Purely a vent / void scream here:
This morning I was ran off by a car who swerved into the bike lane on Vanderbilt / Atlantic. I am ok, my bike is ok, but so shaken up and had to pull off to cry for ~45 minutes before I could eventually walk my bike the rest of the way to get to work. Almost a year ago I was clipped by a car ~400 feet away on the same bike lane that is such an absolute nightmare.
The car didn’t stop, and honestly I would not be surprised if they didn’t even notice it happened. An older women held me while I cried for ~15 minutes and a young mom stopped me and offered to clean up my cuts and give me bandaids. It felt good to have such a juxtaposition with people who really cared and supported and someone who just could not pay enough attention to someone’s life.
The young mom told me I was “brave to bike in NYC to begin with” which made me so, so sad. We shouldn’t have to be brave to engage in an activity that only benefits our city, transit infrastructure, physical and mental health. I feel so bummed, my neck hurts, and I’m scared I’m going to lose my love for biking because of all of these drivers who truly to do pay any attention while driving. Has anyone experienced anything like this? How have you processed all of this emotionally?

If y’all continue to watch cuhmunnity, I hope y’all realize he thinks he can keep bringing trash shit every week and he thinks he’s that nigga so people will watch no matter what cuz in his head all of us are lames and who will watch no matter what. It’s fuck AD from now on. If y’all fuck with AD show him love by supporting Puns streams. Pun tries. Every stream all AD does is get drunk throws up gang signs then sips his wine out of a plastic cup with his eyes like 👀 doing little baby laughs to himself then says loudly “OK NEXT TOPIC” Clown ass nigga.
And his girl still fucks with her EX money mayweather and went to a funeral to comfort Floyd recently when AD and her been together for years. AD a cuck frfr or he just knows his big bodied ass can’t get better and he likes how he looks publicly with a female like her so he puts up with it. He allegedly “retired” his girl when he worked for NJ. He obviously don’t get paid like he did monthly. since he left his streams ass views are ass. His content is poopy. Shout out Pun and trey tho. The real Compton Crips and ain’t with that party crip bullshit.💯

“Hey Raz, I got one!” Raz’s voice was cut by static as he called back, “Great! …at quarry …die.” Well, that wasn’t ominous at all, I thought to myself as I adjusted the rear-view mirror to check on the operator I had just blown past. They were doubled over coughing, their gas mask swayed side to side on the ground next to their feet. I don’t know what compelled me to not flatten what I had thought to be an AQ soldier, but I’m glad I didn’t.
I slammed my hummer in reverse, coming to a stop next to the helpless operator. “Hop in bud, we can get you to final exfill yet.” He slowly hauled himself into the bed of my hummer, landing with a dull thud and a groan as he fell onto his back. We cleared the gas, and I was immediately put on edge as my passenger started to gain consciousness. If he was planning anything nefarious, there wasn’t much I could do about it now. “You good back there? Normally I’d stop to send an invite but given the situation that might have just caused more problems.” He leaned through the non-existent rear window, “Nah, I understand man. When we get further from the gas we can stop and squad up. Don’t need to risk lighting each other up if things get hot at the exfill.” I couldn’t help but chuckle, “I don’t think that would be much of an issue regardless. Hey, we didn’t leave any of your friends back there, did we? I know we peeled out pretty quick.” I saw him shake his head and point to our left in the rear-view mirror. “We got split up, but they were running for a car, so I wasn’t too worried.” I followed his finger, a white hatchback cruised along parallel to us, swerving through buildings trying not to eat too many AQ bullets. “Hey boys, Dutch here is gonna roll with us to final. We’ll squad up when we get there.” I was barely able to make out one of his squad mates call out “Tight!” over his earpiece.
“Hey, listen, I’ve got friend I’m rolling with. His name’s Raz, he’s gonna meet us at final. If you see a red, white, and blue LTV, don’t shoot alright.” Raz chimed in, his radio finally clear of the static, “That’s very kind of you to tell them not to shoot me Dutch.” Before I could respond, a black turreted LTV slid out of Said City ahead of us. “Is that your boy Dutch?” I wanted to give my passenger the benefit of the doubt, it is windy in the box after all, he might not have heard me. “Nah man, wrong colour, and he didn’t have a turreted LTV last I saw.” The black LTV continued North along the main road as we cut away into the quarry proper. “Raz, company is headed your way. Looks like it’s just a solo in that truck but you can never be too careful.” “Thanks for the heads up Dutch.”
I rolled to a stop at the base of the helicopter ramp, gently flattening a couple of AQ who were getting a little to close to the bird for comfort, just shy of the battery running dry. The other two operators in the hatchback slid to a stop just down the hill from us. I got out of the hummer, a tad worried that my good fortune was about to come to an end at the hands of these fellas. As they ran up the hill, the notification finally popped. I accepted and ran down the hill to grab the hatchback, breathing a sigh of relief. “Wait, where you goin’ Dutch?” One of my clients called out. “Raz and I will run interference while we wait for the chopper to take off. Any AQ or unfriendly operators are gonna have to go through us.” “You keep talking about this Raz guy, but I’ve yet to see anyone other than that black LTV.” Almost on queue, a black LTV flew up the hill narrowly missing my hatchback. My clients went into a frenzy. “Operators pushing us! Take ‘em down!” The LTV spun in the sand in front of me, a glorious and perfectly oiled moustache glinting in the Al Mazrah sun. “Hold your fire! It’s Raz!” I called from below my clients. I sent an invite to him which he had hopped out and accepted faster than any of these guys could pull the trigger. “You see the operator that was in that earlier?” Raz shook his head, “No, I pulled up on it and they were gone. Must be out on foot somewhere.”
With 5 seconds left on the clock, there wasn’t enough time to go find them, our clients now panicking as they realized we weren’t on the bird. “What are you two doing?!” They shouted from the air as we waved goodbye. “Al Mazrah is our home gentlemen. That bird was never meant for us.” I gave Raz a pat on the shoulder as the gas rapidly approached, another successful day had come to a close.
The clack of a Kastov charging handle was almost unmistakable. We both turned to see the operator from the LTV standing there, rifle honed on us. “Well shit.” Their rifle dropped towards the dirt as they looked back over their shoulder at the nearly out of sight exfill chopper. They pushed through us, wandering towards the North side of the quarry. Raz and I locked eyes, shrugging in unison. That was one of those moments where we really wouldn’t have blamed them for their decision, whatever it might have been. “We better get back to HQ, Compton said I.T dropped off something for you.” Raz said as the gas engulfed us.
“I’m going back to the island boss.” My hands were shaking as I gripped the file folder that I.T had left for me. “Twitch.” “He’s back, it took him a bit, but he’s managed to re-take the castle and hunker down since we last saw him. And if he’s back then we might finally be able to get some proper intel on those blue tracers, direct from the source.” I handed the folder to Raz. He took it, turning to no doubt address the rest of the crew. I grabbed his shoulder, stopping him before he could speak. “Not everybody, not this time. They’ve doubled the defences; we’d be walking into a slaughterhouse.” “Well, you can’t go in there alone, we look out for our own Dutch, you know that.” Raz’s brow tightened, I could tell he was already trying to figure out what my plan was. “I’m bringing Maze and Alex. They’ll provide sniper cover while I infiltrate the castle. I still have my old uniform. As long as they haven’t drastically changed up their callsigns, I should be able to get in undetected.” I could tell Raz wasn’t convinced. “Dutch, like you said, you’d be walking into a slaughterhouse. How does you going in solo make that any better.” “After what happened in the complex…I’m not putting anyone else at risk, I can’t. The Bomb Maker…Twitch, I’ve gotta face him myself. Look him in the eyes so he knows I crawled out of Hell to drag him back down there.” “Alright, I couldn’t really stop you if I wanted to, could I?” Raz shrugged. “No, not unless you shot me, and honestly, I’d take those odds.” I punched his shoulder and started heading for the breakroom to grab Maze and Alex. “You keep that up I’ll be moving you back out to that sea can of yours.” Raz smirked.
The locks took a bit of fighting to get open. While this footlocker had only been on Ashika Island for a few months, the constant spray of salt water had worn away what little integrity it once had. The black uniform, emblazoned with the Rook and Spade of Shadow Company, was still in excellent condition, save for a bullet hole just under where the plate carrier would sit. I paused for a moment, holding it up in the air, memories of the past flooding in. “Not a lot of fond memories in that uniform I take it.” Maze called out from the catwalk in our home away from home. “I think part of the problem is that there are good memories. It’s a little concerning that such fond memories can hide out amongst so much evil.” “We’ve all done things we aren’t proud of. Some of us just did things other people also wouldn’t be proud of either.” Alex chuckled to himself as he cleaned his rifle on the cot next to me. I grimaced, mostly because he was right. I slipped into the old black fatigues and strapped on my old plate carrier. My weapons were all still intact too, I pulled my Taq-56 out of the footlocker, running my fingers over the engraving in the side, ROOK-XLIV. I cycled the charging handle a few times before loading in a fresh magazine and setting it on the cot next to me. I pulled out a pistol belt, two pearl handled revolvers, one with an ebony Rook on the grip, the other, an ebony Spade. Umbra Catavae engraved along each barrel. Maze had come down from the rafters now, a look of mixed intrigue and concern on her face, “I take it those don’t invoke fond memories.” I had done a poor job of hiding my look of disgust. “No, unfortunately they do.” I felt a wave of guilt wash over me. “Each of these was given to me for completing outstanding performance in the field. I did things I’m not proud of, and I was rewarded for it, handsomely. Holding these in my hands, I feel the same pride I had felt when they were first handed to me. It makes me sick.” I strapped the belt around my waist. The pearl handles shining against my all black silhouette. Alex piped up again, “Hey, at least you are trying to make amends for your sins, not many can say the same.” I let out a long sigh, “I suppose you’re right. You both remember the plan?” “Get to the radio towers and start lighting the place up when shit inevitably hits the fan.” Maze grinned. “Close enough.” I pulled my balaclava up and headed for the door.
The guard at the gate didn’t immediately shoot me which gave me some spark of hope that this might work. “In position!” Alex and Maze called out almost simultaneously. “Jinx, you owe me a beer!” Maze rejoiced. “What? Why would I give you a beer for that?” Alex sounded genuinely confused. “Hey, cut the chatter you two, don’t need to give them any reason to not let me in alright.” The guard held up his hand. “I don’t recognize you, let’s see your I.D.” I held up my old I.D card. “Well I’ll be damned, look who crawled out if his grave.” He pulled my mask down to confirm. “You look pretty good for a corpse, though your I.D card is out of regulation. You might want to stop by the I.T guy to get a new one made.” “Thanks, I’ll head right over.” The first thought that came to my mind was Bob. There’s no way he still worked for these assholes, is there.
“You used your old I.D?! You mad man!” Maze cackled over the radio. “Ok, I’ll admit, this wasn’t my greatest plan. I honestly thought they’d just capture me after seeing who I was.” Alex cut me off, “Go with the flow I suppose.” “Spade-499 up one-two.” The local radio channel began to drown out my squad’s comms. “Rook-3468 down one-one” “This is some odd radio traffic Dutch.” Alex quipped. I watched as a Shadow Company mercenary approached a stairwell, each step primed and ready to pop a leg off whichever unfortunate soul chose to ascend. “Spade-5454 up one-two.” “It’s how they know to deactivate the traps.” I whispered into our secure line. I approached the same stairwell. “Rook-44 up one-two.” I could hear the traps audibly click off. The guard at the to put his hand out as I reached the top step. “Sorry, no ghosts allowed on the second floor.” “Ghost? What…” He bent over laughing. “I’m just messing with you man. They said you died holding off the ULF while Bob and Twitch escaped, going out in a blaze of glory. Clearly, they didn’t have their facts straight. Glad to have you back.” I’m glad I had the balaclava on because I was struggling to hide my confusion. Last I checked I was the scape goat for the largest backstab in Shadow Company history, not a hero. I was never a hero when I worked for them. “I take it you are going to see the boss, call up two-zero, we don’t want people to be just guess on the fly, just in case someone tries to sneak in.” If only he knew.
“We don’t have eyes up there Dutch. Whatever happens, you’re on your own.” I could hear a tinge of worry in Alex’s voice. “Just make sure whoever is in here doesn’t get reinforcements.” “You got it!” Alex and Maze both called out in unison. “Jinx, you owe me another beer.” “There’s free beer at headquarters, why would I owe you a beer for that.” Alex called back clearly still confused. “Radio silence please. I’ve got a rat to kill.” I took a deep breath, pulling my Bryson from its sheath, the chrome exterior brushed over with a dull grey to blend in. “Rook-44 up two-zero.”
“Well, well, well. I was wondering when I’d see you again after our last encounter. Urzikstan and Al Mazrah clearly hadn’t kicked your ass enough so you decided to come crawling back to me for another round.” The traps clicked off. “Come on up, I’ve been looking forward to this.” I slowly ascended, keeping my Bryson trained at the top of the stairs, my eyes scanning each stair for an actual trap. As I crested the stairwell, my eyes were immediately drawn to him. His back turned to me, Trophy Systems whirring and clicking around him. “I missed you Dutch. Well, the old you. The one that would shoot through a hostage just to prove a point, the one that would dangle captives from buildings by their collar until they squawked like a bird, and then still dropped them anyways. I miss the Dutch that smoked Keller because his gas mask worked and yours didn’t when we those crazy Russian’s tried to hit us with mustard gas. I still get a little nauseous when I think about you peeling his face out of there.” “I’ve changed Twitch, I’ve moved past all that. I found a calling that doesn’t require me to be a conniving bastard.” Twitch laughed as he turned around, his hands empty. I kept my Bryson trained on him. “That’s what you think I am huh? I prefer shrewd businessman, but if that’s what helps you sleep at night.” He walked to one of the barred windows. “You really think what you and those taxi driving hooligans are doing matters?” “Clearly it does, or you and the Chemist wouldn’t be working so hard to sabotage us.” I took a few steps towards him. “Well, I suppose it matters to one of us. The Chemist and Raz go way back, but you know that. What I care about is the money, and I get a lot of money for helping that crazy bastard try to wipe out your little band of Merry Men.” “And Women. This guy just loves the sound of his own voice. Can I remove his head already? He’s looking right at me, practically begging me to pull the trigger.” I could hear the contempt in Maze’s voice. Twitch always did love a monologue. “You can still fix your mistakes Twitch. Gives us what info you have on those tracers of yours and I might consider not killing you.” I snarled. “When you went soft Dutch, you lost any respect I might have had for you. We are long past the point where you can intimidate me. Besides, any info I did have, is with the Chemist. He paid a handsome sum to get the formula, and really, it was becoming a logistical nightmare to ship enough of those little blue gems across the sea. Better for everyone to have it made close to the front lines.”
“Spade-101 up two-zero.” Bob’s voice cut through the tension. “Well I’ll be, it looks like we are gonna have a little family reunion.” Bob’s head poked up the stairs, “Hey boss, another server bank has shorted out from the sea air, I told you we should invest in better waterproofing the housings but if you still…” He trailed off as I dropped my Bryson, the sling catching it just before it hit the ground, and drawing my two revolvers. “Oh, hey Dutch. Nice to see you too.” Bob stammered. I cocked the hammer on each one, keeping one trained on each of my old squad mates. “Really Bob? Really! I understand you sticking around the day of the heist. But now? After everything that Shadow Company has done to these countries. To its own people.” Before he could respond, a siren blared over the intercom system. “Defensive positions! Hostile operators have breached the perimeter.” “Dutch you’ve got six operators approaching the castle, I think it’s time to bounce.” Maze was drowned out by her own gun fire, her Signal .50 raining death into the courtyard. “Looks like our time is up here Dutch. Since you clearly don’t have los cojones to pull the trigger, you might as well see yourself out, and let me and my men handle this.”
“Fuck it.” The hammer of the first revolver slammed down, dropping Bob instantly. I turned to face Twitch, his face a mix of surprise and pride. “Maybe I was wrong, the old Dutch still lives.” I charged forward, tackling him through the window and off the roof. Both of us lay on the ground, groaning as the chorus of gunfire roared around us. He dove for one of my pistols, but unfortunately for him, I had managed to hold on to the other, putting a round through his arm just before he could grab the gun. He rolled out of the way of the second round, bringing his one working hand up to the radio on his chest. The explosion from the castle threw both of us across the courtyard, debris raining down around us. I felt like I was reliving one of the worst days of my life all over again. I hauled myself to my feet, Shadow Company mercenaries and operators wandered aimlessly through the ashes. Everyone seemed too disoriented to fight. “I think it’s time to leave Dutch.” “I second that.” Maze and Alex were barely audible over the ringing in my ears. “Regroup at the boat. If I’m not there in 5, go without me.” I never heard a response, even if they tried, they wouldn’t have convinced me to leave, not with him still breathing.
I combed through the smoke and fire, carefully checking every nook and cranny I came across but the slippery rat was nowhere to be seen. “Looks like you 3 aren’t thick as thieves after all, eh Dutch. Poor Alex here was left all alone on the beach, no boat to be seen.” Twitch was sucking in air between words, no doubt kept standing by adrenaline. “You lay a finger on him, and I’ll make you wish you had died in that explosion.” I spat into my mic. “Don’t make me wait too long.”
I limped over a hill towards the beach where we were supposed to regroup. “Alex! Where’s Maze?” I called out as I stumbled down the sand bank. Alex didn’t respond, his head held in a tight headlock by Twitch, my second pistol against his temple. “She abandoned you both, and now I get the pleasure of killing you both after yet another betrayal. When will you learn Dutch. This world is a cruel place. Only the strong survive, clearly Maze knew that.” Twitch cut me off before I could retort. “Save the fight me with honour B.S that I know you are gonna spew.” I’m gonna kill you and your buddy and salvage what little I can of this operation. Then maybe retire to Cuba. I do love a good cigar.” “Adios, pendejo!” Alex brought his arm down, the knife concealed in his hand connecting with Twitch’s thigh. Twitch let out a high-pitched yelp, letting loose a round from the revolver which narrowly grazed Alex’s hair. Alex dove into the sand right as Twitch’s shoulder exploded in a pink mist followed shortly by the unmistakable crack of Maze’s Signal .50. I squinted trying to see where the shot came from, all I caught was the glint from her scope in the sun, the boat hardly visible in the rolling surf.
I limped forward, Bryson in hand, chrome starting to show through the worn grey paint. I kicked the revolver away from Twitch, placing a boot on his chest and the barrel of my Bryson against his forehead. He began to mumble and cry, hardly able to string together an understandable sentence. “Save it, you’re gonna need your energy for what comes next.” Our boat slammed into the shore, Maze hopping off, rifle raised and ready. “Oh shit I actually hit that!” “I’m not gonna lie, I thought you’d actually just bailed.” I laughed as she helped Alex to his feet. “You still go those claymores?” I asked Maze as Twitch continued to writhe in panic under my boot. “You wanted the old Dutch, eh Twitch. Ask and you shall receive.” Maze handed me the claymores, while Alex kept sidearm pointed at Twitch. I planted 4 around him, just far enough away that they wouldn’t go off unless he moved. I drew one of my revolvers, popping the cylinder out and emptying all but one round. I gave the cylinder a spin before flicking it closed. I tossed the revolver at Twitch. “Don’t waste that on me. You’ll only regret it in about an hour.” I took my other revolver, and hurled it towards the sea, the pearl grip glinting in the sun as it spun through the air, disappearing into the crashing waves. “Good riddance.” I sighed, that chapter of my life finally ended. Twitch was silent, his whimpering now just deep, laboured breathing. I turned back before I stepped onto the boat, watching as his hand slowly moved to the pistol in the sand next to him. “Well played Dutch, well played.”

My boyfriend, who is newly in recovery, didn’t tell me where he was today. He drove to Atlantic City and is at a casino. I only found out bc I got a grubhub notification from a food place there (we share an account). He claims he didn’t tell me bc I have been controlling or had attitude when he’s gone places without me. I just think it’s weird to drive a state away secretly and then put it on me when I find out you’re there? I honestly didn’t even care that he was there. It feels like he’s projecting bc he’s planning on drinking tonight. I’m confused. He’s convinced that I’m taking away his independence.
In a sense I guess I have tried to control his behavior in the past bc I was trying to control the drinking. I’m honestly not interested in that anymore and haven’t been keeping tabs. He tells me very little despite me asking him to keep me updated on meetings and progress so I can celebrate with him. He is pretty secretive overall about it but does tell me that he’s very dedicated and goes 3x a week (even tho he’s with me some days that he claims to be in AA meetings?).
As I’m writing this it’s clear that I don’t trust him. I think he’s secretive so that I think he’s more successful than he is. The gambling is a red flag bc he’s an addict. I’m financially supporting him right now. The gambling is also disrespectful of my support. God… seeing this all typed out makes me feel like a clown. I see it. I guess this is the point of Al-anon.

I recently completed my Citizenship by Descent (jure sanguinis) appointment at my local Italian Conuslate's office in Houston, Texas. Below is my write-up that outlines my experience. Hopefully, this is helpful for those currently working through the process. Best of luck to you all! ✨
Background
In July of last year, my father was diagnosed with cancer. While the news was both unexpected and frightening, my dad’s diagnosis ignited a latent desire to learn more about who he was and the ancestors that came before him. In the weeks and months following his diagnosis, I tried to connect as often as possible with my dad – I asked questions about his childhood. I asked him to tell me about his parents and grandparents. I didn’t want to leave any stone unturned.
One late summer day last year, as my dad was preparing for another round of chemotherapy, he mentioned that his grandfather, Vincenzo, had immigrated from Italy to the United States. He didn’t know much about his late grandfather. He had died before my dad was born. I spent the following days deep in the far corners of Ancestry.com combing through records in search of everything Vincenzo Panevino. It turns out my dad was right about his grandfather ¬– Vincenzo Luigi Antonio Panevino had indeed crossed the Atlantic Ocean on a one-way ticket to New York City at the ripe age of 30. Each record I uncovered unlocked even more information on my great-grandfather – he was born in 1859 in Aliano, Italy (a small, rural town that sits right near the arch of the boot). His birth came nearly two years before Italy’s unification in 1861. It was during my research on my great-grandfather that I stumbled upon the process of jure sanguinis. The more I learned about the process, the more it felt like the next logical step on my journey into the past. My dad agreed. And with that, I was off to the races on a vital record collection spree!
Appointment Recap
In March of this year, I was able to secure an appointment for this past Thursday at 9:30 a.m. This came after a previous appointment I had secured for this past January was randomly canceled by the Houston Consulate without an option to reschedule. The process of obtaining this second appointment most definitely aged me!
The night before my appointment, my husband and I drove into town. Thankfully, my in-laws live in the greater-Houston area, so we were able to spend the night at their house before driving to the consulate the following day.
The morning of my appointment, my husband and I arrived at the consulate a bit early. Parking was seamless; the cost is only a few bucks an hour and the lot is located within the same building as the consulate. With some extra time to spare, we decided to stop by nearby Fiction Coffee (literally a stone’s throw away from the lobby of the building that houses the consulate). Their coffee and breakfast tacos were amazing! I left my husband there and made my way up to the 19th floor ready to officially kick things off.
I arrived at the entrance of the consulate and pressed the red button adjacent to the doors; a voice blared out asking what I was there for. I informed the person on the other end that I was there for my citizenship appointment, and I was quickly buzzed in. Once inside, an Italian officer instructed me to place my belongings onto a conveyor belt for a security scan. Next, I was directed towards a window to a consular official who again asked the reason for my visit and for my name. After he jotted down some notes, I was let into a small waiting room and told to make my way to window number 3. While I waited for my appointment to begin, I glanced around the room. The windowless space was quite small, filled with only a handful of red chairs and multiple copies of Italics Magazine.
A woman arrived behind the glass partition and introduced herself as Margherita. I told her that I had heard so much about her through the amazing Dual U.S.-Italian Citizenship Facebook group. She let out a genuine smile and told me how thankful she was that such a group exists to help people complete this process (join if you haven't already!). After a few minutes of small talk, Margherita and I got right to work!
I began by handing over my driver’s license and passport as well as photocopies of each. Next up, was a utility bill with my name and address on it. Finally, Margherita asked me to sign all forms in front of her (in my case, that was Forms 1, 2, 4, and the Registry Form). With these initial documents out of the way, Margherita took a moment to scan my forms and acknowledged that it appeared as though I was eligible to move forward based on the forms I handed over. Margherita propped up Form 1 on a clipboard and then pulled out a secondary form that she would use to annotate each document I submitted.
We began with my great-grandfather, Vincenzo. I submitted a printout of his Italian birth certificate from PEC which was accepted. Additionally, I also had printouts of his original Italian birth record and birth index (both of which I found on Antenati) which Margherita also accepted. Thankfully, because I had read other member recaps for the Houston Consulate, I made sure to bring a certified copy of the ship record/manifest that documented my grandfather’s arrival into New York City in 1889. Margherita was appreciative that I had this and mentioned that manifest records were important to her when she was reviewing cases. Just to be safe, I highly recommend ordering this record via NARA if you’re within Houston’s consular jurisdiction. Next up, I handed over my great-grandfather’s marriage, census, non-naturalization records (USCIS, NARA, county records), and death records without issue. Because my great-grandfather never naturalized, Margherita asked if I had his A-File (Alien File) Card as further evidence of his non-naturalization. I had not found such a card during my research process. Margherita stood up and pulled out a photocopy of what the A-File Card looked like from her filing cabinet. I quickly grabbed my cell phone and searched for more info. On NARA’s website, I discovered that Alien Registration Numbers and A-File’s were not first issued until just after my great-grandfather died in 1940. Because of this, he likely was never issued an Alien Registration Number or an A-File. I pressed my phone up to the glass to show Margherita the National Archives website. She scanned the web page I presented to her and appeared to agree that I would be unable to locate this record. I was not assigned homework to collect this. Onward we went!
Although the Houston Consulate’s website states that non-line documents are optional, I made sure to bring them just in case! I had gathered certified copies of all non-line documents with translations. Margherita made a point to explicitly call out that translations and apostilles were not necessary as non-line documents were only used by the consulate staff to corroborate any information on your in-line family members. Nonetheless, she accepted everything I gave her. Similar to my great-grandfather, my great-grandmother also immigrated from Italy and Margherita was also appreciative that I had secured her ship manifest/arrival record as well.
We continued down the line, sliding through the window apostilled and translated birth/marriage/divorce/death documents for all in-line relatives and basic copies with translations for non-line relatives. When we got to my father’s documents, Margherita paused and let out a notable sigh. She stammered, “Your father, he is no longer with us, no?” I nodded. Two months prior to my appointment, my father’s battle with cancer abruptly ended. As I worked to process the loss of my dad, I continued on with this process. In many ways, I found this journey to be a somewhat cathartic way to work through my pain. I received my father’s apostilled death certificate exactly one week before my appointment. It was the final document needed to complete my application. Margherita put down her pen and we spoke at length about my dad. She didn’t seem to mind our appointment running a bit longer. She was genuine and compassionate. We are so fortunate to have her as our consular official.
As my appointment drew to a close, Margherita slid the document she had been using to notate every document I submitted back to me. She asked me to review her notes for accuracy while she went to the back of the office to officially submit my application with my $321.70 USPS money order. She returned with a photocopy of my Form 1 document which now had my file number written at the top. She informed me that I had no homework as of right now and mentioned that she would contact me via email if any additional documentation was needed. She also let me know that although the consulate had 24 months to process my application, she believes the process would likely wrap up much sooner. Margherita even told me that whenever she has moments of free time, it’s not uncommon for her to pull out an “easy” application (i.e. applicants who aren’t married, have no kids, or those with little to no homework) to try to complete it. Fingers crossed that means we’ll see even more approvals out of this consulate this year!
I thanked Margherita extensively as my appointment came to a close. We waved goodbye through the glass and Margherita disappeared into the office behind her. And just like that, this phase of my journey was complete. I walked out of the office homework-free and one step closer to my goal of dual citizenship. My husband and I celebrated afterward with an amazing lunch at North Italia just up the block. I was elated!
Closing Thoughts/Takeaways

• Margherita is extremely flexible when it comes to name discrepancies. I had a few and she never even mentioned name variations. I even had an OATS affidavit on standby but never needed it. All she seemed to care about were that key dates matched up relatively well.
• Err on the side of being overprepared. I had ship manifests, baptismal records, census records, WW2 draft registration cards, and countless other documents I found throughout my research process. Bring them all! Especially in cases of non-naturalization, Margherita needs extensive evidence that your LIRA never naturalized. Having all documentation ready to go also increases the likelihood that you’ll be one of the “easy” applications Margherita tries to complete in her free time at the office.
• Organize, organize, organize! In the weeks leading up to my appointment, I meticulously crafted a binder separated by each generation to come before me. On the day of my appointment, this binder proved to be invaluable. It was super easy to pull out each document Margherita requested. She seemed to appreciate this as well!
• Leverage online resources. This Reddit community and the Dual U.S.-Italian Citizenship Facebook group are such tremendous resources. It is through these spaces that I found an amazing translator in Andrea/lastfuelstation on Fiverr. These groups also introduced me to John Chiarelli (https://www.docutrek.com/) who was able to gather No Record of Naturalization letters very quickly from multiple counties in New York City. Beyond that, these online communities understand the ins and outs of this process in ways that no service provider ever could. I am so thankful
• Be gentle with yourself. Obtaining citizenship in a new country is a big deal that requires a bunch of work! Balancing ordering records, securing a coveted appointment and a ton of other jure sanguinis obligations can easily become overwhelming. Be kind to yourself throughout this process. You will get there. We will get there.

The last time I visited my dad in the hospital, I shared all the details I had dug up on ancestors I’d only seen in a handful of pictures. We pieced together their lives. In some sense, they were all finally real to me. To us. On Thursday, as I walked out of the Italian Consulate, I closed out an unexpected chapter in my life. Buried in the seemingly mundane vital records I had just turned over was a bridge back to little ol’ Aliano, Italy, and a connection to my great-grandfather, my grandfather, and my dad. It’s through this very process that, in some small way, I get to keep them alive.
Grazie mille to everyone who helped me along the way to unlock the past and future when I needed it most. I could never thank you enough! Now, off to celebrate with some gelato! 🇮🇹✨

Candidate Book List
Randomizer Code
​

1. Africa Since 1800 by Roland Oliver
2. Africa's Development in Historical Perspective by Emmanuel Akyeampong et al.
3. The Rift: A New Africa Breaks Free by Alex Perry
4. Africa and Africans in the Making of the Atlantic World by John Thornton
5. Francophone Africa at Fifty by Tony Chafer

Hey everyone. Hope your week is off to a great start. The voting for the next Africa book club is now open. The current session isn't over mind you, it's still on till Sunday this week (still pinned to the top of the subreddit).
As always, feel free to look up the candidate book list and make suggestions. I've included the randomizer code as well, so you can see how the books are selected.
As with last time, you only need to drop the number of book you're voting for in your comment below. Also, press enter twice after you type the number so it stands on its own paragraph. Finally, upvotes mean nothing. So if you want to vote you'll have to type.

I’m not American and I always thought they were the same town. All those TV episodes of someone from New York driving down to Atlantic city to go to casinos suddenly make a lot more sense now.
I also have others gems:
In 2012 I found out Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia don’t exist. I watched a lot of old tv shows growing up, like games without borders, and the only map in my parents house was from the 90s or 80s.
Last month I also found out Stettin, Breslau, Pomerania and Poznan were Polish. Again, old maps and more knowledge of historical geography than modern geography.
Bit embarrassed if I’m honest.

La nueva generación en el nuevo mundo Across the sea, life goes on

XIV FEBRERO MDXVI
Giovanni wept to himself, quietly at first, and then with wrenching, heart-shaking shudders of a man who was barely contained. Pedrarias would have admonished him. His wife, Maria, would have berated him. His brother, William, would have told him that prayers were worth more than tears. And Cesare Borgia would have stabbed him and said, "Now you have something to cry about." His first-born daughter, Maria-Theresa, was stillborn, and his line remained stillborn with her. There would be no Palaiologos to carry on their claim to the Queen of Cities. He wept for himself, he wept for his wife, he wept for his family, and he wept for the New World and the life he thought he was building here. What had survival on Bermuda been for if not to bring new life into this world?
The year of 1516 had been set for the most brilliant and jubilant arrival of new life and peace for the city of Panama. Instead, the death of Maria de Paleólogo y Téllez-Girón had brought only sadness. The indigenous people listened to Giovanni's story and understood his belief that his family was cursed. They understood where his self-belief came from and the role his family played across the waves of the Atlantic. They called him 'El emperador perdido' or 'el hombre sin familia,' and they knew why he worked as hard as he did. He tried his best to treat them well, but 1516 was a cursed year, and even the estate of Elysia was renowned for being a bleak place. There was little to inspire joy or happiness that year.
By the turn of the year, Maria was herself again, a woman of fierce temperament and fiercer demands. She was driving her land hard, and Giovanni harder. There was little that stood between the young woman and her future. She was determined to see her estate rival any on Cuba and aspire to match the great landowners of Spain proper. Her bargain was known to all; working for the Lady of Elysia, the so-called 'Persephone,' was a fast route to favours and wealth beyond imagination. Spanish and indigenous alike knew of her reputation and her favour.
Ninguané spent the year planning the grandest expedition that Pedrarias would ever undertake. It would not be this year, nor 1517, or even 1518, it was to take place in 1520. A full four years of planning time in preparation. Pedrarias himself would lead it, Juan to be his second, and Ninguané their chief guide. They were going to utilise a ludicrous amount of men and arms, and provisions sufficient to establish two colonies in their own right. Any native tribe who stood against the Old Man would find itself crushed. To aid him, Ninguané used the maps and information provided by the foreign traders. He also used lessons learned from fighting the Cuevá to have Juan write some simple guides for the condottiero who would come with them. This was all just the first step though, and as planning commenced Juan got to work on ensuring Panamá was the ideal place to launch this expedition from.
----
XXII JULIO MDXVII
1517 was destined to be one of the greatest years in the entire lifetime of the House of Paleólogo, who now officially adopted the Spanish translation of their name. On a warm day, near midday, Lady Maria Luisa Enríquez y Téllez-Girón, after carrying a heavy belly for nine months, finally gave birth. On that sweltering summer day, baby Guillermo de Paleólogo y Téllez-Girón was born healthy and crying. He already had a thick head of hair, and his lungs heralded the arrival of a new generation of Paleólogo, who would carry the family name and the title of Imperator Constantinopolitanus. Word had finally reached them from across the sea that Guglielmo, in his solitude, was unlikely to provide an heir to the family.
Juan, known as Giovanni in his Italian name and Ioannes in Latin, was rightfully his brother's heir, and the baby boy Guillermo was his own heir. As his wife's laboured breathing turned to laughter and joy after hours of agonising screams, Juan's love for her overflowed. In four different languages, he praised her. First in Italian, then in Latin, then Greek, and finally Spanish. He spoke of love and vitality, of eternal marriage. He whispered sweet nothings that made the midwives blush and turn away in embarrassment. Together, Juan and Maria held their new son and thanked the Lord Almighty for their happiness. On that July day, nothing could have shattered their joy, not even the fall of Rome itself, for their whole world was cradled in their arms.
The year went by, and Guillermo proved to be strong-willed for a baby, expressing himself in every possible way. Part of Maria knew that her husband would desire another son sooner rather than later. Juan, having tasted fatherhood, yearned for more. He told them that family, like faith, was strongest when held with love in their hearts. Together, they prayed for another child, and their zealousness was soon rewarded.
Meanwhile, Ninguané took charge of managing affairs between Elysia, Panamá, and the Coclé tribe. Being fluent in Spanish, his native language, and Latin, thanks to the church, made him indispensable to the Spanish around him, especially Pedrarias and Juan. Part of him regretted not being able to be there for his family more, and he knew that sooner or later, he would need to take a wife of his own. Yet, a small part of him harboured a fascination with the women who came from across the sea and wanted Pedrarias and Juan to arrange a Spanish wife for him. He wasn't entirely sure why, but there was an intrigue surrounding these women. He also knew that his family expected him to marry someone from his tribe since he was the chieftain's son. While Elysia had expanded Panamá to the size of Medina del Oro and Nombre de Dios combined, Juan and Ninguané aimed even higher. Together, they began constructing a fortress in Panamá.
It wouldn't be a grand castle, but it would be sufficient to hold the region of Castilla del Oro against aggression and exert influence over the surrounding areas. It was also intended to serve as a residence for the future Duc. With this in mind, Ninguané sought his father's input, and Juan commissioned Spanish engineers. The Fuerte de San Constantino would serve as the base of Spanish power in the Atlantic, initially for Pedrarias and later for the planned grand expedition to the north. From this stronghold of Spanish might, the region would be secured eternally for the Spanish Monarchs. However, something about this plan unsettled Ninguané, yet the undeniable prosperity of his tribe kept those concerns at bay most of the time.
----
VII AGOSTO MDXVIII
Pedrarias surveyed the room and expressed his gratitude to God, the Queen, and the Kingdom. Juan cradled the boys in his arms, his wife gazing at him with love while the proud midwives beamed at the woman who had just given birth. The priest blessed the family in Latin. They named the twin boys Bonifacio de Paleólogo y Téllez-Girón and Constantino de Paleólogo y Téllez-Girón. It was a double blessing from God that even Pedrarias had made the journey from Nombre de Dios to witness. They called him the Old Man, and though he was indeed old, he was not too old to visit one of his key administrators on such a significant day. His own children were now grown, with wives and soon-to-be children. Pedro and Francisco, his sons, were grown men, while Arias, 18 years old, had thoughts of sending him to court. His daughters included María de Peñalosa, who would turn 16 this year and soon be married, Isabela de Bobadilla, 13 years old, and Elvira, his youngest at just 9. Pedrarias knew the joys of having children and understood the significance of this moment for Juan.
However, the joy and celebrations of the 'double-headed eagle' in Elysia were short-lived. Constantino caught a cradle cough and passed away barely two months after his birth. Juan and María were devastated once again, especially Juan. Ninguané, who had witnessed life come to Panamá, now watched it fade from his friend's face once more. While the previous year had been filled with good news and abundant energy, the administrator retreated into himself. Missives and directions came through assistants and helpers, and Pedrarias rarely called upon his senior advisor, knowing that the man was barely eating, let alone fit for conversation. Fortunately, preparations for the grand expedition and the construction of the Fuerte de San Constantino continued, with Ninguané and Pedrarias taking charge while Juan managed the finances and other foremen oversaw the actual construction.
Towards the end of the year, Ninguané and Pedrarias grew particularly close in the absence of Juan managing their affairs. The native prince of Panama, now 22 years old, had matured since joining the colony at the age of 18. Pedrarias saw before him a handsome man, dark-skinned but lacking the refinement of civilization, yet intelligent, creative, and cunning—traits that Pedrarias appreciated. What became apparent to him, beyond his own admiration and dependence, was the affection that Maria held for Ninguané as well. The young girl became a frequent "guest" whenever Ninguané stayed late at Pedrarias' residence. She would bombard him with questions about his family and his thoughts on the Spanish. She would quiz him on the various Kings and Queens of Spain. Before the year ended, Maria started asking her father about whom he thought Ninguané would marry and the laws regarding such matters.
Juan Paleólogo and his wife, along with the rest of Elysia, returned to active service for the colony in the final quarter of the year. With renewed vigour, which he found by turning to his two living sons, Juan fully immersed himself in his duties. This involved weekly trips from his estate to Panamá proper or Nombre de Dios to visit the governor. He resumed the process of formalising the plans for what was now referred to as 'La gran expedición' and personally wrote letters to investors, the Casa, and Corte Real de Madrid. His mastery with the quill was unrivalled, having spent time in Rome, and Pedrarias was immensely grateful to have him back. The loss of Bobadilla some years ago had hindered progress in Medina, but with his competent Greek administrator, the colony rediscovered its purpose and attracted new investments.
Together, the three men rallied once again and devoted themselves to ensuring that Castilla del Oro became the crown jewel of the New World. They formed perhaps the finest trio of officials on this side of the Atlantic.
----
Summary
Juan de Paleólogo and his wife have had a number of children over the years. He has been up and down emotionally but on the whole Panamá has now become as large as Medina del Oro and Nombre de Dios combined.
Ninguané has grown much closer to Pedrarias with Juan focussed on family following the death of his son. Ninguane and Maria, the eldest daughter of Pedrarias, are growing closer.
Pedrarias has begun preparations for probably his final expedition; it is to be particularly large.
A new fort is being built in Panama for ƒ100,000 (mil), costs split ƒ75k (Casa) and 25k (del Oro).

Backstory: As a university student, I worked at the "Fastest Tim Horton's location in Atlantic Canada", meaning, we had the lowest drive-thru wait times. The way it worked: there was a visible timer that started counting up when a car pulled up the the window where you paid and got your food. When the car pulled away after 30 seconds* or so, that time blinked on the screen then it switched to show the shift's average. Our goal as employees was to keep that average low.
The story: New Tim's has a habit of always reading back my order (I can see it on the screen), no matter how short. It's a stall tactic. It lets the workers making the food/drinks get a little headstart before the car is at the window. I've tried saying "it looks right on the screen!" In a polite** cheery voice, to move things along, but they will literally yell "wait!" when I try to pull ahead. Annoying.
Today they crossed a line.
I placed a simple order, an ice cappuccino, a breakfast wrap, and a hashbrown, 8am, the middle of breakfast, one truck behind me. I told them it "looked right on the screen", listened to them repeat back my order anyway, and pulled ahead. I don't have tap so I entered my account and PIN. They gave me my drink and asked me to pull ahead to park in front of the building and they'd bring out my food. Now I /know/ that is a tactic to beat the timer. I did it anyway. The truck behind me was served their coffee quickly and I waited out front, annoyed. No one else went through the drive-thru. It had been several minutes which is a million years in Tim Horton's drive-thru time and should have bumped up their shift average. I decided to go through again. Made the same order, did not wait for it to be read back, got up to the window and explained I had already paid and had been waiting. They said my wrap was ready now and apologized for the wait. The explanation and their initial confusion took maybe a minute and 30 seconds so it definitely added to the average they were trying to keep low.
The point of the timer and keeping the average low is so that employees will have a little urgency and fill orders quickly. I understand asking the customer to pull ahead if it is a large order** (so the people behind aren't waiting longer). I get asking the customer to pull ahead if an item ran out and you let them know ("it'll be 10 minutes for saussage patties"). But repeating every order back as a means of stalling, and asking a customer to pull ahead and wait for a simple order, to buy employees more time seems unethical to me. Next time someone asks me to pull ahead with no explanation, assuming it is a simple order, AITA if I refuse?
*Tim Horton's is primarily a coffee chain (even more so back then) and the average order was one "double-double" (2 cream 2 sugar) coffee. I'm sure places who serve more food need a longer average than 30 seconds.
**Canadian
***If you're placing a large order, you really should go inside as a courtesy to other customers.

The following events happened on this day in history!

• 05/28/1983 - Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling - Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling S1983E148
  
• 05/28/1983 - WCCW - WCCW S1983E148
  
• 05/28/1983 - Mid-South Wrestling - Mid-South Wrestling S1983E22
  
• 05/28/1986 - Tuesday Night Titans - The Hart Foundation plays The Mating Game S1986E22
  
• 05/28/1988 - WCCW - World Class Championship Wrestling S1988E149
  
• 05/28/1988 - World Championship Wrestling - WCW World Championship Wrestling S1988E149
  
• 05/28/1988 - WCCW - WCCW S1988E149
  
• 05/28/1988 - World Championship Wrestling - World Championship Wrestling S1988E149
  
• 05/28/1992 - Best of - Crunch Classic
  
• 05/28/1994 - Superstars - Superstars S1994E22
  
• 05/28/1996 - ECW Hardcore TV - ECW Hardcore TV S1996E22
  
• 05/28/1998 - WCW Thunder - WCW Thunder S1998E21
  
• 05/28/2001 - Raw - Raw S2001E22
  
• 05/28/2007 - Raw - Raw S2007E22
  
• 05/28/2010 - SmackDown - SmackDown S2010E22
  
• 05/28/2012 - Raw - Raw S2012E22
  
• 05/28/2013 - Best of - Top 25 Rivalries in Wrestling History
  
• 05/28/2014 - WWE.coms 5 Things - Five Superstars Looking for Payback S2014E17
  
• 05/28/2015 - SmackDown - SmackDown S2015E22
  
• 05/28/2015 - Too Hot for TV Presented by Jerry Springer - Seasons Beatings S1E5
  
• 05/28/2015 - WWE Top 10 - Top 10 SmackDown Moments: May 28, 2015 S2015E61
  
• 05/28/2016 - This Week in WWE - This Week in WWE S2016E22
  
• 05/28/2016 - This Week in WWE - May 28, 2016 S2016E22
  
• 05/28/2016 - WWE Top 10 - Cold-Blooded Superstar Betrayals S2016E63
  
• 05/28/2018 - Raw - Raw S2018E22
  
• 05/28/2018 - WWE Top 10 - Greatest Last Man Standing Match Knockouts S2018E84
  
• 05/28/2018 - Raw - Jinder Mahal promises to be a Grand Slam Champion
  
• 05/28/2018 - Raw - Who will be Money in tonights main event?: WWE.
  
• 05/28/2018 - Raw - The Revival will take the cake in next weeks Tag
  
• 05/28/2018 - Raw - Titus Worldwide reveal their winning equation: WWE
  
• 05/28/2018 - Raw - Elias wishes Seth Rollins a Happy Birthday: WWE.
  
• 05/28/2018 - WWE Now - 5 Things You Need to Know Before Tonights Raw S2018E118
  
• 05/28/2019 - 205 Live - 205 Live S2019E22
  
• 05/28/2019 - SmackDown - SmackDown S2019E22
  
• 05/28/2019 - SmackDown - Kofi Kingston is focused on Dolph Ziggler now
  
• 05/28/2019 - WWE Top 10 - Top 10 SmackDown LIVE moments: May 28, 2019 S2019E85
  
• 05/28/2019 - SmackDown - R-Truth on regaining the 24/7 Championship
  
• 05/28/2019 - WWE Now - 4 things to know before tonight s SmackDown LIVE 2019
  
• 05/28/2019 - WWE Playlist - Seth Rollins Greatest Moments S2019E26
  
• 05/28/2020 - WWE Playlist - Seth Rollins Greatest Rivalries S2020E47
  
• 05/28/2020 - The Best of WWE - Shayna Baszler s Path of Destruction S2020E30
  
• 05/28/2020 - WWE Now - Apollo Crews Feels the Love From WWE Universe S2020E89
  
• 05/28/2020 - NXT UK - WWE NXT UK S2020E22
  
• 05/28/2020 - WWE Now - What Shape is Thatcher in After the NXT Fight Pit? S2020E90
  
• 05/28/2020 - WWE Top 10 - Top 10 NXT Moments: May 27, 2020 2020
  
• 05/28/2020 - This Week in WWE - May 28, 2020 S2020E22
  
• 05/28/2020 - WWE Main Event - WWE Main Event S2020E22
  
• 05/28/2020 - Total Bellas - Sweat It Out S5E9
  
• 05/28/2020 - After the Bell with Corey Graves - AJ Styles S2020E22
  
• 05/28/2021 - WWE Playlist - WCW Invades WWE in 2001 2021
  
• 05/28/2021 - WWE Now - The Usos return to action: May 28, 2021 2021
  
• 05/28/2021 - 205 Live - 205 Live S2021E22
  
• 05/28/2021 - SmackDown - SmackDown S2021E22
  
• 05/28/2021 - SmackDown - Exclusive: Riott Squad forced to regroup
  
• 05/28/2021 - SmackDown - Crews says he can beat Owens by himself
  
• 05/28/2021 - wXw Drive of Champions - wXw Drive of Champions 2021 S2021E1
  
• 05/28/2022 - ICW Fight Club - Fight Club S2022E19
  
• 05/28/2022 - Progress Wrestling - Chapter 134: No Mountain High Enough S2022E8
  
• 05/28/2022 - WWE Talking Smack - May 28, 2022 S2022E20
  
• 05/28/2022 - WWE Top 10 - Top 10 SmackDown Moments: May 27, 2022 2022
  

What event was your favorite in this list?

I ran into a bit of writer's block writing the next part of Secret Chord. It wasn't helped by this weird anthology rattling around in my head. So, I decided to write it down to get it out of the way. I hope you enjoy it, or even take it as a series of possible writing prompts. I only had more ideas about the bootlegger of the story, so we'll just say everyone else is up to interpretation and imagination. Let me know what you think.
And yes, I do have a strong fascination with music. Why do you ask?
---------
Radio is a beautiful thing to Jack Rushing. The ability to reach the common man wherever he may be and bring to him the comfort and pleasure of music, the up-to-date latest news of the wider galaxy, or the simple human connection of Jack’s interludes. Now it wasn’t radio exactly, but the semantics were unimportant. What was important was broadcasting out to the galaxy at large wherever humans may be. To bring together those lonely souls adrift in the wider-
A crash brought Jack out of his reverie. His short fik assistant dropped a box after tripping over a wire. “Careful with those! We haven’t saved those yet!”
“Yes, yes! Sorry.”
Pinching the bridge of his nose Jack replied, “It’s fine. You’re doing fine, Kos. Just watch where you’re going. Now bring those here, we’re about to go live.”
Kos recovered the spilled cardboard sleeves and deposited the box on the small table beside Jack. He stood and thumbed through the selection. This box alone could buy a new cargo hauler, and the cramped studio held crates of these black-market treasures. Kindly donated by a mysterious benefactor.
He drew out a couple records and a tape then handed them to Kos. “Alright we’re gonna start with ‘Sixteen Tons” he said pointing to each song number, “Then ‘Pride and Joy’, ‘Midnight Rider’, ‘East Bound and Down’ and we’ll end with…” He dug around and exclaimed, “Ooh, this.” He handed the vinyl to the fik trying to juggle everything who shuffled into the next room. Jack could see through the glass as Kos began to set everything up, while he put on his headphones and adjusted the mic. The per-recorded program from the night cycle was ending.
With a thumbs up from Kos, Jack punched a few buttons on his console before the vintage “On Air” light blinked to life.
“Good morning, O’ wayward souls, I’m Jack Rushing back again with another slew of songs once thought lost to time. Our generous benefactor, Mr. Suit-and-Tie, continues to comb the seedy underbelly of the galaxy at large to bring you nothin but the best. Meanwhile, me and Kos, my stalwart companion, are broadcasting live from beautiful downtown Nondescript. This is the Spirit of Radio bringing you ‘Sixteen Tons’ by Tennessee Ernie Ford.” Jack pointed through the glass to signal Kos to start before muting the mic.
*****
Cooking was an art as much as a skill. Bo had cooking in his blood. History was repeating itself, as Bo’s ancestors worked as a ship’s cook to gain passage across the Atlantic, so too did Bo book passage across the sea of stars by working as the ship’s chef.
Some people say a man is made out of mud, A poor man’s made out of muscle and blood…
Bo adjusted the volume on his pad so he could hear it as he worked. He was finishing up cleaning after the ship’s dinner and moved on to his special project. He promised Mephla a specially made dinner for two. The felinoid had taken an interest in his cooking. She enjoyed watching him cook as much as eating what he made. He knew she’d arrive any minute, so he set out on some prep work.
Finding ingredients was a novel challenge, but not impossible. A passable replacement was possible with just about anything, but it took Bo the better part of a year and half seeking them out. Salt was salt, thank God, but others he had to be a bit more creative. It seemed the galaxy preferred lard to butter. Probably due to the ursdains or the mostly carnivorous population, but he could work with it. He was most proud of his most recent discovery of a little root-bulb that mimicked garlic damn near perfectly. He’d been jonesing for garlic-bread for years now, and now he could finally scratch that itch.
He began setting up his mies en place and pre-heating his oven and prized possession. Well, one of them anyway. His father always said all he needed in the kitchen was a chef’s knife and a cast-iron skillet. Turns out he was right. Those two have taken Bo from one side of the galaxy to the other. The damn electric stove-tops still irked him, but he could manage.
Just as he was finishing up breaking down the…bird of some description, The calico felinoid entered and leaned against the doorway. She didn’t say anything, just watched with a self-satisfied smile. Or maybe that was just how her face always looked. God, he loved that face.
Bo was particularly proud of the little mound of pasta he’d created. It was too labor intensive to serve the crew at large, but he’d made a little batch just for tonight. Maybe one day he’d be the one to introduce dried pasta to the galaxy, but for tonight it was a special treat for a special woman.
*****
Curiosity is what drew Mephla to the diminutive human. She saw him duck into the kitchens of the ship one day and had to know what he could possibly know about food. Peeking in reviled a pleasant scene of a craftsman in his element. The way he felt or smelled each ingredient before staring off into space or closing his eyes. He once told her he could picture how a dish would taste just from the smells of the ingredients. Of course, this didn’t stop him from sneaking tastes of each step while he worked.
Yeah I love my lady, She’s long and lean, You mess with her, You’ll see a man get mean.
She loved to watch him work; from cutting and slicing veggies, herbs, and meat to how he juggled different pots and pans to combine, split up, then recombine the food in some ritual of flavor. One of his favorite phrases was “Don’t waste flavor.” Whatever that meant, it worked. He busied himself with roasting what he called “the star of the dish” while simultaneously preparing the “landing spot” of the plate.
He began slicing the fowl and placing it over some sauce covered…something. She’d eaten enough of his food to trust him. Humans (at least this one) enjoyed meaty, fatty flavors. This suited Mephla just fine.
“Oh. Almost forgot. How could I forget?” He turned and retrieved some buttered-bread concoction and placed two on each plate. It smelled divine. She entered his temple and stood behind him, holding him tight from behind.
Nuzzling the top of his head she said, “You keep cooking like this I’ll end up as big as an ursdain.”
She’s my sweet little thang, I’m her little lover boy.
*****
Freedom was a dangerous business. Bill Elliott stared at the representation of the guard cutter currently scanning and searching every ship passing through this jump point. Not normally a problem. Not unless you happen to be haulin’ a couple tons of human contraband bound for less-than-legal ports. The next system over had the hyperspace lane entrance that’d set Bill home-free.
But I’m not gon’ let ‘em catch me, no I’m not gon’ let ‘em catch the Midnight Rider.
“I’m tryin’ buddy. I really am.” He grumbled at his radio. He adjusted the number nine cap on his head then climbed out of his seat. His rig was a supped-up cheap cargo hauler. It’d fit in just about anywhere in the galaxy, but it was packing a drive big enough to rival…well a guard cutter.
He clambered to the cargo hold to take another count of what he had. Most of the crates and pallets were labeled in code. It’d be just about the worst code one could come up with for fooling humans, but luckily the Galactic Community didn’t seem to recognize names like Marlboro or Jack Daniels. Bill’s world as a bootlegger was made of these not-so-subtle code names, including his own name.
Finishing taking stock, including the smaller cases labeled “Colt” under the floor panels, he checked on the hulking drive core awkwardly crammed in the engine bay and bleeding out into the cargo and extra crew bays. With no epiphany found Bill walked back to the cockpit and fell back in his seat.
His options were limited. He could turn around and make a few extra jumps and extend his delivery by who knows how long. Which would also be suspicious as all Hell trying to avoid a GC cutter. Or he could gamble and pass through the checkpoint, hoping beyond hope they don’t decide to pick his ship apart bolt by bolt.
East bound and down, loaded up and truckin’, We’re gonna do what they say can’t be done.
Bill chuckled, “Yeah. Let’s watch this ol’ Bandit run.” He waited for the last ship in line to jump out of system before warming up his drive. This is what the burner tags were for after all. He got the green light then put the hammer down.
*****
Enterprise is the lifeblood of any organization or business. Rohan Singh thought of himself as quite the enterprising human. As humanity was cast to the four winds, Rohan wept for the lost spirit and culture, and would do anything and everything he could to seize back control of humanity’s spirit.
Rohan eased back in his chair, propping his feet up on his desk. He pulled a cigar out of his coat pocket and lit it. The Galactic Community was no stranger to financial wheeling and dealing, however the human had a couple perks to leverage. First was a fresh perspective. A stagnate market was one just begging for any flashy new enterprise. Which led to the second: adaptability. So rote was supply and demand that any upset could cripple an unsuspecting business. And upset he did. With an army of felinoid lawyers and ssypno investors Rohan quickly build company after company within shell company after shell company.
It started simply with human-made chachkies and knick-knacks sold for inflated prices, but quickly built capital for larger ventures in ship flipping and Rohan’s favorite: casinos. There is no better cash cow than the scientifically perfected art of mass gambling. With a large influx of cash, he had the freedom to invest in…less reputable opportunities. Tobacco, alcohol, and guns sold the galaxy over. Keeping his plantations and stills secret was an ever-present challenge, but one that paid dividends. Guns on the other hand were a harder business to stay in. Oh sure, human “slug throwers” were quickly becoming popular. The demand was there, but Rohan couldn’t keep a steady supply. It seems most of the humans with the know-how simply went into business for themselves. Rohan could respect that, but he’d need one with loose scruples on the payroll. Then was the matter of drugs. How did human drugs react to alien physiology? That could open a whole new-
This next song goes out to Mr. Suit-and-Tie.
Money Money Money Money… Money!
Rohan grinned. Sure, his wealth was reward enough, but there was still his goal of humanity’s spirit. He rose and was about to key his intercom when it buzzed to life.
“Sir, the Spirit of Fortune is pulling in, and Mr. Liberty is here to see you.”
He keyed, “Send him in.” He stood then went to face the window behind his desk. It showed a view of the cyan gas giant the small station orbited. As if on cue the Spirit of Fortune began to slide into view. The massive casino ship was the first of what Rohan hoped would be a fleet. It was a cruise ship on steroids. He could imagine a Las Vegas of various ships drifting from sector to sector generating unimaginable wealth. And of course, cleaning up some of his less-than-sterling cash-flow.
He turned back to watch the approaching man pass the mirrored water features lining Rohan’s opulent office. Mr. Liberty wore a fitted suit and smart glasses and handed Rohan a pad.
“Sir, we’ve found another ring. This one operating at the edge of ssypno space.”
Taking and reviewing the pad Rohan answered, “Perfect! Do we know their source?”
“Not yet, sir.”
“I see. That’s alright. Buy whoever you can and once you have an account of everyone tip off the GC through the usual channels. I’ll put a personal bonus on every human you and your people liberate.” He handed the pad back.
“Of course, sir.”
“Good. Get going. No time to waste.” With a nod, Mr. Liberty strode back out through the front doors.
Rohan turned to observe the Spirit of Fortune once again before crushing out his cigar and keying the intercom, “Hold all my calls and meetings. I’ll be in the vault.”
“Yes, sir”
He walked to the side of his office where a hidden door was. Opening the side panel, he placed his eye up to the retinal scanner and pressed his thumb to the DNA analysis needle. With a silent hiss the door slid open, and he descended the stairs to the heavily armored room. Inside was a vast collection of human paraphernalia.
Paintings, sculptures, and general artifacts lined the walls and adorned pedestals. This quite possibly was the largest collection of human relics. Stolen and sold on the black market, Rohan made it his mission to ensure every piece of humanity’s spirit, its soul, was once again in human hands.
He slowly walked the aisles until stopping at a small sculpture of the Buddha.
“Greed is bad, eh? If that were true, you’d still be a ssypno trophy.” He slowly gazed around at his collection. He could picture the museum of humanity and its accomplishments. A vast temple that the dispersed humans could visit, and remember who they were. Know their true nature and heart. The preservation of its soul. “I’m not proud…” he spoke to the Buddha, “But it must be done.”

From my travel report (2014):
The second trip to Madeira we made to escape the winter. The weather was like a moody diva in winter. It changes not only from day to day, but also within a few hours. So you can never plan anything for the next day, because you should not think, today it is so nice and sunny and warm, it will be the same tomorrow. But if you are unlucky, the next morning it will be completely cloudy, only to possibly be sunny again in the afternoon.
It is always a pleasure to stroll in FUNCHAL's old town. Here times an ice cream to eat, there a coffee possibly with Nata to take. But this should be done when there are no cruise ships in the harbor. Then you see fortunately more locals than tourists in the streets.
For football fans: Christiano Ronaldo, who comes from Madeira, now has his own museum in Funchal - eagerly visited by his - mostly young - supporters...
Funchal is spreading out more and more - the slopes all around are already built on, and in the hotel zone construction continues eagerly. Although it is obvious that in the newly built apartment houses still very many apartments are empty.
The first two weeks we booked apartment at about 350 m altitude with a beautiful view of Funchal. The disadvantage was that it became - especially in the evening - but quite cool. Fortunately we had not only an electric heater but also a fireplace in the apartment.
From up here you can see how Funchal has grown in recent years. It is a huge sea of houses, which goes up to all the adjacent hills.
For the second part of our stay we had chosen an apartment house at Praia do Formosa with direct view to the sea and also to Cabo Girao.
One of the most beautiful and varied gardens of Madeira is located only about 9 km east of Funchal: the Palheiro or Blandy's Gardens. In 1801, the property was purchased by Count Carvalhal. A hunting lodge was built and the count had exotic trees imported from all over the world. The count's descendants squandered the fortune, and so in 1885 the estate became the property of the Blandy family of wine merchants. The villa above the garden is still inhabited by the Blandy family and is not accessible.
The gardens are famous not only for the variety of (often exotic) plants but also for their location on a 500 m high hill with a magnificent view of the bay of Funchal. The Count's hunting lodge was renovated in 1997 and is now the exclusive hotel "Quinta Velha do Palheiro".
The gardens are divided into the main garden, the sunken garden, the valley of hell (Inferno) with mighty fern trees, the rose garden, the ladies garden and the tea house area. There are also ponds with water lilies and beautiful flower beds.
Some of the numerous trees are 100 years old. The garden has been constantly developed. Hibiscus, bougainvilleas, jacaranda, African tulip trees, coral trees and orchid trees grow here. The Blandy family imported proteas from South Africa and had a rose garden planted and a small baroque chapel built. The gardens are also famous for their numerous camellias and magnolias.
The orchid garden, created by an Austrian, apparently has more than 5000 plants and is located below the botanical garden. At the moment the orchid garden is closed, because in the big fire of 2016 in Funchal not only many houses were destroyed, but also great damage was done to the orchid garden.
Carnival is also celebrated in Madeira and by chance we saw a children's parade. It was interesting to see with which eagerness the children were partly "there". Therefore, there will probably be no problem with carnivalistic offspring in Funchal.
The town of RIBEIRA BRAVA is located at the mouth of a wide - sometimes wild (brava) river (ribeira). From Funchal there is a highway to get there. In Ribeira Brava there is a wide pebble beach, and on the other side of the promenade there are cafes and restaurants. In the historic center there are small stores, and here is also the pink town hall from the late 18th century
The Igreja de Sao Bento was built as early as 1440, but was given a new look during the Baroque period. The spire with the white-blue tile pattern and the sphere symbol of the Portuguese explorers is striking.
We still drove to Punta do Sol. This place lies between two high rocky capes. In the old core there are only a few houses and the church, behind it already begin the terraced banana fields. There is a pebble beach and on the promenade you can have a drink in small cafes. Except for us, there were hardly any tourists in the village. But here we drank the best poncha on the island. Poncha (made of honey, lemon juice and sugar cane brandy) is a kind of national drink on Madeira.
The village of Camara de Lobos - situated between two rocky cliffs - is only 9 km away from Funchal. Camara de Lobos is still a typical fishing village with the many colorful boats (xavelhas) that you can admire in the small harbor. A small church was built at the harbor early on, this was remodeled in 1420 and the current Capella Nossa Senhora de Conceicao was built.
There is still fishing and some boat building in Camara de Lobos. However, these are no longer particularly lucrative, so tourism is now a larger source of income. The fishermen in this area mainly catch the black scabbardfish (Espada), which is offered in many restaurants - also in Funchal.
There is a promenade path from the Lido in Funchal to Camara de Lobos since 2011. The path - always with a view of Cabo Girao - is partly concreted and partly laid out on wooden walkways. If you walk in the direction of Camara de Lobos, you can see the approaching waves of the Atlantic Ocean on the left and the partly high cliffs on the right. Not far behind Praia de Formosa there are some beach bars or restaurants where you can have a drink or eat quite well.
Cabo Girao near Camara de Lobos is one of the highest cliffs in the world. More than 500 m the land here falls almost vertically into the sea. Since our last visit, things had changed here, there was now a large parking lot. Then the cafes and souvenir stores were also new for us. And surprising for us was also the glass viewing platform, which exists since the end of 2012. Here you can see that wine and vegetables are grown on the small rocky outcrops. The farmers can reach their fields on the coastal fringe with a cable car. Before the cable car was built, these fields were only accessible by boat.
From Funchal it was not far to CANICO. The original village became in the course of time one of the most important tourist places on Madeira. Large hotel complexes, apartment buildings and villas were built. However, we turned off before we reached the town in order to get to Ponta do Garajau. There on a rock cliff is the 14 m high Christo Rei statue, which was erected in 1927. From here you have a beautiful view of Funchal. Since 2007, there is a cable car nearby that goes 200 m down to the pebble beach.
CURRAL DAS FREIRAS is a small village nestled between huge almost vertical mountain slopes in the heart of Madeira. There is only one road that leads serpentine to the 633 m high valley. Originally the valley was inhabited by nomads and shepherds. Towards the end of the 15th century, the land became the property of the nuns of the Santa Clara convent.
The name Curral das Freiras means "pen of the nuns". In the 16th and 17th centuries, the island was repeatedly attacked by pirates, and the nuns retreated here to the protection of the mountains, which are up to 700 meters high. Here people still live from what they grow themselves on their fertile fields. One of the specialties of the village is chestnuts. They are used to make liqueur, cakes, bread and soups, which are also sold to tourists. On November 1 of each year, the Chestnut Festival is held here.
Not many tourists come to SANTA CRUZ, although this place is certainly worth a visit. There is quite a pretty old town with the church of San Salvador built in 1533 as well as like a large modern market hall just behind the long gray pebble beach lined with date palms.
Just north of Santa Cruz is Madeira Island's airport, renamed "Cristiano Ronaldo" Airport in 2007. Opened in 1964 and reconstructed in 2000, this airport is one of the most dangerous in the world. The 2777 m long runway is built on the rocky coast above the water and looks like a bridge with large concrete supports. A large parking lot has been built below this runway.
Before the landing approach, the mountain massif must be overcome so that the narrow runway can be approached. Unfortunately, there have been numerous accidents, but this is still one of the busiest airports in Portugal.
From Santa Cruz we drove to MACHICO, one of the larger towns of Madeira. Machico profited from sugar cane cultivation in the 15th century and is now a modern town, which is divided into two halves by the Ribeira da Machico. On the eastern bank of the river is the historic fishing quarter with the main square surrounded by tall laurel trees.
The town church of Nossa Senhora da Conceicao in the center was built in the 15th century and partially rebuilt in the 18th century. Opposite stands the town hall built in the early 20th century There are several fish restaurants here.
In the surroundings of the small village FAIAL there is still a lot of agriculture, e.g. wine and fruit growing. The village is dominated by the 600 m high Eagle Rock. Only a few tourists come here, because there is hardly anything worth seeing.
Most people come to Santana to see the famous "Casas de colmo". In total there are still about a hundred of these thatched historic wooden houses. They are very scattered throughout the municipality.
On the way back to Funchal we passed through Ribera fria. Here you can take a short hike up to the Miradouro dos Balcoes, from where you have a beautiful view of the mountains.
The peninsula PONTA DE SAO LOURENCO is 9 km long and 2 km wide. In 1982 it was declared a nature reserve, mainly to ensure the preservation of the fauna with the great variety of birds and the great occurrence of the native flora. The eastern tip of Madeira is barren and windy. One can no longer imagine that everything here was lushly forested.
Then, in spring, a carpet of flowers enlivens the bare hilltops. But also in other seasons the turquoise sea and the rocks in different shades - ocher, rust, gray and green-black - bring color to the area.
The south coast can be easily approached by boats, which is almost impossible on the drastically shaped north coast with its strong winds. There is a paved access road to the parking lot above Baia de Abra. Here you can also take the public bus.
From there there is a popular rocky hiking trail. This hike is absolutely not a walk. There are some climbs, often wooden stairs. You have no shade and are exposed to gusts of wind. To avoid being blown down somewhere, I ducked down and waited out the sometimes strong gusts - really quite extreme.
At the narrowest point with a land bridge only a few meters wide, the rock drops almost 100 m vertically - fortunately the place is secured with a fence.
The hike takes - depending on your condition - 2 to 3 hours. It also depends on whether you only walk to the plateau of Casa Sardinha - administration of the national park - or if you want to make the ascent to Pico Furado. Below the Casa there are some tables for picnics. From there there is also an entrance for swimming, which can certainly be pleasant in the summer.
On the way there are always beautiful views of the sea and the rock formations - e.g. the so-called rock gate. On the south side you can see the cages of a fish farm in the sea. In front of Sao Lourenco there are two small islands, on one of them stands the oldest (from 1870) lighthouse of Madeira.
From the cape we drove to CANICAL, the easternmost municipality of Madeira. This place is still characterized by fishing and boat building. Fishing boats are still built here and there is a large repair yard.
Over the 1000 m high Encumeada Pass we drove northeast to Sao Vicente. Unfortunately the old coastal road to Seixal and Porto Moniz was closed and we had to drive through many tunnels. A few years ago it was a special experience to drive on the narrow and winding ER 101 directly at the coast - on one side the high cliffs and on the other side the sea. But apparently the road has become too dangerous in the meantime because of constant falling rocks.
We got to Porto Moniz , and unfortunately the weather got worse, more and more clouds came up. The sea raged with huge waves to the shore. Porto Moniz is a nice little town located on the northwestern tip of Madeira, a region with high mountains and views of the endless Atlantic Ocean.
From Porto Moniz you can go hiking, for example on the coastal trail "Levada da Ribeira da Janela", one of the best hiking trails in Madeira.
Porto Moniz is known for its volcanic pools. Daytrippers mostly come for these pools filled with sea water.These pools owe their formation to a lava tongue that flowed into the sea here thousands of years ago, creating caves due to the force of wind and waves. The black basalt lava pools form swimming pools and are the attraction of Porto Moniz, because you can swim (swim) in them very well - at least in good weather...
There are two different lava pools in Porto Moniz: the completely natural pools and the western pools, which have been transformed into natural outdoor pools - there are no sharp rocks here. The surrounding rocks of the outdoor pool were built as a terrace , and here you can sunbathe. The pools are open every day - even in winter. But when we were there, there was no one in the water....
The natural pools are not safe because of the black sharp basalt rocks. It is very interesting to watch the waves as they crash against the rocks. The water is sometimes whirled into the air in such a way that it looks like a geyser.
The PICO DE ARIEIRO is the most visited mountain of Madeira, because it is the only one that has been opened up with a road, but it is only the third highest. The road was probably built primarily for the observatory and not necessarily for the tourists. Already the approach through pristine landscape with rugged rock and sparse vegetation is an experience.
If the weather is good, you have a breathtaking view all around. Equally beautiful, however, is the sight of white cushions of clouds hanging between the high mountains. In winter there can be ice and snow on the peaks. Since it had snowed on Madeira about 2 weeks before our trip there, we could still see the sparse remnants on the shaded layers.
From Pico de Arieiro you can hike up to Pico Ruivo (1861 m) if the weather is good. At the beginning, the path is quite wide and in places secured by railings. Some then walk at least to the first viewpoint - the rocky peak Niho de Mata with beautiful views. The entire hike up to Pico Ruivo is clearly difficult, even if there are partially secured stairways since the 1960s. Some of the paths are steep up to 700 m, the rock steps are high, the paths are sometimes narrow and beaten, and it also goes through unlit tunnels. So you should have a good condition and be free from giddiness and sure-footed.

• Bold means the film received at least 1 Oscar nomination (47)
• Bold and italic means the film was only nominated in the Best International Feature category (17)
• Coin means the film won Best International Feature (7)
• Trophy means the film won Best Picture (1)

Year	Palme d'Or	Grand Prix	Jury Prize
1975	Chronicle of the Years of Fire	The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser
1976	Taxi Driver	Cría Cuervos 🪢 The Marquise of O
1977	Padre Padrone
1978	The Tree of Wooden Clogs	Bye Bye Monkey 🪢 The Shout
1979	Apocalypse Now 🪢 🪙The Tin Drum🪙	Siberiade
1980	All That Jazz 🪢 Kagemusha	My American Uncle	The Constant Factor
1981	Man of Iron	Light Years Away
1982	Missing 🪢 Yol	The Night of the Shooting Stars
1983	The Ballad of Narayama	Monty Python's The Meaning of Life	Kharij
1984	Paris, Texas	Diary for My Children
1985	When Father Was Away on Business	Birdy	Colonel Redl
1986	The Mission	The Sacrifice	Thérèse
1987	Under the Sun of Satan	Repentance	Shinran: Path to Purity 🪢 Yeelen
1988	Pelle the Conqueror	A World Apart	A Short Film About Killing
1989	Sex, Lies, and Videotape	🪙Cinema Paradiso🪙 🪢 Too Beautiful for You	Jesus of Montreal
1990	Wild at Heart	The Sting of Death 🪢 Tilaï	Hidden Agenda
1991	Barton Fink	La Belle Noiseuse	Europa 🪢 Out of Life
1992	The Best Intentions	The Stolen Children	Dream of Light 🪢 An Independent Life
1993	Farewell My Concubine 🪢 The Piano	Faraway, So Close!	The Puppetmaster 🪢 Raining Stones
1994	Pulp Fiction	🪙Burnt by the Sun🪙 🪢 To Live	La Reine Margot
1995	Underground	Ulysses' Gaze	Don't Forget You're Going to Die 🪢 Carrington
1996	Secrets & Lies	Breaking the Waves	Crash
1997	The Eel 🪢 Taste of Cherry	The Sweet Hereafter	Western
1998	Eternity and a Day	🪙Life Is Beautiful🪙	Class Trip
1999	Rosetta	Humanité	The Letter
2000	Dancer in the Dark	Devils on the Doorstep	Blackboards 🪢 Songs from the Second Floor
2001	The Son's Room	The Piano Teacher
2002	The Pianist	The Man Without a Past	Divine Intervention
2003	Elephant	Distant	At Five in the Afternoon
2004	Fahrenheit 9/11	Oldboy	The Ladykillers 🪢 Tropical Malady
2005	The Child	Broken Flowers	Shanghai Dreams
2006	The Wind That Shakes the Barley	Flanders	Red Road
2007	4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days	The Mourning Forest	Persepolis 🪢 Silent Light
2008	The Class	Gomorrah	Il divo
2009	The White Ribbon	A Prophet	Fish Tank 🪢 Thirst
2010	Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives	Of Gods and Men	A Screaming Man
2011	The Tree of Life	The Kid with a Bike 🪢 Once Upon a Time in Anatolia	Polisse
2012	🪙Amour🪙	Reality	The Angels' Share
2013	Blue Is the Warmest Colour	Inside Llewyn Davis	Like Father, Like Son
2014	Winter Sleep	The Wonders	Goodbye to Language 🪢 Mommy
2015	Dheepan	🪙Son of Saul🪙	The Lobster
2016	I, Daniel Blake	It's Only the End of the World	American Honey
2017	The Square	BPM (Beats per Minute)	Loveless
2018	Shoplifters	BlacKkKlansman	Capernaum
2019	🪙🏆Parasite🏆🪙	Atlantics	Bacurau 🪢 Les Misérables
2021	Titane	Compartment No. 6 🪢 A Hero	Ahed's Knee 🪢 Memoria
2022	Triangle of Sadness	Stars at Noon 🪢 Close	The Eight Mountains 🪢 EO
2023	Anatomy of a Fall	The Zone of Interest	Fallen Leaves

• Bold means the actor received an Oscar nomination (23)
• Bold and italic means the actor was nominated in a non-acting category (1)
• Trophy means the actor won the Oscar (6)

Year	Best Actor	Best Actress
1975	Vittorio Gassman – Scent of a Woman	Valérie Perrine – Lenny
1976	José Luis Gómez – Pascual Duarte	Dominique Sanda – The Inheritance 🪢 Mari Törőcsik – Mrs. Dery Where Are You?
1977	Fernando Rey – Elisa, My Life	Shelley Duvall – 3 Women 🪢 Monique Mercure – J.A. Martin Photographer
1978	🏆Jon Voight – Coming Home🏆	Jill Clayburgh – An Unmarried Woman 🪢 Isabelle Huppert – Violette Nozière
1979	Jack Lemmon – The China Syndrome 🪢 Stefano Madia – Dear Father	🏆Sally Field – Norma Rae🏆 🪢 Eva Mattes – Woyzeck
1980	Michel Piccoli – A Leap in the Dark 🪢 Jack Thompson – Breaker Morant	Anouk Aimée – A Leap in the Dark 🪢 Milena Dravić – Special Treatment 🪢 Carla Gravina – La terrazza
1981	Ugo Tognazzi – Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man 🪢 Ian Holm – Chariots of Fire	Isabelle Adjani – Possession 🪢 Qaurtet 🪢 Elena Solovey – Faktas
1982	Jack Lemmon – Missing	Jadwiga Jankowska-Cieślak – Another Way
1983	Gian Maria Volonté – The Death of Mario Ricci	Hanna Schygulla – The Story of Piera
1984	Alfredo Landa 🪢 Francisco Rabal – The Holy Innocents	Helen Mirren – Cal
1985	🏆William Hurt – Kiss of the Spider Woman🏆	Norma Aleandro – The Official Story 🪢 Cher – Mask
1986	Michel Blanc – Ménage 🪢 Bob Hoskins – Mona Lisa	Barbara Sukowa – Rosa Luxemburg
1987	Marcello Mastroianni – Dark Eyes	Barbara Hershey – Shy People
1988	Forest Whitaker – Bird	Barbara Hershey 🪢 Jodhi May 🪢 Linda Mvusi – A World Apart
1989	James Spader – Sex, Lies, and Videotape	Meryl Streep – A Cry in the Dark
1990	Gérard Depardieu – Cyrano de Bergerac	Krystyna Janda – Interrogation
1991	John Turturro – Barton Fink 🪢 Samuel L. Jackson – Jungle Fever	Irène Jacob – The Double Life of Veronique
1992	Tim Robbins – The Player	Pernilla August – The Best Intentions
1993	David Thewlis – Naked	🏆Holly Hunter – The Piano🏆
1994	Ge You – To Live	Virna Lisi – La Reine Margot
1995	Jonathan Pryce – Carrington	Helen Mirren – The Madness of King George
1996	Daniel Auteuil 🪢 Pascal Duquenne – The Eighth Day	Brenda Blethyn – Secrets & Lies
1997	Sean Penn – She's So Lovely	Kathy Burke – Nil by Mouth
1998	Peter Mullan – My Name Is Joe	Élodie Bouchez 🪢 Natacha Régnier – The Dreamlife of Angels
1999	Emmanuel Schotté – Humanité	Séverine Caneele – Humanité 🪢 Émilie Dequenne – Rosetta
2000	Tony Leung Chiu-wai – In the Mood for Love	Björk – Dancer in the Dark
2001	Benoît Magimel – The Piano Teacher	Isabelle Huppert – The Piano Teacher
2002	Olivier Gourmet – The Son	Kati Outinen – The Man Without a Past
2003	Muzaffer Özdemir 🪢 Mehmet Emin Toprak – Distant	Marie-Josée Croze – The Barbarian Invasions
2004	Yūya Yagira – Nobody Knows	Maggie Cheung – Clean
2005	Tommy Lee Jones – The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada	Hanna Laslo – Free Zone
2006	Roschdy Zem 🪢 Bernard Blancan 🪢 Jamel Debbouze 🪢 Samy Naceri 🪢 Sami Bouajila – Days of Glory	Carmen Maura 🪢 Lola Dueñas 🪢 Blanca Portillo 🪢 Yohana Cobo 🪢 Chus Lampreave 🪢 Penélope Cruz – Volver
2007	Konstantin Lavronenko – The Banishment	Jeon Do-yeon – Secret Sunshine
2008	Benicio del Toro – Che	Sandra Corveloni – Linha de Passe
2009	🏆Christoph Waltz – Inglourious Basterds🏆	Charlotte Gainsbourg – Antichrist
2010	Javier Bardem – Biutiful 🪢 Elio Germano – Our Life	Juliette Binoche – Certified Copy
2011	🏆Jean Dujardin – The Artist🏆	Kirsten Dunst – Melancholia
2012	Mads Mikkelsen – The Hunt	Cristina Flutur 🪢 Cosmina Stratan – Beyond the Hills
2013	Bruce Dern – Nebraska	Bérénice Bejo – The Past
2014	Timothy Spall – Mr. Turner	Julianne Moore – Maps to the Stars
2015	Vincent Lindon – The Measure of a Man	Emmanuelle Bercot – Mon Roi 🪢 Rooney Mara – Carol
2016	Shahab Hosseini – The Salesman	Jaclyn Jose – Ma' Rosa
2017	Joaquin Phoenix – You Were Never Really Here	Diane Kruger – In the Fade
2018	Marcello Fonte – Dogman	Samal Yeslyamova – Ayka
2019	Antonio Banderas – Pain and Glory	Emily Beecham – Little Joe
2021	Caleb Landry Jones – Nitram	Renate Reinsve – The Worst Person in the World
2022	Song Kang-ho – Broker	Zar Amir Ebrahimi – Holy Spider
2023	Kōji Yakusho – Perfect Days	Merve Dizdar – About Dry Grasses

• Bold means the film received at least 1 Oscar nomination in a corresponding category (9)
• Bold and italic means only the film was nominated, but the awarded filmmaker wasn't (8)
• Coin means the film won Best International Feature (4)

Year	Best Director	Best Screenplay
1975	Michel Brault – Orders 🪢 Costa-Gavras – Special Section
1976	Ettore Scola – Down and Dirty
1977
1978	Nagisa Ōshima – Empire of Passion
1979	Terrence Malick – Days of Heaven
1980		La Terrazza – Furio Scarpelli, Agenore Incrocci, Ettore Scola
1981		🪙Mephisto🪙 – István Szabó
1982	Werner Herzog – Fitzcarraldo	Moonlighting – Jerzy Skolimowski
1983	Robert Bresson – L'Argent 🪢 Andrei Tarkovsky – Nostalgia	Voyage to Cythera – Thanassis Valtinos, Theo Angelopoulos, Tonino Guerra
1984	Bertrand Tavernier – A Sunday in the Country
1985	André Téchiné – Rendez-vous
1986	Martin Scorsese – After Hours
1987	Wim Wenders – Wings of Desire
1988	Fernando Solanas – Sur
1989	Emir Kusturica – Time of the Gypsies
1990	Pavel Lungin – Taxi Blues
1991	Joel Coen – Barton Fink
1992	Robert Altman – The Player
1993	Mike Leigh – Naked
1994	Nanni Moretti – Dear Diary	Dead Tired – Michel Blanc
1995	Mathieu Kassovitz – La Haine
1996	Joel Coen – Fargo	A Self Made Hero – Jacques Audiard, Alain Le Henry
1997	Wong Kar-wai – Happy Together	The Ice Storm – James Schamus
1998	John Boorman – The General	Henry Fool – Hal Hartley
1999	Pedro Almodóvar – All About My Mother	Moloch – Yuri Arabov
2000	Edward Yang – Yi Yi	Nurse Betty – James Flamberg, John C. Richards
2001	Joel Coen – The Man Who Wasn't There 🪢 David Lynch – Mulholland Drive	No Man's Land – Danis Tanović
2002	Paul Thomas Anderson – Punch-Drunk Love 🪢 Im Kwon-taek – Painted Fire	Sweet Sixteen – Paul Laverty
2003	Gus Van Sant – Elephant	🪙The Barbarian Invasions🪙 – Denys Arcand
2004	Tony Gatlif – Exils	Look at Me – Agnès Jaoui, Jean-Pierre Bacri
2005	Michael Haneke – Caché	The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada – Guillermo Arriaga
2006	Alejandro González Iñárritu – Babel	Volver – Pedro Almodóvar
2007	Julian Schnabel – The Diving Bell and the Butterfly	The Edge of Heaven – Fatih Akin
2008	Nuri Bilge Ceylan – Three Monkeys	Lorna's Silence – Jean-Pierre, Luc Dardenne
2009	Brillante Mendoza – Butchered	Spring Fever – Mei Feng
2010	Mathieu Amalric – On Tour	Poetry – Lee Chang-dong
2011	Nicolas Winding Refn – Drive	Footnote – Joseph Cedar
2012	Carlos Reygadas – Post Tenebras Lux	Beyond the Hills – Cristian Mungiu, Tatiana Niculescu Bran
2013	Amat Escalante – Heli	A Touch of Sin – Jia Zhangke
2014	Bennett Miller – Foxcatcher	Leviathan – Andrey Zvyagintsev, Oleg Negin
2015	Hou Hsiao-hsien – The Assassin	Chronic – Michel Franco
2016	Olivier Assayas – Personal Shopper 🪢 Cristian Mungiu – Graduation	🪙The Salesman🪙 – Asghar Farhadi
2017	Sofia Coppola – The Beguiled	The Killing of a Sacred Deer – Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthymis Filippou 🪢 You Were Never Really Here – Lynne Ramsay
2018	Paweł Pawlikowski – Cold War	3 Faces – Jafar Panahi, Nader Saeivar 🪢 Happy as Lazzaro – Alice Rohrwacher
2019	Jean-Pierre 🪢 Luc Dardenne – Young Ahmed	Portrait of a Lady on Fire – Céline Sciamma
2021	Leos Carax – Annette	🪙Drive My Car🪙 – Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Takamasa Oe
2022	Park Chan-wook – Decision to Leave	Boy from Heaven – Tarik Saleh
2023	Tran Anh Hung – The Pot-au-Feu	Monster – Yuji Sakamoto

• Bold means the film received at least 1 Oscar nomination (47)
• Bold and italic means the film was only nominated in the Best International Feature category (17)
• Coin means the film won Best International Feature (7)
• Trophy means the film won Best Picture (1)

Year	Palme d'Or	Grand Prix	Jury Prize
1975	Chronicle of the Years of Fire	The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser
1976	Taxi Driver	Cría Cuervos 🪢 The Marquise of O
1977	Padre Padrone
1978	The Tree of Wooden Clogs	Bye Bye Monkey 🪢 The Shout
1979	Apocalypse Now 🪢 🪙The Tin Drum🪙	Siberiade
1980	All That Jazz 🪢 Kagemusha	My American Uncle	The Constant Factor
1981	Man of Iron	Light Years Away
1982	Missing 🪢 Yol	The Night of the Shooting Stars
1983	The Ballad of Narayama	Monty Python's The Meaning of Life	Kharij
1984	Paris, Texas	Diary for My Children
1985	When Father Was Away on Business	Birdy	Colonel Redl
1986	The Mission	The Sacrifice	Thérèse
1987	Under the Sun of Satan	Repentance	Shinran: Path to Purity 🪢 Yeelen
1988	Pelle the Conqueror	A World Apart	A Short Film About Killing
1989	Sex, Lies, and Videotape	🪙Cinema Paradiso🪙 🪢 Too Beautiful for You	Jesus of Montreal
1990	Wild at Heart	The Sting of Death 🪢 Tilaï	Hidden Agenda
1991	Barton Fink	La Belle Noiseuse	Europa 🪢 Out of Life
1992	The Best Intentions	The Stolen Children	Dream of Light 🪢 An Independent Life
1993	Farewell My Concubine 🪢 The Piano	Faraway, So Close!	The Puppetmaster 🪢 Raining Stones
1994	Pulp Fiction	🪙Burnt by the Sun🪙 🪢 To Live	La Reine Margot
1995	Underground	Ulysses' Gaze	Don't Forget You're Going to Die 🪢 Carrington
1996	Secrets & Lies	Breaking the Waves	Crash
1997	The Eel 🪢 Taste of Cherry	The Sweet Hereafter	Western
1998	Eternity and a Day	🪙Life Is Beautiful🪙	Class Trip
1999	Rosetta	Humanité	The Letter
2000	Dancer in the Dark	Devils on the Doorstep	Blackboards 🪢 Songs from the Second Floor
2001	The Son's Room	The Piano Teacher
2002	The Pianist	The Man Without a Past	Divine Intervention
2003	Elephant	Distant	At Five in the Afternoon
2004	Fahrenheit 9/11	Oldboy	The Ladykillers 🪢 Tropical Malady
2005	L'Enfant	Broken Flowers	Shanghai Dreams
2006	The Wind That Shakes the Barley	Flanders	Red Road
2007	4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days	The Mourning Forest	Persepolis 🪢 Silent Light
2008	The Class	Gomorrah	Il divo
2009	The White Ribbon	A Prophet	Fish Tank 🪢 Thirst
2010	Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives	Of Gods and Men	A Screaming Man
2011	The Tree of Life	The Kid with a Bike 🪢 Once Upon a Time in Anatolia	Polisse
2012	🪙Amour🪙	Reality	The Angels' Share
2013	Blue Is the Warmest Colour	Inside Llewyn Davis	Like Father, Like Son
2014	Winter Sleep	The Wonders	Goodbye to Language 🪢 Mommy
2015	Dheepan	🪙Son of Saul🪙	The Lobster
2016	I, Daniel Blake	It's Only the End of the World	American Honey
2017	The Square	BPM (Beats per Minute)	Loveless
2018	Shoplifters	BlacKkKlansman	Capernaum
2019	🪙🏆Parasite🏆🪙	Atlantics	Bacurau 🪢 Les Misérables
2021	Titane	Compartment No. 6 🪢 A Hero	Ahed's Knee 🪢 Memoria
2022	Triangle of Sadness	Stars at Noon 🪢 Close	The Eight Mountains 🪢 EO
2023	Anatomy of a Fall	The Zone of Interest	Fallen Leaves

• Bold means the actor received an Oscar nomination (23)
• Bold and italic means the actor was nominated in a non-acting category (1)
• Trophy means the actor won the Oscar (6)

Year	Best Actor	Best Actress
1975	Vittorio Gassman – Scent of a Woman	Valérie Perrine – Lenny
1976	José Luis Gómez – Pascual Duarte	Dominique Sanda – The Inheritance 🪢 Mari Törőcsik – Mrs. Dery Where Are You?
1977	Fernando Rey – Elisa, My Life	Shelley Duvall – 3 Women 🪢 Monique Mercure – J.A. Martin Photographer
1978	🏆Jon Voight – Coming Home🏆	Jill Clayburgh – An Unmarried Woman 🪢 Isabelle Huppert – Violette Nozière
1979	Jack Lemmon – The China Syndrome 🪢 Stefano Madia – Dear Father	🏆Sally Field – Norma Rae🏆 🪢 Eva Mattes – Woyzeck
1980	Michel Piccoli – A Leap in the Dark 🪢 Jack Thompson – Breaker Morant	Anouk Aimée – A Leap in the Dark 🪢 Milena Dravić – Special Treatment 🪢 Carla Gravina – La terrazza
1981	Ugo Tognazzi – Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man 🪢 Ian Holm – Chariots of Fire	Isabelle Adjani – Possession 🪢 Qaurtet 🪢 Elena Solovey – Faktas
1982	Jack Lemmon – Missing	Jadwiga Jankowska-Cieślak – Another Way
1983	Gian Maria Volonté – The Death of Mario Ricci	Hanna Schygulla – The Story of Piera
1984	Alfredo Landa 🪢 Francisco Rabal – The Holy Innocents	Helen Mirren – Cal
1985	🏆William Hurt – Kiss of the Spider Woman🏆	Norma Aleandro – The Official Story 🪢 Cher – Mask
1986	Michel Blanc – Ménage 🪢 Bob Hoskins – Mona Lisa	Barbara Sukowa – Rosa Luxemburg
1987	Marcello Mastroianni – Dark Eyes	Barbara Hershey – Shy People
1988	Forest Whitaker – Bird	Barbara Hershey 🪢 Jodhi May 🪢 Linda Mvusi – A World Apart
1989	James Spader – Sex, Lies, and Videotape	Meryl Streep – A Cry in the Dark
1990	Gérard Depardieu – Cyrano de Bergerac	Krystyna Janda – Interrogation
1991	John Turturro – Barton Fink 🪢 Samuel L. Jackson – Jungle Fever	Irène Jacob – The Double Life of Veronique
1992	Tim Robbins – The Player	Pernilla August – The Best Intentions
1993	David Thewlis – Naked	🏆Holly Hunter – The Piano🏆
1994	Ge You – To Live	Virna Lisi – La Reine Margot
1995	Jonathan Pryce – Carrington	Helen Mirren – The Madness of King George
1996	Daniel Auteuil 🪢 Pascal Duquenne – The Eighth Day	Brenda Blethyn – Secrets & Lies
1997	Sean Penn – She's So Lovely	Kathy Burke – Nil by Mouth
1998	Peter Mullan – My Name Is Joe	Élodie Bouchez 🪢 Natacha Régnier – The Dreamlife of Angels
1999	Emmanuel Schotté – Humanité	Séverine Caneele – Humanité 🪢 Émilie Dequenne – Rosetta
2000	Tony Leung Chiu-wai – In the Mood for Love	Björk – Dancer in the Dark
2001	Benoît Magimel – The Piano Teacher	Isabelle Huppert – The Piano Teacher
2002	Olivier Gourmet – The Son	Kati Outinen – The Man Without a Past
2003	Muzaffer Özdemir 🪢 Mehmet Emin Toprak – Distant	Marie-Josée Croze – The Barbarian Invasions
2004	Yūya Yagira – Nobody Knows	Maggie Cheung – Clean
2005	Tommy Lee Jones – The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada	Hanna Laslo – Free Zone
2006	Roschdy Zem 🪢 Bernard Blancan 🪢 Jamel Debbouze 🪢 Samy Naceri 🪢 Sami Bouajila – Days of Glory	Carmen Maura 🪢 Lola Dueñas 🪢 Blanca Portillo 🪢 Yohana Cobo 🪢 Chus Lampreave 🪢 Penélope Cruz – Volver
2007	Konstantin Lavronenko – The Banishment	Jeon Do-yeon – Secret Sunshine
2008	Benicio del Toro – Che	Sandra Corveloni – Linha de Passe
2009	🏆Christoph Waltz – Inglourious Basterds🏆	Charlotte Gainsbourg – Antichrist
2010	Javier Bardem – Biutiful 🪢 Elio Germano – Our Life	Juliette Binoche – Certified Copy
2011	🏆Jean Dujardin – The Artist🏆	Kirsten Dunst – Melancholia
2012	Mads Mikkelsen – The Hunt	Cristina Flutur 🪢 Cosmina Stratan – Beyond the Hills
2013	Bruce Dern – Nebraska	Bérénice Bejo – The Past
2014	Timothy Spall – Mr. Turner	Julianne Moore – Maps to the Stars
2015	Vincent Lindon – The Measure of a Man	Emmanuelle Bercot – Mon Roi 🪢 Rooney Mara – Carol
2016	Shahab Hosseini – The Salesman	Jaclyn Jose – Ma' Rosa
2017	Joaquin Phoenix – You Were Never Really Here	Diane Kruger – In the Fade
2018	Marcello Fonte – Dogman	Samal Yeslyamova – Ayka
2019	Antonio Banderas – Pain and Glory	Emily Beecham – Little Joe
2021	Caleb Landry Jones – Nitram	Renate Reinsve – The Worst Person in the World
2022	Song Kang-ho – Broker	Zar Amir Ebrahimi – Holy Spider
2023	Kōji Yakusho – Perfect Days	Merve Dizdar – About Dry Grasses

• Bold means the film received at least 1 Oscar nomination in a corresponding category (9)
• Bold and italic means only the film was nominated, but the awarded filmmaker wasn't (8)

Year	Best Director	Best Screenplay
1975	Michel Brault – Orders 🪢 Costa-Gavras – Special Section
1976	Ettore Scola – Down and Dirty
1977
1978	Nagisa Ōshima – Empire of Passion
1979	Terrence Malick – Days of Heaven
1980		La Terrazza – Furio Scarpelli, Agenore Incrocci, Ettore Scola
1981		🪙Mephisto🪙 – István Szabó
1982	Werner Herzog – Fitzcarraldo	Moonlighting – Jerzy Skolimowski
1983	Robert Bresson – L'Argent 🪢 Andrei Tarkovsky – Nostalgia	Voyage to Cythera – Thanassis Valtinos, Theo Angelopoulos, Tonino Guerra
1984	Bertrand Tavernier – A Sunday in the Country
1985	André Téchiné – Rendez-vous
1986	Martin Scorsese – After Hours
1987	Wim Wenders – Wings of Desire
1988	Fernando Solanas – Sur
1989	Emir Kusturica – Time of the Gypsies
1990	Pavel Lungin – Taxi Blues
1991	Joel Coen – Barton Fink
1992	Robert Altman – The Player
1993	Mike Leigh – Naked
1994	Nanni Moretti – Dear Diary	Dead Tired – Michel Blanc
1995	Mathieu Kassovitz – La Haine
1996	Joel Coen – Fargo	A Self Made Hero – Jacques Audiard, Alain Le Henry
1997	Wong Kar-wai – Happy Together	The Ice Storm – James Schamus
1998	John Boorman – The General	Henry Fool – Hal Hartley
1999	Pedro Almodóvar – All About My Mother	Moloch – Yuri Arabov
2000	Edward Yang – Yi Yi	Nurse Betty – James Flamberg, John C. Richards
2001	Joel Coen – The Man Who Wasn't There 🪢 David Lynch – Mulholland Drive	No Man's Land – Danis Tanović
2002	Paul Thomas Anderson – Punch-Drunk Love 🪢 Im Kwon-taek – Painted Fire	Sweet Sixteen – Paul Laverty
2003	Gus Van Sant – Elephant	🪙The Barbarian Invasions🪙 – Denys Arcand
2004	Tony Gatlif – Exils	Look at Me – Agnès Jaoui, Jean-Pierre Bacri
2005	Michael Haneke – Caché	The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada – Guillermo Arriaga
2006	Alejandro González Iñárritu – Babel	Volver – Pedro Almodóvar
2007	Julian Schnabel – The Diving Bell and the Butterfly	The Edge of Heaven – Fatih Akin
2008	Nuri Bilge Ceylan – Three Monkeys	Lorna's Silence – Jean-Pierre, Luc Dardenne
2009	Brillante Mendoza – Butchered	Spring Fever – Mei Feng
2010	Mathieu Amalric – On Tour	Poetry – Lee Chang-dong
2011	Nicolas Winding Refn – Drive	Footnote – Joseph Cedar
2012	Carlos Reygadas – Post Tenebras Lux	Beyond the Hills – Cristian Mungiu, Tatiana Niculescu Bran
2013	Amat Escalante – Heli	A Touch of Sin – Jia Zhangke
2014	Bennett Miller – Foxcatcher	Leviathan – Andrey Zvyagintsev, Oleg Negin
2015	Hou Hsiao-hsien – The Assassin	Chronic – Michel Franco
2016	Olivier Assayas – Personal Shopper 🪢 Cristian Mungiu – Graduation	🪙The Salesman🪙 – Asghar Farhadi
2017	Sofia Coppola – The Beguiled	The Killing of a Sacred Deer – Yorgos Lanthimos, Efthymis Filippou 🪢 You Were Never Really Here – Lynne Ramsay
2018	Paweł Pawlikowski – Cold War	3 Faces – Jafar Panahi, Nader Saeivar 🪢 Happy as Lazzaro – Alice Rohrwacher
2019	Jean-Pierre 🪢 Luc Dardenne – Young Ahmed	Portrait of a Lady on Fire – Céline Sciamma
2021	Leos Carax – Annette	🪙Drive My Car🪙 – Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Takamasa Oe
2022	Park Chan-wook – Decision to Leave	Boy from Heaven – Tarik Saleh
2023	Tran Anh Hung – The Pot-au-Feu	Monster – Yuji Sakamoto

I’ve been struggling with my decision and I feel like I’m the last person to decide. I would like to return to the South Atlantic after graduation (Ex: Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, Charlotte, Charleston). I’m open to practice law in any field. Some that specifically interest me before I begin include cyber, telecommunications, sports/labor, M&A and food & drink/franchising but I am open to changing my mind.
I toured CWRU recently and I really enjoyed it. I saw Mercer back in January and I also liked it. Mercer is hosting another event in a few weeks so i think a refresher may be necessary.
I know Case is the better school, but the COA is going to be more than double Mercer. I would probably have to ship my car to Cleveland and take connecting flights to get home, while Mercer is close enough to drive my car to and from my home. As for housing, I’m looking for 1B apartments within a 5-10 minute walking distance of both schools and Mercer is cheaper. I also really wonder if I would enjoy spending 3 years in Macon vs Cleveland despite being around 90 minutes from Atlanta. I have a friend group in NE Ohio but I do expect to make plenty of law school friends in Cleveland or Macon.
Included in the poll would be the tuition cost after my scholarship. Thanks!
View Poll

Driving down later today and should get there around 10:30ish. I triple checked what I'm taking making sure I got everything but really I'm just excited and can't sleep so if you see me running into 40 degree Atlantic Ocean water, I'm tryna fight the sleep.

Roughly 7 years ago u/TheGreatZiegfeld did an experiment of a post to determine what the best films of each year would be from 1940 to 2011 (before the 2012 S&S polls).
With the recently updated TSPDT and the 2022 S&S list, I decided to do the same from 1940 to 2021 regarding what critics thought were the best of each year.
Keep in mind this is all from a critics' poll, not from one specific critic's list. Also no short films or miniseries (meaning no Twin Peaks or Meshes of the Afternoon), as well as those from 2022 and beyond because of the last S&S poll.
With all that in mind, let's begin.
1940
Winner: His Girl Friday (Howard Hawks)
Other nominees: The Great Dictator (Charlie Chaplin), The Grapes of Wrath (John Ford), The Shop Around The Corner (Ernst Lubitsch), The Philadelphia Story (George Cukor)
1941
Winner: Citizen Kane (Orson Welles)
Other nominees: The Lady Eve (Preston Sturges), Sullivan's Travels (Preston Sturges), The Maltese Falcon (John Houston), How Green Was My Valley (John Ford)
1942
Winner: Casablanca (Michael Curtiz)
Other nominees: The Magnificent Ambersons (Orson Welles), To Be Or Not To Be (Ernst Lubitsch), The Palm Springs Story (Preston Sturges), Cat People (Jacques Tourneur)
1943
Winner: The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (Powell and Pressburger)
Other nominees: Day of Wrath (Carl Theodor Dreyer), Shadow of a Doubt (Alfred Hitchcock), I Walked with a Zombie (Jacques Tourneur), Ossessione (Luchino Visconti)
1944
Winner: Double Indemnity (Billy Wilder)
Other nominees: Ivan the Terrible, Part I (Sergei Eisenstein), Meet Me in St. Louis (Vincente Minnelli), A Canterbury Tale (Powell and Pressburger), To Have and Have Not (Howard Hawks)
1945
Winner: Children of Paradise (Marcel Carné)
Other nominees: Rome, Open City (Roberto Rossellini), Brief Encounter (David Lean), I Know Where I'm Going (Powell and Pressburger) Les Dames du bois de Boulogne (Robert Bresson)
1946
Winner: It's a Wonderful Life (Frank Capra)
Other nominees: A Matter of Life and Death (Powell and Pressburger), Notorious (Alfred Hitchcock), My Darling Clementine (John Ford), Paisan (Roberto Rossellini)
1947
Winner: Black Narcissus (Powell and Pressburger)
Other nominees: Out of the Past (Jacques Tourneur), Monsieur Verdoux (Charlie Chaplin), The Lady from Shanghai (Orson Welles), The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (Joseph L. Mankiewicz)
1948
Winner: Bicycle Thieves (Vittorio De Sica)
Other nominees: The Red Shoes (Powell and Pressburger), Letters from an Unknown Woman (Max Ophüls), Spring in a Small Town (Mu Fei), Germany Year Zero (Roberto Rossellini)
1949
Winner: The Third Man (Carol Reed)
Other nominees: Late Spring (Yasujirō Ozu), Kind Hearts and Coronets (Robert Hamer), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (John Ford), White Heat (Raoul Walsh)
1950
Winner Rashomon (Akira Kurosawa)
Other nominees; Sunset Boulevard (Billy Wilder), All About Eve (Joseph L. Mankiewicz), Los Olvidados (Luis Buñuel), In a Lonely Place (Nicholas Ray)
1951
Winner: The River (Jean Renoir)
Other nominees: Diary of a Country Priest (Robert Bresson), Miracle in Milan (Vittorio De Sica), Early Summer (Yasujirō Ozu), Strangers on a Train (Alfred Hitchcock)
1952
Winner: Singin' in the Rain (Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly)
Other nominees: Ikiru (Akira Kurosawa), Umberto D. (Vittorio De Sica), The Life of Oharu (Kenji Mizoguchi), The Quiet Man (John Ford)
1953
Winner: Tokyo Story (Yasujirō Ozu)
Other nominees: Ugetsu (Kenji Mizoguchi), The Earrings of Madame de (Max Ophüls), The Band Wagon (Vincente Minnelli), Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (Jacques Tati)
1954
Winner: Seven Samurai (Akira Kurosawa)
Other nominees: Rear Window (Alfred Hitchcock), Journey to Italy (Roberto Rossellini), La Strada (Federico Fellini), Sansho the Bailiff (Kenji Mizoguchi)
1955
Winner: Ordet (Carl Theodor Dreyer)
Other nominees: The Night of the Hunter (Charles Laughton), Pather Panchali (Satyajit Ray), All That Heaven Allows (Douglas Kirk), Floating Clouds (Mikio Naruse)
1956
Winner: The Searchers (John Ford)
Other nominees: A Man Escaped (Robert Bresson), Written on the Wind (Douglas Sirk), Aparajito (Satyajit Ray), Bigger Than Life (Nicholas Ray)
1957
Winner: Wild Strawberries (Ingmar Bergman)
Other nominees: The Seventh Seal (Ingmar Bergman), Nights of Cabiria (Federico Fellini), Throne of Blood (Akira Kurosawa), Sweet Smell of Success (Alexander Mackendrick)
1958
Winner Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock)
Other nominees: Touch of Evil (Orson Welles), Ashes and Diamonds (Andrzej Wajda), Ivan the Terrible, Part II (Sergei Eisenstein), The Music Room (Satyajit Ray)
1959
Winner: The 400 Blows (François Truffaut)
Other nominees: Some Like It Hot (Billy Wilder), North by Northwest (Alfred Hitchcock), Rio Bravo (Howard Hawks), Pickpocket (Robert Bresson)
1960
Winner: Breathless (Jean-Luc Godard)
Other nominees: Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock), La Dolce Vita (Federico Fellini), L'Avventura (Michelangelo Antonioni), The Apartment (Billy Wilder)
1961
Winner: Viridiana (Luis Buñuel)
Other nominees: Last Year at Marienbad (Alain Resnais), La Notte (Michelangelo Antonioni), West Side Story (Robert Wise, Jerome Robbins), Yojimbo (Akira Kurosawa)
1962
Winner: Lawrence of Arabia (David Lean)
Other nominees: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (John Ford), Jules and Jim (François Truffaut), Cléo from 5 to 7 (Agnes Varda), L'Eclisse (Michelangelo Antonioni)
1963
Winner 8 1/2 (Federico Fellini)
Other nominees: Le Mepris (Jean-Luc Godard), The Leopard (Luchino Visconti), The Birds (Alfred Hitchcock), The Executioner (Luis García Berlanga)
1964
Winner: Dr. Strangelove (Stanley Kubrick)
Other nominees: Gertrud (Carl Theodor Dreyer), The Gospel According to St. Matthew (Pier Paolo Pasolini), The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (Jacques Demy), Black God, White Devil (Glauber Rocha)
1965
Winner: Pierrot Le Fou (Jean-Luc Godard)
Other nominees: Chimes at Midnight (Orson Welles), Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (Sergei Parajanov), Le Bonheur (Agnes Varda), Doctor Zhivago (David Lean)
1966
Winner: Persona (Ingmar Bergman)
Other nominees: Andrei Rublev (Andrei Tarkovsky), Au Hasard Balthazar (Robert Bresson), The Battle of Algiers (Gillo Pontecorvo), Blow-Up (Michelangelo Antonioni)
1967
Winner: Playtime (Jacques Tati)
Other nominees: Mouchette (Robert Bresson), Le Samouraï (Jean-Pierre Melville), Belle de Jour (Luis Buñuel), The Graduate (Mike Nichols)
1968
Winner: 2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick)
Other nominees: Once Upon a Time in the West (Sergio Leone), Rosemary's Baby (Roman Polanski), Memories of Underdevelopment (Tomás Gutiérrez Alea), Faces (John Cassavetes)
1969
Winner: The Wild Bunch (Sam Peckinpah)
Other nominees: The Color of Pomegranates (Sergei Parajanov), Kes (Ken Loach), My Night at Maud's (Eric Rohmer), Army of Shadows (Jean-Pierre Melville)
1970
Winner: The Conformist (Bernado Bertolucci)
Other nominees: Wanda (Barbara Loden), Performance (Nicholas Roeg), Husbands (John Cassavetes), Tristana (Luis Buñuel)
1971
Winner: A Clockwork Orange (Stanley Kubrick)
Other nominees: Death in Venice (Luchino Visconti), McCabe & Mrs. Miller (Robert Altman), A Touch of Zen (King Hu), Out 1 (Jacques Rivette)
1972
Winner: The Godfather (Francis Ford Coppola)
Other nominees: Aguirre, the Wrath of God (Werner Herzog), Cries and Whispers (Ingmar Bergman), The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (Luis Buñuel), Solaris (Andrei Tarkovsky)
1973
Winner: Amarcord (Federico Fellini)
Other nominees: The Mother and the Whore (Jean Eustache), The Spirit of the Beehive (Victor Erice), Don't Look Now (Nicholas Roeg), Badlands (Terrence Malick)
1974
Winner: The Godfather: Part II (Francis Ford Coppola)
Other nominees: Chinatown (Roman Polanski), A Woman Under the Influence (John Cassavetes), Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (Rainer Werner Fassbinder), Celine and Julie Go Boating (Jacques Rivette)
1975
Winner: Jeanne Dielman (Chantal Akerman)
Other nominees: Mirror (Andrei Tarkovsky), Barry Lyndon (Stanley Kubrick), Nashville (Robert Altman), Jaws (Steven Spielberg)
1976
Winner: Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese)
Other nominees: News from Home (Chantal Akerman), Kings of the Road (Wim Wenders), In the Realm of Senses (Nagisa Oshima), The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (John Cassavetes)
1977
Winner: Annie Hall (Woody Allen)
Other nominees: Star Wars (George Lucas), Close Encounter of the Third Kind (Steven Spielberg), Eraserhead (David Lynch), The Ascent (Larisa Shepitko)
1978
Winner: Killer of Sheep (Charles Burnett)
Other nominees: Days of Heaven (Terrence Malick), The Deer Hunter (Michael Cimino), The Tree of Wooden Clogs (Ermanno Olmi), In a Year with 13 Moons (Rainer Werner Fassbinder)
1979
Winner: Apocalypse Now (Francis Ford Coppola)
Other nominees: Stalker (Andrei Tarkovsky), Alien (Ridley Scott), Manhattan (Woody Allen), All That Jazz (Bob Fosse)
1980
Winner: Raging Bull (Martin Scorsese)
Other nominees: The Shining (Stanley Kubrick), The Empire Strike Back (Irvin Kershner), Heaven's Gate (Michael Cimino), The Elephant Man (David Lynch)
1981
Winner: Raiders of the Lost Ark (Steven Spielberg)
Other nominees: Possession (Andrzej Żuławski), Blow Out (Brian de Palma), Mad Max 2 (George Miller), An American Werewolf in London (John Landis)
1982
Winner: Blade Runner (Ridley Scott)
Other nominees: Fanny and Alexander (Ingmar Bergman), E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (Steven Spielberg), The Thing (John Carpenter), The King of Comedy (Martin Scorsese)
1983
Winner: Sans Soleil (Chris Marker)
Other nominees: L'Argent (Robert Bresson), Videodrome (David Cronenberg), Nostalgia (Andrei Tarkovsky), A Nos Amours (Maurice Pialat)
1984
Winner: Once Upon a Time in America (Sergio Leone)
Other nominees: Paris, Texas (Wim Wenders), Love Streams (John Cassavetes), Amadeus (Milos Forman), Stranger Than Paradise (Jim Jarmusch)
1985
Winner: Shoah (Claude Lanzmann)
Other nominees: Come and See (Elem Klimov), Ran (Akira Kurosawa), Vagabond (Agnes Varda), Brazil (Terry Gilliam)
1986
Winner: Blue Velvet (David Lynch)
Other nominees: The Green Ray (Eric Rohmer), The Sacrifice (Andrei Tarkovsky), Aliens (James Cameron), Hannah and Her Sisters (Woody Allen)
1987
Winner: Wings of Desire (Wim Wenders)
Other nominees: Where is the Friend's House (Abbas Kiarostami), The Dead (John Huston), Withnail and I (Bruce Robinson), Yeelen (Souleymanne Cisse)
1988
Winner: My Neighbor Totoro (Hayao Miyazaki)
Other nominees: Cinema Paradiso (Giuseppe Tornatore), Distant Voices, Still Lives (Terence Davies), The Thin Blue Line (Errol Morris), Grave of the Fireflies (Isao Takahata)
1989
Winner: Do the Right Thing (Spike Lee)
Other nominees: A City of Sadness (Hou Hsiao-hsien), Crimes and Misdemeanors (Woody Allen), When Harry Met Sally (Rob Reiner), The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (Peter Greenaway)
1990
Winner: Close-Up (Abbas Kiarostami)
Other nominees: Goodfellas (Martin Scorsese), Days of Being Wild (Wong Kar-wai), An Angel at My Table (Jane Campion), Paris is Burning (Jessie Livingston)
1991
Winner: A Brighter Summer Day (Edward Yang)
Other nominees: Daughters of the Dust (Julie Dash), The Double Life of Veronique (Krzysztof Kieslowski), The Silence of the Lambs (Jonathan Demme), Raise the Red Lantern (Zhang Yimou)
1992
Winner: Unforgiven (Clint Eastwood)
Other nominees: The Quince Tree Sun (Victor Erice), Orlando (Sally Potter), Life, and Nothing More (Abbas Kiarostami), Reservoir Dogs (Quentin Tarantino)
1993
Winner: The Piano (Jane Campion)
Other nominees: Schindler's List (Steven Spielberg), Three Colors: Blue (Krzysztof Kieslowski), Groundhog Day (Harold Ramis), The Puppetmaster (Hou Hsiao-hsien)
1994
Winner: Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino)
Other nominees: Satantango (Bela Tarr), Chungking Express (Wong Kar-wai), Three Colors: Red (Krzysztof Kieslowski), Through the Olive Tree (Abbas Kiarostami)
1995
Winner: Heat (Michael Mann)
Other nominees: Underground (Emir Kusturica), Safe (Todd Haynes), Casino (Martin Scorsese), Dead Man (Jim Jarmusch)
1996
Winner: Breaking the Waves (Lars von Trier)
Other nominees: Fargo (Joel Coen), A Moment of Innocence (Mohsen Makhmalbaf), Secrets and Lies (Mike Leigh), Crash (David Cronenberg)
1997
Winner: Taste of Cherry (Abbas Kiarostami)
Other nominees: Happy Together (Wong Kar-wai), Lost Highway (David Lynch), Boogie Nights (Paul Thomas Anderson), Princess Mononoke (Hayao Miyazaki)
1998
Winner: Histoire(s) du Cinema (Jean-Luc Godard)
Other nominees: The Thin Red Line (Terrence Malick), The Big Lebowski (Joel Coen), The Celebration (Thomas Vinterberg), Flowers of Shanghai (Hou Hsiao-hsien)
1999
Winner: Beau Travail (Claire Denis)
Other nominees: Magnolia (Paul Thomas Anderson), The Matrix (Wachowskis), Eyes Wide Shut (Stanley Kubrick), All About My Mother (Pedro Almodovar)
2000
Winner: In The Mood for Love (Wong Kar-wai)
Other nominees: Yi Yi (Edward Yang), The Gleaners and I (Agnes Varda), Werckmeister Harmonies (Bela Tarr), In Vanda's Room (Pedro Costa)
2001
Winner: Mulholland Drive (David Lynch)
Other nominees: Spirited Away (Hayao Miyazaki), La Ciénaga (Lucrecia Martel), A.I: Artificial Intelligence (Steven Spielberg), The Fellowship of the Ring (Peter Jackson)
2002
Winner: City of God (Fernando Meirelles)
Other nominees: Tie Xi Qu: West of the Tracks (Wang Bing), Talk to Her (Pedro Almodovar), Russian Ark (Aleksandr Sukurov), Morvern Callar (Lynne Ramsay)
2003
Winner: Goodbye, Dragon Inn (Tsai Ming-liang)
Other nominees: Dogville (Lars von Trier), Lost in Translation (Sofia Coppola), Elephant (Gus van Sant), Oldboy (Park Chan-wook)
2004
Winner: Tropical Malady (Apichatpong Weerasethakul)
Other nominees: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry), The Intruder (Claire Denis), Before Sunset (Richard Linklater), Sideways (Alexander Payne)
2005
Winner: Caché (Michael Haneke)
Other nominees: The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (Cristi Puiu), Brokeback Mountain (Ang Lee), The New World (Terrence Malick), Grizzly Man (Werner Herzog)
2006
Winner: Syndromes and a Century (Apichatpong Weerasethakul)
Other nominees: Inland Empire (David Lynch), Pan's Labyrinth (Guillermo del Toro), The Lives of Others (Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck), Children of Men (Alfonso Cuaron)
2007
Winner: There Will Be Blood (Paul Thomas Anderson)
Other nominees: No Country for Old Men (Coens), Zodiac (David Fincher), Silent Light (Carlos Reygadas), 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days (Cristian Mungiu)
2008
Winner: The Headless Woman (Lucrecia Martel)
Other nominees: WALL-E (Andrew Stanton), Synecdoche, New York (Charlie Kaufman), The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan), Hunger (Steve McQueen)
2009
Winner: The White Ribbon (Michael Haneke)
Other nominees: A Prophet (Jacques Audiard), Fish Tank (Andrea Arnold), Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino), Avatar (James Cameron)
2010
Winner: Uncle Boonmee (Apichatpong Weerasethakul)
Other nominees: Nostalgia for the Light (Patricio Guzman), The Social Network (David Fincher), Mysteries of Lisbon (Raul Ruiz), Meek's Cutoff (Kelly Reichardt)
2011
Winner: The Tree of Life (Terrence Malick)
Other nominees: A Separation (Asghar Farhadi), Melancholia (Lars von Trier), The Turin Horse (Bela Tarr), Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (Nuri Bilge Ceylan)
2012
Winner: Holy Motors (Leos Carax)
Other nominees: The Act of Killing (Joshua Oppenheimer), The Master (Paul Thomas Anderson), Amour (Michael Haneke), Tabu (Miguel Gomes)
2013
Winner: Under the Skin (Jonathan Glazer)
Other nominees: The Great Beauty (Paolo Sorrentino), Blue is the Warmest Color (Abdellatif Kechiche), Ida (Pawel Pawlikowski), 12 Years a Slave (Steve McQueen)
2014
Winner: Boyhood (Richard Linklater)
Other nominees: Goodbye to Language (Jean-Luc Godard), The Grand Budapest Hotel (Wes Anderson), Girlhood (Celine Sciamma), Interstellar (Christopher Nolan)
2015
Winner: Mad Max; Fury Road (George Miller)
Other nominees: Carol (Todd Haynes), Cemetery of Splendor (Apichatpong Weerasethakul), The Assassin (Hou Hsiao-hsien), No Home Movie (Chantal Akerman)
2016
Winner: Moonlight (Barry Jenkins)
Other nominees: Toni Erdmann (Maren Ade), American Honey (Andrea Arnold), Arrival (Denis Villeneuve), Certain Women (Kelly Reichardt)
2017
Winner: Get Out (Jordan Peele)
Other nominees: Zama (Lucrecia Martel), Phantom Thread (Paul Thomas Anderson), You Were Never Really Here (Lynne Ramsay), Lady Bird (Greta Gerwig)
2018
Winner: Roma (Alfonso Cuaron)
Other nominees: Happy as Lazzaro (Alice Rohrwacher), Burning (Lee Chang-dong), An Elephant Sitting Still (Hu Bo), Shoplifters (Hirokazu Kore-eda)
2019
Winner: Portrait of a Lady on Fire (Celine Sciamma)
Other nominees: Parasite (Bong Joon-ho), Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Quentin Tarantino), Atlantics (Mati Diop), First Cow (Kelly Reichardt)
2020
Winner: Nomadland (Chloe Zhao)
Other nominees: Time (Garrett Bradley), Never Rarely Sometimes Always (Eliza Hitman), Days (Tsai Ming-liang), Quo Vadis, Aida? (Jasmila Zbanic)
2021
Winner: Petite Maman (Celine Sciamma)
Other nominees: The Power of the Dog (Jane Campion), Drive My Car (Ryusuke Hamaguchi), Titane (Julia Docournau), Memoria (Apichatpong Weerasethakul)

Venturing into the wild waters of torrenting without a Virtual Private Network is akin to attempting to sail the Atlantic in a dinghy - not advisable, and a surefire recipe for disaster. But oh, the turmoil and befuddlement when one tries to navigate the labyrinth of VPN options marketed as 'torrent-friendly'.
A large number of these self-proclaimed 'torrent VPNs' have the nerve to leak the very secrets they swore to keep, like a blabbermouth best friend you thought you could trust. Some are about as useful as an umbrella in a hurricane, forbidding torrenting or P2P entirely. Others move with such glacial pace that you’d be tempted to abandon ship midway.
Navigating the torrent seas is fraught with peril, as it exposes one to dubious files dispatched by faceless strangers. In this situation, a VPN becomes as indispensable as a life vest, providing an extra layer of protection.
However, torrenters need to be aware: all VPNs are not created equal, especially when it comes to BitTorrent. Indeed, many of the high-profile VPNs are about as suitable for torrenting as a colander is for bailing water.
Hint: If you are fishing for a free VPN for your torrenting expeditions, allow me to drop anchor here and discourage you. Free VPNs are as trustworthy as a pirate's promise, and they generally leave torrenters marooned.
We'll delve into the details of 10 VPNs that can be trusted to navigate the torrenting seas, but before we set sail, here's a quick look at the map of our journey.
NordVPN
In the curious, cryptic world of Virtual Private Networks, our golden trophy goes to the Panama-based digital guardian, NordVPN. True to its discreet nature, it doesn't hold onto pesky connection or traffic logs and adorns itself with the cloak of 256-bit AES encryption, possessing an innate sense of perfect forward secrecy. Think of it as the virtual equivalent of a lock that changes its combination every time it's used.
If you're not already sufficiently impressed, consider this: it even offers a double-hop encryption option and Tor over VPN features. Ever since Nord introduced its proprietary NordLynx technology, based on the WireGuard protocol, its speeds have been comparable to a falcon in free fall. Hence, whether you're streaming an obscure foreign film or downloading a hefty file, it should be as smooth as butter on a hot knife.
An automatic kill switch, and DNS leak protection are additional trinkets on its security charm bracelet, all of which you can play around with in the settings. You can opt for the standard all-or-nothing kill switch or fine-tune which programs get the digital guillotine if the VPN connection stumbles - say, a BitTorrent client.
Adding to its finesse, NordVPN employs shared IP addresses and doesn't put a cap on bandwidth. It also graciously permits torrenting and bundles in a proxy, encrypted chat, and self-destructing encrypted notes in each of its subscription packages. It can even sidestep a range of geo-locked streaming services like Netflix US, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video as effortlessly as a cat burglar.
If you're still on the fence, a 30-day money-back guarantee lets you dip your toes in and see if the water's warm. You can take the service out for a spin and if you're not whistling a happy tune, you're entitled to a full refund.
Whether you're on Windows, MacOS, iOS, Linux, or Android, NordVPN has got an app ready to be your cyber-bodyguard.
SurfsharkVPN
Remember that quirky little 1960s surf rock tune, "Surfin' Bird"? Well, Surfshark is the digital rendition of that - catchy, dependable, and somewhat of a pleasant surprise. With download speeds that won't make your eyes glaze over and a network spanning more than 60 countries, it's as if the United Nations held a virtual convention.
To ensure your cyber-surfing escapades are not muddied by nasty interferences, Surfshark brings a whole arsenal of protection to the beach. It dons the 256-bit AES encryption, a kill switch, perfect forward secrecy, and shields against the trifecta of leaks: DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC. It even has split-tunneling functionality, meaning you can cherry-pick which apps sidestep the VPN - like that little calculator app that doesn't need to go undercover.
With its base in the British Virgin Islands, where data retention laws are as non-existent as snow, Surfshark has a nonchalance towards personal data logging. It's a free-for-all on P2P traffic across all servers and with zero bandwidth restrictions, you could torrent until your heart's content, or your hard drive's full, whichever comes first.
In a refreshing twist, Surfshark doesn't impose a connection limit. It's like being at an all-you-can-eat buffet with no judgmental stares. And like its aquatic brethren NordVPN, Surfshark has introduced the Wireshark protocol, which in our testing, juiced up speeds like Popeye after a can of spinach.
All in all, Surfshark is like finding a designer dress in a discount bin. Great value for money, and especially recommended for those on a budget tighter than a hipster's skinny jeans.
Regardless of whether you're a Linux, iOS, Android, Windows, or MacOS user, Surfshark has an app for you. If you fancy yourself a bit of a tech wizard, it can also be manually installed on supported network routers.
ExpressVPN
Think of ExpressVPN as the Elon Musk's Hyperloop of the digital world. Swift, secure, and spanning across 94 countries – it's the fast lane for torrent downloaders. It provides 256-bit AES encryption and perfect forward secrecy, just so you can download that rerun of "Friends" without having to worry about those pesky data bandits.
With ExpressVPN, fiddling with configurations is as antiquated as dial-up connections. This is for the laid-back digital surfer who craves security and anonymity without playing a game of twister with different settings.
Perched in the British Virgin Islands, where data retention laws are as sparse as a desert, ExpressVPN operates on a "see no evil, hear no evil" philosophy when it comes to traffic logs. It’s like being at a party without the worry of embarrassing photos popping up the next day. And should your connection drop quicker than a badly written sitcom, the built-in kill switch jumps into action, ensuring no data leakage onto the unencrypted network.
ExpressVPN isn’t just a one-trick pony, though. Aside from torrenting, it also plays matchmaker between you and geo-locked streaming services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO Go/Now. No more country restrictions to watch your favorite show, eh?
Its latest version introduces its very own high-speed VPN protocol, Lightspeed, leaving competitors NordVPN and Surfshark gobbling its dust. For those willing to shell out a few extra bucks for a VPN with the speed of a greyhound and the security credentials of a Swiss bank, ExpressVPN could just be your digital fairy godmother.
It has apps available for Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, select wifi routers, and Linux. So whatever your device, ExpressVPN has got your back.
PrivateVPN
PrivateVPN might be the baby of the VPN family, with a smaller network than its older siblings on this list. But don't be fooled. It might be the youngest, but it delivers download speeds that would make Usain Bolt blush and security tighter than Fort Knox.
This whizz kid employs 256-bit encryption with perfect forward secrecy on the OpenVPN protocol, something that would make any cryptographer nod approvingly. It's like that overprotective parent that doesn't want anyone knowing about their child's whereabouts— no web traffic or connection logs are ever recorded. And, like any responsible chaperone, it includes an optional kill switch, just in case.
But PrivateVPN isn't only about torrents. It's also an expert locksmith, picking the locks of content geoblocked by the likes of US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. So, whether you want to get your fill of 'The Crown' or 'Stranger Things,' PrivateVPN has got you covered.
And for the folks who have more devices than they have fingers, PrivateVPN lets you connect up to six gizmos simultaneously on a single account. It's like your own personal digital octopus.
It's also as versatile as a Swiss Army Knife, with apps available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android. So whether you're an Apple aficionado or a Windows whizz, PrivateVPN is ready to serve.
The Science Behind Torrent-Friendly VPNs: Dissecting the Criteria
Evaluating VPNs for torrenting is a bit like a wine tasting event - but instead of sniffing, swirling, and sipping, we're poking, prodding, and testing. The aim? To determine the grand cru of VPNs for those engaged in the noble pursuit of torrenting. Let's be clear: for the torrenting connoisseur, the primary desires are privacy, unlimited data, and speedier-than-a-greyhound download speeds. With that in mind, here are the criteria we use to separate the plonk from the vintage.
Security - Encryption is your best friend when it comes to preventing eavesdropping third parties from gawking at your activity or your torrent downloads. Especially valuable is its ability to convince Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to mind their own business. A non-negotiable is a VPN kill switch and DNS leak protection to make sure no personally identifiable data takes an unexpected detour from your device.
Logging Policy - The ideal P2P VPN service is like a forgetful librarian - it doesn't keep any records of your activity. IP addresses aren't recorded either. We want a provider who's not only forgetful but also impervious to hacking or coercion, with no information about their customers to hand over. We've dug deep into each VPN's logging policy if you want to read more.
Bandwidth Limit - Some VPNs, like bad roommates, put a cap on how much you can use, throttling or halting downloads once you hit a certain limit. Torrents often require a hefty data allowance, so we're giving these VPNs a wide berth.
Speed - It's no use having a VPN for torrenting that moves at the pace of a dawdling tortoise. Our recommended torrent VPNs all exceed average speeds in our tests.
Shared IPs - There's safety in numbers. Shared IP addresses for torrenting mean you're sharing your IP address with a crowd, maybe even hundreds of others. This adds an extra layer of anonymity, making it much harder to trace any activity back to you. It's like being in the world's most anonymous flash mob.
Navigating Torrenting with a NAT Firewall: A Comedy of Errors
Imagine a scene where many VPN services are playing the role of an overzealous guard, equipped with built-in NAT Firewalls that ward off connections from peers on P2P networks and any other uninvited guests. The problem is, these guards can be so overzealous that they block torrents, those lovable rogues who just want to function properly on their P2P networks.
Now, depending on the VPN's software, there's a chance you might be able to sneak past the guard by disabling the NAT firewall, usually hidden somewhere in the settings like a secret passage in a castle. But, if not, you'll have to resort to port forwarding, a kind of secret handshake for the digital world.
Port forwarding is often a manual affair where the VPN provider designates a specific port, like a VIP entrance, to be used for P2P traffic. Your job is to instruct your BitTorrent client, your plus-one for the evening, to use this special entrance. If the port is not listed on the VPN provider’s website like a poorly advertised nightclub, you'll need to pull some strings, meaning contacting customer support, and ask for it.
Why Every Torrenter Needs a Kill Switch, Even If They Think They Don't
Consider the VPN kill switch as the equivalent of an emergency eject button in a super spy car. When your VPN gets into a sticky situation, say an unexpected connection drop, it slams that button. Instead of sending you flying through the roof, though, it halts all internet traffic. Without this nifty feature, your real IP address and torrent traffic could be left hanging out in the breeze on your ISP’s unencrypted network. This could lead to an unwanted surprise party with your ISP, copyright trolls, and hackers as the uninvited guests.
So, binding your IP or using a kill switch isn’t just a suggestion, it’s as essential as a punchline in a comedy routine.
Now, the elite VPNs for torrenting we rave about do come with a kill switch on their desktop versions. But, they may be like a shy wallflower at a dance party, not enabled by default. Be sure to give them a little nudge in the settings. Android and iOS mobile VPN apps, however, are a bit more elusive when it comes to incorporating kill switches.
But remember, kill switches are a diverse crowd. While some can handle a simple dropped connection with the grace of a ballerina, others might stumble when faced with other network disruptions, crashes, or configuration changes. And for more details on the kinds of leaks that can happen in these scenarios, do read our exposé, ahem, VPN leak testing analysis. The leaks most likely to make torrenters break out in a cold sweat? IP address and IP traffic leaks.

LPs

• Kodak Black - Pistolz & Pearlz (w EST Gee, L.O.E. Shimmy + more) [Florida Trap, Atlantic]
• Lil Durk - Almost Healed (w J. Cole, Future, 21 Savage, Kodak Black, Juice WRLD, Morgan Wallen, Alicia Keys, Rob49 & Chief Wuk) [Chicago Drill, Alamo]
• KHEA (🇦🇷) - SEROTONINA (w Tiago PZK + more) [Argentine Trap, Interscope]
• Dorrough Music & DJ Drama - Number 23 (w UGK, Shawty Lo, OJ da Juiceman, Slim Thug + more) [Southern Hip Hop]
• Mr Eazi's ChopLife SoundSystem (🇳🇬) - Chop Life Vol. 1: Mzansi Chronicles (w Moonchild Sanelly + more) *[Afrobeats, *emPawa]
• Peter Fox (🇩🇪) - Love Songs [German Rap, Warner]
• Cruz Cafuné (🇪🇸) - Me Muevo Con Dios (w Westside Gunn, BOJ + more) [Spanish Rap]
• Monaleo - Where The Flowers Don't Die [Texas Hip Hop]
• Alex Zurdo (🇵🇷) - CONXSIÓN [Latin Rap]
• Khary - A Desperate Attempt To Love Everything [Alternative Hip Hop, RI]
• Jay Worthy & Roc Marciano - Nothing Bigger Than The Program (w Bun B, Kurupt, Ab-Soul, Da$H, A$AP ANT, Kokane, A$ton Matthews & Bart Oatmeal) [Hip Hop, Griselda]
• Cookin Soul (🇪🇸) - RAW TAPES vol. 1 [Producer]
• Nonso Amadi (🇳🇬→🇨🇦) - When It Blooms (w Majid Jordan, BEAM, Zinoleesky, Tay Iwar & Tamera) [Toronto Rap, Afrobeats, UMG]
• Rory - I Thought It'd Be Different (w Ari Lennox, Jay Electronica, dvsn, DRAM, Phonte, Conway the Machine, GoldLink, James Fauntleroy, REASON, Alex Isley, reggie, Emotional Oranges, THEY. + more) [R&B]
• Carlitos Rossy (🇵🇷) - Sad Valentín [Reggaetón, Warner]
• Bliss Station (Flamingosis & Ehiorobo) - Bliss Station [East Coast Hip Hop]
• La Zowi (🇪🇸) - La Reina Del Sur [Spainish Trap]
• Dom Corleo - On My Own (w Yung Kayo + more) [Rage, PHX]
• Ethereal - Heat Death 4 (w Faye Webster + more) [Cloud Rap]
• Devito (🇷🇸) - Plava krv [Hungarian Trap]
• Rosalie. (🇩🇪) - Motherlode [Alt-R&B, Def Jam]
• Kid Quill - Good People (w T-Pain & Caye) [Feel Good Rap, Indiana]
• Khamari - A Brief Nirvana [R&B, Boston, RCA]
• Lil' Keke - 25 Summers (w B-Legit, Big K.R.I.T., 8Ball & MJG, Slim Thug, Paul Wall, Peso Peso, Big Jade + more) [Texas Rap]
• Kari Faux - REAL BITCHES DON'T DIE (w Devin the Dude, Gangsta Boo, Big K.R.I.T., Jazz Cartier, Phoelix & theMIND) [Southern Hip Hop, Neo-Soul, drink sum wtr]
• Lakim - Life's Prism [Future Beats, Tufcat]
• Duwap Kaine - Duwap So Based [Cloud Rap]
• Guvna B (🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿) - The Village Is On Fire (w Ghetts + more) [UK Rap, Allo Mate]
• Daz Dillinger - Dat Nigga Daz (w Kurupt + more) [West Coast Hip Hop]
• Xanman - Barmelo Xanthony [DMV Trap]
• Portraits of Tracy - Drive Home [Emo Rap]
• Kassa Overall - Animals (w Danny Brown, Wiki, Nick Hakim, Lil B, Shabazz Palaces, Francis and the Light + more) [Jazz, Warp]
• Thelonious Martin - Season 1. Episode 5. [Beat Tape]
• Trdee - Trapped In My Bag 3 (w BabyTron, StanWill, GrindHad E, Babyfxce E, Certified Trapper, Kasher Quon + more) [Michigan Trap]
• FMB DZ - P-Rock Baby (w Icewear Vezzo, Sada Baby, BabyTron, Skilla Baby + more) [Michigan Trap]
• Suppra (🇨🇱) - EPIFANÍA [Chilean Boom Bap]
• Manu Manzo - Luna En Geminis [Latin R&B]
• Mo Thugs (Bone Thugs + friends) - Family Reunion [Midwest Hip Hop]
• Rory Fresco - Fantasy Camp (w Doe Boy & Skilla Baby) [Southern Hip Hop, New 11]
• Mr Brady & BudaMonk - Art [Boom Bap, King Tone]
• Wiardon - Road Music [Rap, Austin]
• Basi & Mikos Da Gawd - Supernova [Bay Area Rap, Text Me]
• Abby Jasmine- GROWING PAINS [Pop Rap, Cinematic]
• Migo Lee & Anti Beats - Anti Tyler [DMV Trap]
• MarijuanaXO - Black Homer [Milwaukee Trap]
• SME TaxFree & Dai Ballin - House Party [Milwaukee Trap]
• Al-Doe & Spanish Ran - Holy City Zoo (w Ab-Soul + more) [Underground Rap]
• Sleep Sinatra - P.T.G (POST TRAUMATIC GROWTH) [Griselda-core]

Deluxe

• thuy - girls like me (w Rexx Life Raj & MIN) [West Coast R&B]

EPs

• Ozuna (🇵🇷) - Afro (w Davido + more) [Latin Rap, Sony]
• Yng Lvcas (🇲🇽) - Six Jewels 23 (w Peso Pluma + more) [Corrido Tumbado]
• KayCyy & Gesaffelstein - TW2052 [Hip Hop]
• $UICIDEBOY$ - YIN YANG TAPES: Winter Season [Emo Rap, G59]
• Cochise - NO ONE IS NICE TO ME [Rap, Columbia]
• Apache (🇻🇪) - SONGO [Latin Rap]
• K CAMP - Spin the Block [Trap]
• Neurto Shorty (🇻🇪) & Chucky73 (🇩🇴) - Cartel del Caribe [Latin Trap, Rimas]
• Prok (🇪🇸) & Akapellah (🇻🇪) - 16 Millas [Latin Rap]
• Earlly Mac & Sango - MearlGo Vol. 4 [Rap]
• Hunxho - 4 Days In LA [Trap, ATL, 300]
• nascar aloe - HEY ASSHOLE! [Trap Metal, Epitaph]
• V9 (🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿) - 08701 [UK Drill]
• Mannywellz - Don’t Tell Anyone (w Foggieraw) [R&B, Afrobeats]
• C.S. Armstrong - The Southwestern Legacy [R&B]
• EMT LA & Cypress Moreno - Hardest Out [West Coast Rap]
• Drippin So Pretty & Hi-C - Dio Brando [Emo Rap]
• Serane & SURF GANG - SGPM [Plugg]
• Cabra (🇵🇷) - MARTÍNEZ (w De La Ghetto + more) [Latin Alt-Rap]
• KT Foreign - Footalytics [San Diego Trap]
• Don Trip - Die Another Day [Memphis Rap]
• Joe Nora - Still Life EP [Beat Tape, FoF]
• A-F-R-O & 60 East - At The Sideshow EP (w Ras Kass) [Boom Bap]
• Manga Saint Hilare (🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿) & Blay Vision (🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿) - Save Yourself [Grime]
• Wee2Hard - Secret Code [Trap, ATL]
• Kickkone - Talked2GodBoutIt [Florida Trap, Jugghouse/Lava Baby]
• Goya Gumbani - When The Past Bloomed (w Pink Siifu, Lord Apex, August Fanon + more) [NYC Indie Rap]
• RXKNephew - Summer in Miami / Drunk Nights [Rihanna Favorite Rapper FR FR]
• Shaggy 2 Dope - Professor Shaggs and the Quest for the Ultimate Groove [Horrorcore]
• Billionaire Black - Black Sheep 2.0 [Chicago Drill, VALLEY CLUB]
• Grunge Gallardo (of The Opioid Era) - Atlantic Shores [Virginia Rap, Pill Press]

Singles

• Taylor Swift - Karma (Remix) [feat. Ice Spice]
• Sexyy Red & Tay Keith - Pound Town 2 (feat. Nicki Minaj)
• Tainy & Myke Towers - obstáculo
• A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie - MVP (NBA Finals Version) [feat. Myke Towers]
• Juice WRLD - Cheese and Dope Freestyle*
• Yeat & Pi’erre Bourne - My Wrist (feat. Young Thug)
• Anitta, Rvfv & Sfera Ebbasta - Captián
• Sleepy Hallow & Lil Tjay - Pain Talk
• Nio García - Yeska (Remix) [feat. Jowell & Randy]
• Papa Shawn Boo - For the Moment (feat. T-Pain)
• Juneyear - LaDaDa (feat. Jeremih)
• DVBBS, Jeremih & SK8 - Crew Thang
• Dominic Fike - Antpile
• Swifty Blue & Mustard - Jugglin' (feat. Baby Stone Gorillas & Joe Peshi)
• $NOT - Easter Pink
• Victoria Monét & Buju Banton - Party Girls (Michaël Brun Dancehall Remix)
• EST Gee - Turn The Streets Up
• GloRilla - Lick Or Sum
• REASON - At It Again (Remix) [feat. Jay Rock]
• Lu, Pouya, Kxllswxtch, Terror Reid - 456 (Freestyle)
• AkaAction, Bootsy Collins & Jamie Jones - Time For Some Action
• Lachy Doley - Get Out Your Ear's Way (feat. Bootsy Collins)
• Kap G - RR Activities (feat. 03 Greedo)
• J Hus & Fumes - It's Crazy
• Adekunle Gold - Tio Tequila
• Metro Marrs & Mike Dimes - Payroll
• D.Bill$ - Block Boy (feat. Juvenile)
• YMN Gus - Canada Goose V2 (feat. Babyface Ray)
• BLK ODYSSY - YOU GOTTA MAN (feat. KIRBY)
• Big Boss Vette - Ion Need
• Slayter & Retch - Juice Sipper (feat. Fenix Flexin)
• 1030 Montana - Jumped In The Game (feat. Wacotron)
• NSG & Meekz - Unruly
• Korralle & FloFillz - Blunotte
• Taylor Ricard - WAYYY (feat. Jim Jones)
• 7xvethegenius & DJ Green Lantern - Brainstorming (feat. Conway the Machine)
• M Huncho - Crazy Titch
• SetUpCity & 22Gz - Lights Out
• G MiM$ & Dave East - Luv Me 2 Life*
• Sauce Walka - Micheal Beasley*
• Diar Lansky - Explosive (feat. Royce Da 5'9")
• That Mexican OT, Paul Wall & DRODi - Johnny Dang
• Icewear Vezzo - Back On The Road
• Sofi de la Torre - 4 Sure Sure (feat. PHABO)
• Young RoyBoy - Wallah (Remix) [feat. Sada Baby]
• Cootie - Trap Nigga Investment*
• RiskTakerLeek & Cootie - Bird Talk
• Earlly Mac & Kamaiyah - All Night
• Bryan Bandit - Livin' Off the Phone (feat. Veeze)
• Yella Beezy - To The Floor
• Saviii 3rd & Kalan.FrFr - Been That (Extended)
• Milli Major, Novelist, Safone, So Large & Chronik - Skeem Set
• Ghost Dawg & Cico P - Visa
• JGREYY - Boys?
• Jdot Breezy - Addict
• Lil Ray - Hold On (feat. DB.Boutabag & Lul Ace)
• Valee & MVW - Could Be
• Dro Fe, NARCOWAVE & Ralfy the Plug - Trap Evangelist
• Good Gas (FKi 1st) - Coochie Appointment (feat. The Act & Chow Lee)
• Caleborate - B4 U Judge
• Xian Bell & Dende - Have It All
• Beedie & Billy Hoyle - Never Say Never (feat. Your Old Droog)
• Lil Ronny MothaF - Painting Pictures Flow*
• Mike Henny - How It Feel (feat. FCG Heem)
• Payroll Giovanni - On My Own (feat. Nick Varsity & The ATG)
• Ant Beale - BROKE BOY
• Black Milk – Is It Just Me?
• Darius James & Kai Ca$h - No Pressure
• Nate Husser - Itchy Palms
• RXKNephew - Come Find Out
• WhatUpNolan & YSR Gramz - Make Believe (feat. KrispyLife Kidd, YSR Loski & Clean Up Man)
• Darin Steele & Big Sad 1900 - Down n Around
• Kyle Splash & Big Sad 1900 - Take Them Risks
• Tyb - Like Us (feat. Nef the Pharaoh)
• M-Hunt & Nef the Pharaoh - Spazzin'
• Dillon & Diamond D - Comin’ Out Swingin’ (feat. Elzhi)
• Love Spells - Over & Over
• Dominique Fils-Aimé - My Mind At Ease
• Hotboy Wes, D Flowers & Yung Ro - Block Starz
• Luh Soldier & Quoncho - Mudd Bruddas
• Leo Laru$$o - Dojo Slayers (feat. Tha God Fahim)
• Q Da Fool - Heisman
• Charles Hamilton - Girl Scout Cookies
• Joseph Chilliams (Pivot Gang) - Soft Serve (feat. corylovesyou)
• Bikoko - Destiny
• Pioneer 11 & Rhys Langston - Amber Deception
• Black Cobain - Ain't Picking Up (feat. Fendi P)
• Mack Moo & Helluva - Detroit Love
• Bane Capital & Koncept Jack$on - Diamond
• Matt Mars - Hard Times (feat. YL)
• myst milano. - Thirteen
• Bub Styles - Casket Suit (feat. Sauce Heist & Dot Demo)
• Sonny Miles - Over & Over
• Janette King - How Sad
• Joy Postell - At Ease
• DRIVEBY - Sex With The Leopard Print Lady (feat. Fatboi Sharif & Beans)
• Maze Overlay - Danny Ocean

and (unsorted):

• Chester Watson - fish don't climb trees
• Travis Thompson & Jake One - Happiness (feat. Jay Worthy)
• GMF FatBoy - Sturdy (feat. Big Yavo)
• Andrei Lgnd - SMile (feat. OMB Peezy & Bussdown Bandy)
• Zacari - Touch of Gold
• dylAn - that's 1989
• Lilbubblegum & Jasiah - slurpy
• Diddy, City Girls & Fabolous - Act Bad
• KitschKrieg, KenTheMan & SFR - BAD BITCH (Body, Waist, Lips, Face)
• GOON DES GARCONS* - LIVING IN EXCESS
• Sam Truth - Wishing Well
• Matt Cab, MATZ, Grace Aimi & Ace Hashimoto - Again
• Pressa - Unfollow Me
• Riff Raff, Tommy Cash & Salvatore Ganacci - Ferrari
• Teezo Touchdown - Rock Paper Strippers
• Pablo Alborán - 4U (feat. CKay & Leo Rizzi)
• Rasheed Chappell & Little Vic - Show You How
• The Gemini Twins - Gave You My All (feat. Elzhi & Prop Dylan)
• Eli Fross - Me Time
• HDBeenDope - Can't Get Rid Of Me (feat. Fergie Baby)
• Jaxxon D. Silva - Black Flag (feat. A$AP NAST)
• Colt Fingaz - Way from Me (feat. WESTSIDE BOOGIE)
• TYL3R DAVIS & WESTSIDE BOOGIE - Hieroglyphics
• Jordan Commandeur, Knowledge the Pirate & Rick Hyde - Each One Teach One (feat. 38 Spesh & Flee Lord)
• Planet Asia & 38 Spesh - Upscale (feat. Tha Musalini & a Plus Tha Kid)
• James Fortune - Voyage (feat. Waka Flocka Flame)
• Drakeo the Ruler - Money & Problems (feat. Lil Travieso & MoneySign Suede)
• Brazeonday - DUALLY (feat. Z Money & TTM Dawg)
• Yhung T.O. & Big Sad 1900 - In the Field 2
• Sabrina Claudio - Modo Avión
• Azizi Gibson - F.W.M.
• JUICE MENACE - Weak Attempt
• Reel People & Raheem DeVaughn - Deja Vu (Blue Lab Beats Remix)
• Chingy - Rewind Time
• Malik Baptiste - I'M OK
• Nyck Caution & Erick the Architect - All Around
• Swedish House Mafia - See The Light (feat. Fridayy)

Bold songs drop at midnight
Songs in bold came out at midnight
* means not on Apple Music or Spotify
Sorted by Spotify Monthly Listeners

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