I have related how I was retired from the ONI; MAJ branch, and what happened. I have told the story about how I got ready, and then took a plane and arrived in China… the very first opportunity I had.
But…
What I didn’t relate was the “bait and switch” that I endured for the first two weeks in China. And that story, I will relate now.
…
While I was in the ‘States, I was getting everything ready. Not just my identification, my clothing, and taking care of things, but also making arrangements inside of China. I contacted my ex-girlfriend (now my wife), and I made arrangements with her, and I found work.
I contacted a schoolmaster in Shenzhen who would take me on as a English teacher. And at that, I could start when the semester started, and low and behold, I made it happen.
I got my flight. Lost my bags. Was stranded in Newark New Jersey due to a storm, and then endured the 33 hour long flight to China.
So I arrived at Shenzhen.
…
Ah…
But… No one met me at the airport. Not my girlfriend. Not my new employer. Not any one else that I had contacted.
That sucks.
It has happened before, and I specifically tell everyone NEVER, EVER force an international traveler to arrive alone.
…
Ok.
Well… it’s all good right? I’m out of the Hell that the United States became for me. I’m out of their range, off their radar screen, and gone. Good bye!!!!
No problem.
So alone…
I wandered in the dark streets of Shenzhen until I found a hostel (I had to use a local app, that I had to install and all that hassle) and went to it. Given the late hour, they had me pay full price, seeing that it was 3am in the morning.
I entered the room.
Crashed!
Konk!
…
The very next day, I took a bus to the school and met the headmaster. First thing I did was ask him why he didn’t have anyone meet me like he promised.
No good answer. Hem. Haw. Bullshit.
Then, he proceeded to tell me that I couldn’t work there…
…he had another school “just down the street” that I would work at.
…and…
Oh, by the way, the salary would be much less. But it would still be free room and board, and all the rest.
…
WTF?
Yeah. What the fuck?
…
So I tried to call my girlfriend… no answer.
No options at that time.
Sigh, so I went along. Got in the car, and he drove down the road.
It’s just “down the road a spell”.
…
FOUR FUCKING HOURS LATER…
Yeah. Just “down the road a spell”.
Another fucking city.
…
He hand me over to this private training center and given my “handler”. You see Danguang was “too dangerous” for foreigners. So I was to have this person besides me at all times, and that I couldn’t go out or leave.
Nice girl. Cute.
Oh, and…
The doors to the house complex were locked tight at 9pm, and that was it. I had to stay inside, and be watched 24-7.
But…
I got my own room in a shared dorm, with a broken television, and it looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in a decade, and taught for one week…
…
When I finally got a hold of my girlfriend, she was furious!
I endured all that I went though in Arkansas, to arrive within blocks of my girlfriend, only to be whisked away to some decrepit town in the middle of nowhere. She was enraged.
Can you imagine?
She was really hot. I’ll tell you what.
So we hatched a plan.
Friday night, after the gate was locked I snuck out of my locked bed room…
… made it outside…
… then scaled the cement wall.
Went over the broken glass…
…the rusty barbed wire top, and jumped down….
… and then walked the two kilometers or so to the nearest inter-city bus.
Got one to Shenzhen and took the ride to my girlfriend.
There…
She got me an interview in the center of the city, and I got the job. Then she arranged for a hotel for me to stay at while we went house hunting. Yeah.
But…
No. It wasn’t so easy.
I had to endure being “Shanghaied” in Shenzhen. And now you all know the rest of the story.
How would the economic and military world dynamic change if Russia and China forged an agreement to work together militarily and economically?
They already are working together economically and militarily:
- Russia is moving more of its foreign currrency reserves from US$ → Chinese yuan and;
- They are holding military exercises, and in 2017, 3,000 Chinese troops with tanks entered Russia to participate in war games. They jointly hold anti-terrorism exercises on a regular basis.
- Both countries are founding members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which is the leading security organization for central Asia.
To sum up, it is changing, but it is not given much coverage in the western press.
I wonder why?
Southern Jugged Soup
Ingredients
- 6 potatoes, sliced
- 1 onion, sliced
- 6 tomatoes or 2 cups canned tomatoes
- 1 turnip, diced
- 1 can peas
- 1 grated carrot
- 1/4 cup rice
- 3 quarts water
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 pinch allspice
Instructions
- Arrange vegetables, rice and seasonings in alternate layers in the bottom of a stone crock with a cover.
- Boil any carcasses of cold chicken, bones of waste meat or steak with trimmings, in three quarts of water, until liquid is reduced to two quarts.
- Strain, cool and remove.
- Pour the broth over the vegetables.
- Put on the cover and seal, using tape or muslin, to keep in the steam.
- Set crock in a pan of hot water.
- Place in oven and cook from four to six hours.
Recipe published in 1935 Southern Cook Book of Fine Old Dixie Recipes
𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘔𝘺 𝘈𝘳𝘤 | 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘴 𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘵
Ireland Sends Ukraine Draft Extradition Notices
Ukrainians living in Ireland have begun receiving notices from the Ireland Department of Justice, informing them they are being Extradited to Ukraine to fulfill military Draft. Recipients are warned they can be imprisoned if they ignore the notice.
The letter contradicts itself. It points out “The Death Penalty does not apply to the offense” but death is most certainly what each Draftee will get when they come face to face with the Russian Army.
In a nutshell, what this is goes like this: Ukrainians anywhere in the world have been sent letters from the Ukraine government telling them they must come home to be Drafted and go fight in the war. They failed to come home and failed to respond, so Ukraine has issued criminal warrants for them.
Countries these people are in MUST extradite someone for a criminal warrant because Extradition is agreed to by Treaty.
THAT is how desperate Ukraine has become to draft more people to die against Russia.
Oliver Anthony- Rich Men North of Richmond (Remix Mashup ft. Black Pegasus & Chris Webby)
This is the rumbling under the ground of the United States. Great mashup.
Do you think America is falling apart?
I have spent the better part of a decade in the Middle East in a country that is just becoming modernized. It was considered a “hardship” assignment when I got there because everything would be more difficult than in the United States. Healthcare, telephone, internet, shopping. It was all a nightmare, but I managed to eventually get set up and I developed healthy habits, like exercising and not smoking and making healthy food. I read a lot, took classes online, and did fulfilling things. I was creative and I had time and money. I couldn’t go to movies, or get certain products, and I couldn’t even drive, but I could obtain these products and DVDs and I had a driver, so I lived a fulfilling life and was happy.
Now that I’m back in the United States, it is a bigger mess than it ever was there. I could get healthcare a lot easier over there. I thought it was terrible, because I faced a few Islamic rules and sometimes doctors lack credentials and made mistakes. However, the fact is that here there is a catastrophic amount of chronic illness befalling everyone at catastrophic rates. We all have cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and inflammatory conditions – we are all on pills with many side effects that only make the condition worse, or whatever they are selling now, including marijuana, to keep people sick with their lifelong, chronic diseases. Cures for disease are the only area of technology that hasn’t advanced since 1959. Everyone is struggling to afford medical care, mandated ny our governmenr, that is totally corrupt.
Stupid robots handle everything from answering phones to work schedules to banking. Yes, automated systems are just that: robots that are stupid; limited, thwarting and or cheating us left and right. If that is not broken I don’t know what is.
One has to leave here and find out how things are in the third world, and come back to really grasp how scary it has become.
Our movies and music are cheap and horrible now. They propagate numbness and annihilation of the mind. Lyrics are autotuned syllables repeating over and over again. It sounds garbled, like plastcized voices using mouthwash. Movies are not even worth seeing.
The fashion of today is unkempt with plastic hair color. Women with a spare tire hanging out of their icky jeans. Ratty hair. It’s no wonder no one overseas assumed I was an American.
Everyone shops at Walmart and everyone is fat.
Everyone is chronically depressed. Tired. Overwhelmed.
There is no middle class anymore.
Everyone is facing money problems.
Those that have money are driving ugly cars and wearing ugly black metal wedding bands and are still living in the same misery as everyone else.
People do not eat real food anymore.
Even pets are ill. My own pet got sudden onset diabetes and heart failure and died. I bought the best of food. But it was United States food. It probably killed him.
People have no pride in how they speak or write anymore. They text. Others text and drive. Everyone has their face in their device. It’s horrible. I’ve seen people at work holding a pencil with their fist. Yes, people plural.
The device is nothing but an RFID chip. It is tracking you. It knows your every move. It knows especially your health status. What pills you might be on next! What your last blood test was, the status of your health insurance. They want to find the next thing wrong with you. The only strategy to deal with overpopulation and flagging capitalism now is to sell everyone what they need to get sick and die. Bad food. Medical insurance. Obesity. Chronic disease.
For other industries, capitalism has toppled ethics and given rise to a mentality of “nothing matters except how much profits are” – and short term, not long-term gain is emphasized, at that.
Pollution and plastic garbage pervades.
Wildlife and natural beauty is dying.
Selling hunting tags, killing wolves – a cascade species that protects all living environments.
Internet should be cheap and free but it is outrageously priced.
Information on the internet is now “sold” so that searches do not turn out what you really want to know. Instead what comes up is related to what you could buy, based on your other searches. Instagram and Facebook is what constitutes relationships which ee now call “social networking”.
The President tweets and is unaware of and not addressing many real problems.
Young people can’t afford college.
They say now college is a scam.
Young people live at home. They can’t find jobs.
Jobs now are often a scam.
This place is horrible! I wish I never came back.
Those of you who haven’t been out of here don’t realize how messed up things are here. It’s not “going downhill” or “getting bad”.
It’s absolutely an atrocious, horrible, toxic nightmare.
Crime and guns are rampant. Someone close to me got a gun and threatened my life since I came home.
Old people are losing their social security.
Iran really sucked I thought. I couldn’t deal with it for two weeks. It was hard to plug anything in even. They were protesting there and trying to overthrow the government, to an extent utterly unknown to anyone here. They wanted to be free like us.
In America we are not free to do things and buy things. We can’t get to anything, because we are busy trying to get money, and things cost too much and they are no good.
We are all different species of rats running in different kinds of mazes that we have created for ourselves. All sick and dying and spending everything we have to pay for it.
This is the truth and it may hurt but it’s time to wake up.
Sopranos-Paulie does the gardeners
Paulie stopped a guy from smoking, help another guy from a tree, and negotiated a business deal all within 5 mins. A true role model for America’s youth.
Why do we need semi auto rifles? In the UK for instance you can buy most rifles (with good reason and robust background checks) but you can’t buy semi autos over 0.22 calibre. They seem to hunt boar, deer, foxes etc with no problem.
Show me someone who says you can reliably, quickly, and humanely (as in outside of a very lucky shot) take down a boar with a .22 and I will show you someone who knows not a thing about hunting or wild boars. So let a humble country boy from Texas edumacate you.
This is a feral hog (North America). It is a hybrid of domestic European pigs that got loose over the course of literal centuries (the Spanish first introduced them to the New World in the 1500s) and later wild European boars in the early 1900s.
The average male weighs around 400 pounds (180 kilograms) and stand at or just about at 1 meter tall at the shoulder. Standing beside the average human adult male, they come up to about the hip. They are almost immune to poison, venom (rattlesnakes and copperheads are part of their regular diet), and diseases. They can sprint up to 30 miles per hour – they can conceivably run down Usain Bolt. Adults have very sharp, very dangerous tusks averaging 7 inches (17 cm) long. They are omnivores that eat anything, including aforementioned snakes, carrion, and even newborn deer.
We’re talking about a beast that has hide up to two inches (5 cm thick) backed by a layer of fat that sort of self-closes when punctured, and runs around in sounders of a dozen individuals or more and carries the average London chav’s shiv around in their mouths. And the majority of their DNA is derived from wild European boars – so they’re also quite aggressive. The reason you hunt feral hogs from a tree stand is because you’ll likely end up in the tree anyway…
Point being: we ain’t talking about Wilbur or Babe here.
I have seen these animals shrug off multiple .223 Remington* rounds – that’s a bullet that isn’t much bigger around than a .22 LR, but has a greater mass and travels much faster. Most feral hog hunters use something much more robust; personally I used my venerable SKS in 7.62x39mm Russian (until Putin’s special military operation drove prices sky high). It takes at least that much of an oomph to make an adult feral hog feel it – and often, it takes more than one shot no matter where you hit them because they’re absolute tanks.
So imagine what it takes to hunt a bear, or moose, or even a less aggressive but equally stout ungulate like a mule deer.
Contrary to what you believe, a .22 LR is perfectly fine for rabbits, squirrels, and other small, delicate critters** – but it will only piss a feral hog off. If they even feel it. And if they do feel it, you absolutely need to have multiple backup shots on deck because the chances they’ll charge you are about the same as the chances they’ll run away.
* by the way, that is roughly identical to the 5.56mm NATO round that, well, is called 5.56mm NATO for a reason.
** and yes, you can definitely kill a human being with a .22 round. But that’s not because a .22 round is powerful – it’s because human beings are pretty soft and squishy as far as the animal kingdom goes.
Family Guy- Stewie & Brian run a Brothel
Stewie and Brian start a BnB which later turns into a Brothel.
What is something your neighbor did that you couldn’t believe?
I hired my neighbor a contractor to replace my patio as it was needing to be done for years. He did a super job. the price included a table and 2 chairs for me to enjoy it. I was going to use some old chairs for the rest of the seating. He brought over two more matching chairs when I asked him to replace the old ones onto the patio. I asked how much the extra two matching chairs would be. He said it was a gift. I cried, as I never had been treated so kindly in my 83 years.
Ran North Jersey | Sopranos Edit
I hope that you all enjoy this work of art.
What is the most absurd thing you’ve been charged for on a bill?
Back during the pandemic, I took my cat, Caesar, to the vet. He was a 15 year old, orange, short haired cat. Because of COVID, the vet’s office had implemented a policy of people not being allowed to go back to the exam rooms with their pet. I wasn’t really comfortable with that but my little guy had a sore front paw so I had to get him seen by the vet. A staff member came out to my car, got Caesar (in his carrier) and took him inside to be examined by the vet while I waited in my car. After a few minutes, the vet called my cell phone and we discussed the problem with Caesar’s front paw. An x-ray was done and it was determined that the problem was with one of his claws. Apparently it was a problem that is fairly common in older cats and easily treatable. Over the phone, the vet and I agreed upon the treatment for the problem. A short time later, the staff member brought Caesar back out to my car and presented me with the bill. As I quickly scanned the bill before giving the staff member my credit card, I saw a $40 charge for a ‘ therapeutic shave’ on the bill. I didn’t understand so I asked about the charge. Found out that while they had Caesar in the exam room, someone shaved his back end for no apparent reason. I said to the staff member “ So you needlessly shaved my cat’s ass and want to charge me $40 for it? I think that you guys should owe him $40 for doing that to him! “
The charge was removed from my bill. Caesar got extra treats and a new toy that day too.
She DIED & Discovered We Live In A Simulation | NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE
Near-death experience guest 907 is Virginia Drake. During her NDE experience she encountered the Council of 12.
China is Eclipsing the US (and Japan) to Become the World’s Animation Powerhouse
A Review of Deep Sea (2023) by Tian Xiaopeng
In the new Chinese animated film Deep Sea, a girl on a cruise with her dad, step-mom, and step-siblings gets thrown overboard during a storm. As she clings to a life preserver, awaiting rescue and barely alive, her imagination transports her to an underwater world of anthropomorphic walruses and squid-like demons, plus many other bizarre creatures, who help her process her mother’s absence. It’s Spirited Away (directed by Japanese animation titan Hayao Miyazaki) meets Life of Pi, and it’s one of the best animated films in years. The cutting edge animation technology cost tens of millions of dollars, and I’m glad someone threw that kind of money toward something so risky, unattached to any existing intellectual property or popular brand.
I’m convinced director Tian Xiaopeng will go down as one of the animation greats, alongside the likes of Walt Disney, Tex Avery, and of course Miyazaki. Starting from the launchpad of Pixar’s innovations, Deep Sea skyrockets into galaxies Pixar’s team couldn’t even dream of. Through dazzling sequences of fluid color that wash across the screen, the film translates traditional Chinese ink drawing into breathtaking CGI animation. The end product is a style that is both innovative and distinctly Chinese.
I can understand arguments asserting that Tian’s maximalist style can get overwhelming. I could sympathize with anyone who claims Deep Sea is a bit too long. Tian really does let his entire arsenal loose on this film, like he wants to show off anything and everything he’s capable of. But I prefer this bombastic style to muted or irony-poisoned restraint. The latter approach has trapped a lot of younger artists in the US who could be great if they would only drop their pretense to nihilism. As mentioned in the title of this essay, China is surpassing us on the artistic front, and we should humble ourselves and learn from their advances.
And on that note, what a shame it is that this gorgeous film is getting near zero exposure in the US. In China it played on IMAX; here I had to watch it on my laptop via some obscure streaming site. Its foreignness, specifically its Asianness, is no excuse for the lack of any kind of marketing push stateside. See, for example, the massive success of Japanese anime here and in other parts of the West. I’m currently reading up on the history of the importation of anime to the United States, and I’ll be writing more of my reflections on that process and how it might potentially be applied to importing Chinese animation and other recent popular culture.
U.S. To Assassinate Niger Coup Leaders? Putin’s Intel Drops A Bombshell
U.S. To Assassinate Niger Coup Leaders? Putin’s Intel Drops A Bombshell – Nations like the United States and France have unequivocally expressed their positions regarding the recent coup d’états occurring in certain African countries. However, aside from imposing sanctions, there has been no indication of these major powers actively intervening in these coup situations.
However, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has reported that the U.S. government is deliberating the possibility of taking action against the leaders of the newly established military administration in Niger Republic, which assumed power in late July.
According to the SVR statement the United States is contemplating the potential of taking direct action against the leaders of Niger’s National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, the group responsible for orchestrating the military coup against Niger President Mohamed Bazoum.
As per intelligence received by the SVR, the United States is evidently dissatisfied with the unfolding events in Niger, where an interim government led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani recently assumed control following a military coup.
Washington is actively exploring strategies not only to curb the rise of Africa as a significant center of influence in the multipolar world—a development seen as potentially perilous for Western interests—but also to assert its influence in the strategically vital Sahel region, effectively taking over the role previously held by France, stated the SVR press office.
Is the Ouija board dangerous?
When it comes to the paranormal, I’ve had a few odd experiences, some really creepy, others rather comforting but through it all I believe the power of the mind is pretty amazing and believe all possibilities need to be acknowledged.
When it comes to the Ouijia board, I admit I’ve been pretty spooked but not say its totally dangerous..
My first experience with a Ouija was after Christmas 1993 a friend I knew had one she recieved for Christmas, brand new, unopened we decided to play in her basement.
I don’t remember the context but it seemed normal, than something sinister came through it kept repeating “Ozozozozozozo” we thought it was “Ozoz”…. It spooked us out as it kept getting more violent. So we said “Good bye” and put it away…I don’t remember us ever playing again.
It wasn’t until I got online many years later and found out there was a common spirit named “Zozo” that comes through Ouija boards, I’m not sure if she knew this or not…we were a couple of 9 year olds with no Internet, and no library to research it within 5 miles. We also came away thinking its name was Ozoz… but whatever this is lots of people experienced it.
Another time we played for fun and my ex husbands friend was a non believer, suddenly his mom came through he was watching three of us play, but not participating.
His mother died 5 years before my ex husband met as teens, so he knew things about her life I wouldn’t, his other friends son, or my husband wouldn’t know.
He asked “only I know what your favorite drink is, what is it?” It spelled out “grape soda” he looked shocked.
Then he asked the Ouija “what did I put in your coffin when you died?“ it said “picture”. Lastly…. He said “what was on the picture?“ the Ouija replied a picture of “a heart names”. It was a heart with their names folded up and put with her body, none of us could know that.
Sounds beautiful and comforting, well that was it. It started getting violent saying things like “die, rape” repeatedly…horrible things!
No harm came to anyone one, but this certainly wasn’t the manifestation of our thoughts or behavior as we were very happy to see him tear up over the experience thinking it was genuine until the other bit happened.
When we did this, the other friends son was making fun of it, taunting it, scratches appeared on his neck we wanted to see what caused it, and we don’t know his hands were in front of him on the board the whole time.
Putin Hasn’t Even STARTED Yet ft Col Macgregor
Maybe Kamala just confused the word Russia with Ukraine… then it makes sense…
Do members of so-called itinerant groups in Europe (such as Irish Travellers) live in what Americans call mobile homes?
Over the last few months I’ve made friends in the Romanichal and Traveller communities online, since many of us are distant cousins rekindling our roots through DNA.
One of my friends who always calls me “cuz” still travels with her husband and family. They travel in Caravans and set up in local areas, maybe open fields, parks, a few of her family became settled, many have settled now days.
However I see them every so often down by the sea front, they live in RV’s or at least travel in them…not the US double wide or anything.
She lives full time in one, some people may have something like a base, maybe the home or property of a settled relative, some keep moving.
One man I met said his grandfather family pitched in and acquired property and put there caravans on it. The property always stays within the family.
I imagine there has to be some fixed address somewhere in all this, I haven’t figured that one out.
Why did South Korea secretly supply Huawei with a large number of chips so that it can release a new mobile phone product Mate 60?
This is fake news.
The Japanese and chinese media has completely disassembled the Huawei Mate60 mobile phone and found that 90% of the parts of this mobile phone are produced in China.
The only components provided by South Korean suppliers are memory chips from Hynix.
But this kind of memory chip is a general-purpose product sold publicly and used in many digital devices, and does not need to be provided secretly.
Since the technology required for this kind of chip is not that cutting-edge, there are domestic suppliers in China that can replace Hynix.
“They are HIDING this about China, and it’s about to get worse”
We are being treated a barrage of anti-China headlines today. The Wall Street Journal reports that Chinese spies are infiltrating U.S. military bases by asking for a Burger King…That’s weird. China is said to be ready to conduct military exercises with Russia and North Korea in response to the U.S. conducting military exercises with South Korea. Huawei released a new smartphone that has the U.S. wondering how they did that. This is a lot of China worry. What is behind it? Carl Zha joins us to discuss this and break this down between the lines.
I am scared of dying. Can anyone help, and is there an afterlife?
I can’t blame you for being scared of dying. It feels like a huge step to take, and all we know here is life!!
But I can tell you that I have been out of my physical body too many times to count, in full aware consciousness, and we do not need a physical body to be “our selves” in a true sense. (Well, of course we do to get through physical life while we live here, but what I am saying is you can live, be aware, be free, without a physical body.)
Okay, well, besides that I have had such strong and beautiful contacts with loved ones passed. They are obviously still living in another dimension which can connect with this one from time to time. So try not to be so afraid. When your time comes to cross, you will accept your transition happily, I bet , and see and feel the beauties in what lies beyond this limited physical form we have got so used to living in! We will see a much wider spectrum of reality. I feel it is something to actually look forward to.
BLOCKADE FAILED! Huawei 5G chip mass production | Holland Hopes to Return To Chinese Market
Whoever listens to the US eventually ends up kicking their own ass.
What does a normal family look like in the US?
First of all, a “normal family” is NOT the same thing as an “average family”.
Here, I will describe what a “normal family” living in the United States looks like. This description was the “textbook” descriptor used throughout the United States up until the late 1980’s. Today, of course it has been totally revamped and has become a bastardized Frankenstein monster.
So, here we will use the per-bastardized official United States description of what a “normal” American family looks like…
- It has two people that define a “family unit”. One is male and the other is female.
- The male will work. The female will take care of domestic responsibilities. (Due to the catastrophic economic situation in the Untied States, today, most families have both people working.)
- These two people will typically have children. But not always.
- The number of children varies considerably from family to family. Some have only one child, while others might have many, many. The reasons have to do with economic stratification, and religion. With heritage, and geographical location playing a major role.
- Most families will cook their own meals, and eat in restaurants once or twice a week. (This varies from the 1960’s which was once or twice a month.)
- Most families will have a car. Many will own multiple vehicles.
- Most families will own televisions, computers, and cell phones.
- Most families will be in debt. (Today, the family debt tends to be enormous,)
- Most families will be educated. (Today, the quality of education tends to be substandard compared to the rest of the world.)
- There is a stratification in home ownership. Some people of social-economic background will own homes while others of different backgrounds will not.
- Most families will have family members taking medicines.
Of course, this is not an exhaustive answer. It is a general answer and is useful ONLY if you wish to compare your life and family against an “American normal”.
I advise everyone NEVER to compare yourself to others. You are unique. Whether you are LGBTQ+ or something else, whether you are rich, or poor, or an immigrant or a “blue blood”, makes no difference. You are precious. It is your responsibility to define YOUR LIFE on YOUR TERMS.
And whatever you decide; I support your decisions. Because I believe that you are smart enough to plan and execute your own precious lifestyle.
How do comedians get their starts as comedians?
40 something aluminum siding salesman Jacob Rodney Cohen tried to break into standup comedy comparatively late in life. Nobody wanted to hear what an aging wannabe had to say, and he was having trouble getting bookings. He fell deeply into debt and depression as a result. The only place that would book him (jokingly referred to as Denunzio’s in his act) only did so if he did it for free. He was basically playing to a crowd that was more concerned with what dinner fork to use, than listening to him. He knew he needed to come up with a gimmick, a persona that would differentiate himself from the myriad of other amateur comedians trying to break in.
Denunzio’s was frequented by older, low level mobsters. One night while waiting to go on, he overheard one of these individuals lament that the new guys coming up showed him no respect. No respect at all. He latched onto it, ran with it, and nailed it. Yep, using that catchphrase, and style of self-deprecating humor, Rodney Dangerfield was born that night as the lovable schlub and ne’er-do-well who couldn’t do anything right.
Gina Raimondo visits China. Bringing the “Carrot and Stick” in the most boring, American way.
In this episode of China Currents: Gina Raimondo visits China. China puts on new economic policies to stimulate economy. China finally puts an end to the COVID testing policy.
How is the Chinese company Huawei an existential threat to the security of the United States?
Thanks for the request.
No. Not to the security of the U.S.
China has no plan of invading the U.S. but they do very much want to win the chip war which would mean decimating the U.S. chip companies and directly affect how the U.S. military can sustain our combat readiness.
It’s amazing how Huawei was able to keep its development so much completely under wrap until their launch. Considering that it needed the entire village to build the ecosystem for Huawei, so too was it not just Apple but its entire ecosystem of supply chain contractors that took the hit in the market.
This is not an overnight thing and not just about one company. trump banned Huawei on May 2019 and set China on the course of having to build its own chip industry. And as projected then, this is just on track that within 10 years that China should be able to have its own self contained industry to produce its own chips. It is estimated that it would take about 5 years before they can make it’s own lithography machine.
China is the existential threat to the U.S. hegemony.
The latest Xi Jinping government directive banning Apple for official use will definitely be followed by SOEs and related parties. What’s the effect on Apple sales in China and Apple future share price?
After the announcement, Apple shares dropped by about 8%. It has recovered slightly since then. It is possible that the share prices will drop further when China sales figures are known.
I expect iPhone sales to drop significantly even among the public in China, firstly because of Xi’s directive and secondly because of the announcement of the new Huawei phones.
It is a fitting Chinese response to Apple after moving manufacturing to India (only to regret it later).
Why do many Chinese take it personally when their country is criticized?
I don’t think that they take it too personally when their country is criticised. But they do take it personally, when that criticism contains lies and falsehoods.
In that way, the Chinese are very different from, let’s say, the Americans. You can see this clearly from Quora itself. Every so often, there will be Americans on Quora posting grandioise questions such as “Why is the USA the greatest country in the world?”.
When I point out objective facts to show why this is untrue
(eg I note that the USA is plagued by horriific levels of gun violence; their literacy level is very low for a developed country; they have the world’s highest rate of dryg overdose deaths; their state of democracy is shameful as evidenced by, for example, the Capitol Hill riots; their public infrastructure is crumbling, as certified by their own engineers; their police brutality is systemic; their income inequality is huge; they practise slavery in the form of prison labour – see the exception to their 14th amendment which allows for slavery),
well, the Americans get upset and angry.
And yet I am just speaking the facts and truth. Oh well.
Price Hike
This guy, he knows how to put what we’re all thinking into words! You the man!
He is a treasure.
Is the communist party getting ready to retire Xi Jin PingPong for his incompetence in handling China’s challenges? https://asia.nikkei.com/Editor-s-Picks/China-up-close/Analysis-Xi-reprimanded-by-elders-at-Beidaihe-over-direction-of-nation
West and Japanese fools better stop dreaming. Xi is super popular with the Chinese people.
What is your comfort Chinese dish or food that can bring you smiles, when it is needed?
My two most favourite Chinese dishes are and have always been sweet and sour pork, and lemon Chicken, and my wife makes both to perfection, but then I can’t think of a single Chinese dish that I don’t like, and yes, when ever my wife makes them I have a smile on my face.
What factors may be driving China to expedite the process of dumping the US dollar and US debt?
Fitch downgrading US credit rating is a warning to all, not just China. The rising interest rate to counter inflation is not working. Instead, it only increased government interest expense, while national debt keeps climbing, creating a vicious cycle that guarantees the US will never get out of its debt. Going forward, the US can only increase its reliance on bullying tactics to maintain its hegemony to sustain its domestic economy. The writing is on the wall.
Many US politicians have openly demanded defaulting on the US treasury bonds held by China. That is not music to China’s ear. In fact, many countries and their civilians have assets in the US arrogated for no fault of theirs. The US just decides to rob them such as what it did to Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and many other countries who are too weak to defend themselves against such robbery. The most recent victim of such robbery is Russia after putting up a fight to defend its national security against NATO encroachment after years of protest had been ignored. Even the SWIFT was weaponized against Russia.
The US has been trying to pick a fight with China. Part of the motivation is to erase its debt to China. It’s obvious that China is forced to take preventive measures by freeing itself from a hostage situation.
Southern Peanut Butter Soup
with Pepper Jelly
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons grated onion
- 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup light cream
- 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped
- 1/2 cup hot pepper jelly
Instructions
- Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat; add onion and celery. Sauté for about 5 minutes.
- Add flour and mix until well blended.
- Stir in chicken broth and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Remove from heat, strain broth.
- Stir the peanut butter, salt and cream into the strained broth until well mixed.
- Serve hot.
- Garnish each serving with a teaspoon of chopped peanuts and a dollop of jelly.
Yield: 4 servings
Why has Putin accepted fake map of China? Is Putin afraid of Xi Jinping? How many countries have rejected this map of China? How will India and Narendra Modi handle Xi Jinping?
Nonsense
Xi Jingping and China are very formidable adversaries
They can rattle global markets in seconds if they decide to do so
A Simple apple iphone ban for Government Officials has caused a $ 216 Billion share value depreciation for Apple
Putin is not frightened of Xi
Putin knows Xi is firmly on his camp
He knows Russia and China have tied their fates together as has Iran
Either all the three nations will make peace with the West or all the three will form their own BLOC
INDIA?
Modi has his feet in both camps
If Putin makes an enemy of China, Putin loses the Yuan Buttress, the Investments, the Huge Supply Chain for Russias Industries and the Huge Chinese Imports that keep the consumer economy going
Not to mention a very strong Geopolitical player with a very strong army with a huge military industry that can outproduce NATO easily
India?
If Putin makes an enemy of India, he loses sales of Oil to India but frankly he won’t care much because the payment is still very cumbersome
India loses Discounted oil and will pay $ 95 a barrel and maybe even $ 100 a barrel and risk inflation
India has zero geopolitical influence outside Bhutan , is a nation that knelt before Qatar and kowtowed to their demands in a mere 24 hours (Against China who openly forbade the name. Mohammad and Abu in Xinjiang, demolished mosques and Qatar did zilch)
India has no military industry to assist Russia in a major war, it’s production capacity a mere 17% of Russias and 8% of Chinas
India has little by way of investment potential against the vast $ 42 Billion invested by China in Russia in the last 3 years
Plus Modi can easily jump to the US Camp tomorrow and leave Putin hanging
Plus if Modi dies or resigns, the next PM can jump to the US Camp whereas the CPC is the CPC even after Xi and likely so is Russia
So dont be stupid
Putin will always choose Xi over Modi because Russia needs China a hundred times more today than India
Putin wants to be friends with India too and has kept his relations firm
He hasn’t accepted Xis Map
He just hasn’t commented on it
Neither has Modi right?
Modi too hasn’t justified Russias SMO so far while China has justified the SMO as a legitimate action needed
How will Modi handle Xi Jingping?
Modi should just do his job and mind his own business
Xi Jingping is intent on forming his own BLOC today
His focus is on other players – Oil rich players, Food rich players
He may offer India a nice border solution soon which could include full recognition of all lands disputed in exchange for a road through kashmir to xinjiang connecting Gwadar and existing water rights to the Brahmaputra region
Plus closer friendship in the BRICS
India would do well to take it as it is a win, win for us
I believe Xi is ready to extend this offer today but Modi wants an unconditional recognition of Ladakh and Arunachal to make it look like a victory for him
It’s maybe why Xi released that Map in the first place
Hell. | The Sopranos
Another fine fan video.