When I was attending university, perhaps after my sophomore year, but between I entered my junior year, I spent the Summer with my father. And, of course, my step mother; the Karen from Hell.
Now, she was a royal pain in the ass, and I could go on, and on, enumerating all the shitty things that she did to me. But today, I will relate one such event of curious charm.
At that time, I had long hair and a beard.
![Mens hair 1970s Mens hair 1970s](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Mens-hair-1970s.png)
The Summer was spent in Summer-classes.
Where I studied anthropology and archeology. I worked in a few digs off of Lake Erie, and I really enjoyed the classes.
I learned a lot, and I found the experience really rewarding for me personally. Not only for the credits that I could transfer to my “regular” university, but also for the experiences that I was getting.
![dig dig](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/dig.png)
But, you know, that didn’t matter to my fathers wife; my step mother.
She hated me. She hated everything about me. There was nothing that I could do right. And if there was something that she could pick on… she would make an issue of it.
Well, at that time, in the 1970’s I wore bell bottom pants, a choke collar, puffy sleeve, wide collar polyester paisley print shirt, and had long hair.
![2a74264a1537e243edbf2992a00567d6 2a74264a1537e243edbf2992a00567d6](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2a74264a1537e243edbf2992a00567d6.jpg)
And she hated it all.
A day didn’t go buy without her complaining, and bitching about me. It was endless and relentless. And the top topic was my hair.
So one day…
After I dealt with yet another tirade from her about my hair, I left the house and went to a nearby barber and told them to give me a crew cut. Yes. They kept on asking “Are you sure?”. And yes I was.
And when I came home, she shut up. She shut the fuck up, and was really kind of embarrassed. Actually.
![crew cut crew cut](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/crew-cut.png)
But, you know what?
I loved her looking like she was sucking on a lemon every time she looked at me.
So, yeah, something good did come out of that entire fiasco. LOL!
Today…
"The West has really crossed—or is in the process of getting ready to cross—some red lines. That's what's so critical for people in America and Europe to understand: when Russia sets out red lines, they're not kidding. These are not suggestions; these are what they view as life-and-death issues. The Russian people have a history of this. The city I'm in, St. Petersburg, was known as Leningrad during World War II. When you look at the fact that the Germans encircled the city and tried to starve them out, Hitler's desire was to kill every Russian inside Leningrad at the time. 800,000 died in about two and a half years, most of them from starvation and disease. Think of that number: twice as many Russians died in this one city as a result of a two and a half-year siege as died in the United States in both theaters of war—Pacific, Europe, and Africa. This stays with the Russian people. They have paid with their blood for having faced threats in the past from the West. So, they don't take the current threats from the United States and Europe about launching missiles into Russia as 'Oh, no big deal'. I wrote about this and challenge every American. Donald Trump recently said what he's going to do is cross the border into Northern Mexico after the drug cartels. I understand why he wants to do that because they're killing over 110,000 Americans a year. However, if Russia then intervened and started supplying missiles to those drug cartels, and those drug cartels were launching those missiles at San Antonio, Austin, Phoenix, Los Angeles, or San Diego, do you think we in America would sit back and say, 'Oh, no big deal'? Hell no. We would view that as an act of war. So how, in the name of God, do we have politicians advocating that sort of madness against Russia and expecting that Russia will behave differently than we would? For God's sake, people, wake up!"
Excerpt from remarks by Larry Johnson, former CIA analyst and U.S. State Department employee, in an interview with Judge Napolitano for Judging Freedom, June 3, 2024.
What is the nastiest thing you’ve done for revenge?
about 40 years ago, I commuted to work daily on a large motorcycle. i did heavy construction work, and was very tired by the time i needed to get the bike to ride home,
i regularly left my bike in a parking lot across the street from the commercial multistory building i was helping construct. the side of this lot closest to my job had a 6–10′ retaining wall bordering it. i would park in one of the auto spaces right along that, since it was the closest to my place of work. [there were none for cycles]
one day, i arrived at the lot and found a vw bug occupying most of the space that my motorcycle had been in. though my bike was very heavy, and the front wheel was locked, that driver had gone to considerable trouble and effort to place my bike horizontally right next to the retaining wall drop off. then they pulled the darn bug so far into that space that it was not possible to move my bike, let alone get out of the parking space and go home unless their vehicle was moved.
presumably, they were angry that a motorcycle was taking a parking place the bug owner felt they were entitled to, and were endeavoring to teach me a “lesson”.
that “lesson” backfired rather badly.
i had owned and worked on many volkswagens, and knew how to get this one open. i did so, and then pushed it completely out of the parking space to where it would block traffic in the lot and be towed.
then i popped the rear engine compartment lid and rearranged the spark plug wires on the distributor cap so that the engine could not start or run.
lastly, i unscrewed the valve stems in all four tires.
after a mere 5 minute or so delay, i was headed home.
never saw that same vw parked in that lot again, and never had any other auto driver mess with my motorcycle.
as ms crouch and idgy say in “fried green tomatoes”: “TOWANDA!”
U.S. Escalates ‘Nuclear’ Risk: World Stands On ‘Edge’ Of Destruction | Richard Wolff
Great video.
How far down would you be able to still escape from a submarine?
In 1970, at Submarine School at the US Naval Base in New London, CT, we were taught that the maximum depth from which we could hope to escape, using the Steinke Hood… basically, a cloth bag that you pulled over your head, with an inflatable buoyancy chamber attached… was about 400 feet.
Luckily, I never had to test this, using one of the Hoods that were stowed aboard the USS von Steuben SSBN 632 in a storage compartment built into the stairs next to the watertight door leading to the Engineering Spaces.
But, we grizzled old sea dogs, being the sadistic bastards that we were, used to scare newly-arrived seamen by showing them the Steinke Hood stowage locker… forcing them to think about it.
One hazard of escape from that deep is that, before opening the Escape Hatch, we would be required to rapidly pressurize the escape compartment to sea pressure. Such a maneuver would almost certainly rupture our ear drums.
But, i did have the adventure of doing a free ascent… just me in my swim trunks… from ~100 feet, at the Dive Tower. We entered a room at the bottom, which was then (relatively slowly) pressurized to the appropriate pressure for a 100-foot water column. Then we were brought into the water through an “air lock”.
We didn’t actually wear the Steinke Hood, as shown in this picture. Don’t know why… hope I’m not getting any instructors in trouble.😜 We had been trained to lock our hands over our heads in a Superman pose. Then, we were released to “blow and go”, exhaling by yelling all the way as our natural buoyancy carried us to the surface.
Divers were stationed at several points along the ~15-second ascent, to intercept and hold anyone who did not appear to be exhaling sufficiently to prevent their lungs from popping like balloons.
Larry Johnson: RED ALERT! Russia Was Ready For DESTRUCTIVE War, Just Waiting Nato SPARKED!
What’s the rudest experience you ever had at a dealership?
My parents never had great credit growing up. They lived paycheck to paycheck for most of my life and when I was in high school my mom got a great job almost through a combination of luck, hard work and dedication. Suddenly, money wasn’t as big of a deal.
After a few years of catching up financially so to speak, my mom wanted a new car. She had been driving an older Sebring for a while and wanted to get out of a smaller car and into a SUV. I’m not talking a Maserati but something nicer than a sky blue mini van.
We went to F.C. Kerbeck in NJ about 30 minutes from where we lived. Kerbeck is known for its high end cars mainly lamborghinis, Bentleys, Rolls Royce, Aston Martin, Etc. But they also did Cadillacs, Buick, GMC.
My mom wanted a used Cadillac SUV – maybe an Escalade, or the smaller one. This was in 2005 or so.
Anyway. We went to the dealer, took us some time to get someone to talk to us but got a nice salesman who showed us cars in our price range that my mom really liked. This was a 2003 Escalade, jet black, not fully loaded but more than what she’d had before and it was well below what she wanted to pay for a car. A slam dunk.
As mentioned credit still wasn’t great, probably in the low 6’s at the time. My parents never declared bankruptcy but had a car repossession. They told the sales guy this from the begining of the conversation.
Anyway, we go inside after a test drive, to talk numbers. Trade in plus I think around 2 grand down and let’s see where we can meet with a price.
The guy goes to run my parents credit and never comes back.
Meanwhile I had excellent credit and would have been happy to co-sign. But he never gave us that option. He literally ignored my parents and me until we got up and left. They were embarrassed. I was embarassed for them.
A simple, “Hey, we just ran the numbers and found some credit issues; I don’t think we’ll be able to find a bank for a loan” would have sufficed, but to ignore people is more than rude – it’s unconscionable.
Scott Ritter Alarming Revelation: Russia Will Use Nuclear Weapons if U.S Continues to Aid Ukraine
Scott is on a rant and tells it as it is. Really worth the view.
Tex-Mex Beef and Bean Burritos
![BeefandBeanBurrito Hero 2048x1365 BeefandBeanBurrito Hero 2048x1365](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/BeefandBeanBurrito_Hero-2048x1365-1.jpg)
Ingredients
- 1 boneless chuck roast
- 1 envelope dry burrito mix
- 1 to 2 tablespoons salsa (mild, medium or hot according to taste)
- About 1/4 cup water, just enough to cover bottom of slow cooker
- Flour tortillas
- 1 can refried beans
- Flour tortillas
- Grated Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Place chuck roast in slow cooker.
- Add burrito mix and water.
- Turn the roast a few times to blend in the mix. Add the salsa.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 12 to 14 hours or until the meat is falling apart.
- Wrap flour tortillas in foil and warm in a 325 degrees F oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
- While tortillas are warming, heat up beans. During the last couple minutes add some grated Cheddar cheese.
- On the middle of the tortillas place some of the meat, some beans and some grated Cheddar cheese if desired.
- Leave about 1/2 inch at the top and the bottom and have the mixture go out to the sides a couple of inches.
- Fold over the top and the bottom.
- Fold one side, then the other.
The United States should not in any way meddle with Hong Kong affairs — Chinese Foreign Ministry
China expressed firm opposition to U.S. blatant interference in China’s internal affairs, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular press briefing on Monday.
Mao’s remarks came after the U.S. State Department Spokesperson announced new visa restrictions on officials of the Chinese Central Government and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government in a statement released last week on the verdict issued by the Hong Kong court on some of those involved in the case of conspiring to commit subversion.
Mao said that the United States has deliberately attacked the principle of “one country, two systems,” smeared the Law on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong SAR, irresponsibly commented on democracy and freedoms in Hong Kong, sought to meddle with HKSAR’s judicial matters and abused visa restrictions.
“Such moves blatantly interfere in China’s internal affairs, violate international law and basic norms governing international relations. China strongly deplores and opposes it,” said Mao.
Mao added that the so-called “primary election” organized by those involved in the case who are anti-China and sought to destabilize Hong Kong amounts to a serious challenge to the constitutional order in Hong Kong and endangers national security.
“Among the defendants involved in the case, 31 have already pleaded guilty,” Mao said, noting that it is reasonable and lawful for the law enforcement and judicial authorities in the HKSAR to carry out their duties in accordance with the law, and punish all acts that undermine national security, and that it is firmly supported by the Central Government.
Mao stressed that Hong Kong affairs are purely China’s domestic affair that brooks no external interference.
China urges the United States to earnestly respect China’s sovereignty and the rule of law in Hong Kong, and abide by international law and basic norms governing international relations, the spokesperson said.
“The United States should not in any way meddle with Hong Kong affairs,” Mao said, adding that if the United States implements the visa restrictions on officials of the Central Government and the HKSAR government, China will take firm countermeasures.
Shorpy
![SHORPY 4a27644a1.preview SHORPY 4a27644a1.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_4a27644a1.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 4a27279a.preview SHORPY 4a27279a.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_4a27279a.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 4a26975a.preview SHORPY 4a26975a.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_4a26975a.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 4a27623a.preview SHORPY 4a27623a.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_4a27623a.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 4a26973a.preview SHORPY 4a26973a.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_4a26973a.preview.jpg)
![1958birthday.preview 1958birthday.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1958birthday.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 4a27536a.preview SHORPY 4a27536a.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_4a27536a.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 13393u.preview SHORPY 13393u.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_13393u.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 14324a.preview SHORPY 14324a.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_14324a.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 4a27498a.preview SHORPY 4a27498a.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_4a27498a.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 1a35440u.preview SHORPY 1a35440u.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_1a35440u.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 4a27640a.preview SHORPY 4a27640a.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_4a27640a.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 01828u.preview SHORPY 01828u.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_01828u.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 12828u.preview SHORPY 12828u.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_12828u.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 4a17574a.preview SHORPY 4a17574a.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_4a17574a.preview.jpg)
![KY0161 lrg.preview KY0161 lrg.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/KY0161-lrg.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 4a03453a.preview SHORPY 4a03453a.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_4a03453a.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 4a12065a.preview SHORPY 4a12065a.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_4a12065a.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 32181u.preview SHORPY 32181u.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_32181u.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 30359u.preview SHORPY 30359u.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_30359u.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 8a02933a.preview SHORPY 8a02933a.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_8a02933a.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 4a03509a.preview SHORPY 4a03509a.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_4a03509a.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 8e10821u.preview SHORPY 8e10821u.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_8e10821u.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 4a23599a.preview SHORPY 4a23599a.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_4a23599a.preview.jpg)
![mainst63.preview mainst63.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/mainst63.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 4a19898a.preview SHORPY 4a19898a.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_4a19898a.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 4a21166a.preview SHORPY 4a21166a.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_4a21166a.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 8b29809u.preview SHORPY 8b29809u.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_8b29809u.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 4a22051a.preview SHORPY 4a22051a.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_4a22051a.preview.jpg)
![SHORPY 00516a.preview SHORPY 00516a.preview](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SHORPY_00516a.preview.jpg)
Have you ever ripped up a ticket in front of a cop?
In Maryland, where I was police, we had the old fashion citation books. If people refused to sign a ticket or if we felt the violator would disregard the citation, we had the option to arrest and take them before a commissioner where a bond would be set or the person released on their own recognizance. It amazed me when people would refuse to sign for their copy of the citation, believing they would not be arrested. They were often proven wrong, usually by other officers.
I would typically write “Refused to Sign” on the signature line and scratched out another ticket for refusing to sign a citation. When these came around to court, the judge would see this as aggressive and hostile behavior and be pretty harsh on the violator.
If they tore up the ticket, I usually let that go to if they signed it. The reason I would let this slide is there was very specific instructions on the citation of what the violators options were…typically pay the caution or go to court. If you didn’t select one of those and return it to the court, they would automatically set it for a trial…and guess who wouldn’t show up in court? The idiot who tore up the instructions.
When people were uncooperative in that they would not let me talk, I’d hand them their copy of the citation and not explain the instructions to them…just hand it to them and walk away. I had a signed copy that they received their copy.
I should note that the signature line has a bold line that says by signing, it’s not an admission of guilt but indicates they received a copy of the citation.
Years before I retired, we moved over to an electronic system that did not require a signature. I’d just print out a copy and give it to them. It had instructions on what needed to be done if they wanted to pay it or dispute it.
Can the USA overtake China in the supercomputer race with her 200 petaflops Summit?
Regrettably, no. The USA needs to aim for at least 2 exaflops if they are starting now, since it takes about two or three years to go from design to actual running hardware.
Sitting in Singapore, I am in the unusual position of having visited the Chinese #1 and #2 supercomputer sites and met with their designers, and also being familiar with the usual TOP500 sites in the US and what some of their plans are.
As a citizen of the USA, I find the disparity discouraging. The Chinese already have a 1 exaflops system in their pipeline, and their designs are excellent and getting better. By the time the USA ekes out a 200 petaflops system, the Chinese will almost certainly have one already in operation that runs circles around it.
While the USA economy grew slowly from 2001 to 2016, China’s economy grew very quickly and in some specific areas they actually surpassed the USA, supercomputing being one of them. Their supercomputer engineers did a lot of things right:
- They were willing to spend the large amount of money required to compete in this arena.
- They were not wedded to the x86 processor mentality, and instead created a hardware-software stack (mostly based on the Alpha processor and its associated software that they had licensed) that delivers significantly more speed per watt of power. Alpha processors achieve about twice as many instructions per clock as do x86 processors.
- They took a holistic approach to the physical design, from the building structure to the cooling system to the custom cabinet design, instead of restricting themselves to easily-available and low-cost solutions to those challenges.
- They bought or licensed USA technologies and picked out the best ideas, then combined them with shrewd ideas of their own.
I should probably note that my colleague Jack Dongarra has written that Taihu Light is not based on the Alpha processor. With all due respect, he should ask one of his Mandarin-speaking graduate students to read the Taihu Light literature that has not been translated into English. The use of Alpha appears in the original, but not in the English translation… I am surrounded by bilingual Singaporeans who can confirm this! There may have been sensitivity that the designers would be accused of ripping off USA technology, so they de-emphasize that aspect of their design. They shouldn’t. There was easily enough innovation in the Taihu Light to earn the designers not just one, but two Gordon Bell Prizes.
Each processor of Taihu Light looks like the Cray T3D on a chip. The Cray T3D was a nimble system based on Alpha processors that many HPC people feel was one of the best-designed supercomputers of all time.
Most supercomputers are severely communication-bound; the T3D was much less so, with an unusually good system balance and low-latency interconnect that made it easier to sustain a high fraction of the peak rated speed. Imagine a 256-processor T3D on a single chip (together with four processors that service that array), and a cleverly-cooled cabinet that packs hundreds of those close together, and a roomful of those cabinets, and you have a system that makes the DOE and NASA labs in the USA go… *gulp*.
If the USA wants to really get back in the game and not just play catch-up, they need to break the me-too paradigm of filling standard racks with x86 processors that have GPU accelerators attached. We can get an order of magnitude improvement in operations per joule by rethinking everything. If I were doing it, I’d use a Very-Long Instruction Word (VLIW) processor with no caches, no instruction lookahead or speculative execution or branch prediction, explore the use of gallium nitride with 16-level logic instead of silicon CMOS, change the numeric representation from IEEE floats to posit arithmetic, connect the cabinets with free-space optics at terabytes per second per channel and a full crossbar, use only stacked memory and extensive use of in-processor RAM and ROM, and declare it a “moon shot” to make such a system work by 2022. This is the way all the great breakthroughs in supercomputing have been made historically… by being willing to change paradigms. Right now, the Chinese are proving better at breaking from legacy thinking than the USA.
VIKTOR ORBÁN:
“Today Europe is preparing for war.
Every day another section of the road to hell is handed over.
Every day we are besieged with the demand for hundreds of billions of euros for Ukraine, the deployment of nuclear weapons in the middle of Europe, and the conscription of our sons into a foreign army: into a NATO mission in Ukraine, into European military units sent to Ukraine.
My Friends, it seems that the pro-war train has no brakes and the driver has gone mad.
In the European elections what we are committing to is nothing less than stopping this train.
We must pull the emergency cord, so that at least those who want to get off can do so, and stay out of the war.
The Hungarian government knows how to do this. We know how to stay out of deadly situations.
In good time we disconnected the Hungarian railway carriage from the pro-migration train, as it hurtled towards the abandonment of nations. Stop migration!
And we also rescued Hungarian children from the hands of dangerous, repugnant gender activists. Stop gender!
Nor will we allow our children and grandchildren to be wagoned to the Ukrainian front. Stop war!
For those looking for how to get to hell, try the second door on the left.
Just so that Brussels, too, can understand: No migration! No gender! No war!”
Excerpt from the speech by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at the ‘Peace March’, Budapest, June 3, 2024.
What’s the most ridiculous adult tantrum you’ve witnessed that you couldn’t believe?
My husband and I were eating breakfast at a local restaurant one morning. While eating we couldn’t help but hear a man complaining about his coffee to the staff.
We went to this small cafe often and knew the employees. They worked hard and were friendly.
“This is the worst tasting coffee I have ever had!” he announced. He stood at the counter glaring at the young woman who had poured his coffee.
She looked timid saying the pot of coffee had just been made. Her face turned pink and it appeared she might burst into tears.
She seemed very young; hardly old enough to drink coffee. Chances were, she simply followed directions on how to prepare it.
I felt sorry for her and wondered why the man didn’t lower his voice. Everyone in the restaurant heard him.
“Well, someone needs to show you how to make coffee!” the man said.
I rolled my eyes at my husband thinking what a jerk the person was.
“Such drama over coffee!” I quietly said.
My husband stood up and strode to the counter standing next to the rude man. The woman looked apprehensive as he handed her his coffee cup.
I was a bit nervous as well. Was my husband going to tell the man he was making a fool out of himself? Would there be an argument or some ruckus over coffee?
“I would love to have a second cup of coffee, please! Great coffee!” he said smiling.
Looking relieved the waitress grinned and poured him a cup.
The man who complained looked a bit embarrassed and angry. He stalked out of the restaurant.
I smiled thinking how kind my husband was. He had restored the young employee’s dignity.
It was just a moment in time, but I will never forget how relieved the woman looked.
What is the most terrible way you’ve seen a person that you loved transform into someone unrecognizable?
My best friend from high school was the same age as me. She was the most beautiful girl, with an awesome figure and a head of long, curly dark hair. We were best friends for 27 years! We both had our first children at the age of 29. For her, it was the only child because 18 months after she was born she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her cancer was HER2 positive, one of the nastiest and most aggressive cancers, and by the time she found the lump in her breast, it was no longer in the early stage.
So at 32 she had a partial mastectomy. Then chemo so she lost all her hair, and finished up with radiotherapy which left her with burn marks on her skin.
But the treatment seemed to have worked, her hair regrew, she went back to work, divorced her husband and started dating again. She had a nipple tattoed on her breast to mimic the one she had lost (the tattoo plus all her treatment was free because we live in Australia). All was looking good. She even had her 5-year cancer-free milestone which is supposed to mean that you’re all finished with the cancer.
But six months later it fell apart. The cancer was back and it was everywhere; all through her organs, her spine, everywhere. And it all started again.
Chemo, hair loss, radiation treatment. She was started on a brand new drug, Herceptin, (free of charge because we live in Australia). But there was no more talk from the doctors about cure, only “prolonging life”.
I helped care for her in her last six months of life. The cancer finally metastasized into her brain, she had fearful hallucinations seeing things that aren’t there and swearing like a sailor at all of us because we couldn’t see them (she had never sworn; she was a perfect lady). And finally, a tumour pressed the optic nerve in her brain and she went blind. But she couldn’t understand that she was blind. She kept asking us to turn the light on.
And that’s how she was when she died on Boxing Day. Weighing less than 40kg; badly tattoed-on nipple (looked like a kid with a crayon had done it) on her half a breast on one side; bald from chemo; burn marks all over her skin; small moustache on her upper lip from steroids.(I used to take hair removal cream into the hospice and remove it – she would have HATED it); blind, raving and swearing. It was a death I would never wish on my worst enemy. Cancer is an EVIL thing. It takes everything away from you and then it kills you.
Is it true that many U.S. active duty soldiers have financial struggles?
The biggest problem leadership has in the military with it’s personnel is debt among the lower enlisted.
Whenever I got a new soldier, one of the first thing I’d do is find out if they had an AAFES line of credit (credit card or otherwise). I’d make them tear up the card and prioritize paying off that debt. AAFES is borderline criminal in how they issue credit and they’ll let an E-3 buy a Mercedes.
Next is buying cars. Go to any major military installation and you’ll see two things lined up right outside the gate to the base. First are used car dealerships. Yep, they have that Mustang you want so bad. Yep, they’ll charge you 23% interest for that Mustang. Nope, they won’t detail all the other expenses, like insurance, that come with that Mustang.
I actually took a Soldier back to a dealership to return a car he had purchased the day before. They charged him $17,000.00 for a $12,000.00 car, at 21% interest.
In other words, give an 18-20 year old a steady paycheck and they’ll likely be pretty stupid with it.
I was. I took a lot of financial lumps.
Then there’s marriage. These clowns can’t wait to do it. First, they think it’ll gain them something financially. It doesn’t. It makes a bad situation incredibly worse. Plus the divorce rates are really high.
The marriage thing is so bad that when I talk to an aspiring military recruit I really only emphasize one thing. DO NOT GET MARRIED IN THE MILITARY. I can’t stress that enough. DO NOT GET MARRIED IN THE MILITARY. Let me say it again. DO NOT GET MARRIED IN THE MILITARY.
You’ll recover from a bad vehicle purchase. You will not recover from a bad marriage and worse, a pregnancy. Some of these women out in town outside of a base can’t wait to get pregnant by a military member. That’s assured health care and a paycheck.
A typical E-3 under 2 years of service will bring home about $750.00 a paycheck. That’s $1,500.00 a month. This income is almost all disposable, given you live in the barracks and eat at the provided dining facilities. $1,500.00 a month of disposable income is a lot more than most families in the U.S. have. You can either make that money go a long way or you can blow it on stupid stuff. Most choose to blow it, then complain they don’t make enough.
Why doesn’t China forcefully reclaim Taiwan now, since USA and NATO are engaged with Russia and running low on ammo, why doesn’t China sieze the golden opportunity is it afraid of other navies in the Indo Pacific?
China has its own consideration.
Both Ukraine & Russia exported lots of agricultural products incl fertilizer. The Ukraine disrupt the supply chain incl food. Who suffer the most? Under-developed countries in Africa.
China is the world supplier ranging from low-end products eg pencil to medium-end eg medicine to high-end eg solar panel. If there is another war – Taiwan war, the entire world will suffer. Again the under-developed countries.
To take Taiwan is easy. In days or at most weeks, a retired Taiwanese veteran said.
But a war will give USA & its allies an excuse to impose heavy sanction on China just like they did to Russia in the Ukraine war. Though Russia’s GDP growth is doing better than the West, but its GDP does drop.
Same thing will happen to China too. Western sanction cannot hurt China too too much but it for sure will hurt a bit.
One important detail must be well planned. That is to catch the leaders alive. Otherwise you cannot put them on trial to warn the rest of people. Look at Hongkong. There was a coup in Hongkong in 2019. The #1 traitor was put on trial now. When the court shows all evidence of treason, those HKers who were misled to support the traitor now see it with their own eyes & hear with their own ears how they were fooled by the traitors before.
See, a military war with Taiwan is easy for China. What to consider is the big economic consequences for the world & the details how to catch Taiwanese leaders.
China has just cancelled 134 items from trade with Taiwan. Some has calculated Taiwan’s GDP will drop by at least 1/3. Many medium & small business will be closed. … Let Taiwanese give pressure to its government/leaders.
What was the most shocking incident about your neighbour that you witnessed?
I’ve answered this in another Quora forum, but it deserves to be repeated.
We bought this cute house which was the one of the triplets of little one bedroom one bath built in a row.
We were a young newlywed couple living in the middle house. To our right was an elderly couple who were pretty nosy, but they rarely bothered me.
But to the left was a rental under Section 8 Housing. For those unfamiliar, Section 8 is a voucher program where the federal government subsidizes rent for low income families.
It was a revolving door there. One was a single mother that we befriended, but she didn’t stay long. Another family moved in, but they kept to themselves. Again, their tenure was short-lived as well.
Then a couple moved in. We think they were a couple. It appeared to be more than two or three sometimes. Lots of people came and went. We never introduced ourselves because they appeared to be the type of people who did not want to be known.
They never acknowledged our presence either even when we would greet them when we saw them outside. They would quickly disappear inside.
One evening at a dinner at my brother-in-law’s there was a family friend who also happened to be a city police. I can’t recall his rank at the moment, but he had been with the department for some time.
I don’t know how the discussion came around to drug dealing in town, but I happen to mention to Alex that our neighbors had an awful lot of visitors. Cars would pull up to the curb and honk. The residents, usually the woman, would come and greet them down the sidewalk. And then the vehicle would leave.
He chuckled when I told the story and asked if I would be home at 3pm tomorrow afternoon. I told him that I could be. And he said “fine, put on some coffee, and we’ll visit.”
It struck me as odd, but I did what he said. At 3:00 the next afternoon Alex arrives in his police cruiser in full uniform. We sat in the kitchen and watched cars slow down in front of our next door neighbor’s home and then leave quickly. Alex laughed at each one. I think he may have recognized a couple.
Fifteen minutes later he got up to leave and said “let’s do this again tomorrow.”
We repeated the same thing that next afternoon.
Before the weekend our neighbors moved out.
What is something that someone told you that made you immediately realize that the crazy story they were telling you was actually true?
A long time ago now, my elderly father fell in love with a woman appx. 20 years younger than him. She actually dated my brother for a short time who is younger than her, and decided she liked my Dad and started dating him and they had a relationship for about 10 years until I put him into a senior’s home due to dementia.
This woman drove me crazy because it seemed to me that she was lying about her past. She bragged about living in California and managing a huge club featuring the Chippendales male strippers when she was younger. She said she used to own a big horse ranch and bred horses. She also said she used to own a yacht and used it a lot. She had been married a few times and had 3 children and said she lived the high life in the past.
I found this very hard to believe because my Dad was always a very poor carpenter and was retired and lived in a modest housing cooperative which was the only kind of home he could afford on his pension and seniors benefits. She was severely disabled, legally blind and sometimes needed a wheelchair and was living on social assistance and was just as broke as my Dad and always needed money. She was renting a cheap apartment in a very low income, crime ridden neighborhood and had next to nothing and actually took advantage of my Dad who gave her money when he could spare some. She also said that she was part of a mass lawsuit of hundreds or thousands of people who were suing a pharmaceutical company because she became disabled using a pharmaceutical drugs which had severe side effects which made her disabled and ruined her life.
The way she behaved made me think she had a mental illness and was a compulsive liar – there was just something very off with the way she presented herself. Well – I was surprised when she actually showed me old photos of her surrounded by Chippendale male strippers, on a ranch with horses and on a yacht. The photos looked legit and maybe she wasn’t lying after all. I also checked the internet (at that time there wasn’t nearly as much info as there is now) and sure enough – there was a class action law suit against this pharmaceutical company by a lot of people who have been disabled and hurt by taking a pharmaceutical drug which was now discontinued due to its serious side effects. She had a daughter and I overheard them casually talking about when her children were very young and she was managing an adult strip club, etc. So I guess her outrageous stories were probably true to some extent and her life had seriously gone downhill and she was living in extreme poverty in Canada (not the US). I have lost touch with her since my Dad went into the seniors care home and as far as I know, she never did get any money from that lawsuit. But those things can drag on for a very long time.
“The confiscation of Scott’s passport is a unconscionable act by a government that’s afraid of him because of the truth he speaks,” retired CIA intelligence officer Larry Johnson
“America touts itself as the land of the free and the home of the brave, this demonstrating that it’s only free for some and definitely a land of cowards,” Johnson said.
Johnson worried he may be targeted in a similar fashion. “He’s been convicted with no crime,” he said of Ritter, noting the former Marine Corps intelligence officer had served his country in the US military.
“There have been no charges brought against him. So this is just an arbitrary act. But when people have that kind of power and they can act unrestrained, as they have under the Biden administration, it can happen to anybody. I anticipate when I go back, they may try to seize my passport,” Johnson said.
“They take a US citizen who… just happened to be a critic of US policy and are now punishing him by preventing him from traveling freely. I think this will likely backfire because it’s going to bring more attention to Scott, not less,” Johnson concluded. “And it will get his message heard by more people instead of fewer people.”
[If Russia makes a strategic breakthrough in eastern Ukraine, the Baltic states and Poland will deploy troops on Ukrainian territory, according to Der Spiegel, Germany. Do you see any reality in this type of reporting? Because how are they going to do that? How trained are they?]
“It’s delusional.
Do you know anything about dogs? You know what a Rottweiler is? I’ve got two of them. Great dogs, very loving, but they’re big—about 130 pounds each.
They have a ferocious bark and are extremely strong. Very strong. That’s Russia.
Have you seen any of these Chihuahuas, these little bitty, tiny, skinny, yappy dogs? All they do is yap-yap-yap, and they’re a pain in the ass. That’s Estonia. That’s Latvia. That’s Lithuania.
If I let my dogs out, those Chihuahuas can yap all they want, but my dogs would eat them.
Russia would eat Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania if they dared to do something like that.
Yeah, they’ve got some troops, but so what? Again, let’s go back to France.
What’s the last war that Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania won?
Where are their troops so combat-trained in combined arms? Oh, they’re not.
They participated in a NATO exercise? Oh, that’s great—that qualifies you.
It doesn’t—I’m just being sarcastic.
This kind of talk is delusional on the part of these people because they’re not coming to grips with reality.
If Russia wanted to, yes, it could attack those countries and destroy those people. That’s not what Russia is about.
In fact, even when the Soviets were occupying those countries, they did it for one reason: they wanted a buffer.
After 1945, they looked back and realized they had been invaded in 1941, 1918, and 1854 (with Crimea).
After being invaded multiple times, they said, ‘Okay, wait a second, this West will not leave us alone. We’re going to create a buffer.’ That’s what Putin is all about right now.
They’ve recognized that there’s no coexistence with the West, at least not with its current leadership, when you have nitwits like Rishi Sunak.
He’s like Mini-Me—a skinny Mini-Me—from one of those cult movies.
He’s nobody.
He looks like a little boy dressed up to go out and play banker.
He’s just a tiny man, tiny both in physical and mental stature.
It’s dangerous when you have these Lilliputians running around trying to tie down Goliath.
That’s not going to happen.”
Excerpt from remarks by Larry Johnson, former CIA analyst and U.S. State Department employee, in an interview with Nima R. Alkhorshid, June 2, 2024.
PASSPORT SEIZED! Scott Ritter Taken Of Airplane While Traveling To Russia
Freedom in America.
What is something that most people don’t know?
The man in the above picture is popularly known as the Human Hibernator.
![main qimg 46aa24b112d17a3a984f556cd50cde87 lq main qimg 46aa24b112d17a3a984f556cd50cde87 lq](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/main-qimg-46aa24b112d17a3a984f556cd50cde87-lq.jpeg)
Arthur E. (Turkey) Gehrke, was popularly known as the human Hibernator, he had a habit of going to bed in Early November and staying in bed Until April.
For 25 years Gehrke continued his practice of going to bed in November and staying there till April. A psychiatrist explained that Gehrke was suffering from Anxiety Neurosis because he suffered from shock which arise as a result from a liver ailment.
He believed staying in bed at the time he was sick made him better, he can continue to do that for the rest of his life. He told his doctors that by staying in bed he avoids getting sick.
Arthur had a bar which was the source of his bread and butter and he used to hire one bartender to look after the affairs after when he went into his hibernation.
Arthur died in his Sleep, in a hospital to which he was admitted because he suffred from acute anemia.
To date he is known as the Human Hibernator and no other man in history is known to sleep like this. At least he died doing what he loved.
In today’s world of science, human hibernation is termed to be very useful as travel to Mars would require a good amount of time (many months), if it could be learned and be tought or artificially induced – would help a lot.
I believe that many people did not know that a human hibernator existed.
This is how the RICH live in Vietnam
What are some of the most common frustrations for MIT students?
Not enough sleep.
Too much stress. Getting an education at MIT has been likened to “drinking from a firehose”
Mailing list spam.You can easily get 100 emails in one hour when a flamewar starts.
Lack of good on campus or near-campus food.
Everyone seems so much smarter than you.No matter how smart you are, people with gold medal at International Math Olympiads are not hard to find. There’s those who started programming at the age of 6, those who skipped two grades and still got into MIT. People breeze through problem sets in half the time you take and never have to go to office hours for help. We were all above average in high school. At some point you’re going to be below average at MIT, even the very best students. It’s just a very difficult feeling to get used to, but once you accept that you’re not the biggest fish in the pond, you’ll realize how much you can learn from an environment like MIT.
Everyone seems so much cooler than you.In a school legendarily filled with nerds there are quite a few amazing people who “seem to have it all”: Attractive, popular, everyone recognizes them at parties, boyfriend/girlfriend of everyone’s dreams, a 5.0 GPA, job at Facebook lined up, sleeps 8 hours a day and seem to be having the time of their lives while you say “I hate this frickin place”
Everyone seems to know what they’re doing except for you.While everyone rambles on about internships, the next 3 years of classes in their major, what UROP to do, what advisor to get, etc. you are just lost. In the end, it’s just an illusion caused by the vast number of people around and the fact that people rarely reveal their doubts or insecurities in public. You only see the one side they are amazing at: they, like everyone else, are human too and have worries, self-doubts, and frustrations just like you.
Someone is inevitably jealous of you.See the above three points.
Finding your home at MIT. The housing system can cause a lot of consternation, especially if you wind up in a dorm you really don’t like and can’t transfer out. Every dorm has its unique personality, which they advertise to freshman incomers during a 3-day period called REX (Residential Exploration) at the beginning of the school year. After basing their preferences on this, various gossip, friends made in the past few days, and CPW (Campus Preview Weekend, for admitted freshmen), freshmen make their choices – and then have to decided which wing or floor of their dorm to live in – each of which also has a unique personality.
This gives a lot of freedom and ability to create communities but is also radically different from every other school I’ve heard of, and creates a lot of drama for freshmen. Immediately afterwards, fraternity rush and sorority recruitment begins – 50% of MIT men and 30% of MIT women are in the Greek system, which makes this a big deal unlike many other schools. Do you pledge? Do you not pledge? Which is the right place for me?
Too much frickin’ snow. Being from California, I’m not used to waking up to this:
The dining plan is now mandatory in certain dorms. If you don’t use the 12-17 meals required per week, you lose all of them. This was a giant change from the previous meal plan which was optional and much cheaper. There were also no guest meals in 2011-2012 – guests had to pay $13.50 cash for a dinner.
You’re often stuck on campus and where the Saferide/Tech Shuttle takes you. The T is pretty good but takes effort to ride. To someone from California walking 15 minutes in the snow to the Red Line + 5-10 minute wait for a train + 10-20 minutes into Boston seemed like a major pain to do frequently. Especially if it’s late or a far destination outside the reach of the T. Driving usually is not an option. Until I discovered Zipcar of course.
Walking to class. Especially in the Infinite Corridor, when suddenly a wild tourist group appears…
The poor stray cat, bullied by its peers, sat alone on the hood, tears in his eyes as he met my gaze
Have you ever walked into your child’s classroom and pulled them out of school on the spot?
A while back, my son was super excited to start his first day at a new swim class. He’d been looking forward to it for weeks, but the day before his first lesson, he fell off his bike and broke his arm. It was such a letdown. Since parents were welcome on the first day and I knew he’d need some help, I decided to go with him.
When we arrived, I got a bad feeling right away. The instructor barely acknowledged us and seemed irritated that my son had a broken arm. She made it clear that he was more of a hassle than anything else, which didn’t sit well with me. The final straw came during the warm-up. The instructor had a rule where the kids got to do the exercises in order of how “well-behaved” they’d been. I didn’t love this idea, but since it was our first experience, I decided to roll with it. My son was placed last because he couldn’t keep up with the warm-up exercises due to his broken arm. He ended up stuck at the back with the rowdiest kids, who were splashing water and goofing off, while my son just stood there looking lost and unsure. I could see this going on for months – my kid treated like a burden and stuck with kids who weren’t a great influence. After the warm-up, I took his hand, and we left. I couldn’t see us putting up with that kind of treatment.
Thankfully, I managed to get our entire non-refundable deposit back. We found a more accommodating swim class where my son thrived, and his broken arm was never an issue.
What America Gets WRONG About China
Have you been on holiday (vacation) a place you have never been before but know and recognise things you know have never seen before?
This story is certainly different. An American family were on holiday (vacation) in the UK for the 1st time.
They visited the usual tourist attractions that Americans love castles old Manor houses and British countryside.
They were visiting a Manor house steeped in history an about 1000 years old.
The youngest daughter who was 10 at the time suddenly went very quiet then very excited and announced I use to live here.
The family were taken a back by this announcement but just teased her by saying sure you have.
That’s when things started getting odd they were getting a guided tour of the house. The little girl kept interrupting the tour guide telling where things were to the astonishment of everyone there.
They got to oldest part of the house when the little girl got very upset and refused to go any further.
The tour stopped everyone concerned for the little girl including the irritated and slightly annoyed tour guide what’s up with you something awful happen here laughing
The little girl stopped crying and very coldly said they bricked me up in a room down there and left me to die for something I didn’t do.
The little girl stopped looked at her mum dad and asked what are we doing here and couldn’t remember anything she had said earlier.
The tour guide was the most shocked he said that 500 years ago a young girl was bricked up in a room by her husband who wanted rid of her so he could marry someone else.
The room was discovered a hundred years ago during building work finding the the poor girl.
The tour guide said that story was not on the official tour as there was hundreds of stories to tell.
The American family certainly had a story to take back to states and obviously check there family tree.
The little girl just snapped out of it and couldn’t remember any of it.
I read this story in a magazine about 30 years ago so I can’t update on it.
I like the story as its so unusual so if any of our American cousins are coming over on holiday it might happen to you.
Mark Sleboda: Putin, China and Iran Drop BOMBSHELL on U.S. Military as Middle East Embraces New Era
What actions could the US take to establish supply chains for semiconductors and other vital goods that do not rely on China?
This isn’t a matter of establishing supply chains.
This is a matter of economics. Using US supply chain to build electronics products would raise costs by 5–10 times. I can create a supply chain for the entire electronics industry. Everything from SMD resistors, capacitors, etc. to PCBs.
But I wouldn’t be able to sell the products outside of the US. And I would also need laws to protect the supply chain. Tariffs of 1000% for ALL electronic products and parts.
The problem is the US market isn’t big enough compared to the entire world so those tariffs and laws will always need to be there.
And the US consumer would have to pay $2,000 for a LCD TV instead of $500. And this would be for everything with electronics in them. And since I have a monopoly, the prices would rise.
Many nations have attempted this in history for every product you can think of. They have always failed because the prices because so large that their own consumers could no longer afford most of the products. So people stopped buying and were pissed off.
Amazon and other retailers product list would drop like a rock. So Amazon would take a massive hit in revenue and then their stock would drop off a cliff.
It’s a vicious cycle that nations do not want to happen.
This is why the US hasn’t tried it. The US has tried it in the solar panel industry and the solar panel makers went bankrupt. Because the prices were so high, people stopped installing them.
ATACMS, F16s, boots on the ground; Russian warnings ignored
This video was made three hours before it actually happened!
Did you ever beat up the high school bully in front of everyone?
Back in grade 8, I was tiny and awkward and usually quiet. The tallest boy decided I was his target one day as the whole class stood against the hallway wall waiting for our teacher to come unlock the classroom. I wasn’t impressed and told him to stop.
I warned him he wasn’t going to like what happens if he continued. He of course just laughed and continued. So, like my parents taught me I gave him a hard right upper cut. His head went up and back so hard he hit his head on the wall behind him and slid all the way down onto his ass out cold.
I was shocked and knuckles bruised but kept my cool.
The class gasped, laughed and yelled all kinds of support. Just as the teacher came to our door. We all marched in past the body starting to stir. The teacher finally noticed him and asked what happened. “I hit my head on the wall I think” was all he would say.
2 years later, grade 10 Art class he walks in. His older brother was also in the class but I didn’t know this at the time. Tall guy sits at my table and when the teacher isn’t around he starts trying to tease me. I turned face to face with him and said, “Do you have a short memory? I’m still tough enough to knock you on your ass and there are 20 some witnesses who can vouch for it.” “That was a lucky shot, that’s all.” He shyly tried to back up but his brother had Heard and jumped on the moment.
He teased him terribly and laughed asking me if that was back in grade 8 and was I really the one. Said not to worry, his little brother won’t be stepping out of line again and I was officially “Wild Thing!” The nickname didn’t last more than a year but it was funny. I also realized then that his older brother was the reason he thought it was ok to be a bully. I hope he managed to get passed the teasing and he and his brother could be friends.
NASA Isn’t Telling Us Something About The Moon
“We won’t have to bring any food to the Moon on our next trip because we can order out from the local Chinese Russian or Indian restaurants.”
What’s the scariest thing (outside of the internet) you’ve experienced?
“So, you don’t talk much?” I casually asked my Uber driver, an American man in his mid 20s.
He shook his head.
“Oh, okay.” I shrugged.
“It’s just– nothing really matters. Why talk about anything, if nothing matters?”
“You’re a nihilist?”
And suddenly, I was trapped in a Toyota Prius, hurtling down the highway with a man who– as it turns out– actually had a lot to say about the government, the universe, and everything.
Things took a turn about 15 minutes into his rant when it became clear he also held a grudge against women.
Knuckles white on the steering wheel, spittle hitting the windscreen– dude was angry.
Alarm bells dinged out a frantic ‘Pachelbel Canon’ in my head.
My instincts took over.
I nodded, agreed, backed him up. Cooed over his angry remarks.
Agreed with how unfair life had been to him, feigned concern.
Offered him a snickers bar.
We arrived at my destination, a place I was house sitting.
Completely alone.
For seven days.
“You know, if you want to keep talking, I could come in for a while?” he asked, no longer with venom in his eyes, but weird puppy-dog hope.
“I’m sorry, my Hubbs is going to be home any minute, it wouldn’t feel right.”
With a sad frown and greasy hair, he drove off.
I promptly ran inside and locked all the doors and windows.
– – –
Edit:
Thank you to everyone who had something kind to say, I appreciate your empathy!
To everyone else: is it really that big of a deal if I felt unsafe and handled it in a polite and calm way?
Maybe you were overreacting, lady!
I can assure you I was not, believe me, I was there.
But that’s beside the point. I didn’t karate chop him and roll out of the moving vehicle, did I?
I just politely said ‘goodbye!’ and went inside.
It’s really great that there are plenty of people here who are feeling bad for the guy– I’m not saying that you shouldn’t. Heck, everyone should. Mental health is a real issue in the States.
I just hope that we can look at this answer for what it is: an insight into one woman’s mind when she found herself in a scary situation.
Pregnant Cat Cries Just Before She Was About To Be Put Down. What Happens Next Will Melt Your Heart!
Should Cambodia submit itself to be a province of China so as to become second-class citizens of a superpower?
The Chinese are not WASPs (White Anglo Saxon ProtestantsIn) who believe they are superior.
China respects all countries, Same welcome ceremony as that for Russian President Putin. China treats countries the same, big or small.
![main qimg 020e07c1ac22ba29bcfed62d8abe6ca0 main qimg 020e07c1ac22ba29bcfed62d8abe6ca0](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/main-qimg-020e07c1ac22ba29bcfed62d8abe6ca0.jpeg)
Prime Minister of Cambodia Hun Manet
![main qimg 4ae8236410639048063c4dd446641686 main qimg 4ae8236410639048063c4dd446641686](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/main-qimg-4ae8236410639048063c4dd446641686.jpeg)
President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin
China has no precedent of letting a head of state sit on a small bench.
![main qimg ed9976840335d41ec3bb14ced7d7f8c0 main qimg ed9976840335d41ec3bb14ced7d7f8c0](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/main-qimg-ed9976840335d41ec3bb14ced7d7f8c0.jpeg)
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić
Leaders of small countries like this do not get such welcome treatment in the West especially in the US.
Whenever an leader from Africa or a poorer country visits the eu or us they never get treatment like this and rarely see the president.
When African leaders visit the west , they huddle all the African leaders in 1 bus like school chiildren ~ William Ruto (President of Kenya)
![main qimg ac4b02abfbb778d762c2413a849e1276 main qimg ac4b02abfbb778d762c2413a849e1276](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/main-qimg-ac4b02abfbb778d762c2413a849e1276.jpeg)
At the US-Africa summit, Joe Biden rode in the presidential limousine while African leaders crowded into a bus.
When African leaders visit China, each of them has a Hongqi presidential car arranged by China to serve him.
![main qimg ad212fc07669fb78ff45341273db30ca main qimg ad212fc07669fb78ff45341273db30ca](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/main-qimg-ad212fc07669fb78ff45341273db30ca.jpeg)
The citizens of small countries, including Cambodia, are not idiots, and neither are their leaders.
They know exactly who respects them and treats them as honored guests and who treats them with arrogance and treats them like second-class citizens.
In addition, to make you sad, with the rise of Southeast Asia, there are not many days when old white men go to Southeast Asia with few dollars and euros to find young girls.
What Happened to the TIME TUNNEL?
Time out of mind.
Submitted into Contest #251 in response to: Write a story about a future academic (or another influential person) “rediscovering” a book that, in its time, was dismissed. The book can be fictitious or real...
Lewis was about to collapse under the weight of the information and the speed of the data that had churned into his mind since Spring. He was a foremost academic. An expert in Global Economics,. Climate Sciences , Engineering, knew everything about Global history, knew all the facts, possessed all the arguments by memory. His mind was the Collective. The implant he got at a young age connected him instantly to everyone and everything curated by an artificial intelligence created with the sole purpose of making sure he wanted not for knowledge of anything. He was about to unalive himself. He took the winter off of his research and had an automated vehicle drive him to Alabama. From Maassachusets to Alabama. Hours down numbered highways. Lewis was never lost. He knew the entire route and where the traffic stops were. He knew where the wrecks were. He knew that the National Weather Service Radar had đetected inclement weather. His mind was a constant electronic buzz. He never wondered anything. The whole ride, sitting alone in the vehicle while it navagated itself, in a bubble of complete comfort Lewis streamed podcasts into his mind constantly, though if the information mentioned was published in the academic presses he knew it instantly. It was all uploaded to the Collective. Eventually he was in a fetal position, like a zygote in the womb of a publicly owned electric vehicle with ‘Copilot’ application that connected directly to Lewis’s mind. His body sobbed, The car streamed into his mind, “YOU HAVE REACHED THE HANK WILLIAMS HIGHWAY, ALSO KNOWN AS THE ‘HANK WILLIAMS MEMORIAL HIGHWAY.’ I-65 IN ALABAMA. IT BEGINS IN GEORGIANA, ALABAMA WHICH WAS HANK WILLIAMS BOYHOOD…” Lewis, whose biological body was still sobbing and whose emotional self felt unaliving dread, could only hear in his mind, “HIRAM KING WILLIAMS, BORN 1929 IN MOUNT OLIVE ALABAMA…” The vehicle pulled out infront of the shotgun shack that had belonged to his family for generations. The vehicle aimed itself directly at the old wooden steps. Lewis walked in the old cabin. On the old fold out table was a strange machine he paid no mind to. In one corner was the rifle, made for a child, that he remembered. As his eyes rested on it and his emotional self’ felt perverse relief, the Collective, via his mind announced, “THE RUGER 10722 WAS FIRST INTRODUCED IN 1964. IT IS A SEMI-AUTOMATIC RIFLE THAT HAS BEEN IN PRODUCTION SINCE THEN, MAKING IT ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL RIMFIRE RIFLE DESIGNS IN HISTORY. ” Lewis was sitting on the top step now. “THE RUGER 10/22 RIMFIRE…”
It was the most bizarre thing Lewis had ever experienced.
He looked up at the ceiling lit by fluorescent light and heard nothing. After a while He heard someone say, “How long has it been? Where am I?” He looked around the room. The last thing he could remember was lights, orange fleeting lights on the highway, and a feeling he could not
put words to. He sat there, either in silence, or hearing that strange voice that didn’t know anything but knew about him. Hours passed, though he didn’t know that for sure.
A nurse came in and noted instantly in his case report that he “had regained consciousness, despite being inactive from the Collective.” Lewis felt like he was falling into the bed as she stared at him for seven minutes without blinking. Then It decided that she needed to express herself verbally. “You are at Andalusia Regional Hospital. Andalusia, Alabama. You sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound after an attempt to unalive yourself. Luckily your action took place in view of your car’s safety camera and an autonomous 1ife flight was dispatched.” This was delivered to Lewis with no meter nor tone inflection and for some reason, must be some medication he figured, Lewis felt sick looking at the glaring nurse.
He was released and the same vehicle which had saved his life had followed Lewis to the hospital. At the cabin he noticed that the sun had stained the top step red with his blood, inside the door was the Rugar leaning against a wall. He looked at it. Mind said nothing. He felt regret, and pain, and shame, and gratitude, though he could not say why. There were no words except “Thank you” repeating in his mind. Tears came to him. He picked up the rifle, walked it to a back room, and put it up in a closet. He sat at the table and looked up at the dusty portrait of the last supper. He could not remember who had painted it, maybe Michelangelo. He looked up at it and remembered those dinners shared at the table before he was an academic, when uncles would talk of hogs and aunts would whisper. He hardly knew anything and was happy. He sat in that feeling of the past, and his mind said nothing to him. Or rather, he thought about nothing. After he ate a meal of surplus food from plastic bags in silence, he found on the shelf, tucked between photographs of his grandparents, a small hardcover book. Physical books were very expensive. There had not been a need to print one for many years. Any book one had the desire to read was instantly known down to the last word simply by becoming cognizant of it. First, he smelled the object, and his mind lit up. He loved the smell. He wrestled with himself on what to call it. Sweet, woody, pulp? cardboard? No, fresh and ancient. He could smell times gone by. He could smell the sweat of the 20th century. He read the three-word title. Which surprisingly, for a scholar took a lot more effort than he thought. It’s not that he couldn’t read, He knew more words than the author did. He knew better grammar than the author did. There was something else, a discipline of manual-reading that he had to develop, as well as an ability to let his own thoughts speak as he read. The most amazing thing happened as he read the first page slowly. Visions came to him, and he heard voices. He was at the edge of a harbor. It was night but he could hear the waves in front of him. From the darkness a spotlight would scan across the water and onto the sand.
He walked back to the closet and got the rifle out, then out the door sat on the top step and loaded it. He noticed there was dried blood still on it and he felt that grateful sorrow. He walked around the back of the old house. He followed a path that existed much less in the sand he was walking in than in the sacred pre-Collective part of him. He passed the fallen down house with the iron toilet sunk halfway into the ground and the lid long had been taken off. He walked along with the gun resting in the crook of his arm and it looked like a pipe hanging lazily on the lip. He would have called it hunting but really, he is just walking at such a slow pace the business of the woods can go on without noticing the intruder. Lewis strolled along all the way until he reached the bank of the river. He leaned the rifle on a tree and sat in the sand on the bank and watched the black water flow by. In the shallow part where the water was amber, he watched a bass struggle against the flow of the stream. He watched until the fish peeled off and swam downstream. He took the book out of his pocket and began reading. —Nothing but burned over country… Looked down into the clear brown river… Trout keeping themselves steady in the current… He watched them a long time… “What was he thinking as he watched them?” Lewis asked himself. A strong breeze came down the river corridor and shook the trees and out in front of Lewis there was a rattling coming from the overhanging tree. He peered into the tree for a long time while trying to see what caused the noise. There were several lures, rusty hooks lodged into the tree that had grown around them. The tops of the lures were bleached white and treads of old line drifted in the breeze like Spanish moss. Lewis reckoned they had been there a long time. He wondered what had been in the minds of those that left them.
After eating back at the cabin that evening Lewis took the book and sat down at the table under the Michelangelo painting. Lewis read those first three words, the title, “In Our Time.” By the time he got through to the end of the book it was dark but Lewis didn’t notice. He was living in the thousand other lives that the Collective had kept from him.
Why does the Western media portray China in a negative light? Has China been misrepresented?
Wow, I am absolutely privileged to meet someone who was born yesterday. Greetings!
Or perhaps you’ve been living on a deserted island your whole life, in which case you have my sympathy.
By now, everyone who has kept abreast of world events over the past several decades is aware of the unbridled hatred the collective West has for China.
This is evidenced by relentless Western anti-China propaganda disinformation.
And the reasons are pretty obvious. They’re one or some combination of the following:
- Fear of losing Western global hegemony to China.
- Racism (white supremacy) or Sinophobia.
- Jealousy. China’s spectacular success just makes the West look bad. It’s an ego thing, a matter of national pride.
- Politics. China is a terrific scapegoat to divert attention from the poor state of Western economies. Pay particular attention to the 2024 US Presidential Election.
Anyway, I hope you are now caught up from your slumber.
Why We’re Leaving The United States
FLASH!!! Russia Formally “Warns” United States Against “Miscalculations that could have Fatal Consequences”
Moscow warns the United States against miscalculations that could have fatal consequences.
“Fatal consequences” is not ambiguous. There is no room for misinterpretation.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov, commenting on Kiev getting permission to carry out attacks with American weapons deep into Russian territory also said:
“The Russian Federation calls on the United States to take Russian warnings with the utmost seriousness.”
Deputy Foreign Minister Ryabkov continued by saying “Ukrainian attacks on missile attack warning systems: such attempts will be stopped, the response may be asymmetrical.”
Of course “asymmetrical” means that one side does one thing, the other side does something completely unexpected and different.
HT Remark: I do not know how much longer the Russians can go without hitting the United States for all our murderous meddling in the Ukraine situation. I suspect that when Russia’s retaliation comes, it will be sudden, dramatic, and horrifying.
Readers of this site know that I have urged and implored them to get emergency prep supplies of food, water, medicines you need to live, communications gear like CB or HAM radios, flashlights, batteries, first-aid kits. a generator to keep your refrigerator running and spare fuel for that generator.
I do NOT sell any of these things and have no financial interest at all in what you buy. I’m telling you to do this to save your lives!
Things seem to be rapidly escalating out of control. If you are not prepared in advance, and think you’ll run out t to the store to get these things once attacks begin, you will find yourselves S.O.L. because store shelves will be wiped clean by millions of other panicking people. Get the things you can get, RIGHT NOW. Don’t wait.
Better to have them, and not need them, than to need them and not have them.
11 Mysterious Videos That Cannot Be Explained
What are some social rules of etiquette everyone should know and follow?
- When someone hugs you, you should not be first to break it.
- Remove your sunglasses when you have to speak to someone.
- Irrespective of your closeness, do not ask your friends and room mates for their clothes, shoes and accessories. Those are ‘ personal belongings‘
- Do not order expensive stuff when you are sharing or the other person is paying the bill.
- Don’t make ola / uber driver wait for you. Time is literally money for them.
- If you borrow someone else’s novel/ books, do not mark anything in them. Return them in a good condition and within acceptable time.
- Compliment people when you notice their extra efforts in something.
- If any child touched you and asked(begged) for money don’t give a dirty look at them and run two steps back. Give, if you want to or say no. That’s it.
- Wave your hand rather than calling his or her name in a louder pitch if someone is wearing headphones.
- Praise publicly. Criticise privately.
- Be quiet when other people are asleep. That means more than not talking — not slamming doors, drawers, etc.
- Avoid finishing other people’s sentences and cutting them off
- If you get a missed call, remember to call them back. Or at least drop a message.
Reasons I left the United States, 3 years later in Spain
Time’s Unlikely Gift
Submitted into Contest #251 in response to: Write a story about discovering a lost manuscript. It can be from a famous (or infamous) author, or an unknown one.… view prompt
Pen Bragan
“Anna, darling!” Startled, she knocked her head against the bed frame as Aunt Betty called from downstairs. “Are you hungry, dear? I’ve made up some food for you!”.
“I’ll be right there…” She called back, as she slid out from under the bed, making a mental note to come back to investigate.
**
Later that night, sufficiently full of home-cooked food, Anna made her way back to her bedroom. She was looking forward to being able to relax alone; moving into a new place was always so mentally exhausting. But first, she had to know what, if anything, was up with the floor. As quietly as she could, she slid her bed over a few feet. Kneeling on the floor, Anna pulled up on the boards one by one. Underneath, to her satisfaction, was a wooden crate and an old typewriter. Wiping some of the dust off the crate, she noticed the letters E.A. written on top. She wasted no time in taking the lid off. It was filled with aged paper. Journal articles, by the looks of it. After a quick glance she noticed the first page was dated October 15, 1918. She rifled through the crate, looking at the rest of the dates. They didn’t seem to be in any particular order, as if someone had haphazardly collected the papers and threw them in.
She found the page with the earliest date, figuring it would be best to read chronologically, and started reading.
**
October 15, 1905
Dear reader,
I hope this finds you well. It is my birthday… Today I am fifteen years old. Ma and Pa gifted me this typewriter. They’ve known of my fondness for stories since I was a small girl. I couldn’t be more thrilled to have opened it. I have decided to write journals to document my life. Maybe someday you will find it. Maybe someday I will read them back and realize what a wonderfully exciting life I have lived. Oh, how I long for adventure. I have always had the sense that I do not belong here… like I am destined for more than to grow up and become a housewife, on a farm in the middle of Virginia. Perhaps I will become a famous author one day! I will write again soon.
Best,
E.A.
**
Anna read through the journal entries one by one. Many of them were so worn with age that they were difficult or impossible to read. A few partially eaten by mice. The mystery author wrote almost daily. Occasionally she tried her hand at fictional stories. Many times she wrote about her life: her friends, books she was reading, plans she had for the day, and fond memories that she wanted to remember.
**
October 16, 1895
Do forgive me if this does not make much sense. I can hardly believe it and I myself experienced it. My last entry was last night, I wrote about my fifth birthday. Shortly after writing that, I extinguished my candles and went to sleep. When I woke up this morning, I was not where I was supposed to be. I am home, yes. But everything is different. I should say, everything is as it once was. Ma and Pa look different, much younger. There is a little girl, strangely resembling me as a child. They are treating me as though I am a scullery maid. I feel like an outsider with my own family! In the kitchen, I noticed a newspaper dated October 16, 1895. It is impossible, utterly impossible! But I seem to have traveled through time.
E.A.
**
Anna looked up from the page. Time travel? It was far more likely that the mystery author was simply practicing her creative writing. Fiction or not, she was grateful for this temporary escape from reality. More and more, she felt like the author was a kindred spirit. They were just words on a page, but she felt like she had found a friend. She looked up at the clock: 11:45. Her eyes were burning with fatigue. She knew she should go to bed, but she couldn’t, like a novel she couldn’t put down, she went back to the crate of papers. The next date didn’t make sense, July 30, 1862. If it was the same writer, she wouldn’t have even been born yet.
**
July 30, 1862
A civil war is currently raging between the north and the south. I have been in search of an adventure, and while I have certainly found one, I’m unsure whether it is wise to be here. Danger is all around. The north seems to be prevailing. I do hope that they succeed. This is not the Virginia that I know. I have felt ashamed everyday that my ancestors are here now, fighting for their right to treat human beings as property. I have seen abhorrent things here. I am missing home, but I want to be helpful, in some way. I have befriended several wives of Union soldiers and we have been raising money and sending supplies. I am unsure where or when I will travel next.
E.A.
**
“Aunt Betty, how long have you lived in this house?” Anna asks as she pours herself a cup of coffee the next morning.
“Oh, this house has belonged to me for many years, dear. Let’s see… I think I arrived in the sixties. Yes, that’s right, I believe it was the year 1969. I met Arther shortly after and we got married, and made ourselves a nice home here.”
“I found some old things in my room… journals dated much earlier than that. I just wondered who they belonged to.”
“It is such an old house. This farm has a lot of history, to be sure. It stood here far before I came. That sounds fascinating.” She said, pouring a coffee of her own. “Where did you find them?”
“They were under my bed… someone cut a hole in the floor and tucked them away under there. I just found them by chance.”
“Oh dear, you know the furniture in this house has not been moved in many years… I suppose I forgot that it was there.”
With a warm smile, Aunt Betty made her way to the porch to enjoy her coffee in her rocking chair, just like she did every morning.
**
December 12, 1969
I’ve found myself in the year 1969. I’m now 25 years old. I’ve been traveling like this for many years now and I am growing weary. I am feeling more and more like I do not belong anywhere. I have experienced the impossible. I have seen incredible things, and equally as many horrible things. I long for a home and a family. I wonder what they think happened to me. By this time, they are long dead. It gives me some solace to know that as long as I have my typewriter, I can go home to them, at any point. As long as I have that, I will never truly be alone. But how long can I go on like this… with no roots in the ground.
When I arrived here, I found myself under a beautiful willow tree. After walking a short distance I came upon a farm, with pastures and a barn and a beautiful white house with a big porch. From what I can tell it is abandoned, which is useful for me. It is a comfortable place to rest. I will write soon.
E.A.
**
Anna sets down the page and reaches into the crate for the next one, but as she does she finds that it is the last entry.
“No! It can’t end like that!” She said aloud. She turned to the typewriter, looking for clues on who it might have belonged to. She clicked a few keys, testing it out. It can’t really be a time machine, she thought. With only one way to truly find out, she inserted a piece of paper, but when she tried to type, nothing happened. It was broken, and with no understanding whatsoever about typewriters, especially potentially magical typewriters, she was ill suited to fix it. As she tinkered with it, a thought suddenly came to her, “Wait… 1969… 1969!”
Anna got up to run downstairs, but as she turned around, Aunt Betty was standing in her bedroom doorway.
“My friends and family have always called me Betty, dear, but my full name is Elizabeth Alexander. By the look on your face it appears that you have put enough of the pieces together to have figured that out on your own. The typewriter has been broken for a long time. I never was able to figure out how to fix it.”
“You wrote these… it was all true.”
“Yes, somehow it is. And what an adventure it was… for a time, at least. It was lonely, though. When I got stuck here, I realized how much I missed having a family. After so many years with no home, it was time I made one.” She smiled warmly down at Anna. “I want you to know that you have a home here now, too. You always will.”
Are there any facts that are extremely scary to know?
- If you are a healthy 20 year old,you have around 2860 weeks before you die. (Just 2860 Sundays).
- The average person will be less successful than they think.
- About 153,000 people die on your birthday.
- Seals have been known to rape penguins.
- If you took all of the world’s spiders and let them out in the Netherlands, they would consume the country’s population in three days.
- One in fifty of us is walking around with a brain aneurysm. It just hasn’t ruptured.
- The Colombian serial killer Pedro Alonso Lopez, who is known as the Monster of the Andes, raped and murdered over 300 girls from Ecuador, Peru and Colombia. However, after he was caught and imprisoned for 18 years, he was put in a psychiatric hospital. There he was reviewed, declared to be sane and was set free, in spite of his blatant avowal that he fully intends to kill again. Ever since his release in 1998, nobody knows where he is or what he’s doing.
- In 2012, scientists found 1,458 new species of bacteria living in the belly button. Everyone’s belly button ecology is unique like a fingerprint, and one volunteer’s belly button harbored bacteria that had previously been found only in soil from Japan where he had never been.
- A person suffering from Cotard’s Syndrome believes he/she is dead. Cotard’s syndrome comprises any one of a series of delusions that range from a belief that one has lost organs, blood, or body parts to insisting that one has lost one’s soul or is dead.
- If you’re looking at a Victorian photo and one of the subjects in the photo is clearer than the rest, they’re probably dead.
- An octopus is flexible enough to enter your mouth, navigate your digestive system and leave through your anus.
- 60% of the UK population feels like no one really loves them.
- If you are a single child and don’t have kids you will break an unbroken line of children that has gone on for tens of millions of years.
Russian Paratroopers KILLED A French Army OFFICER In DONETSK┃NATO Officers Were Wiped Out In VINITSA
Systems Are Coming Apart; NY Stock Exchange “Glitches” Cause Multiple “Trading Halts” as $1.4 TRILLION Magically Wiped-out for Berkshire Hathaway . . .
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) opened as usual at 9:30 eastern time today, and within minutes chaos erupted. Trading in multiple stocks had to be “Halted” because of “Volatility” as over $1.4 TRILLION Value got “glitched.”
GameStop Trading Activity Halted – Roaring Kitty’s Return Keith Gill, known as “Roaring Kitty,” returned to social media, reigniting interest GameStop shares.
Horace Mann Educators Corporation Common Stock — Trading Halted at 09:46:15 ET on NYSE | Volatility Trading Pause | 2024-06-03
Trinity Industries, Inc. Common Stock — Trading Halted at 09:45:10 ET on NYSE | Volatility Trading Pause | 2024-06-03
Plutonian Acq Cp Ut | Trading Halted at 09:44:53 ET on NASDAQ | Volatility Trading Pause | 2024-06-03
Kforce, Inc. – Common Stock | Trading Halted at 10:00:24 ET on NYSE | Volatility Trading Pause | 2024-06-03
Then the really big boys starting getting hit . . . badly:
JPMorgan Core Plus Bond ETF | Trading Halted at 09:38:08 ET on Non NASDAQ | Volatility Trading Pause | 2024-06-03
AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. Class A Common Stock | Trading Halted at 09:37:10 ET on NYSE | Volatility Trading Pause | 2024-06-03
But the absolutely HUGE problem of the day was…
Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway which took took a minor 99.97% haircut. Which is equivalent to a valuation loss of $1.4 trillion, however, trading has been halted and it is likely a technical issue.
Hal Turner Snap Analysis
So what can we, the regular folks, make of this? Why the sudden gigantic volatility in the markets?
A number of people with whom I spoke this afternoon all agreed: The system is coming apart at the seams. There is so much corruption, so much dirty dealing, so much cooking of the books, so many outright phony reporting of financial numbers, it is hard to hide anymore.
Plus, several of them said, the US money supply is contracting. It has only done that before and then the Great Depression followed.
So it seems to many people – but certainly not all – that the system is now coming apart.
Think about this for a moment: If the premier Stock Exchange in the world, closes with everything fine on Friday, then opens with inexplicable catastrophic volatility on Monday morning, how trustworthy is the system anymore?
Of course, I saw this as it was taking place and . . . all my regular readers know what I did . . . . went to the bank and pulled out some cash. Not for paying bills, but to SURVIVE ON if the entire system collapsed.
I don’t trust it anymore. At all.
The fact that this type of trouble could pop-up out of nowhere, and likely be a “glitch” in some computer somewhere, tells me the system is now completely unstable and is not to be trusted at all.
Others may legitimately have a different view, and I respect that. But frankly, when it comes to matters financial, I don’t trust these people are far as I can throw them, and I can’t even pick them up.
Z E R O Trust.
I have some cash to live on . . . do you? If not, get some. Just in case.
Abandoned And Locked Up, He Was Exhausted, Tears Streaming Down His Face When He Was Rescued
Abandoned And Locked Up, He Was Exhausted, Tears Streaming Down His Face When He Was Rescued The poor kitten had to live on the roof for months after being abandoned by its previous owner when moving to another place… It was hungry, thirsty, lost the will to live, lost nutrition, and began to have organ failure, slim chance of survival. After 8 months of rebirth, it is miraculous that the connection of so many people can create unparalleled strength and save a life without any hope.
US seizes Scott Ritter’s passport at airport
Former US Marine, and UN Weapons Inspector Scott Ritter was physically stopped from visiting Russia today, by U.S. government hirelings.
The US State Department seized the passport of former Marine and UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter, he said on Monday.
Ritter was on his way to Russia for the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) when he was pulled off the plane and had his documents confiscated.
“My passport was seized by the State Department,” Ritter said in a message. “I was pulled off the airplane.”
“I’m fine, just aggravated,” he added.
Ritter is a former US Marine Corps intelligence officer, who later served as the US and UN weapons inspector in Iraq. He is also a Russia Today (RT) contributor, writing about international security, military affairs, Russia, and the Middle East, as well as arms control and nonproliferation.
He most recently visited Russia in January, spending time in Chechnya, Moscow and St. Petersburg, among other places.
The most recent post on Ritter’s Telegram channel put the Clooney Foundation for Justice on notice for its alleged crusade against “Russian propagandists.”
“Here I am. In your face. If telling the truth about Russia makes me a propagandist in your book, then I accept the title,” he wrote. “Bring it on. I’ll school you on the First Amendment.”
“You have zero concept of what free speech is. Try and arrest me and you’ll find out. In spades. It’s war,” he added.
DETAILS TO FOLLOW
Whiskey-Molasses Shredded Beef
This isn’t your grandma’s shredded beef recipe—or is it? Bottom round roast slow-cooked in sweetness and served with a carrot-apple slaw.
![whiskey molasses shredded beef whiskey molasses shredded beef](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/whiskey-molasses-shredded-beef.jpg)
Cook: 10 hr 30 min | Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 1 beef bottom round roast (about 2 1/2 pounds), cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1/2 cup whiskey
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, divided
- 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
- 4 tablespoons packed brown sugar, divided
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
- 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
- 2 cups shredded carrots*
- 2 cups diced Granny Smith apple*
Instructions
- Place beef bottom round roast in 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 quart slow cooker. Combine whiskey, 1/4 cup vinegar, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, molasses, salt and pepper; pour over roast. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 to 6 hours or on LOW for 8 to 10 hours, or until beef is, fork-tender.
- Remove roast from slow cooker; shred with 2 forks. Skim fat from sauce as needed. Return beef to slow cooker; stir to combine with sauce.
- Meanwhile, combine remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar, remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar and mustard in large bowl. Add carrots and apples; mix well. Season with salt and black pepper, as desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve beef with slaw.
Pressure Cooker Method
Place beef Bottom Round Roast in pressure cooker; add 1/2 cup beef broth. Close and lock pressure cooker lid. Use beef, stew or high-pressure setting on pressure cooker; program 90 minutes on pressure cooker timer. Use quick-release feature to release pressure; carefully remove lid. Shred beef; return to pressure cooker.
Combine cooking liquid, whiskey, 1/4 cup cider vinegar, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, molasses, salt and pepper in small saucepan. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until desired consistency is reached.
Combine sauce and shredded beef. Continue as directed in Step 3. (This recipe variation was tested in an electric pressure cooker at high altitude. Cooking at an altitude of less than 3000 feet may require slightly less cooking time. Refer to the manufacturer’s instructions.)
Notes
*Thinly sliced pears, celery, red cabbage, green cabbage or bell peppers or a pre-packaged slaw mix can be used in place of the carrots or apple.
Serving Suggestion: Sandwiches, tacos, nachos or sliders.
This recipe can be made in a 6 quart electric pressure cooker.
Nutrition
Per serving: 350 cal, 33G protein
Vintage aviation
![79333eea8217dbf7df24a30829f30de7 79333eea8217dbf7df24a30829f30de7](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/79333eea8217dbf7df24a30829f30de7.jpg)
![0a1fecccd2ebb7823d3ffb56535b32b5 0a1fecccd2ebb7823d3ffb56535b32b5](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/0a1fecccd2ebb7823d3ffb56535b32b5.jpg)
![45aa76349d3529d35035092094a75d45 45aa76349d3529d35035092094a75d45](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/45aa76349d3529d35035092094a75d45.jpg)
![6005804082d0377715fd3b60dc3af8c4 6005804082d0377715fd3b60dc3af8c4](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/6005804082d0377715fd3b60dc3af8c4.jpg)
![1a289672858a6a99eeef3fbfc00db0ef 1a289672858a6a99eeef3fbfc00db0ef](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1a289672858a6a99eeef3fbfc00db0ef.jpg)
![1893ceca4c9a79824e44d957182cc596 1893ceca4c9a79824e44d957182cc596](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1893ceca4c9a79824e44d957182cc596.jpg)
![b2b29f8cf70a5d706f78ce1057ac4fe7 b2b29f8cf70a5d706f78ce1057ac4fe7](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/b2b29f8cf70a5d706f78ce1057ac4fe7.jpg)
![4dda578db4badbce8a5093e336129692 4dda578db4badbce8a5093e336129692](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/4dda578db4badbce8a5093e336129692.jpg)
![34c60fad9ade7dd9222384dec3428aaf 34c60fad9ade7dd9222384dec3428aaf](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/34c60fad9ade7dd9222384dec3428aaf.jpg)
![4c82b7578e79b8606ec46e3a234ada59 4c82b7578e79b8606ec46e3a234ada59](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/4c82b7578e79b8606ec46e3a234ada59.jpg)
![8e4ee4355050a0c2d176459930b866a8 8e4ee4355050a0c2d176459930b866a8](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/8e4ee4355050a0c2d176459930b866a8.jpg)
![9cd96e296ecf40c94db6d752537d79ce 9cd96e296ecf40c94db6d752537d79ce](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/9cd96e296ecf40c94db6d752537d79ce.jpg)
![f68f9c8d7643011f227b81e7627e1416 f68f9c8d7643011f227b81e7627e1416](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/f68f9c8d7643011f227b81e7627e1416.jpg)
![0781b77fa161167b4532e561001c2188 0781b77fa161167b4532e561001c2188](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/0781b77fa161167b4532e561001c2188.jpg)
![a163a0a5c7e4fea90b0296d4ca83f1ba a163a0a5c7e4fea90b0296d4ca83f1ba](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/a163a0a5c7e4fea90b0296d4ca83f1ba.jpg)
![e9e2c339ebe1a5e580a30360131aa386 e9e2c339ebe1a5e580a30360131aa386](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/e9e2c339ebe1a5e580a30360131aa386.jpg)
![e40288a84e539a6c8c1eaa4a09119709 e40288a84e539a6c8c1eaa4a09119709](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/e40288a84e539a6c8c1eaa4a09119709.jpg)
![9e9a5fdf205b152beb9382cfe3fd33eb 9e9a5fdf205b152beb9382cfe3fd33eb](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/9e9a5fdf205b152beb9382cfe3fd33eb.jpg)
![60470bd7b3c4b5ce648a3e2fc83dbb64 60470bd7b3c4b5ce648a3e2fc83dbb64](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/60470bd7b3c4b5ce648a3e2fc83dbb64.jpg)
![a63a4215ad6b8cc758ca7257e4a60aaa a63a4215ad6b8cc758ca7257e4a60aaa](https://metallicman.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/a63a4215ad6b8cc758ca7257e4a60aaa.jpg)
If You Only Watch One Video, Make It THIS One