenching can it be to think that the ONLY "friend" you'll EVER have are loneliness and empty days? A good understanding of anorexia nervosa continues to elude us, although a lack of self-esteem seems to be at the core. I suppose that by disfiguring themselves, anorexics feel a sense of self-control. They control the reason people won't love them? It's a form of self-mutilation, I suppose. For me, at least the examples you gave aren't at the level of starkness and specificity as KC's lyrics. One can have pain, but still have hope. It's one thing to express pain, but Karen's words expressed a complete abandonment of hope, at least as I understand them: one can look forward only the empty, lonely days. I wonder if anyone ever said to her "You matter to me!"? If I can believe those lyrics, it doesn't appear as if anyone did (at least not in a way that was communicated to her believably). And yes, I know she wasn't the actual song-writer/lyricist, but she clearly gave direction to whomever it was.

I had heard that song before; it was my husband who hadn't. That being said, my age was in the single digits when the song came out, so I never thought of listening to the lyrics before. Her beautiful voice has had no equal. I was an undergraduate at UCLA when she died. I remember when she died there were sick comments along the lines of "If only Karen Carpenter and Mama Cass had shared that sandwich, they'd both be alive today" (Mama Cass was described as having died choking on a ham sandwich by The Hollywood Reporter, though the person who wrote that in her obituary admitted in 2020 that she'd lied about that). https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/09/arts/music/cass-elliot-mamas-and-the-papas-death.html "...For years, the origin of the story that Elliot died from choking on a ham sandwich — one of the cruelest and most persistent myths in rock ’n’ roll history — was largely unknown. Then in 2020, Elliot’s friend Sue Cameron, an entertainment journalist, admitted to publicizing it in her Hollywood Reporter obituary at the behest of Elliot’s manager Allan Carr, who did not want his client associated with drug use. (Elliot died of a heart attack, likely brought on by years of substance abuse and crash dieting.) But that cartoonish rumor — propagated in endless pop culture references, from “Austin Powers” to “Lost” — cast a tawdry light over Elliot’s legacy and still threatens to overshadow her mighty, underappreciated talent...".

I can't remember the event, but my husband and I listened to the song "Goodbye to Love" by the Carpenters, and, as I often do when listening to old music, I asked him if he'd heard that song before. He said he hadn't, but remarked "Those lyric are really dark!" (or words to that effect). I was a young child when it came out, and it had never occurred to me to listen to the lyrics. I was shocked to read them, especially since we now know she died due to mental illness, apparently feeling unloved (she had an unhappy marriage and filed for divorce prior to her death). If a friend of mine had sung such lyrics, I would have taken him aside and expressed by concerns. It feels super-creepy to listen to those lyrics in retrospect. So sad that she never received the care she should have. "I'll say goodbye to love No one ever cared if I should live or die Time and time again the chance for love has passed me by And all I know of love Is how to live without it I just can't seem to find it So I've made my mind up I must live my life alone And though it's not the easy way I guess I've always known I'd say goodbye to love... All the years of useless search Have finally reached an end Loneliness and empty days will be my only friend From this day love is forgotten I'll go on as best I can...". I've definitely felt depressed before, but at no time have I ever felt that no one ever cared if I should live or die. If she really felt that way, and it seems she did, life must have been agony for her. 😢

On our ride back from the airport, the friend who house-sat for us asked us how we liked it, and my husband said it was the best week of his life! 😛 I wouldn't go that far, but the entertainment was amazing. Incidentally, he said he heard about the arrests on TMZ and even ABC news!!! 😬

You're right. I've been on dozens of cruises, and never seen drug-sniffing dogs, much less getting ON the ship/leaving the US. (I did notice them when boarding) It was an easy target, but targeted it was. Much more common to see dogs sniffing on arrival in the US (and generally only at airports). There have been some drug deaths on these cruises, but having border protection and Miami/Dade County involved on a ship leaving port clearly indicates the ship was targeted. The documentation from Atlantis did warn us about that possibility, but not about the drug-sniffing dogs. I wonder if that'll be a defense. I know that when entering the US, one can be searched without needing probable cause. However, I don't think one can search without probable cause just because one is leaving the US (plus, our first stop was in San Juan, PR, USA, so we weren't even leaving the US at that point). All I can guess, however, is that people who've held onto those suites for years on end will make some suites available. They're having an advance sale for next year, and getting a suite is apparently a complex process.

Boy, is there ever enough entertainment to go around. Audra McDonald gave performances, for example. In case any of you don't know who she is, here's the start of her Wikipedia entry: "Audra Ann McDonald (born July 3, 1970)[1] is an American singer and actress. Primarily known for her work on the Broadway stage, she has won six Tony Awards, more performance wins than any other actor, and is the only person to win in all four acting categories.[2] As of the 78th Tony Awards, she has earned a record-breaking eleven nominations . In addition to her six Tony Awards, she has received numerous accolades including two Grammy Awards and an Emmy Award. She was honored with the National Medal of Arts in 2016 from President Barack Obama, and was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2017..." . There was also a full production of Hairspray!, performances by Bianca del Rio, an ice skating spectacular, a production of the history of flight, complete with a cast member on an airplane riding through the theater, a spectacle of acrobats, divers, in a dance/water spectacular, a nude sexy acrobat production, and multiple drag queen and gay comedian performers. Of course, there's also the usual pool games, trivia games, bingo, and multiple dance parties (and a piano bar and other venues). Definitely not lacking for entertainment. And let's not forget the dick deck, deck 17, where open gay sex is encouraged. One would have to pay hundreds of $$ if one were to see those performers on one's own. Of course, there are those who come for the sex party atmosphere, but I didn't partake, and was amazed by the entertainment (definitely the best among the dozens of cruises I've taken).

The biggest problem for me is that the sying can lead to false assumptions and labeling. It can be fairly innocent, such as my asking the friend about Duesseldorf leading to the false assumption that I'm interested in going there. However, what if I ask about someone's experience in drug rehab, and getting labeled in the internet as a drug addict, for example. I should be able to have private conversations without having to leave my phone in another room, but I guess that's the way things are these days. If I want to learn more about Duesseldorf, I can figure out how to look that stuff up myself.

The WeHo Times went one better to totally shame the WeHo resident who got caught in the snare... https://wehoonline.com/west-hollywood-man-arrested-cruise-port-meta-onlyfans-creator/ "...Turns out Joshua Eddy, the West Hollywood man arrested Sunday at PortMiami before boarding a Royal Caribbean cruise is a Meta employee and OnlyFans creator with 306,000 Instagram followers. Joshua Eddy, 41, works as a Global Client Lead at Meta, according to a LinkedIn profile reviewed by The Advocate. The profile has since been removed or made private. Professional contact database RocketReach shows he also holds leadership positions at Instagram and Facebook and studied at both UCLA’s Anderson School of Management and UCLA School of Law, as well as Northwestern University. WEHOonline found California State Bar records show Eddy holds an active attorney license (Bar #292495) with an address listed as 1125 N. Fairfax Avenue, Unit 46102, in West Hollywood—the address of the West Hollywood Post Office. There’s no indication he currently practices law...". That post office is our nearest post office...

I could try to find out--though they probably wouldn't tell me at this point. I got these tix the first day they came available to prior Atlantis guests. The suites weren't available, and I learned later that you must call and ask them specifically for a suite, because some of them are "party-central," and I think they need to warn people of those suites. I usually get Junior Suites on Royal Caribbean, but for this cruise I just got the "extra-sized balcony."

We didn't upgrade. Too much trouble packing and repacking. I was tempted, though.

Although we'd been told that all cabins had been sold out for our cruise, we were surprised on the 2nd day of our cruise by the announcement that a number of suites were available for upgrade. "I wished I'd known before getting unpacked," I grumbled. Then there were rumors that 12 or maybe even 25 of the 5500 passengers got arrested, all carrying methamphetamines, and most with other substances as well. Then news stories got printed in a number of gay publications including Instinct and The Advocate, prompting some others to grumble at how our own publications were demonizing our own community. (I suspect that the sniffing dogs were trained to find meth, as those without meth didn't seem to get arrested). I found the story legitimately news-worthy, although it does portray the gay community in a bad light. It's too bad they had to specifically call out the arrestees, however. I suspect they'll be out of a job when they go back home... https://www.advocate.com/news/crime/atlantis-cruise-drug-arrests "...In a statement, Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Detective Joseph R. Peguero Rivera told The Advocate that deputies were called in around 6 p.m. Sunday to assist CBP with a drug enforcement operation at PortMiami. “MDSO arrested a total of nine individuals on various drug-related charges,” he said, involving MDMA or ecstasy, LSD, and cocaine. The arrest reports also reference ketamine, methamphetamine, and GHB precursor GBL, among the substances seized. Court records show those charged are Joshua S. Eddy, 41, of West Hollywood, California; Brad R. Kloha, 41, of Nashville, Tennessee; Adam Jones, 49, of Atlanta, Georgia; Hoi Le, 51, of San Francisco; Joshua Lee Jenkins, 39, of Tacoma, Washington; Ryan D. Medrano, 27, of Phoenix, Arizona; Tamar J. Wilson, 37, of Chicago; Daisuke Nakanoh, 40, of Chicago; and Ricardo Gabriel Junquera, 39, of Miami..".. https://instinctmagazine.com/tourists-arrested-gay-cruise/ "...On Sunday, as everyone was excitedly lining up to board the Symphony of the Seas, the usual pre-cruise chaos took an unexpected turn. Instead of the usual luggage checks and occasional confused tourist, trained dogs were on duty, sniffing their way through bags. And, let’s just say… these dogs weren’t there for the scent of sunscreen and sea air. So here are the alleged facts and charges in these arrests. Note: no one knows if they were carrying the drugs to use or to sell or both...". (Nb: the quantities for which these men were arrested suggests to me that sales would be involved) So do you think it's yellow journalism, just intended as click-bait, or legitimate news stories?

I now know for sure that our phones are spying on us, even when turned off. The couple we're traveling with are travel agents, and one of the luxury hotels in San Juan, PR, invited us to look at their property, and then for lunch. She asked about our prior travels to the enchanted island, and I talked about a trip my previous boyfriend and I had taken to Rincón, a town for surfers and scuba divers, which is 3 hours from San Juan, about 12 years ago. At the conclusion of the meal, one of my friends found ads about hotels in Rincón, although none of us had used to internet to look up anything related to that town in many years. Their phones were not on during the meal. Is there something one can do in Settings to prevent phones from listening in on conversations when they're not turned on? This feels disgustingly creepy to me. This seems to be a new phenomenon,, and I find it rather repugnant.

I doubt Republicans will do well in the midterm elections.

Which also reminds me of the story of a colleague of mine who went through a contentious divorce. His wife was rather nutty, and attacked him with a knife, prompting the divorce. Although she had a Ph.D., she demanded he fully support her, because a doctor testified that she was so obnoxious that she could never hold a steady job! 🫣🙄

I remember once as a physician asking how an apparently able-bodied woman ended up on social security (she was in her early 40s if I recall correctly). She said she was awarded social security simply because her personality was so obnoxious that she couldn't hold down any job in the US! 🫣😬