I remember when the “Woodpile Report” went off line. Ol’ Remus died, and with him his most excellent blog. I was in periodic contact with him. And he provided links to my articles on his site.
Then were was American Shooter, where that owner died. Wich was of a like minded soul struggling with the changes in the West. Much like myself.
One of my favorite go-to blogs is MoA; “Moon over Alabama”. The owner “B” had to stop it and take some time for a major surgery. We haven’t heard from him since. We are looking at maybe two weeks so far. He might be permanently off-line. As the surgeries sound quite serious. We shall see…
Today…
Is it possible that the United States will lose its leading position in world affairs within this century? If so, when do you predict this may happen?
Not only is it possible, it is inevitable. And I predict it will happen before mid-century.
Already, the world is moving away from the US Dollar as the world’s primary reserve currency. Alternative currencies and payment systems will attract most of the world, especially in the Global South.
Already, the world is ignoring US sanctions and refusing to follow them.
The proxy war in Ukraine and the genocide in Gaza are not helping the USA’s cause.
Chinese Elite Professor Zhang exposed what western democracy truly is
Western democracy values resemble the boiling frog syndrome: as our living conditions gradually worsen, we adapt to these changes instead of addressing them, until we eventually lack the strength to escape.
Fresh Mozzarella-Tomato Pizzettas
Prep: 8 min | Cook: 10 min | Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 4 individual pizza crusts, prepared, pre-baked
- 1/4 cup pesto
- 1 cup sliced fresh mozzarella cheese
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can S&W® Petite-Cut Diced Tomatoes with Roasted Garlic & Sweet Onion, drained
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Place pizza crusts on baking sheet. Spread pesto over crusts.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Top with mozzarella and tomatoes.
- Bake for 1 minute just to soften mozzarella (do not melt completely).
- Sprinkle with basil and drizzle with olive oil, if desired.
Do you agree with TSMC Chairman C.C. Wei that it would be impossible to move chip factories out of Taiwan?
I do, if the factory is moved to a Western country. There is a huge difference in work cultures between the East and West. The West does have the remnants of that “Protestant work ethic” we were once known for, but more and more, young people entering the job force are disillusioned with their governments and their country’s financial systems. They will give you their “9–5,” but best believe when the clock hits five they are out of there. They will do their job, but often the bare minimum and no more. And for the salaries they’re paid I don’t always think they’re wrong.
We also firmly believe the adage “work smarter; not harder.” Again, we will do the job, but we will find the quickest and easiest way to do it and then leave by five. Or earlier if we’ve completed work for the day. We firmly believe in work/life balance. We also liked to be appreciated when we are innovative, creative, effective, or an asset to the business.
All of this is very different from the Asian work model. China has “9–9–6”, Japan has the practice of looking busy until your boss leaves for the day, Korea has the belief that when work is over you must go out to socialize with your boss and co-workers, Singapore says you must be hungry so that no one eats your lunch, etc and so forth. All of that equates to extremely long hours that may not be entirely productive. And we surely don’t want to socialize with our boss and co-workers when we could be home with our families!
Time is just one example of the vast difference between the cultures. The differences can cause resentment on both sides. As things stand currently I do not believe TSMC or any Asian based company will be happy relocating entirely to the West.
Joe Rogan Left SPEECHLESS As Guest EXPOSES Obama’s Dirty Secret
War is in the DNA of USA. Why?
Because war is a business for USA. The military industrial complex MIC in USA is owned & run by capitalists & not by the government.
Other countries’ MIC is owned & run by the government.
All responsible governments will know how to run the country eg focus on economical & technological development. In short, to modernise the country.
Not USA. As a capitalist business, USA’s MIC only cares about $$$. Their pocket only. They make tons of money thru war & arms sales. They lobby the government to create wars in other countries, so that they can make $$$.
US politicians also make $$$ by buying MIC stocks.
If there is peace in the world, USA will create a war somewhere. In name of whatever which we dont really need to know because they are all lies. The most notorious lie & known to the world is the lie about Iraq possessing biochem weapon which turns out to be laundry detergent. It was UK who investigated if its PM has committed a war crime in the Iraq war that the US lie was unveiled.
Other lies will be buried forever if they were not recorded in classified documents.
After WW2, from 1946-2001, in 55 years, there were 248 wars around the globe. 201 of them ie 82% were instigated by USA. In 200+ years since US independence, there were less than 20 years when USA was not in a war. Worse, it is US vassals who shed blood & lose life for USA.
Other than war, USA would instigate countless unrest eg protests, riots & coups in other countries.
Thru unrest/war, USA controls other government & resource/economy. It is neo-colonisation without occupying other’s land.
In short, US-instigated war is about money & power/dominance. Nothing to do with righteous or peace.
Turkey Just Changed the Entire Future of Europe with THIS One Move!
Turkey to join BRICS! It's official, Turkey is moving away from the EU and will move closer to BRICS, China, and Russia. Turkey has been a NATO member since 1952 and this is the first time we've seen a NATO member shift away from the US and EU and move closer to BRICS. What does this mean for the future of Europe and geopolitics around the world? Let's break it down!
What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you?
This didn’t happen to me. It happened to my son and it would have profoundly changed our lives if the worse had happened.
My husband was a soccer referee. He was reffing a game while our 9 year old son was hanging out there in the bleachers and watching.
A man sitting close by told my son he had a van full of video games. He told my son he could go to the van and get any video game he wanted.
This was in the early 90s. There wasn’t much publicity or knowledge on the evils of pedophiles – had I known what I know now, he wouldn’t even have been at the game, hanging out in the bleachers.
Because of my own lack of knowledge about this type of predator, I had not warned him about strangers. I had not thought to tell him to beware of strangers. We have learned now that children view strangers differently than what we would think. If someone seems nice and looks friendly then they tend to view them as such.
At the time it was not strange or unsafe for him to watch a soccer game with other unknown parents next to him. It was not in his stranger category.
He found the thought of picking out his very own video games, as many as he wanted, absolutely amazing. He would have gone with the man except for one thing. That week, I had just checked out of the library, a somewhat newly released video called, “Stranger Danger.” I had him watch it. In the video, it told children to never go with anyone, not even someone you know, without asking a parent first.
He remembered the video and so he told the guy he needed to ask his dad first. The man told him no, he didn’t need to ask his dad because the van was parked really close. But my son told him he needed to ask. The guy tried to convince him but when he kept saying he needed to ask his dad the man said never mind and just left. My son said he really wanted to go get the games but he remembered the warning of the video and felt it was best to let his dad know first.
I’m sure it saved his life.
The West Is Self-Destructing
US is angry because China is not listening to them, the US wants China to help them fight Russia so that the US can fight China Later in Taiwan.
By Finian Cunningham
May 30, 2024
Macron has joined the chorus of those who are calling for Ukraine to be permitted to use long-range weapons to strike deep into Russian territory.
French genius Emmanuel Macron keeps pushing the button for World War Three, on this occasion while in Berlin this week to cajole Germany into self-destruct mode.
Macron has joined the chorus of other NATO figures who are calling for Ukraine to be permitted to use long-range weapons to strike deep into Russian territory.
It looks like Macron succeeded in seducing the Germans with his maniacal mission. Following their meeting, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has flipped from objecting to such strikes to now approving them.
Scholz said at their joint press conference: “Ukraine has every possibility to do this, under international law. It must be said clearly, if Ukraine is attacked, it can defend itself.”
Only last week, the German “leader” (a term advisably used with artistic license) was opposed to such a move. So predictable is this pinhead-dancing. Remember past fleeting opposition to Leopard tanks, and so on.
The French president said Ukraine must have the right to “neutralize” Russian military bases that are launching air strikes on Ukraine.
“We think that we should allow them to neutralize military sites where missiles are fired, from where… Ukraine is attacked,” he said, adding: “We should not allow them to touch other targets in Russia, and obviously civilian capacities”.
The comments drew a warning from Russian President Vladimir Putin who said that the “constant escalation” was playing with fire and that long-range strikes on Russia with NATO weapons would have “consequences” for NATO territories. In short, the consequences are all-out war and nuclear conflagration.
Macron’s megalomania is making an outsized contribution to starting World War Three. This diminutive politician (in terms of career achievements) wants to be the leader of Europe and is continually upping the ante with chest-thumping exercises. Weeks ago, he kicked off the idea of sending NATO troops to Ukraine, an idea which is beginning to pick up momentum. This week, Ukraine’s commander-in-chief welcomed the imminent arrival of French military instructors.
Now Macron is putting his shoulder behind the calls for NATO to officially endorse long-range air strikes on Russia.
The major factor prompting such calls is the desperation of NATO as its proxy Ukrainian regime faces collapse amid significant Russian military gains after nearly two and half years of war and hundreds of billions of dollars wasted by Washington and its Western vassals. Russia is winning despite the massive effort by the West to defeat it. So, doubling down on ignominious losses is the Western gamble.
Macron’s bravado is full of deception and delusion. The Ukrainian regime is already using NATO long-range weapons to strike Russia, including French-made Scalp cruise missiles. French and NATO instructors are already in Ukraine and have been there ever since the CIA-sponsored coup in Kiev in 2014 bringing a NeoNazi regime to power.
Macron’s seeming probity about “not allowing attacks on civilian capacities” is cynical nonsense. The Kiev regime and its NATO instructors using long-range NATO weapons have been routinely killing scores of civilians in Russian territory bordering Ukraine, including Belgorod, Bryansk and Kursk.
All this talk about “untying Ukraine’s hands” is merely making existing NATO policy explicit.
That official stance is however a grave escalation. It is as close as possible to declaring war on Russia.
For argument’s sake, let’s give Macron and Scholz some slack. Let’s accept that Russian military bases located in pre-war Russian territory firing weapons at Ukraine should be neutralized. Rhetorical chicanery aside, let’s assume that Macron and Scholz are merely trying to level the battlefield, so to speak, and to give the Ukraine side the same military capability and freedom as the Russian side. You hit us, so we can hit you. Seems fair enough.
Following this rationale, the principle is that Ukraine should be able to hit Russian sites from where attacks are being mounted on Ukraine.
But here’s the rub. Macron and Scholz are inadvertently making the case for Russia to, likewise, strike the centers from where attacks on its territory are emanating. The only reason why Macron and Scholz do not see this logical consistency is presumably due to arrogance, double-think and abject servility to Uncle Sam.
What NATO centers might be legitimate targets? Ramstein Base in Germany would be fair game. This is where the U.S. and NATO chiefs regularly meet to plan the next phase of arms shipments to Ukraine.
How about the French Defense Ministry in Paris? This week the French Minister of Defense held high-level talks with his Ukrainian counterparts to green-light the deployment of French instructors to assist in the firing of weapons at Russia.
How about Berlin, London, Brussels and Madrid where this week more plans were hatched to send billions of dollars worth of more military munitions to Ukraine to keep the proxy war with Russia going?
Macron and Scholz want to untie Ukraine’s hands to hit Russia with NATO missiles. In so doing, they are untying Russia’s hands.
No wonder European citizens are increasingly apprehensive about the unhinged logic of Macron and others like NATO’s Norwegian wooden figurehead Jens Stoltenberg and the Nazi nostalgists in the Baltic states. The forthcoming European Parliamentary elections promise to be a comeuppance for establishment politicians like Macron and Scholz. Ironically, these politicians want to win votes by looking tough. They will end up losing votes and legitimacy because of popular anger and disgust over their reckless warmongering.
They are parading themselves as nothing but pathetic lapdogs for Uncle Sam.
Scholz had up until recently pushed back against the idea of NATO troops and weapons being used directly against Russia. Now he’s flipped like a circus dog for a biscuit treat.
Macron was hosted in Berlin this week to smooth over friction between France and Germany. No doubt, Berlin is irked by the French president taking it upon himself to up the ante in hostilities with Russia, trying to make himself out to be the “top dog” in Europe showing “macho leadership”.
In reality, the “top dog” is nothing but a pathetic pink poodle for Uncle Sam.
How the tables have turned. There was a time when the Germans strutted into Paris with little resistance. Now we see a French narcissist strutting in Berlin… and the Germans lying down and rolling over with their tongues lolling around.
“Something HUGE is about to happen” and U.S. dominance is on the line | Redacted w Clayton Morris
The West is getting desperate to hold onto power, and they're using their proxy war in Ukraine to bring war to Russia and the whole of Europe. On Friday, Russian President Putin started sending an armada of battleships heading right for Cuba... right off of Florida's coast. Russian warships are performing military training exercises... right in our backyard. How did this happen?
Preservation
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.… view prompt
***
“BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!”
I open my eyes as a few seconds pass, my chip buzzes, letting me know that it’s activating for the day. The sensation of the pea-sized piece of metal nestled inside my frontal lobe still feels foreign, despite years of integration and constant software updates. It’s a constant reminder of how intimately connected we are to technology in this world. What even is intimacy anymore?
“BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!”
I sigh, turning over and hitting the top of my alarm clock. There it sits on my nightstand stagnant, except for the blinking June 13th, 2050, in bright red letters and numbers. The world as we know it is hyper-connected between networks of minds and technology. My one piece of disconnection is the old-fashioned alarm clock not attached to the chip in my mind. It stays stationary, not traveling anywhere with me, letting me know when to start my day each morning – the clock grounds me in the reality of my research. It allows me to wake up every day and ponder the question of how humans lived in the early 21st century before the disease of 2030 ran rampant throughout our world. This is the core of what I study at the university. The disease altered the human brain in such a way that without the chips we have implanted inside us, we would not be able to function. We would be – vegetables essentially – silently awaiting death. Twenty years later, here I am, researching and reading anything I can find in my chip’s stream and the museums we have here – my favorite being “The Library.”
From my studies of the early 21st century, I’ve discovered that people’s interactions with technology were confined to devices separate from their minds and bodies. Yet, in my interviews with individuals from that era, it became evident that these devices held immense significance – they were treated as extensions of themselves. One interviewee even stating that their friends treated the devices as an “extra limb.” People rarely ventured anywhere without their devices. They served as sacred possessions, “seamlessly” integrated, and connected into every aspect of their lives and society.
***
My office is my haven, it’s where I can be alone in most ways. I stand on the threshold of the door – a single, large desk sits in the corner of the room across from my only access to light. The far-left side of the room holds an entire wall of shelves full of my personal favorite works of art – books. Each one of these books is a window into the past, a retelling of lives lived and lost, and a reminder of the creativity that slowly dwindles with each passing day – the reason for my research. My walls are relatively blank aside from a few pieces I have been able to pick up on my travels. In the 21st century there were numerous ways one could paint or make art of their choosing, but now everything is digital. I find comfort in having acquired such rarities. I work at the university closest to my home, often preferring the brisk walk in the mornings. While I look forward to coming into the office, it can be lonely, seeing that I’ve never even met my colleagues in person. They prefer to work from home. I teach various classes, but my passion lies in my research. The stream says that colleges will fade out in the next 10 years, which means I could be out of a career. Because why get an education when you already have anything you want to know without even having to think about it? I’m already seeing these effects in my small class sizes.
Currently, I’m reading literature that was published in the early 21st century to study that period. Afterall, literature affects the world more than most care to admit. I have read everything from this book called Twilight by Stephanie Meyers to The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. I recently concluded that each of these pieces affected their era in separate ways.
Today, I don’t have anything to teach so I head over to my favorite museum hoping to gather some more books to delve into.
***
Per usual I am the only one here. I walk through the stone archway always noticing the intricate carvings on the tall ceilings. The scanner beeps as I pass the front desk reminding me to scan my chip so that I’m checked in.
The shelves are lined with row upon row containing books of all genres. Their spines are cracked and withering with their age. Their stories sit behind glass cases that the science professors created to aid in their preservation. The modern technology the university has been developing is prevalent here in keeping the booksin acceptable condition. I believe the creators mentioned that the decomposition rate for books slowed when the light was minimal, and the temperature was low; hence, the protective glass keeping the knowledge of the past from my fingertips.
I look around, trying to figure out where to start my search. Wandering deeper into the endless shelves, my fingers trail along the glass cases that hold the books captive. I rake the dust from the windows as I go, a witness to the lack of life in this building. And then, amidst the rows, I see it – my next read. It looks unlike anything I have picked up before. I walk closer, the dim lighting making it hard to see. The cover is colorful, full of pinks, purples, blues, greens, and yellows. It looks as if the back of a human head is plastered on the front cover.
“Feed.” I read aloud in a hushed tone.
Interesting name for a novel. Its cover is slightly faded, but still, something about it draws me in. I tap my head, signaling for my chip to lower the glass.
“Feed by M.T. Anderson.” I read to myself.
The name sounds vaguely familiar. My heart pounds as I flip through the yellowed pages. I love that smell. I imagine that a long time ago there were whole buildings that smelled like this, of books. No thanks to the protective glass, it keeps everything sealed up tight. Bringing the book to a nearby chair, I settle in.
“Hey stream, what time is it?” I speak to my chip.
“3 p.m., Dr. Bates,” my stream responds.
“Thanks. Can you tell me what time period the book I’m looking at is from?”
“Feed by M.T. Anderson is an early 21st-century novel.”
“Perfect.” I say sounding satisfied.
“Could you be any more monotone…” I sigh, flipping through the pages mindlessly.
“Sorry, I didn’t catch that. Can you repeat your previous statement?” my stream asks.
“Ugh, I didn’t mean to say that out loud,” I mutter, bringing my hand to my forehead and closing my eyes. I should have picked a better voice for my stream when I first got my chip. A flaw to the software thus far, you can’t change the voice. I should send a message to the company about that.
“Message sent Dr. Bates.” Stream says catching me off guard.
That’s odd. It’s getting hard to know what I say out loud and what I think in my mind anymore.
I begin to read the first few pages, quickly becoming entranced by the narrative. The story is eerie, yet disturbingly familiar. In the world that Anderson created, I can see that technology is deeply intertwined with their human existence. People have brain implants called “feeds” that give them constant access to everything that they could ever want – shopping, social media, money, entertainment. I feel as though I’ve heard this before, but I can’t seem to put my finger on it.
The main character meets a girl named Violet who tries to resist this overarching influence. Her feed starts malfunctioning, and it begins to affect her health. Oh no. The corporations have trademarked everything, even the clouds. What on earth is this meat with eyes? The corporation that installed Violet’s feed refuses to help her, deeming it unprofitable for them to fix her implant. So, let me get this right…because Violet tries to do something different, she is deemed unprofitable, and not worth it to the corporation to help?
Turning the pages, I feel a growing sense of unease. This world that Anderson describes, with its corporate dominance and technological dependence, mirrors our own reality in unsettling ways. How could a book written so long ago foresee so much of what we are experiencing today? It seems like Anderson knows more about my life than I do…and if he knows this much, how much more did he know?
And…why was it dismissed in its time?
***
I finish the last page and close the book, sitting in the silence of my thoughts.
“Hey stream, what time is it?” I speak to my chip again, wondering where the time has gone.
“11pm Dr. Bates.” My stream says back to me.
My mind races as I think about the corporations in Anderson’s world, exploiting and controlling every aspect of human life…without them even realizing it. It’s chillingly familiar – trademarked clouds, meat with eyes, and a society in decline. The parallels to our present are too stark clear to ignore. I close the book for a moment, staring at the faded cover. Could this be a warning?
I glance around the library, suddenly aware of the silence. The shelves, the glass cases, the preserved books – they all seem to whisper secrets from the past. Maybe if we listen to and read these stories the outcome will be better. My chip buzzes softly, bringing me back to reality.
“Hey stream, show me recent news on chip implants.”
A flood of information fills my mind. Reports of glitches, constant buzzing, malfunctions, and an increasing number of people suffering from unexplained health issues like migraines and sores. Just like from the story. Is nothing being done to combat these issues? Why haven’t I heard about it?
I swallow hard, my pulse quickening. What if Anderson’s fictional world is more than just a story? What if he was trying to tell people something in the early 21st century? I recall the interviews I conducted with the early 21st-century people, their tales of reliance on external devices mirror our current dependence on implants. It seems like the people figured out a way to never have to leave their devices behind. But what about the disease? I always thought that the disease is why we all had to have chips implanted in our minds. But where did I get that knowledge?
“I told you Dr. Bates.” My stream says in a cheering tone.
Suddenly, I feel like bugs are crawling inside my skin.
I can’t shake this feeling and this book.
“Feed.”
I set the book down on the table. If the corporations continue feeding without being noticed, our world could end up just like Anderson’s. We’re already on the brink.
Determination hardens within me. I need to dig deeper, uncover the connections, and find a way to stop this. The answers might lie in the past, in the words of a novel that once did go unnoticed and were dismissed. With a newfound resolve, I stand up, grabbing the book from the table.
“Stream, find me all available data on M.T. Anderson and the societal impact of “Feed” in its time.”
As the information floods in, I know what I have to do. This isn’t just research anymore. It’s our lives. If I can understand the warnings Anderson embedded in his story– just maybe – I can prevent our world from spiraling into the same fate.
The stream tells me it’s 3 a.m. and reminds me that I should get some sleep. I take a deep breath and one step forward still clutching the book in my hands. Books aren’t allowed outside of this place. I scanned my chip, so they’ll know exactly what I…
“They already know what you have Dr. Bates. They already know
what you plan to do. But as you know books aren’t allowed out of…”
I ignore the warning and push through the museum doors hearing the alarm sound behind me.
The fate of our future might just depend on me. But first, I need to get some sleep.
When you’re a college professor, do you ever immediately recognize which students will be successful?
I was standing in the hallway chatting with a colleague of mine when a young woman (probably 17) came up to us, waited for a break in our conversation, and asked a couple of questions about our program very politely. I think she was a HS senior visiting the campus. There was just something about her manner, her confidence, her engagement, her sense of humor, and the quality of her questions. After she walked away, I turned to my colleague and said, “I don’t think we have to worry much about that young woman.” He laughed and agreed completely.
She took four classes from me – the two intro courses in her freshman year and my solid state physics classes as a senior – was probably the best and most thorough student grader I ever had – not just marking papers but adding elaborate explanations to help the students with their problem solving, and she did her senior project under the other professor (who had also been a student of mine many years earlier).
That was all fifteen years or so ago. She now has her PhD and is a physics professor in the University of California system. We became friends when she was a young student – and we are still in touch after all these years. I always look forward to her articulate and insightful emails and the conversations that follow.
Sometimes there is just something that lets you know.
Vintage pictures, and strange comix
Men keep checking out of relationships but women still aren’t getting the message. Will they listen?
This idea of some millionaire guy thats 30-40 is complete foolishness. Most, most millionaires are 50+ the odds of a women finding a man thats 30-40 that even has 5-10G saved up is low. Equivalently as low as a man finding a woman that is in debt less than 5-10G.
Has your dog ever tried to tell you something important?
Yes! June 2016, 7 am, our 12 year old Belgian Malinois (gotten in 2004 as a brown $5 mutt from a rescue shelter) had had breakfast, gone outside, done her duty and come back in, all acting perfectly normal.
1 hour later, she came to me, stopped and stood perfectly still, looking at me with a pleading in her eyes, WILLING me to hear her thoughts.
Not panting, not moving, she did not want to play ball, did not want to follow me or lie down, just looking in my eyes, “saying” clearly as possible, “I hurt inside and something is very VERY wrong, but I don’t have words to tell you what.” Her behavior was so completely out of character (and the expression on her face, so clearly a pleading, even though completely silent), that we rushed her straight to the nearby vet.
They took her in and did an X-ray and saw suspicious shapes and cloudy areas, but couldn’t be sure what they were seeing.
The put her under, did a laparectomy, and found she had had a tumor on her intestines that had ruptured and spilled everything into her peritoneal cavity.
Well, they cleaned out the mess and sent it to a lab for analysis, stitched up the torn areas, and put her on antibiotics.
When I came by at 5 that afternoon, they took her off the I.V. for me to take her outside for a short potty walk, and she happily trotted along with me on the leash, as if there had been nothing at all wrong.
She was still a little wobbly and weak, but otherwise fine.
She stayed overnight for observation and because they had to keep her on the i.v. because the anesthetics and surgery meant she couldn’t have food or drink yet. When she went home the next day, she was completely back to normal.
Happy, playful, and acting like “What stitches? I have stitches?”
She paid no attention at all to the stitches that ran the full length of her belly, top to bottom.
The vets told us that if we’d been even an hour later, she would not have lived through the afternoon.
The lab results came back negative for any form of cancer (thank goodness!)
She is still with us today, and still gets around on her own, although she’s slowed down quite a bit and is a little wobbly the first couple minutes after getting up from her frequent naps.
Not bad for a 50 lb dog who will be 15 next July (2019) and who nearly died 3 years ago.
Today, she even ‘asked’ me to toss her tennis ball across the patio and chased it about 20 feet before bringing it back and taking it inside as if to say, “OK, that was fun.
Once was enough though because it’s raining out here and you’re getting all wet and I really am too old to do this many times anymore.”
She, of course, doesn’t mind the rain at all. Yes, I toweled her dry and turned on a heater for her to lie near after we came in.
Laid Off From My $240k Engineering Job – Here’s Whats Next
In this candid video, I find myself discussing a topic I never thought I'd have to address - the sudden cancellation of my year-long contract just two weeks ago. As someone with over 15 years of experience in a volatile industry, layoffs unfortunately aren't unfamiliar territory for me. But each time feels like a new blow, especially when you have a family, a mortgage, and plans for the year.
ground beef Pizza
Ingredients
Pizza Dough
- 1 1/2 cups + 3/8 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 envelopes fast-rising yeast
- 3/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 3/8 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup very hot water
Topping
- 1/4 to 1/2 can Contadina 4-cheese Pizza Sauce
- 2 packages grated pizza cheese
- 1/2 to 3/4 pound ground beef, browned
Instructions
Pizza Dough
- Combine 1 1/2 cups of the flour along with the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir the ingredients together, adding enough additional flour to make a soft dough.
- Knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
- Cover the dough with the inverted mixing bowl and allow to stand for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Grease a 16 inch round pizza pan, or use cooking spray.
- Press the Pizza Dough in the bottom of the pan.
Topping
- Spread pizza sauce on top of the dough Sprinkle 1 package of the cheese on top of the sauce evenly.
- Add the ground beef on top of that – however much you like.
- Sprinkle the other package of cheese over that.
- Bake for about 10 to 15 minutes at 425 degrees F.
Between China and the US, who do you think is more peaceful inclined?
What a bizarre question. It’s as if you’ve been living in a cave for the last half century.
China eschews war. The USA welcomes war.
China has fought no wars in the last 45 years. The USA has fought numerous wars, most of them illegally. Let me remind you about Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, and Yemen, recently.
The USA must feed its voracious military-industrial complex.
The USA has over 800 military bases around the globe. China has one (in Djibouti).
The USA has been blocking all peace negotiations in the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas conflicts. China brokered an historical peace deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
It’s obvious to a blind monkey that China is much more peaceful.
What was the most ‘one sided’ naval engagement in history? What happened and what was the result?
It’s late October 1940. There is a convoy of 38 ships assembling in Halifax, Nova Scotia. They’ll be heading for Liverpool, carrying a range of cargoes which are vital to the war effort.
Convoy HX84 being assembled
HX84 departs on 28th October with two Canadian destroyers as escorts and one auxiliary cruiser, the HMS Jervis Bay. The weather is typically unpleasant for that time of year, but nevertheless the convoy presses on across the rains and big waves of the North Atlantic.
After one day, both the destroyers make their way back to Halifax, leaving the ships of HX84 under the protection of Jervis Bay. But she isn’t a warship: an auxiliary cruiser was an ocean liner with guns bolted to her decks: in this case, 7 six inch guns, mounted in the open with no armoured turrets or casements to protect her crews. The ship is unarmoured: it isn’t particularly fast either, but at this stage of the war the Royal Navy is desperately short of ships to escort convoys, and there is little choice.
HMS Jervis Bay earlier that year. You can see the starboard guns in this photo: the easiest to spot is just abaft from where the gunwale slopes down from her bow.
After a week at sea, in amongst November’s darkening nights and cold seas, the convoy is spotted by the German heavy cruiser, Admiral Scheer. This ship is well armoured, has a basic radar for finding range, and six 11” guns. Her class has been designed as commerce raiders and she’s exactly what the British fear: convoys are strong against submarines, but are effectively lambs to the slaughter where surface raiders are involved.
The Jervis Bay spots the Admiral Scheer in the late afternoon off the coast of Iceland, and immediately challenges her with a flash from her signal lamps. The Captain of the Admiral Scheer, however, knows not to respond. Instead they wait as long as they can, luring the convoy to them as close as possible.
Admiral Scheer, colourised. Showing off her bow turret with its ‘pocket battleship’ armament.
After tense minutes, the captain of the Jervis Bay orders them to fire. They are hopelessly outclassed; some shots land near the Admiral Scheer but after a handful of salvos, the bridge of the Jervis Bay is hit. She is ablaze from stem to stern, mauled by those 11” guns, and sinking fast.
The Jervis Bay fought for 26 mins, and bought enough time for the convoy to start scattering. Her captain received a Victoria Cross, but despite the incredible bravery of her crew the Admiral Scheer was soon able to turn its attention to the merchant ships of the convoy.
Amongst these ships was the SS Beaverford. She was armed with two small guns, one at the bow and one at the stern.
SS Beaverford. A freighter with 10,000 ton capacity and 12 passenger cabins. And two small guns.
The Admiral Scheer sank the SS Maidan, then set the tanker San Demetrio ablaze. She turned, sank SS Trewllard in short order, and started firing at SS Kenbane Head. For convoys this was the nightmare scenario : they might avoid the lone U-boats of the period, but once a commerce raiders was amongst them, they were doomed.
Beaverford’s captain was Hugh Pettigrew, a 60 year old Scot who had been a merchant seaman for most of his life, although seeing service in the Great War. Seeing the Kenbane Head come under fire, he realised the game was up. He ordered his crew to come about, and fire her 3” bow pea shooter at the Admiral Scheer, as the late Autumnal darkness fell about them.
The first shot landed surprisingly close to the German panzerschiff. By this time, Kenbane Head was sinking, and the Admiral Scheer turned its sights onto Beaverford. She fired star shells to light up the target, and Captain Pettigrew ordered a turn, to bring the stern 4” gun into play. He signalled the rest of the convoy:
“It is our turn now. So long. The captain and crew of SS Beaverford”.
This is a still from video shot by the Admiral Scheer, showing Jervis Bay being hit. There aren’t any similar images of Beaverford, unfortunately.
Beaverford used her modern engines to quickly vary speed and heading, avoiding the initial shots from Admiral Scheer. The convoy was by this time dispersing into the darkening gloom, and laying a thick smoke screen as it went. Pettigrew could have run, but instead led his crew through four hours of darting in and out of this smoke, appearing to fire its little guns, then escaping back into cover.
Every time she reappeared she was hit. But she didn’t run.
Admiral Scheer fired 71 5.9” rounds, landing 16 hits, and 12 11” rounds, hitting three times. The little Beaverford, loaded with Aluminium, Copper, Food, ammunition, and timber, slowly succumbed to leaks and damage. Taking on water, and lit up in the darkness by the fires burning on the timber on her deck, she was by now an easy target.
Captain Krancke on the Admiral Scheer ordered his crew to conserve ammunition and finish the Beaverford with a torpedo. This struck her bow, detonating the ammunition deep in the hold, and the freighter blew apart. She sank with all hands.
***
Whilst the Jervis Bay had at least had cruiser guns, if older designs and No protection to speak of, the Beaverford was a proper merchantman. Her chance of causing damage was minimally small, whilst the big German guns could wreck her in fairly short order. There are many such tales of heroism from the Atlantic convoys but this one really stands out for me. After the war, some doubt was cast on the specifics of this story; notedly the log book of the German ship makes little mention of this encounter. Whether this accurately reflects the situation, or the captain was not too keen on some of the details of how he managed to only sink five of the convoy’s ships, we don’t know. Certainly the story is less well known than the heroism of the crew of the Jervis Bay: there were, however, survivors to tell that tale.
Beaverford’s four hour battle against hopeless odds, however, seems a fitting answer to me.
This is How China is making the classroom of the future
Shenzhen is also well known for having some of the best and most modern schools in the whole country, many schools in Shenzhen are equipped with smart classroom technologies, including digital whiteboards, tablets, and online learning platforms. The integration of technology into the curriculum is common, with coding, robotics, and AI being part of the learning experience in some schools.
What was the rudest thing a guest has ever said or did while visiting your home?
I once invited one of my work colleague to my house for dinner along with her family. We had just started off with our friendship at work and I was inviting her for the first time. Her mother lived with her and I invited her as well. And me and my husband spent a lot of time cooking for them and the preparations.
They came on time, she was accompanied by her husband, mother and also her 1 year old kid. Within 10 minutes of coming in to my house, the kid was with her husband and my husband is talking to her husband.
She and her mother just get up and start going through all the stuff in my house. First they went to the kitchen, start opening my drawers there and going through all my things. Then my fridge and she goes “wow, you cooked so much food for us”.
Then they walk straight into my bedroom, she and her mother literally start opening my cupboards and drawers and start going through my personal things. I just stand, not saying a word, very awkward. Wondering what’s happening. She goes through my clothing, my husband’s and all our personal things.
Her mother on the other side, going through my jewelry. And asking me where I brought it from and how much it costs !
Then after 30 minutes they both walked out to the living room, and go “thanks for inviting us, we are leaving now”. I go “please have the food, it’s late and we prepared it specially for you guys”.
She “No, I forgot to tell you but I have to go to another friend’s house and it’s getting late. We will have dinner some other time. Thanks for inviting us though”.
We didn’t say anything, and they left. There was lot of food now, which thankfully we had some lovely neighbors we could share with.
And later I noticed one of my bracelets missing, noticed it after days but didn’t think much of it.
Months later, I saw her wearing the same missing bracelet to the office.
Russia and China Are DESTROYING The West’s Dumb Narrative For Good | Dr. Matthew Crosston
The war in Ukraine is getting worse, the Genozide in Gaza is still in full swing, and the Neocons are dreaming of even more war. Luckily, outside the West nobody is taking the narratives coming from Washington, Brussels and Berlin serious anymore. Yet, the world has never been in worse danger from nuclear annihilation and threatened by a 3ed World War than now. How can we explain so much blind hubris and suicidal stupidity? We last talked in August, 2023, it’s now June 2024, and it seems to me that things have only gotten worse for Ukraine, worse for the NATO countries, we are at the brink of further escalation with Russia, with official OKs to use NATO weapons against the Russia proper and maybe even NATO boots on the ground, and there is still no willingness in the west to pick up the Russians on their various signals that they would want to negotiate based on what has been reached in Istanbul which Putin recently again said can be—together with the realities on the battlefield—the basis for serious negotiation. Do you agree with my assessment or how do you view what happened in the past months?