The world is changing rapidly. And this is most especially true in China.
Many restaurants, most especially the small family-run “hole in the wall” joints, and the new “fast food” and the restaurants that cater to CGen Z (Chinese Gen-Z), are really unlike anything in the West.
It’s all APP driven.
You walk into the fast food establishment, and sit down at a table.
On the table is a QR code.
That code is your seat assignment, and downloads the store APP for you to use.
SHANGHAI — During a recent lunchtime rush hour at a Thai restaurant, there were no menu-toting waiters coming up to take diners’ orders. Instead, the restaurant proprietor greeted customers with a reminder that they could select their meal by scanning the QR code on their tables. Six months earlier, the restaurant had switched over to this scan-to-order system, which required customers to first follow the restaurant’s account on social app WeChat before they could choose their dishes. The proprietor saw it as a win-win-win proposition: Customers could order their food quickly, the restaurant would need fewer staff members, and their social media account would see more engagement — they’ve gained followers in droves over the past half year, she said.
With such obvious benefits to businesses, QR code ordering has been widely adopted across China. Usually built on top of the mini-app and payment functions of WeChat, such systems allow customers to view an up-to-date menu on their phone, order without having to flag down a waiter, and pay directly. Some restaurants have even introduced joint-ordering apps, so groups of diners can see what each other has chosen. But to enjoy such convenience, customers are often being forced to follow social media accounts and hand over their personal information, raising similar privacy concerns as those leveled against companies that use facial recognition cameras to track their clients or shops offering face-scanning checkouts. In March 2021, reporters from Sixth Tone’s sister publication The Paper randomly visited 100 restaurants — including cafés, tea shops, and dessert shops. A total of 72 offered customers the option to scan-to-order, as well as order in-person. The majority of the other 28 restaurants were mostly self-service, such as conveyor-belt sushi joints. After scanning a QR code in these 72 restaurants, customers were able to directly order in 37 of them. However, at the other 35, diners had to first follow an account on WeChat, after which another page popped up or they were redirected to a mini-app where they could order. At 20 restaurants, users had to authorize access to the cellphone number bound to their WeChat account, or else input a phone number and log in before they could order. In addition, the ordering system at 12 other restaurants required customers to enter personal information such as phone number, date of birth, name, and gender to become a member, or else they were automatically made members after scanning the QR code. When collecting customer data, most of these restaurants did not show customers a privacy policy or user agreement to explain how and why they collected, stored, and protected data. Only a few businesses stated that the information was collected to “improve their service” and provided terms or agreements. Almost all of the 35 restaurants where diners needed to follow a WeChat account before ordering were branded chain restaurants. Compared with individually run restaurants, it is easier for chains to obtain large amounts of customer information and carry out big data marketing. Over the following three days, WeChat accounts from 13 of the 35 restaurants that reporters from The Paper followed to order food sent messages on new menu items, discounts, and coupons.
This is the norm in China.
You sit down, you scan the QR, and an APP pulls up on your phone…
You select what you want. Hit enter, and then pay by connecting with your WeChat or Alipay accounts. And they will deliver it straight to your table.
Now, this has been in place for over a year, and I’m pretty used to it.
However, some Brits were visiting Shanghai and didn’t know how to order. I watched the entire painful experience on YouTube. What happened is the owner of the small shop had to show them how to down load the APP, then place the order. But they didn’t have WeChat or Alipay, so the owner placed the order on their phone, paid by themself, and accepted cash from the customers.
A work-around.
This system works really great, once you are used to it.
Sure beats carrying around a wallet, a change purse, and a calculator trying to figure out the tip. Not to mention handling old dirty menus. LOL.
When you all come to visit China, try it out.
Today…
What is wrong with teenagers nowadays?
Society.
Let me give you an example.
A young girl is born August 25, 2006. Her relatives envision her as becoming a nice woman with a husband and two- maybe three children.
She enters school. She seems different from other children— she would rather spend her time reading than socializing. Throughout elementary school she constantly has a stack of books on her desk, and has her nose in a book at lunch and reads on the swings at recess, or in the shade of a tree during warmer days. She reads fantasy books, young adult, medical science… There isn’t a moment she isn’t reading or thinking about reading. her grades are poor, but it’s only because her parents are alright with letting her do what she wants. She is independent, with a few friends she enjoys spending time with. She has no idea that everything is about to change drastically.
Middle school begins, and suddenly, everything has changed in an instant. Cliques have formed. Friends no longer speak to her. She, however, carries on and finds new friends to eat lunch with. She carries two or more books around and has begun to write in her spare time. She fares okay in Social Studies and Science— she couldn’t care less about physics, anyways. In math she fares okay, but in English she writes stellar essays, read aloud to the class and used as models.
She notices a shift in attitude. Her middle school has become that of a typical one— dating drama and scandals amongst 6th graders, which she couldn’t care less about. But something in the student body’s perception has shifted. She is seen as an outsider simply because she prefers reading over socializing. Whenever the teacher asks a question, she is unable to answer in fear of sounding ‘too smart’. Her perception has warped into something judgmental of others. her own insecurities are pushed upon others. She has recently discovered she isn’t straight and tries her hardest to keep it a secret. She constantly is aware of her every move, petrified of being seen as ‘odd’ by others. Being late to her class or tripping in the hall made her panic.
She acts far too nice and is constantly dealing with the issues of others in fear of seeming rude. Her parents consider her odd for reading and being alone after school. She does everything to stay hidden from others. She loathes field trips because none of her friends are in her class. She begins to use lengthy vocabulary to force her intellect upon others… to her core, she is unhappy. She feels depressed constantly and tries hard to fit in, but she simply cannot get past her own social anxiety. She considers if life was worth it. She feels empty.
Then, seventh grade arrives. She begins the year with a new mindset— becoming popular. Her grades drop and she barely studies, if at all. She scarcely reads, and acts clueless in class as to not be seen as ‘too smart’. She has not once said anything positive about herself. She begins to distance herself from old friends. She is no longer an outsider. Her emptiness is replaced with a deep insecurity, but she thinks she’s content. She isn’t authentic.
Abruptly, a seed of contemplation sprouts in her mind. Why am I changing myself? Why for others? Do they even notice my grades or the books I read? Do they even care? Why do I care if they do?
She begins to change.
The most difficult thing she’s ever done is right in front of her.
Waiting.
She sits down at lunch. An eerie silence accompanied by her own short, soft breaths. The room is almost still. Light filters through the corridor-esque windows of the cafeteria. Her heart pounds in her ears, invading her thoughts. The table still has a wrapper from last period. She can hardly breathe. Her book is still there. The chatter of other students can be heard. The book is a 600-page medical science book. The noises grow near. It is approximately 3 inches thick.
She picks up the book.
She reads for the entire lunch period. She is happy.
Her life suddenly has a meaning— she sees futures where she is a professor, or maybe an author. Possibly, she is a surgeon with 3 children— one adopted from Europe, or maybe South America. She begins to read frivolously again. She no longer tries to please everyone. She no longer skips two questions ahead in math to seem smart or two back for the opposite effect. She has true friends who she enjoys talking to. She doesn’t care if someone thinks she is arrogant after she answers a question correctly in Science or if someone thinks she is stupid if she doesn’t in Math. She studies a week before each test and attends as many extra-helps as she can. She is free from the shackles that bound her for so long. She is herself, and that is all that matters.
That person is me, and I, finally, have taught myself to stop worrying about what others think— especially a group of people who, in approximately 5 and 1/2 years I will never see again. I care for myself and I am finally enjoying my life for what I want it to be, not what others think it should be.
But I pity those who don’t— as I know for a fact that someone will realize this fact when it’s too late in their life, or not at all. I can never tell them what I’ve learned, that no amount of ‘self-care days’ will heal the absence in your heart, that no amount of makeup will undo the standards society placed on you before you had even taken your first breath; and sometimes, people will not like you no matter what you do— that is okay. Nobody should love you more than you love yourself.
Society’s standards are assigned to us before birth and carry on with us after death. People who have never known you judge you by nonexistent standards. Sure, maybe you didn’t ever become a wealthy entrepreneur but did the amount of lives you touched with your career at a nursing home or the child you helped out of a broken home?
The reason why teenagers are ‘broken’ are because society expects them to be perfect. They are expected to be a world-class neurosurgeon or go to an Ivy-League before they even take their first breath. Our definition of a life well spent is warped and twisted, and we force that upon our youth. By valuing materialistic things over their happiness we are setting them upon a path of insecurity and unhappiness.
Society is why teenagers are ‘broken’, because of our twisted values and morals we inflict upon them. My advice for all teenagers would be that life is what you make of it, so live the rest of your life on your own terms, not someone else’s. Be happy.
RACHEL ZEGLER NERVOUS BREAKDOWN AFTER GETTING FIRED BY DISNEY! WOKE SNOW WHITE IS A TOTAL DISASTER
DF-21D and DF-26B: China’s Missiles Built to Sink A U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier
China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has surpassed the U.S. Navy in size, with a focus on anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs) like the DF-21D and DF-26B to counter U.S. carrier forces
by Peter Suciu
Summary: China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has surpassed the U.S. Navy in size, with a focus on anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs) like the DF-21D and DF-26B to counter U.S. carrier forces.
-The DF-26B, with a range of 4,000 km, and the DF-21D, known as the world’s first “carrier killer,” pose significant threats to U.S. carriers in the East and South China Seas.
-The U.S. must address these threats to maintain naval superiority and secure its interests in the region.
China’s DF-21D and DF-26B Missiles: Game-Changers in Naval Warfare
The United States Navy is one of the most powerful maritime forces in the world.
However, China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has surpassed
it in size, and Beijing will likely use it to increase its presence in the region and beyond
.
At issue, however, is the fact that the U.S. Navy maintains 11 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers
, as well as nine amphibious assault ships
(LHDs), which is used to maintain force projection around the globe.
Yet, even as China launched its third, and largest, aircraft carrier, the Type 003
Fujian, a key to Chinese victory in a war with the United States wouldn’t likely be a Battle of Midway carrier slug match
.
Instead of trying to go toe-to-toe – or more accurately carrier-to-carrier – against the United States Navy, the PLAN would more likely seek to remove the U.S. carrier force from the board entirely. That is where the PLAN’s DF-21D and DF-26B anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs
) could come into play.
This is a threat the United States needs to take seriously.
In the late summer of 2020, China conducted test launches of both platforms
into the South China Sea, and the move came just one day after Beijing accused the United States of sending a U-2 spy plane
into a “no-fly zone” during a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) live-fire naval drill in the Bohai Sea off China’s north coast.
One of the missiles – the DF-26B – was launched from the northwestern province of Qinghai; while the other – the DB-21B – was launched from the eastern province of Zhejiang. Both of the missiles were fired into an area between the Hainan province and the Paracel Island, a source with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) told the
South China Morning Post at the time
.
The landing areas were within a zone that maritime safety authorities in Hainan had said would be off-limits because of those military exercises.
That Sinking Feeling – Meet China’s Carrier Killers, the DF-21 D and DF-26
China first unveiled the road-mobile, two-stage solid-fueled intermediate-range ballistic (IRBM) DF-26B (Dong Feng-26) during a military parade in September 2015. It has a reported range of 4,000km
(2,485 miles) and it can be used in both conventional and nuclear strikes against ground as well as naval targets.
The mobile launcher can carry a 1,200 to 1,800 kg nuclear or conventional warhead, and as it could directly strike a target such as the U.S. territory of Guam in the event of war it should be seen as a formidable weapon.
More ominously, the DF-26B has been described as a carrier
due to how it could be used to target the U.S. Navy’s fleet of Nimitz– and Ford-class nuclear-powered supercarriers.
Especially noteworthy about the DF-26B is that it is a dual-capable missile, a type of weapon banned by the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty
signed by the United States and the Soviet Union near the end of the Cold War. However, China was never invited to join the agreement, and the United States withdrew from the treaty
during the Trump administration citing Beijing’s deployment of such weapons as a justification.
The other missile, the DF-21D has been described as the world’s first anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) or “carrier killer.” The DF-21D first entered service more than 30 years ago and replaced the obsolete Dong Feng-2 (CSS-1). It became China’s first solid-fuel road-mobile missile.
Able to deploy a 600 kg payload with a minimum range of 500 km (311 miles) and a maximum range of 2,150 km, the DF-21D’s warhead is likely maneuverable and may have an accuracy of 20 m CEP (circular error probable). That could make it instrumental in striking a vessel
in the open ocean or denying access to a potential opponent in transiting to a conflict zone in waters that Beijing seeks to control, such as the East or South China Seas. It isn’t just the United States Navy that could find itself in the PLAN’s crosshairs. The missiles could certainly be used to target India’s or Japan’s aircraft carriers.
Man Who Donated Sp*rm FORCED To Pay Child Support! 40% Of His Paycheck | Women Hitting The Wall
This is horrific!
A real nightmare!
What was the best prank you ever did or heard of?
My older sisters and I constantly played pranks on each other. I got Tracy good one evening. This prank went down as one of the greatest pranks pulled in my family. We still talk about it.
Tracy had just came back from doing a clothes fitting at the studio. She was going to be in a TV commercial and was being fitted for the clothes she was going to wear and they also went over hairstyles. Costumes and hairstyles were all planned on story boards like in the movies and they were followed to the T. It was usually long hours.
After parking, Tracy walked into the house exhausted and muttered, “That was a long night. Be down in about 20 minutes,” then walked upstairs. She was 18 at the time and I, her younger brother, was 16. I was looking out our front window at her car. The girls drove Shelby Mustang GT350s and treated them like babies.
We had a long winding driveway that led to the house after the iron gates were opened then closed electrically. In front of our house was a circular driveway. Lori and Tracy parked their cars in front of the house on the driveway. Mom and Dad’s cars were in the garage along with dad’s Triumph TR3, his baby.
With mom, dad and Lori in the back yard, I had a plan to scare the crap out of my sister.
Mom collected dresses from the US Civil War era and had them on mannequins throughout the house. My wife does the same now and I have mannequins all over our house. Can’t get away from them.
I quickly took one that was just a torso, arms and head, ran out to Tracy’s car and sat it in the driver’s seat. Now, I put one of my baseball caps on its head then the good part. I slid a scary Halloween mask over the face that I had in my room. Then I walked into the house and looked out the window. Perfect. It looked like a strange man was sitting in her car.
Mom, dad and Lori were still playing cards on the patio table in the back yard. Tracy came downstairs after her bath, went into the kitchen and made some chocolate milk.
“Do you want a chocolate milk?” she called out to me. I told her no thanks. She then came into the living room where I was.
“Where is everybody?” she asked. I told her they were playing cards out back. I was looking out the front window.
“What the hell?” I said.
“What?” Tracy asked coming to the window. She looked out over my shoulder.
“Is that a guy sitting in your car?” I asked giving her a surprised look.
She looked at her car, squinted her eyes to see better and yelled, “WHAT THE F—K? WHO THE HELL IS SITTING IN MY CAR? I CLOSED THE GATE DIDN’T I?”
She ran to the front door and ran out, me following. She went up to the car and yelled, “HEY, GET OUT OF MY CAR!” When she saw the mask she screamed and ran behind me.
I opened the door, took off the hat and mask and Tracy saw it was one of mom’s mannequins.
“YOU SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF ME!” she yelled giving me a big push on my chest. “Holy shit! Seriously, when I saw the face, the mask, I thought i was in a horror show,” she added.
I picked up mom’s mannequin and carried it to the house. Tracy gave me a hit on my shoulder, then started laughing.
“Got to admit. THAT was a good one. Beware little brother, YOU are on my radar and I’m going to ping you good!” Yes, she actually said that.
Did she ping me good? Another yes. She was damn good at pranks.
I did the same prank years later to a friend of my wife who was over visiting. She had parked on the street. Perfect.
Compilation: UFOs & Aliens!
How did the Chinese know about the existence of the Xia Dynasty long ago while the Indians completely forgot about the Indus Valley civilization until the Brits discovered it? What happened?
Secular civilization tends to record
Religious civilization tends to fiction
Almost all human civilizations worship some kind of mysticism in their early stages of development. Some civilizations gradually emerged from mysticism, while others were trapped in it for a long time.
The early Chinese civilization was also a civilization that worshipped mysticism and religion. The two earliest dynasties in Chinese history, the “Xia Dynasty” and the “Shang Dynasty”, were both civilizations built on religion.
According to Chinese historical records, the early Chinese believed that the two most important things for a country were “sacrifice” and “military”. At present, the earliest large-scale written materials discovered in China are oracle bones, which are actually a database left by religious sacrifices and divination.
Chinese civilization did not gradually transform into a secular civilization until after the tenth century BC. From this time on, the influence of religion and mysticism declined greatly, replaced by realism and classical philosophy. Although religion, clergy and priests are still respected, and mysticism is still popular. But these things can no longer influence the behavior of the entire country and society. In the past 3,000 years, there have been countless wars and chaos in China, and none of them was a real religious war. Religious personnel cannot enter the government power system.
As a realistic civilization, a secular civilization, from the day he became himself, he tended to replace fiction with reality.
The Xia Dynasty and the Shang Dynasty never recorded their own history, but the Zhou Dynasty changed its mind. They asked themselves: Who are we? Where do we come from? Are we just? What is our purpose? To figure out these questions, we must know what happened in the past and what experience and lessons our ancestors gave us.
At the end of the Zhou Dynasty, scholars collected various documents and materials left by the Xia Dynasty and the Shang Dynasty and compiled the first professional history book in Chinese history: “Shangshu(Book Of Documents)”. This book starts from the origin of the entire Chinese civilization, narrates from the mythological era, and records the history of the Xia Dynasty, the history of the Shang Dynasty and the history of the Zhou Dynasty, spanning 1,400 years.
From then on, every empire and dynasty in China formed a fixed habit. They kept recording history, which included not only the central government representing the highest power, but also every local government, who were constantly writing history. For the past 3,000 years, historical officials have been respected jobs, and only the most knowledgeable and moral people can serve. Chinese history records many historical officials who were executed by the emperor for refusing to revise history.
After 3,000 years of accumulation, China has produced tens of thousands of historical books and materials, which quote each other and corroborate each other, forming a huge historical information database. This makes Chinese history extremely clear and difficult to tamper with and destroy in the entire human history. And the Chinese people’s understanding of their own history comes from this inheritance and record, and they do not need any help from foreigners.
Ancient Indian civilization is a religious civilization, and the power of religion on this continent is very strong. In the history that can be consulted, India has always been under the control of powerful religious forces. Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and other religions have very strong dominance on this continent.
In India, religion can influence the behavior of many countries, and can also cause wars and killings. India has been in a state of division for most of its history, and a few unified empires, such as the Maurya Dynasty, the Gupta Dynasty and the Mughal Empire, are also typical religious countries. Some wars of conquest also have a strong religious color, and even many kings themselves serve as some kind of religious leaders.
So, unlike China, the Indian continent is a typical religious civilization.
Religious civilization likes to replace reality with fiction.
Who are we, where do we come from, what is the meaning of life, and where are we going. All can be found in religious scriptures. Buddha tells us that people run through reincarnation, and Allah tells us that he spent 7 days creating the world and admonishes us what we should do and what we should not do.
Once these religious documents (Vedas, Buddhist scriptures, Koran or other religious documents) are written, they are inherently repellent to the real world.
Religious culture tends to destroy real history and fabricate a religious world.
They hope that believers don’t care about what happened in the past, nor what the country has experienced. Is it important whether the previous king is great or evil? No, it doesn’t matter at all. Because everything in the world has been explained in our religious logic, and information other than this is interference. I am history, I am the truth. Even in Europe, there are still people who regard “Exodus” as some kind of real history.
Therefore, India rarely leaves professional historical records. The history of ancient India must rely on various circumstantial evidence, archaeological discoveries, and speculation based on legends. The development of archaeology did not occur until the 20th century. Before that, Indians had little knowledge of their own history.
This is not only true in India, but in fact most religious civilizations have this common feature.
When a civilization turns to secularization, various historical documents will increase, and many materials will be recorded and preserved. When a civilization turns to religion, real history will gradually be replaced by religious documents. Comparing the differences in the number of various historical documents left by people in the three stages of the classical era, the Middle Ages, and the Renaissance in Europe, this can be clearly seen.
Whenever religious power is strong, historical data is as barren as the desert. Whenever secular civilization and realism rise, history and data will be rich and colorful.
Melt in Your Mouth Pot Roast
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
-
- 1 (3 to 4 pound) beef chuck roast
- 1 (12 ounce) can cola (not diet)
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 3/4 cup Heinz chili sauce
- 3/4 cup ketchup
- 1 packet dry onion soup mix
- 4 or 5 new potatoes, cut up
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups baby carrots or cut-up carrots
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker.
- Cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours.
What’s the coldest thing a doctor has ever said to you?
Hubby was in the hospital after being diagnosed with sudden onset Congestive Heart Failure. Prior to this, he had been very healthy, no medical issues, healthy body weight, didn’t take any daily medications and was very active. We walk or hike 3–5 miles five times per week, bike 20+ miles once or twice a week, kayak, snowshoeing, etc.
Every time the cardiologist came in the room, he talked about how old my husband is, (he’s 75), that he has a lot of other medical issues, and how serious his heart failure was. Yes, he’s 75, but very healthy and active prior to this. And any of the other health conditions only started since his diagnosis.
After five days in the hospital he wasn’t getting better, was sleeping most of the time, struggling to breathe, and was basically bedridden. The cardiologist came in and told me there was nothing more they could do and he would be released to go home and get palliative care. I was in shock! No way could he go from being active and healthy to being sent home to die!
I asked the cardiologist: Is there anything else you can do ?? He said, no. I asked if there were any other medications they might help. Cardiologist said, no, there are no other medications. I asked, “So he’s never going to get any better?” The cardiologist said, “I know that’s hard to hear. I’m sorry.” AND HE TURNED AND WALKED OUT OF THE ROOM!
Luckily, a friend advised me to have him transferred to a different hospital and get him looked at by an Advanced Heart Failure Specialist at a major heart hospital. That cardiology team changed ALL of his medications and drained 1.5 liters of fluid from his lung. Hubby immediately started feeling better.
He was released from the hospital and started working to regain his strength and endurance. Within four months he could walk 5+ miles and we have since biked 20 miles again. He still has heart failure, but it is controlled through medicines, diet and exercise.
I’m still angry with the first cardiologist who either didn’t know how to do his job or didn’t care to do it.
NO WAY OUT: U.S. WARNS Japan Over Saving Its Currency As The Dollar FLIPS On Exporters
Do people get fired from Google and Facebook for not doing their job well?
I work at Google and I’m writing this anonymously to avoid hurting anyone’s feelings.
When I moved to Google NY I met a guy who had been working for Google for 5 years. I had moved to the New York Office and this guy had been transferred from overseas.
He was a nice guy, very likable and because we were both interested in soccer we connected very quickly and became friends.
He started working on a very problematic team. The team itself was not a problem, but his superior was struggling to make his team profitable and he was famous inside Google for being picky, something rare at Google.
I think it was the cultural differences, but this guy (my friend) started doing things that could cause him some trouble. So, although he was working at Google longer than I, I was living in the United States for much longer than him, so I started giving him some advice.
After 2 months working in NY, he got a 2-week vacation to California and Hawai. You can think. That’s OK. He is entitled to have some time off with his family. The problem is that he didn’t use his annual leave, he pretty much left saying he would be working during the trip.
Then he went back and 3 months later he did the same thing again. He went back to his home country to attend his nice graduation.
He was also underperforming (according to his manager) and at Google, we had a performance evaluation and he got a “below the expectations” grade.
Now, he had to put a lot of effort to get a good grade on the next evaluation, but instead, he decided to go on a trip again. This time to Japan and again, he didn’t use his annual leave but again said he would be working during the trip.
When he went back I talked to him and I said that I don’t know his manager much, but by my experience, this behavior would end up getting him fired. So, I analyzed the possibilities and I said that he had two options. Improve his performance or moving to another team.
However to move to another team you have pretty much to go through the whole interview process again and as he had a bad performance in the past, it would definitely impact his chance to get another role.
He kept traveling, getting to work late, missing meetings and leaving early to solve personal stuff frequently.
So, he decided to continue in his team and when he got to the next performance evaluation he got a “below the expectations” again and his manager told him that he would be leaving his team, in other words, he was fired. However, he gave him 3 months to stay at work doing nothing and applying for different roles.
He didn’t bother much. He applied for a dozen of roles, didn’t get any and in 3 months he was fired.
I would say that if you do a good job, it’s really hard to be fired from Google, but as you can see, it does not mean that it is impossible.
Jeffrey Sachs Interview – Fear of Losing Power
Do Chinese people think that the reason China fell behind the West was due to the Manchu conquest? If the Ming/Han dynasty had not fallen, would they have reacted better to the West invasion?
This is a very good question, and like most historical hypotheticals, very difficult to answer.
I don’t see how the Ming could not have fallen. They were rotten to the core. The emperors were concerned mostly with concentrating power and money. They really didn’t care much about the ordinary people. Look at the magnificent Ming Tombs: magnificent, but the people paid a hideous price of suffering and starvation to build those tombs. As a good Confucian, I believe a better monument to the Ming would have been a well-fed, contented people.
The Ming have a lot to answer for in the fall of China. They stultified thought and curiosity. For example, in the WanLi , laws forbade the study of astronomy or calendars on the pain of death or banishment. Those who burn books or limit education are never on the right side of history.
Again, I don’t see how the Ming could not have fallen. The question is, who would have replaced them? If the Manchus had not come in, would the Ming have been replaced by a robust dynasty? or would it have been replaced by a determined reformer whose heirs destroyed everything, in the exact same mold as the Ming?
It is beyond question that China fell behind the West due to the Qing. I am not sure it is fair to say that the fault was the Manchu conquest. Recently in another answer I have said that China would certainly have been in much better shape if Qianlong/Ch’ienlung had died when he was about fifty. Up until then, China was doing okay.
But even still, there were serious problems. The Qing did not encourage people to imagine, to dream, to take flights of fantasy. The Manchus were severely outnumbered, so they demanded unquestioning obedience. You can never build a truly strong organization, be it a family, a corporation, or a nation, on a basis of unquestioning obedience.
Have I answered your question? The Manchu conquest was ultimately bad for China. Although the dynasty started with great prosperity, they did not build a foundation for continued health. But even without the Manchus, the Ming had done great harm to China.
However, none of this absolves the Western powers and Japan for their rapacity.
Some favorite figurative art
What is done in secret among nurses?
Doctor hunting.
There is a universal phenomenon in hospitals in which some female nurses actively try to develop a relationship with one of the hospital doctors. The status of such nurses becomes higher when they are married to a doctor (in the end), and as silly as that sounds, it’s an undeniable truth.
And as silly as it sounds again, doctor hunters who eventually find their prey, often (but not always) act very differently than “common” nurses — they have a powerful husband now, the husband earns a lot of money, and the latter basically lifts them into another part of society.
And so they become arrogant.
Some of these doctor hunters are very hard to work with — it is as if they cannot hide the fact that hubby is a medical doctor, which has to make them more important than “ordinary” nurses, right ?
One of the big hospital secrets which is always hushed away on TV is that there is a well-defined hierarchy in hospitals, and in that hierarchy the doctors are the pilots and the nurses the flight attendants. Every single hospital employee knows this, by the way.
On the other side of the spectrum, we have the nurse doers — doctors that actively search for (secret) relationships with nurses. Some of them utterly enjoy the experience (nurse after nurse after nurse), but never plan to end their marriage in favor of the nurse.
The main entry stays at home.
In my girlfriend’s hospital, a rather impressive number of (doctor hunter, nurse doer)-couples are known, and some of them are “secret” (because the doctor has a family back home), and others are not (because they got married in the end).
In one instance, we witnessed to nurses — both doctor hunters — fight at a party because they found out that they both had a relationship with one and the same doctor (who had a wife and kids). They weren’t even mad at him — only mad at each other ! 🙄
It’s always interesting to see how twisted hospital shows misrepresent what really happens in a hospital, and what I find most striking is how totally different nurses are represented compared to real-life situations.
In the end, the truth still is that a doctor title opens doors —
And doctor hunters want the key.
Elensky gift to Putin foiled. Xi, China stands with Serbia. Russia blocks Rumble. Germany bans Z&V
Have you ever bought something from a yard sale or second hand store only to discover it was worth significantly more? What was the item you purchased?
Pawn shop. I’m a trumpet player and of course I collect trumpets, cornets and the like when I find something interesting or a good deal. A friend (also a musician) who’s son-in-law worked at a pawn shop had clued him in on a potential deal on a cornet. He mentioned it to me saying if I wasn’t interested he was for sure. Told me he thought it could be had for $160 (they were asking $199). I went to look at it, it was a 50 year old cornet in near new condition (which is amazing for something that old, most have been well used). Before I had gone into the store, had put $140 in cash in my pocket. Asked what they would take. Check with the computer then the young salesman says we need $160, then asked what I would offer. I said $140. He checks with manager then says, no we must get $160. I said, oookay. Then turned towards the door and take a step, stop, look back over my shoulder and say “I have $140 cash money in my pocket….” Salesman pauses, glances to his left at the manager who was working numbers in a book. Manager didn’t even look up, just nods. Done deal. Not only that, they wrote it up so that the total including the additional sales tax came to $139.99. I donated the penny.
I knew it was worth more than the $199 they were asking, but was very surprised when I researched the cornet and found it was worth upwards of $350 or more. Not sure if that qualifies as “significantly more” but more than double what I paid works for me! I still have it, plays awesomely well and very happy with it in my collection. (No I didn’t give the make/model on purpose so as to avoid opinions and value advice from those who’ve never seen the item. No offense intended.)
BIDEN TARIFF AGAINST CHINA EV’s and GREEN ENERGY – us auto companies can’t compete…
Do people in China worry about their country getting involved in another war?
I called my dear fuzhou friend over the weekend. She is completing her California house sale and calling curtains on her green card stay.
Her extended family is living in fuzhou, a city along the Taiwan straits.
Her parents are retired educators, and gentle folk. I asked if she is worried for their safety, given the tensions and risk of conflict.
She replied they told her not to worry. Social order is good, and the community organized and controlled covid well over the past two years. If war breaks out, they are prepared for it.
After all, they are a generation that experienced the 29-year jinmen conflict, as well as the chaos of the cultural revolution.
Many years ago, she was the first person to convince me not to doubt the resolve of the mainland when it came to Taiwan, because 不说别的，那班孙子把紫禁城洗劫一空，还敢当众摆放在＂故宫＂！
She meant it half jokingly, but that was one of the few times I felt real anger brewing in her.
If war is necessary, the Chinese in fujian will apply the same pragmatism they face covid with. No fear, no panic, no empty shelves. There are multiple layers of social fabric to organize and take care of communities.
Why do Americans get so worked up if someone trespasses on their property (as in owning a large piece of land which gets trespassed on)?
I’m a Canadian, I bought wilderness property, on the river to have privacy.
My wife likes to sunbathe au natural, and I am not keen on people using the land I paid for. If they hurt themselves, I am liable, if they drive a vehicle at the river and wreck the environment, I am the one that the government expects to pay to restore it.
I will give some of the more interesting trespassing examples. I was laying on my deck, reading a book, when I watched a young couple walk maybe 50 feet from my house, and down towards the river. I keep a walking path to the river, far from my house, so that I am not disturbed by people trespassing.
This annoys me, who would walk 50 feet from your house, into your backyard, in the city? So I put on my shoes and follow them. I find them down at my firepit, naked, going at it on my chaise lounges. I ask them what they are doing, as if it wasn’t obvious.
They say that they wanted to go swimming, and were just changing, but they had no swim wear.
I asked them if they usually just walked right by someone’s house and got naked. They claimed that they didn’t see my house.
I asked them to leave.
After I blocked off driving access to the river, I had people drive 10 feet from my house, over my lawn, to get to the river. Unfortunately I had also chained up that access to the river, and I blocked my driveway with my truck, before they could come back out.
I heard ila thunk thunk sound one day, so I walked down to the walking path I left open to the river.
There were four boys 11–13 throwing rocks at my private property, please treat with respect sign. They were sitting on a raft, waiting for their parents to come back from dropping off a car, down river.
I go out of my way to allow environmentally friendly access to the river and they practically spit on the gesture.
I get their names and tell them if I find any damage at all on my property, I will be locking the gate, and posting a sign saying that access is gone, because of the actions of these 4 local kids. Listing their names. It doesn’t matter who does the damage, your names will be posted, so make sure no one treats my property like you guys have.
They all agree, and I head back to the house, before their parents arrive.
My wife was sunbathing, and 4 guys on dirt bikes pulled up beside her, they had threaded their way down the walking path. They make a bunch of rude comments, and my wife gets dressed and leaves, they are gone before I get there.
That’s why I get worked up about trespassing.
DANGER: UNSTABLE GROUND
Submitted into Contest #247 in response to: Imagine a world where exploration is forbidden, and write a story about a character who defies this rule to satisfy their innate curiosity...
Today, I am introducing the concept of including some speculative fiction or science fiction (modern and contemporaneous) with the daily posts. Please tell me if you like or hate this idea. -MM
The lab he was assigned to was on the upper floor of a university no longer in use. The building was old, made of even gray bricks. He had to duck through the fifth-floor window that had been fashioned into an entrance to get in. The walls were off-white, and the floors were so stable it made him feel somewhat unbalanced. His feet, used to the bridges and tree-top platforms, weren’t accustomed to the solidity. The equipment in the lab was well maintained: microscopes, autoclaves, incubators, centrifuges. He felt like a child in a room full of new toys. On one side of the room, where a balcony had once been, a ramp had been fixed that led down to the ground. The space before it was taken up by a deoxygenation chamber used briefly to asphyxiate any rogue organisms.
Charlie was integrated into a group that exclusively studied the microorganisms in the ground called Vitae Suffocent. Life suckers. The study was relatively new, they’d only recently worked with engineering to create a protective suit. Before then, the scientists would lean out the window with a cup fastened to a long pole and scoop up a small bit of the dirt. With the help of the suits, they had been able to set up a secure mock habitat to observe the specimens’ behavior.
The group was small, a handful of young students of which he was one, along with six seasoned scientists. For the first time, Charlie found himself surrounded by people who were just as interested in the ground as he was. The obsession that had set him apart from other kids in school was now reflected all around him. There was a girl who’d started at the same time as him- Tori. She was short and had thin black hair chopped short around her ears. Because they were new, they were often assigned projects to work on together. He wasn’t sure if he liked her, but it didn’t matter much.
There was an ongoing experiment that needed a fresh test subject, someone to stick a finger into the Life Sucker habitat. Charlie volunteered immediately, exhilarated by the idea of being able to touch the ground. He pictured it being magical, a borderline religious experiment. He worked himself up over it for days, so that when it was finally time he was almost bursting with excitement.
The scientists heading the experiment placed him in the deoxygenation chamber with the container. Around him, they gathered clipboards, pencils poised to jot down any and all details. His forefinger was swiped clean with an alcohol wipe that made the skin feel dry. Tori unlocked the circular compartment in the top of the container. Slowly, breathlessly, Charlie lowered his hand into the habitat. The tip of his finger brushed the dirt. It was soft and damp as he pressed the finger down. Charlie blinked and the soil began to stir. It tickled the pad of his finger. He watched in fascination as the hidden organisms began to climb up his skin. It was a strange sensation. The soil was cool and light, it felt more like a caress than a smothering.
Tori clicked the stopwatch in her hand and began to count aloud. By the time she reached seven, the organisms were up to his wrist. He withdrew his hand. The seal on the opening caught most of the dirt and held it back, to the irritation of the organisms. He held his hand away from him, not trusting it. Tori latched the contained shut quickly. Someone on the outside of the chamber switched it on. They held their breaths as the oxygen rapidly drained from the room. A loud whirring assaulted Charlie’s ears. His chest tightened. For a minute they all felt like they were suffocating, then it abruptly stopped and the doors to the lab popped open. Oxygen flooded back in. Charlie sucked in a deep breath.
He examined his hand. It was tingling and covered in little red blotches, but otherwise, he was fine. No damage had ever been recorded from less than ten seconds of exposure. Charlie glanced at the other set of doors over his shoulder. The ones that opened onto the ramp that led down to the ground. He longed to go through them, wanted to dig his hands in the ground and laugh as the organisms consumed him. He turned and walked back into the lab.
A month later he was given a protective suit and given the chance to wear it for the first time. He and Tori had been assigned to walk, outside, to a big oak tree and back. Charlie was thrilled. He stepped into the suit and pulled it up over his arms. A tech zipped him in and checked him over. The suit was a stiff layer of slick rubber designed to lack tread so the organisms wouldn’t be able to climb against gravity. The boots they were given were thick and clunky. They were tall, reaching up to his knees like a pair of extra-long rain boots. A device attached to the top of the boot sent out vibrations that they’d found would deter the organisms. The hood of the suit came up over his head and the visor was clicked into place. He saw the world through a glass partition.
Then they were in the chamber and the doors behind them were closing. It was midday and the sun was shining. A breeze spirited a few brown leaves past the glass. The doors to the ramp opened. Charlie stepped out first. His heart pounded in his chest. It was right there, the ground. He walked quickly down the ramp, Tori following behind him at a more reserved pace. He paused at the end of it. The dirt was disturbed, as it always was when the organisms were present. It looked almost fluffy.
Charlie took a deep breath and lifted one foot. He lowered it slowly to the ground, enjoying the crunch of soil underfoot. He leaned his weight forward, ready to take another step, but paused. The ground was shaking around his boot, pulsing in strange waves. It was trying to climb up his boot, he realized. He tried to pick up the foot but felt resistance. The ground clung to his boot, pulling him back down. Charlie watched, entranced. He continued to pry his foot away and eventually the dirt fell back down. He looked at Tori, whose face he could just see behind the visor. She looked equal parts disturbed and fascinated.
Afterward, he felt like he’d been on another planet. It was amazing, he’d been on the ground, but he couldn’t help feeling slightly disappointed. What had they learned during that expedition? Nothing new, nothing interesting. He wanted more. All he could think about was how slow the studies they performed were. They were no closer to understanding these organisms. They needed to study them in action. His plan fell together quickly after that.
Once again he fastened the protective suit on and was checked over by the other technicians. Tori was doing the same next to him. Charlie clapped a hand on her shoulder and with the scalpel hidden in his palm he sliced a tiny hole into her suit, the rubber splitting easily under a sharp blade. She turned and gave him a thumbs-up. He hid the scalpel in one of his pockets.
They walked through the chamber and out onto the ramp. The suit was heavy and sweaty against his skin. Through the visor, he saw the dirt-coated ground come closer and closer. The first step was always the most exciting. His foot hovered over the solid ground, casting a wavering shadow over the dirt. He placed it firmly down. The ground beneath him stirred, trying to creep up his legs but being deterred by the vibrations.
Slowly, the ground pulling at them with each step, they made it 50 feet away from the end of the ramp. He knew they were being watched closely from the observation windows, but at this distance, no one would really be able to tell what happened. Charlie shoved his foot hard to the side right as Tori took a step. The bottom of her boot caught on the top of his and she lost her balance. Her arms windmilled but the suit was too bulky and dragged her down.
She should have gotten up. The suit should have kept the microorganisms at bay. But Charlie had damaged her suit. He gazed intently down at her as the organisms poured over her and into the hole in the fabric. He bent over as if to help her, but really he just wanted to get a closer look. This near, it was mesmerizing. The dark earth swirled as though it was possessed. It rose and fell like a liquid. Tori cried out one last time before they closed over the top of her dark hair. Charlie ignored the panicked voices over his earpiece. Through his visor the majority of the event had been captured (excepting, of course, when he purposefully tripped her).
He’d made a huge leap in the field, no matter how tragic. The footage would help inform scientists for years to come. Except, he didn’t know (no one did) that after a feeding, the organisms laid their eggs. Hundreds of microscopic eggs stuck to his boots and were carried back into the facility. The eggs, not having to breathe oxygen yet, were not affected by the deoxygenation tank. Charlie stripped off his suit and hung it on the hook.
Overnight, the eggs hatched, and those tiny, deadly microorganisms scurried to hide in the dust accumulated above cabinets and at the edges of the room. Charlie was the first person at the lab that morning, still buzzing with the exhilaration of the day before, ready to study the footage and propel their lab forward. When his skin started to itch, he thought nothing of it. Until he noticed the little red dots on his forearm. Then the world tilted on its axis, and he crumpled to the floor. He’d made another major discovery that day. The skin of the microorganisms contained a deadly neurotoxin.
There weren’t enough creatures to make a cast over him. It was a slow death during which all he could think about was how these organisms would feed on him, suck the life out of him. After, they’d lay their eggs. And the eggs would hatch. And the organisms would spread.
His curiosity had doomed their entire town. He’d brought the ground to them.
What did a neighbor do to you that you will never forget?
She accidentally made me her power of attorney.
I had a very elderly neighbor that didn’t really have family and no one ever really came around. We’d try say hi on a decently regular basis but it was clear she had dementia and it was getting worse. I’d try to make sure I say her at least once a day.
When I realized it had been a couple of days since we saw her, I called non emergency for a well fare check. In my area, it’s fairly common. Lots of retired folk.
It wasn’t the first time I had called over the years but it was the first time they found her unconscious. She was taken to the hospital and they tried to find family, friends, anyone who knew this lady existed. Apparently, I was it. I was the only person that seemed to know who this lady was. She didn’t have a will, directive, nothing. So they asked if I was comfortable making POA decisions regarding life. I said I was as I had done it with my grandmother and worked in healthcare so I understood what we were up against.
Ultimately, I decided to tell them to pull the plug. She was well into her 80’s. All her organs were failing, they tried all day to wake her up and were never successful. If she did ever wake up, she’d never go home. She be stuck in some rehab facility and would be on dialysis daily for years. She was a recluse. She told us many time that she doesn’t want to be attached to machines to live.
They pulled all living sustaining equipment. She was given a morphine drip to remain comfortable and passed away about three days after she was found.
I eventually found her daughter but they had been estranged for over a decade.
No Peek Beef Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 pounds stew meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 envelope onion soup mix
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- 1 (4 ounce) can mushrooms, drained
- 1/2 cup red wine or beef broth
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except sour cream. Stir together well. Add to slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 12 hours or on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours.
- At the end of cooking, stir in sour cream.
- Serve over noodles or rice.
Is China really as powerful as we Indians think?
No,
China is much more powerful than we Indians think.
China is a global economic and infrastructural power.
Consider these facts and you will know the difference between China and India—
China’s economically largest province is Guangdong with GDP of $1.3 trillion which is about 45% of India’s GDP. Our economically largest state Maharashtra has a GDP of $430 billion.
2. China has the world’s highest GDP ppp of $25 trillion (2.5 times India’s) and the second highest nominal GDP of $12.5 trillion (5 times India’s).
3. People’s Bank of China has assets of $3.21 trillion, which is more than our GDP.
4. China has the world’s largest foreign exchange reserves, which is about 8 times more than India’s ($3.2 trillion).
5. China adds India’s GDP to its economy every 2–3 years.
6. China has the largest share of global industrial designs, and the largest manufacturing infrastructure in the world. Nearly half of the world’s goods are manufactured in China.
7. 11 of the top 50 largest companies by revenue are Chinese. There is not a single Indian company in the list.
8. China’s economy creates a millionaire in a period of just three days. So China has the highest number of millionaires and billionaires in the world after the US.
9. China’s economy is $12.5 trillion, growing at 6% annually. The US economy is $20 trillion, growing at 2.3% annually. In this way, China will become the world’s largest economy by 2030 and overtake the US.
Now look at China’s infrastructure—
The harsh reality is that India is nowhere near China when it comes to economy and infrastructure. China is competing with the US, trying to become the largest economy in the world, while we Indians are patting our backs on how we are better than a failed state like Pakistan. The reality is that even the Chinese don’t consider India as a big competitor!
We should stop focusing on Pakistan, instead we should start focusing on our own development. China can become a serious threat to India in the near future.