When I was in my second year at University, there was an incident on the bus between Butler, PA to Syracuse NY. And I have never forgotten it.
On the bus were two distressingly-dressed men. Obviously “hoboes”. Street people. And they kept to the back of the bus, like others have previously and at that… no issues.
Then one trip, one of the men has an event and passes out during the trip.
The other hobo checks on him and tells the driver that the man is suffering [some obscure medical term]. At which point a medical intern student on the bus gets off of his seat and starts talking medical terminology back and forth to the hobo.
They stabilize the man and when we reach the bus station, an ambulance was a waiting.
Turns out that out-of-work hobo was once a New York City surgeon. He gave it all up. He just lives alone. Free. And for the most part, drunk in Syracuse; Upstate new York.
The lesson that I learned was that life can be complex, and sometimes men (and woman too) often just no longer can handle stress and responsibility. They need peace, and poverty offers that peace. Not that I am advocating it, but I can understand that need.
An event that I will never forget.
Today…
What is the best case of “You just picked a fight with the wrong person” that you’ve witnessed?
Two big ugly hard-ass biker dudes in a bar were playing pool and making a lot of noise about the bar, the cheap drinks, costs, and other crap. Basically, they were being a noisy nuisance. One of the dudes came around the corner of the pool table and knocked a medium height guy (5ft 9 inches) off of his barstool and made him spill his drink.
The little guy stood up and went over to the biker dude and said you owe me a drink. The bike dude said f**k you and swung at him with his pool cue. Wrong move. The little guy ducked and came up off the deck and chopped him in the throat and it sounded like a loud pop and chopped him twice in his kidney area and he went down like a falling tree.
The second dude came charging at the little guy who sidestepped him like a matador and ran his face into a concrete pole and hit him twice in the gut and once in the chest. The chest hit you could hear bone cracking. Now we have two biker guys out cold on the floor.
The bartender yells out to the little guy “here’s your drink, but you better drink it fast before they wake up”. The little guy goes over to the first dude and checks his throat to be sure he’s still breathing since he was turning blue.
Then he goes to the bar and downs his drink and walks out. In the meantime, a waitress goes over and throws water on the second dude to wake him up.
I said to the bartender jokingly, “who was that masked man”? He said he was a drill instructor from camp Pendelton and these two guys are lucky they are still alive. DIs don’t like to be disturbed when they are having a quiet drink.
Well, the cops show up as these two dudes are getting up off the floor. The bartender didn’t call them so maybe it was the waitress but nobody saw anything. Shortly after that, an ambulance shows up and 2 EMT guys come in with a gurney on wheels. They examine both men who are suffering from broken ribs, nose, jaw, and kidney pain. They whisk them off to the emergency room at the local hospital.
The cops do a survey to find out what happened in this bar fight and of course, nobody saw anything. Anyway, later I find out these biker dudes are arrested for assault and a half dozen open warrants. So that’s my story of “Boy did you pick a fight with the wrong person”.
Will Mongolia arrest Putin when he visits it?
Of course not.
The moment they do that, Russia will invade, and China and Kazakhstan will close off airspace and border crossings.
Mongolia will fold within hours, and if putin is harmed there as a state guest, its sovereignty is over.
It’s simple as that.
This visit is a simple demonstration of realpolitik.
Mongolia’s leadership cleverly said the country has 3 important neighbors: Russia, China and the United States. The first two are geographical, the third a union of hearts and minds. The US state department reciprocated, singling out mongolia’s special status in the diplomatic calculus.
Add mongolia’s membership in the ICC and it is a perfect, low risk test case of the limits of the ICC warrant on putin.
After all, putin has way better moral standing next to Binyamin, who was recently feted and honored in Washington.
America, it must be remembered, isn’t a signatory to the icc and has taken active steps to disrupt both the icc and icj, including open threats issued against prosecutors and judges.
Once the limits of the icc is established, putin will be free to travel, using the same diplomatic immunity recognized in Mongolia.
In other words, telling the rest of the world the existing modus operandi for diplomacy still works when it comes to Russia.
Or, first world rules written for russia need not be universal.
Philly Cheese and Ground Beef Casserole
Bring the fabulous flavor of Philly cheese steak sandwiches to a comforting casserole!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds lean (at least 80%) ground beef
- 1 (8 ounce) package sliced mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 8 (1 ounce) slicesprovolone cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
- 2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced into wedges
- 2 medium red bell peppers, cut into strips*
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 (16.3 ounce) can Pillsbury® Grands!® Homestyle original biscuits
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13 x 9 inch (3 quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a 12 inch skillet, cook beef, mushrooms, salt and pepper over medium-high heat 7 to 9 minutes, stirring frequently, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain.
- Place in baking dish.
- Arrange cheese over beef mixture, overlapping slices if needed.
- In same skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions and bell peppers. Cook over medium-high heat 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until peppers are crisp-tender.
- Stir in garlic; cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer. Spoon over cheese in baking dish.
- Separate dough into 8 biscuits. On lightly floured surface, pat biscuits into 5 inch circles. Arrange biscuits over vegetable mixture.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown on top.
Notes
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft)
* To easily cut peppers, cut a thin slice off bottom of pepper. Set pepper on cutting board, cut side down. Cut strips of pepper from stem down to board, cutting just the flesh and leaving seeds and core attached to stem.
What is your opinion on the Philippine Navy’s recent acquisition of two new frigates from Spain? Do you think it is enough to address the current situation with China?
As you know, China has a long history and culture, including tens of thousands of idioms. I think there is a most appropriate idiom to describe the Philippines’ current actions – “overestimating one’s own strength” means not being able to objectively estimate one’s own strength.
Can the Philippines’ population, land area, territorial depth, industrial capacity, mobilization capacity, fiscal revenue and expenditure, government integrity and other factors support a high-intensity war?
Obviously, the Philippines can’t do it, and Marcos can’t do it even more.
In March 2023, the Philippine Coast Guard said it had launched a propaganda strategy aimed at disclosing China’s so-called “aggressive actions” and tough behavior in the South China Sea to the international community. This operation, named the “Maritime Transparency Program”, has since made its debut.
Its operating routines are exactly the same:
The Philippines deliberately provoked at sea, and the Philippine Coast Guard and military immediately used social platforms to release information afterwards.
Then the accompanying Philippine media and American and Western media reporters invited by the Philippines began to “tell their own stories” to “corroborate” and create international public opinion that the Philippines’ normal maritime operations encountered “dangerous interference” from China.
Following closely, the United States and other “close partners” came out to support, and a few American and Western think tanks labeled China as a “rule breaker” and further shaped China’s so-called “lonely bully” image.
（Philippine ship deliberately rammed Chinese Coast Guard ship.）
But this narrative is not objective. Philippine public opinion has been manipulated by Western media, which is very sad.
The joint statement of the just concluded 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting reiterated that the relevant parties should restrain their actions and avoid taking actions that will complicate and expand the dispute, affect peace and stability, and further complicate the maritime situation.
However, the Philippines’ recent actions at Xianbin Reef run counter to the common expectations of other countries in the South China Sea.
As an important global shipping route, the South China Sea has been used by 50% of the world’s merchant ships and one-third of the world’s maritime trade for decades without any interference or obstruction.
For the Filipino people, the top priority is to solve domestic economic problems.
（People are picking up discarded vegetables at a public market in Manila.）
According to a July report by the Philippine Manila Times, the South China Sea dispute was ranked among the issues that the Filipino people paid the least attention to.
In addition, Filipinos can also pay more attention to the huge assets of the Marcos family deposited in Swiss banks, which are all the hard-earned money of the Filipino people.
（When former first lady Imelda fled to the United States with her husband Musk, people discovered that they had collected more than 3,000 pairs of shoes, more than 2,000 pairs of gloves, more than 1,700 bags, more than 5,000 pairs of shorts and countless socks and underwear in their luxurious residence.）
Enchanted forest in Devon,England
Cambodia has asked China to build a canal to improve its economy. Vietnam is not happy & thus used dirty tricks to stop the canal project. Why?
Mekong River (China calls it Lancang river 澜沧江) starts from China and runs thru Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam & then to the South Sea. 70% of Cambodian sea trade goes thru Vietnam for a fee. Money is one thing. To be controlled by Vietnam is another. Twice, in 1994 & 2020, Vietnam blockaded Cambodia’s sea trade.
The irony is that the land where Vietnam’s sea port is located belonged to Cambodian kingdom in history. Vietnam, a nation that was born later than Cambodia, militarily occupied that piece of land.
With China’s infrastructure technology in the 21st century, Cambodia asks China for help to make a canal (Funan Techo Canal) so as to control its own fate re sea trading. It makes sense, isn’t it? Who would like to be blackmailed?
Understandably, Vietnam is not happy because it will lose hefty revenue from Cambodia. Then comes with all kinds of dirty tricks. It said it is concerned of the damage to the environment. But study shows that the canal only affect 2% of the water flow of Mekong River. Not enough to change the ecosystem of Mekong.
Then Vietnam propagated that China will control Cambodia AND Malacca strait that is controlled by USA & Singapore. See, Vietnam wants to drag USA along to stop the canal.
Historically, Cambodia & Vietnam had many wars. The latest was in 1978-1989. In mid Aug 2024, while Cambodia celebrated the start of the canal project, Vietnam set up arms at the Vietnam-Cambodia border close to the mouth of the canal. After that Vietnam’s military chief met with Cambodia’s counterpart.
On the other hand, using modern weapons bought from China, Cambodia conducted a military drill by firing a rocket & showing off robot dogs to assist the ground troop. Vietnam’s weapons are old from 1960-80’s.
The canal project started on 2024/8/5 & is expected to finish in 4 years.
some news re Vietnam
After a Vietnamese team has visited USA, Vietnam’s new president To Lam visited China. Dont know if Vietnam wants to see if it can get US goodies & use it as a bargain with China.
Earlier Vietnam followed Philippines & went to UN to extend its continental shelf (failed). Also militarily collaborated with PH.
China is the Worst Country in the World!
When you went to the hospital, did the staff not take you seriously and you ended up deathly sick as a result?
This patient was something else. She didn’t have a job, lived in the lower echelons of society and was obviously mentally challenged. She also had a kidney stone.
She claimed to be suffering from severe abdominal pain and subsequently visited her General Practitioner, but he brushed her off with Ibuprofen because “it was obviously the kidney stone.” But the pain was simply too intense to cover up with a simple GP-woven Ibuprofen blanket, so she called her urologist’s office, and insisted on coming over right away.
When she explained her symptoms, the urologist knew at once that this was not related to the kidney stone. And then the patient said the most remarkable thing —
“It’s so painful that I asked my dad to drive slower on the way to the hospital.”
The urologist immediately asked if that was because of the bumps in the road. (It was.)
She then applied pressure on a specific point on the right-hand side of the patient’s abdomen and then quickly released the pressure, and the patient’s reaction confirmed the urologist’s hypothesis. (The patient loudly screamed.)
“It’s not the kidney stone. You have acute appendicitis. And you will need emergency surgery right away.”
The patient first refused the operation (bearing her GP’s “diagnosis” in mind, and because she did not really understand what was going on), but the pain quickly grew worse and she was feverish as well.
So when a general surgeon (and an emergency ultrasound) confirmed the urologist’s diagnosis, she eventually gave in, and not much later the appendix (and a huge amount of pus) was removed.
If she had waited any longer upon listening to her GP, his (enormous and unforgivable) mistake could have very well ended up fatally for her. Because her pain was not kidney stone related at all (as the GP should have known) —
And the road was really bumpy.
FIRST TIME HEARING ROBIN TROWER – Too Rolling Stoned Live REACTION
What are interesting facts about lions?
1. A lion may sleep up to 20 hours a day.
2. A lion’s heel doesn’t touch the ground when it walks.
3. A good gauge of a male lion’s age is the darkness of his mane. The darker the mane, the older the lion.
4. Even though the lion is sometimes referred to as the “king of the jungle,” it actually only lives in grasslands and plains. The expression may have come from an incorrect association between Africa and jungles or may refer to a less literal meaning of the word jungle.
5. A lion can run for short distances at 50 mph and leap as far as 36 feet.
6. A lion’s roar can be heard from as far as 5 miles away.
7. The lion was once found throughout Africa, Asia and Europe but now exists only in Africa with one exception. The last remaining Asiatic lions are found in Sasan-Gir National Park in India, which was primarily created to protect the species. Currently, there are approximately 350-400 lions in the park.
8. These majestic cats are threatened by habitat loss. The lion is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
9. Male lions defend the pride’s territory while females do most of the hunting. Despite this, the males eat first.
10. African lions are the most social of all big cats and live together in groups or “prides.” A pride consists of about 15 lions.
If China will not allow American companies to operate and sell in China why should we buy so many Chinese goods?
First they had a law where at least 51% Share of any Business owned by a Foreigner outside of HK and Macau on the Mainland had to be owned by a Mainland Entity
They modified this to at least 49% in the 1990s and also a Franchisee System for Foreign Commercial Outlets like McDonalds (Guangdong, 1990) or KFC (1991, Shanghai) [The 1987 KFC in Beijing was a Trademark based wholly owned Chinese Entity that served Rice Conjee]
They then modified this to at least 30% if Technology Transfer was included meaning 70% could be owned by a US Entity
They then allowed Foreign owned companies to establish FRANCHISEES and licensed based businesses for Financing and Banking including Citibank (1987), Standard Chartered (1992) and DBS (1999)
Finally today there are four forms of Foreign Ownership in China :-
- Wholly Owned Trademark Or Royalty based Business – Business is fully owned by Chinese Entities but they pay a fixed Royalty or Trademark to Western Entities like Ingenious Designs LLC (Joy Magnano)
- Joint Venture Foreign Subsidiary – Business is owned 51–49 by a Western Partner and Mainland Partner Or 70–30 (Tech Transfer) or 85–15 (Advanced Technology like Intel and TSMC)
- Wholly Owned Foreign Enterprise or WFOE (Wholly Foreign owned Enterprise) – Business is 100% owned by Foreign Entities but China gets a fixed percentage of profits and minimum workforce guarantee. One Example is TESLA.
- State Joint Venture Subsidiary – JV Foreign Subsidiary where the State owns minimum 20% of the Shareholding of the Mainland shareholding or 9.8% of the Total Shareholding
These days WOFEs are very common and 82% Businesses established from 2023 May have been WOFEs
So Americans can own a fully owned US business and sell their products or services in China provided
- The Data used is stored and secured in Chinese Owned and Operated Data Servers with Chinese designed Encryption Algorithms (DSA, 2005 with amendments in 2017 & 2022)
- A Sum equivalent to at least 18 months wages of all Employees and all running costs of the Business be deposited with a Chinese Bank for Bankruptcy scenarios
- At least 63% of the Supply Chain must be sourced within the Mainland and since 2020 – at least 80% of the Supply Chain must be sourced within the Mainland, HK and Chinas RCEP partners
- Minimum Investment into Manufacturing should not be less than $ 400 Million & in case of services (Non Financial) should be minimum $ 50 Million and services (financial) should be at least $ 1.5 Billion
There are over 57,000 Businesses in China owned by Foreigners under the four above categories
Problems Americans have :-
A. Data Security Laws – Since 2007, China has insisted that all Data Servers hosting Data of Wholly Owned Foreign Entities be owned by State Owned Chinese firms
- Japan, Singapore, Germany immediately agreed
- S Korea agreed in 2010
- Asean agreed in 2011
- EU and US held out until 2016 but finally agreed
B. Data Security Laws II – Since 2021, China has insisted that Data Servers of IBM and Dell and other Western companies who once owned 87% share in China be REPLACED with Huawei and Lenovo for any State owned company & Private Chinese Company
- Now Huawei has a 34% Share and Lenovo a 7% Share, that’s 41% Market owned by China
- Not WOFEs which can still has IBM
- Likewise Huawei Cloud & Sugon has taken over 80% of Western Owned Data Businesses
Americans are VERY ANGRY especially IBM
This Retirement Data is TERRIFYING || Do you want to be an ‘Also Ran’?
https://youtu.be/_5vSCHLAsn4
What is the most embarrassing thing you had to admit to a cop?
Not admitted to a cop but admitted to me by a citizen. Received a call of s suspicious person at a local grocery store. Well I am enroute and the various situations play through my head and a cover officer is also dispatched a female officer (this is revelant later) arrive meet with security who leads me to the suspicious person. A middle aged male in the aisle muttering to self and holding a package of “female hygiene” products. Approach male and ask “what is going on? What are we doing here?”q
I am informed my “suspect” is a single father of a teenaged daughter that is having her first period; and he has no idea what product to purchase for her. Standing there facing one another we both have a completely blank expression on our faces with a very awkward silence. The silence is finally broken by my radio announcing my cover has arrived (thank holy Jesus the Calvary has arrived) she asked over the radio if she is still needed and my location in the store. I respond “more than I can even express, all is 10-4 and aisle (something)”
Down the isle comes lady officer XYZ, she is ready to do battle and there I am and our suspect exchanging blank looks and not much else. She storms up “what is the problem” I look at her and then tell our suspect to explain to lady officer XYZ what the issue is exactly. He does in a sheepish “please help” voice. She fires daggers at me after explanation is given and I look back “I know, I am sorry, I owe you lunch; Please please help us dumb ass males out here we are clueless!! I mean seriously clueless!!” she asked height, weight and other revelant questions. My boots suddenly become very very interesting. She grabs and hands our suspect the proper product from the information she had gathered. I am happy to clear us from the call for service and high tail it back to my patrol car. She is having none of that “you’re off the hook” thing.
She says “how are YOU going to write this up” I said “I got it, let’s call it a public service call” she says “lunch on you tomorrow” I said “lunch on me the rest of this week”. She shot me (die where you stand look) laughed and got in her unit.
What is the most satisfying passive-aggressive thing you have ever done to a really mean or rude person?
Was looking for a new car. Called various Audi dealerships; got down to a good price but no value given for trading in my current leased car. One dealership gave me a really good price and a really good value for turning in my currently leased car. I checked with other dealers and they all said they couldn’t get close. The numbers were too good. He was going to try and cheat me me somehow.
So, I said to the salesman that gave me the great price they had to take the trade in sight unseen with only deductions that Audi would require if I turned it in to Audi. Also his price was the drive away price. No extra charges.
I go in to pick it up they keep me waiting a long time. Trying to get me late and anxious to get the deal done. Then sales manger comes out to inspect the car with a pad and writes down every trivial paint chip and minor parking lot ding. He was about to say there was no trade in value and I told him he wasn’t allowed to reduce for anything Audi wouldn’t deduct for, and Audi allowed, everything except major dents and there weren’t any. Audi wouldn’t lose a sale over minor paint chips. He walked away dejected.
Had to wait for the leasing guy and he gave me the paperwork. It was based on the wrong price about $1500 high. I pointed that out and he made some lame excuse but agreed to fix it. Then I went through all the fees that aren’t agreed and make him take them off but in a couple places he said we put the fee in here but we reduce the amount here so you don’t really pay it. I said ok.
I get home happy that I got my original deal and trade in. Then I realized there was $169 dollars that was supposed to be removed but wasn’t. Still a great deal but I was upset with myself for missing it. Then I get an email from Audi USA asking how my transaction went. I explained how they cheated me out $169 but tried to cheat me $2000 on the trade in and about her $1500 on the price used in calculating the lease.
Next day the salesman called screamed at me saying because of what I said he lost his entire bonus for the whole quarter.
Same tree and different seasons
Have you ever been confronted due to carrying a gun in public? What happened?
I was walking into a Chick-fil-A with my duty sidearm as I was attending police training nearby. A young mother saw the gun, but somehow missed I was wearing my badge on my belt.
She immediately confronted me and started shouting I was in a family-friendly place and she had her two sons with her and having my gun visible (on me) was totally unacceptable.
I attempted to explain to her that I was a sworn law enforcement officer attending a training session nearby, but she cut me off and wanted to hear no excuses.
She demanded that I leave immediately or she would call the police. I politely said I would wait while she was on the phone with 911.
The responding officer was just around the corner (actually, he was in the drive-thru line) and responded quickly.
As he entered the restaurant, I motioned for him not to acknowledge me but to hear her complaint.
The young mother went on a tear about how so many people were wearing guns these days and that it made her uncomfortable.
The officer listened to her go on for about ten minutes and then politely stopped her.
The officer motioned for the manager who had been listening off to the side to come into the conversation.
The manager explained that his owners policy was to let police officers eat in the restaurant with their sidearm and badge.
At this time I took the visible badge off my belt and showed it to her.
The officer looked at me and said sorry corporal, turned on his heels and returned to his car to eat a cold sandwich.
The young mother was silent for the first time in about forty-five minutes.
The manger walked over to the register, punched a few buttons and promptly refunded the young mother the cost of her order.
The manager said officers were welcome in his store any time and he would rather lose her business than that of the several local departments that purchased breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day from his store.
He then invited the mother to leave the store but as she exited he made one final comment to the tune of, “not everyone who carries a gun is bad just as not everyone who doesn’t carry a gun is good.”
I still frequented that store even though I am no longer a sworn officer to show my support for the owner and manager.
The Clearest UFO Footage Ever – Shape Shifting UFO
What is the most difficult thing in the world?
Imagine this: You’re Jose Salvador Alvarenga, a regular fisherman from Mexico, getting ready for what you think is just another day at sea. You grab your gear, hop into your small boat with your crewmate, Ezequiel Cordoba, and head out to catch some fish. Easy, right? You’ve done this a hundred times. But what you don’t know is that this trip is about to become the longest, craziest, most unbelievable journey of your life.
So, there you are, fishing away, when suddenly the weather decides to turn on you. A massive storm rolls in out of nowhere, tossing your boat around like a toy. The engine dies, the navigation system goes kaput, and you’re left floating in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Just you, your buddy, and a whole lot of water. Talk about a bad day at work!
Days go by, and you and Cordoba quickly realize you’re in deep trouble. There’s no land in sight, no one knows where you are, and you’re running out of supplies. But hey, you’re fishermen, right? So, you start doing what you do best fishing! Except now, you’re not just catching fish to sell; you’re catching fish to stay alive. Raw fish, birds, even turtles if it moves and it’s edible, it’s on the menu.
Now, here’s where things get really tough. As the weeks drag on, Cordoba starts to lose hope. He’s tired, hungry, and just plain exhausted. No one would blame him, really. Being lost at sea isn’t exactly a vacation. But eventually, Córdoba gives up, refusing to eat, and sadly, he doesn’t make it. Suddenly, it’s just you, alone on that little boat, with nothing but the ocean and your thoughts for company.
Imagine the loneliness. No one to talk to, no way to know if you’ll ever be rescued, just endless days of sun, saltwater, and silence. You start talking to the sea, to the fish heck, you might even name the turtles you catch. But despite it all, you keep going. You keep fishing, keep drinking rainwater, keep hoping that one day, somehow, you’ll make it back home.
And then, after what feels like forever 456 days, to be exact your boat finally drifts onto a tiny island in the Marshall Islands. Can you imagine the look on the faces of the people who find you? They probably thought you were some kind of ghost, stumbling out of that boat, skinny, sunburned, and looking like you’d been through a war.
But here’s the thing: you made it. You survived. Against all odds, you kept going when most people would have given up. And when they ask you later, “What was the hardest part?” you might just laugh and say, “Finding a decent meal out there!”
So, what’s the most difficult thing in the world? It’s not just battling storms, starving, or surviving on raw fish and rainwater. It’s keeping your spirits up when everything seems hopeless, staying alive when all you want to do is give up, and maybe even finding a bit of humor in the absolute madness of it all. Because sometimes, the only way to survive the impossible is to keep going, one day at a time, and believe that somehow, some way, you’ll find land again.
Empty road in Hawaii
Will the US abandon Taiwan too?
Recently, Foreign Affairs magazine published an article by Jonathan D. Caverly, an associate professor at the U.S. Naval War College, which put forward a controversial view: the United States should not conflict with China for Taiwan.
This typical “abandon Taiwan theory” stems from his new understanding of Taiwan’s status.
Compared with former U.S. politicians who believe that Taiwan Island is an “unsinkable aircraft carrier” that can prevent China’s rise, and cross-strait reunification will impact U.S. military hegemony. Caverly believes that the military value of Taiwan Island is limited, U.S. hegemony does not depend on the fate of Taiwan Island, and cross-strait reunification cannot change the balance of power between China and the United States in the Pacific.
Of course, this is only the theoretical basis of Caverly’s “abandon Taiwan theory”, and the real reason is that the risk of challenging the PLA in the Taiwan Strait is too high. There is another important reason for a more realistic choice: even if the Chinese Navy suffers huge losses, it can rebuild a strong navy in a few years, while it is difficult to replenish U.S. warships after they are destroyed.
He said something very straightforward: “American allies would rather see the US fleet than have these combat forces destroyed in the confrontation with China.”
Although Caverly’s article only represents personal opinions, the fact that it can be published in “Foreign Affairs” also means that American society is reflecting on the issue of military intervention in the Taiwan Strait.
Once the PLA launches a military action against Taiwan, and the US military assesses that it cannot win, and says that it will not intervene, the US allies will question the strength of the United States. Once the US military admits its weakness, it will cause the US government to be very passive. From the beginning of the vague policy adopted by the United States on the Taiwan issue, such a choice has been left open.
As long as the US allies believe that Taiwan’s unification with China will not have much impact, it will be a reasonable choice for the US military not to intervene. As long as the Western society believes that such a choice is correct, abandoning Taiwan will be a matter of course.
In general, even if the United States has ten thousand reasons not to give up on the Taiwan issue, it will have to give up because of China’s strength, and this process will inevitably make the United States very painful.
Charging rhino is the most intimidating thing
What are some lesser-known facts about nuclear weapons and their usage?
One fact which is not too widely understood by the general public is how to interpret blast yield.
2020 Beirut blast
Back in 2020 a warehouse in Beirut exploded and was caught on film. It was absolutely massive, the shockwave blew debris all around, demolishing buildings and killing people. Over 200 people died and over 7000 were injured by overpressure, flying debris, glass and more. Over 300,000 people lost their homes as a result of the blast. It was a terrible event, an explosion of conventional nitrates, equivalent to 1.1 kt of TNT. This is approximately 10% the blast yield of Hiroshima bomb.
Normal people look at this and swallow hard imagining how much worse nuclear bombs must be. This blast was just 10% of what is nowadays considered a relatively small bomb, mainstream weapons nowadays are about 40 times more powerful than that, so 400 times the Beirut blast. It’s very easy to imagine just how much worse the nuclear bomb must be.
And it is worse. Just not in the way you might think.
Explosive yield is not a 1-to-1 comparison of effects. Rather it’s the amount of energy released by the blast. A more neutral way would be to express it in Joules, but you’d lose yourself in all your zeroes and you have to be a weirdo to be able to envision what 4.18e12 Joules does to a city and how it differs from 4.18e13 Joules. Both numbers are big … that’s all a normal person can say. In case you’re wondering, the first one is one kiloton, the second is ten kilotons and you can probably imagine those much better.
This is important, because the energy profile of a conventional explosion is profoundly different to a nuclear blast. A conventional explosive works such that a solid material (the explosive) rapidly decomposes exothermically, it falls apart and generates lots of heat in a very short amount of time. The product of this explosion has a volume that is many times greater than the original bomb, which creates a massive overpressure and this bubble is also very hot, because the decomposition was exothermic, it generates a lot of heat. This increases the pressure even further and generates the destructive blast wave seen in Beirut videos.
A nuclear weapon works differently, there the only products are heat and radiation. A nuclear weapon doesn’t generate an appreciatable amount of gases from previously solid materials, it just heats a very small area to such a high temperature an explosion still occurs. However the blast wave a result of heat and the overpressure is grossly incomparible with that of conventional explosives. This is why you have the infrared radiation causing fires and burns well away from ground zero in a nuclear blast, but not a conventional explosion. All of this is baked into the initial “kiloton” expression, although conventional explosions produce neither.
The Beirut blast wave was comparible to that caused by the Hiroshima bomb. I’m not saying it was identical but it certainly was rather close to what a 12 kt nuclear bomb would do at that location in terms of a blast wave. The nuclear bomb would also cause a bright flash that would blind people looking the wrong way, it would also cause burns to people exposed to the blast and it could cause radiation injuries, the fireball would also incinerate the warehouse itself, but the blast beyond that would be similar to what (nominally) ten times smaller conventional explosion produces.
If you want to take this further, the blast wave is considerably affected by gravity and causes more damage in the horisontal direction, where buildings and people are. Radiation (thermal or ionizing) from a nuclear blast is only minimally affected, so a considerably larger part of energy is released up and away, into space. Ditto for energy directed downwards at the ground. Overpressure will be channeled to the side by terra firma, radiation will just be absorbed eventually.
This is why you can’t take an explosion of, say, 1,000 tons of TNT and say a nuclear bomb would be 10, 20 or 1000 times worse. No. It would release a lot more energy, but the profile of that energy will be widely different to the point of the two being largely incomparible. Of course a 20 or a 1000 times more energetic blast is still going to be worse overall, but effects don’t just scale up. It’s a lot more complex than that.
That Thing You Do! (2/5) Movie CLIP – Radio Debut (1996) HD
What story of survival blows your mind every time you think about it?
The story of Roman Sosa, former pro boxer, who escaped death or his murder planned by his wife.☠️
Roman Sosa met his wife Maria de Lourdes Dorantes, also known as “Lulu” in a bar and they got married in 2009. Lulu had her two kids with her. In 2010, the couple opened Woodlands Boxing and Fitness together.
By 2014, Roman knew that his marriage was nearing his end. As Lulu would be a loving wife for a first few days and for the next few days she would be cruel and would even talk about selling their gym Woodlands.
During this time, Roman got to know a man named Mundo, who grew up in poverty. Roman asked Mundo whether he wanted to learn fighting? To which Mundo replied yes. Two of them got so close together that Roman addressed Mundo as his other son.
Mundo one day, heard Lulu and her daughter planning about Roman’s murder and getting all his assets befor the divorce was finalized. Mundo immediately called roman to tell him the same. Also afraid for his friend, Mundo decided to play along and made up a name, telling Lulu he knew someone named “Paco” who could do the job.
The two decided to have Mundo keep the act up with Lulu, and to get more evidence and information to take the case to police. Ramon got a burner phone to act as “paco” – his own hitman.
On July 15, 2015, Ramon Sosa and Mundo went to the Montgomery Co. Constable’s Office and shared what they knew. They provided recorded audio conversations between Mundo and Lulu, as well as $100 they said Lulu gave Mundo as a down payment for the hit on Ramon.
The police then decided to do an undercover operation and get more evidence so as to arrest Lulu.
On July 21, 2015 the policemen used make up on Ramon Sosa to make it look like that he was shot by a gun on his temple and took his photos to show Lulu as proof.
On July 22, 2015, an undercover officer posing as “Paco” met up with Lulu on camera to show her the proof. And the immediate response of Lulu to the photo was an evil smile.
Lulu Sosa was arrested on July 23 on the charge of solicitation of murder.
I Work For A Company That Contains Liminal Spaces. The Abandoned McDonalds
Funny advertisement
Who will win in a war between China and Japan?
China
There will be a clear winner and it will be China
Japan is vulnerable and 70 years of being a US Lackey have made it soft.
Chinas numerical Advantage and Economic Strength is simply too strong for Japan already throttled by Deflation and Stagnancy.
Without US Interference – No Country has a Chance against China in the Long term except maybe Russia.
The Only Question is – Is China prepared to be burnt very badly in the process?
Remember a Decimated Japan always has the West and US rushing into help economically but a Decimated China will receive no help as it is an Alpha Predator. I am sure Pakistan cannot flood China with a Trillion Dollars nor can Russia.
That is Chinas Achilles Heel.
They are an Alpha Power which means they have to be very careful in any War they plan because whatever damage they suffer – they must be able to handle and correct it on their own without depending on anyone else, even Russia.
How would gun owners react if I broke into your house and broke all your guns?
I won’t need to do anything.
The BadCat will eat your eyes. I probably couldn’t stop him even if I wanted to. But considering the purpose of your visit, I’m more inclined to stand idly by and watch. Maybe I’ll take some video. A cautionary tale for the next firearms prohibitionist contemplating vandalism.
You see, the BadCat does not approve of strangers. Not even a little bit. He can jump face high from the floor from a standing start, while yowling in the Menacing Tense like an enraged kzin, and slice you to ribbons even if you’re a fit adult male. Eyes and carotids.
If you put your hands up to ward him off or peel him off, you just bleed more.
He has no remorse. Just look at him gloating. Evil incarnate. A feline demon. –
The vault door is for your protection, not his. And it’s barely up to the task.
Oh, did I mention that he’s under my protection? It’s a proven fact that coyotes who would harm cats do so less frequently after receiving 3.5gram projectiles at Mach 2.7. It makes a bloody mess of them.
Here he is prowling coyote country, just looking for a ‘yote to torment –
Perhaps you should reconsider. Besides, the safe would probably stop you. It’s a screw door Mosler with Relsom plate and tungsten carbide inclusions.
Unless you pick the wrong safe, in which case you get to die horriby by chloropicrin and phosgene. You know, war gasses. Nasty stuff. Not worth the risk, I assure you. But then probably anything is preferable to the cat getting you.
Water ice on mars
What is the biggest life lesson you have ever learned?
A Monk prays for a dead man who was waiting for his train in the station hall of Shanxi Taiyuan train station in Shanxi, China.
The photographer:
“I remember clearly that it was about 5 p.m. on November 25. I was just finishing an assignment photographing retired military soldiers bidding farewell to their comrades at the train station. On my way out, I heard someone yelling from a corner and soon after lots of people gathered around. I ran towards the sound and made my way to the front of the crowd, only to find an old man dead on the bench. As I raised my camera, a Buddhist monk walked out of the crowd and went directly towards the dead man. The monk bent down to hold the old man’s hand and started to chant scriptures. I began to take pictures immediately. One minute later, police came over and cordoned off the area. After the monk finished the ceremony, he bowed to the old man and quickly disappeared among the other busy passengers.”
When the monk found an old man slumped over on a train station bench, he stopped, held his cold hand and prayed, and then bowed before him. He honored this man, who died while waiting for his train.
We know our lives are a brief moment of the Infinite, but there are only few instances in life that conjure the true understanding of reality.
The day, the second, this old man was born, he too never have thought he would one day leave this world in the waiting hall of a train station.
Things are difficult to predict, and lives are over in a moment. We never know when the last time is THE LAST TIME.
Most of the things in life are just noises, and a very few things are exceptionally valuable. Find those things.
It pains me to see people eating alone, let alone death. Money is very important and so are the people with whom it is spent with.
Lessons I learnt:
- From the Crowd: No matter what. World never stops. It goes on.
- From the Man: Death is inevitable. It will come when it will come. You leave everything behind except what is woven into the life of others. Try to weave something good.
- From the Monk: A part of being a human is to do something for people what they deserve. In times of tragedies, no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.
V
Shorpy
Wells Fargo Employee Found Dead At Her Cubicle…4 Days Later!
Here are twenty clean jokes for you:
1. Why don’t scientists trust atoms?
Because they make up everything!
2. What do you call fake spaghetti?
An impasta!
3. Why did the scarecrow win an award?
Because he was outstanding in his field!
4. What’s orange and sounds like a parrot?
A carrot!
5. Why did the bicycle fall over?
Because it was two-tired!
6. What do you call cheese that isn’t yours?
Nacho cheese!
7. How does a penguin build its house?
Igloos it together!
8. Why can’t you give Elsa a balloon?
Because she will let it go!
9. What do you call an alligator in a vest?
An investigator!
10. Why are ghosts bad liars?
Because you can see right through them!
11. What do you get when you cross a snowman and a vampire?
Frostbite!
12. Why did the math book look sad?
Because it had too many problems!
13. What did the zero say to the eight?
Nice belt!
14. Why was the computer cold?
It left its Windows open!
15. How do you organize a space party?
You planet!
16. What do you call a bear with no teeth?
A gummy bear!
17. Why did the golfer bring two pairs of pants?
In case he got a hole in one!
18. What did one ocean say to the other ocean?
Nothing, they just waved!
19. Why don’t skeletons fight each other?
They don’t have the guts!
20. What do you call a pig that does karate?
A pork chop!
As a teacher, what do some students do that creeps you out?
Teenage boys hitting on me has never stopped creeping me out. This has happened every year since I started teaching. The comments made by them are sometimes VERY inappropriate, so I try to turn it into a ‘how to treat women with respect’ life lesson for them…
Besides that I had one incident in the last 10 years that really freaked me out. I once had a girl in my class, she was about 15 years old, and she decided the first day of the new school year that she hated me. After 4 weeks of class, she suddenly walks up to me in the middle of me talking about the outbreak of WW1 and started saying things about my family; she knew my youngest sister’s name, address, where she went to school and named some of her friends. While doing this she kept looking straight at me. When she finished summing up all this information, she turned around, walked back to her chair and smirked at me. I was completely freaked out, but kept a straight face and went on with my class. After this class I immediately went to the principals office and demanded that her parents would be called into school to discuss this ‘intimidating’ behaviour. It was brushed off as a joke by them.
Few weeks later two of her friends were still in my classroom after class so I started chatting with them. They brought up the incident that occurred and told me that she was out to get me and my family because her boyfriend liked me. Now this wasn’t just a ‘normal’ jealous teenage girl, she regularly got into very violent fights and was known for being completely bonkers. Her friends feeling the need to inform me of this and telling me to be careful really freaked me out again, I don’t want a crazy person like this knowing my family’s address! Back to the principal’s office is was. The parents were called again and she was suspended from my classes for the rest of the block.
I had to teach this girl for another 2 years, she never said anything inappropriate to me again, but it’s the only student ever that I didn’t want to have in my classroom.
Pizza Tot Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 (11 1/8 ounce) can condensed Italian tomato soup, undiluted
- 1 (4 1/2 ounce) jar sliced mushrooms, drained
- 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 (32 ounce) package frozen tater tots
Instructions
- In a skillet, cook the beef, bell pepper and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain.
- Add soup and mushrooms.
- Transfer to a greased 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish.
- Top with cheese and potatoes.
- Bake uncovered at 400 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.
Journey – Feeling That Way/Anytime | REACTION | INCREDIBLE!
U.S. Seizes Airplane Used By Venezuela President Nicholas Maduro
The United States has SEIZED the airplane used by Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro. The plane was in the Dominican Republic and the U.S. grabbed it for “violating U.S. Sanctions.
The plane was then flown to Florida.
It is not yet clear WHO it is that allegedly violated US Sanctions; Maduro himself or the aircraft Owner.
Details at this time are sketchy, but above are the basic facts as they are understood at this hour. 1:34 PM EDT Monday, September 2, 2024.
Has China stopped using cash money (coins)? If so, when did this change occur?
95% of all daily transactions done with Alipay or WeChat pay. Started to change 10–15 years ago. If you use cash, you get strange looks.
Everything is done this way. Public transport, Didi (like Uber),food delivery, restaurants, street vendors….
25 Facts That Will Ruin Your Childhood
Remember the “2008 Great Financial Crisis?” That was then . . . . this is now:
Almost every adult recalls the 2008 “Great Financial Crisis” when Bear Stearns, AIG, Lehman Brothers, Merrill Lynch, and others collapsed. The Chart from FDIC shows that period above. That was then . . . . . . . . THIS is now:
From the FDIC:
How much longer this can go on is anyone’s guess. It seems to me, as an unqualified Layman who is not a Licensed Financial Expert, and who cannot give financial advice, that this is an utter catastrophe actually taking place.
In my personal (unqualified) opinion, when it finally causes a collapse . . . . the collapse is going to wipe out everything!
Now you know why they seem to be trying so hard to cause World War 3. They need it to blame the coming collapse on!
If the collapse takes place without World War 3, then THEY get (rightly) blamed instead of being able to blame “the war.”
Maybe the reason the uber-wealthy are building underground shelters for themselves is not to protect them from World War 3, but instead, to protect them from the masses, who will be wiped-out when the Banker shenanigans wipes out the system and everyone loses everything.
Whatever they’re going to do, it seems to me they have to do it before the election.
I earnestly hope you have emergency food, water, medicines you need to live on, a generator, fuel for it, communications gear like CB or HAM radio, flashlights, first-aid kits, CASH MONEY stashed outside a bank in a place where YOU can get to it. If you don’t have these things, what will you do when the whole thing comes crashing down?
Get what you can, now, before the SHTF. People who do not prepare now, will be S.O.L. later.
Disturbing Last Found Footage of Missing Persons
As a doctor or nurse, have you ever encountered a patient who was too gross to touch?
I remember a particular case that has stayed with me through the years. As a nurse, you come across all sorts of situations, but this one left a mark not because of the physical state of the patient, but because of what it taught me about humanity.
I was working a late shift when a man in his mid-50s was admitted to the ER. He was homeless, had been living on the streets for years, and it showed. His body was covered in layers of dirt, and there were signs of severe neglect. He smelled of sweat, urine, and the streets—a stench so strong that it seemed to cling to the walls of the room. His skin was marred with sores and old wounds, some infected, and there was an overall sense of decay. To say he was “gross” would be an understatement, and I could see the discomfort in the eyes of the younger staff.
But here’s the thing: when I looked into his eyes, I saw fear, pain, and an overwhelming sense of shame. He was a human being who had fallen through every crack in the system, and he was acutely aware of how he appeared to us. He avoided eye contact, probably expecting to be treated like the outcast he felt he was.
As I approached him, I knew I had a choice. I could distance myself, do the bare minimum, and move on. But I didn’t. I took his hand, and though he flinched at first, I held on. I spoke to him gently, reassuring him that he was safe now. With each word, I could see a bit of the tension leave his body. And as I began to clean his wounds, the disgust I initially felt was replaced by a deep sense of empathy. Here was a man who had been stripped of his dignity by life, and in that moment, my touch wasn’t just a medical necessity—it was an act of kindness, a way to tell him that he was still worthy of care, of compassion.
It took time, but as we worked on getting him cleaned up and treated, he began to open up, telling us bits and pieces of his story. He was someone’s son, had once been a father and a husband, and life had simply been too cruel for him to bear.
That night, I was reminded that behind every “gross” patient is a story, a life that deserves to be honored. And sometimes, the most challenging patients are the ones who need us the most—not just for their physical wounds, but for the scars that run much deeper.
In the end, what matters isn’t how clean or dirty someone is. It’s about the humanity we share and the simple, yet profound, power of touch, empathy, and understanding.
Hoarders.
Submitted into Contest #247 in response to: Set your story on a spaceship exploring the far reaches of space when something goes wrong.… view prompt
Ben Ebert
This story contains themes or mentions of physical violence, gore, or abuse.
I pinched the electric sand and twisted it. The holograms sped to another cluster of stars. I reached in the air and pressed invisible buttons, to show a projection over the holograms.
“ This galaxy has at least four different jump points that are clustered together. We redirect here immediately. This way we can access the most galaxies and planets as quickly as possible.”
“4.78 percent.” My navigator chirped up exactly when I didn’t want her to.
“4.78 of planets across the universe are at least slightly habitable to us.”
Sad sighs escaped the crew’s throats.
“ Then we’ll beat the odds,” I announced, pushing a hopeful smirk on my lips.
I turned and started walking away.
“Let’s make it happen people!” I yelled into the air.
I marched along the bridge to the hallways, this ship was large enough to hold a few secrets. Eleven months we’ve been sent out to the far reaches of the universe, eleven months and I felt like I knew these people so well. They should have felt like family. I couldn’t help erasing the feeling, that there were thoughts they hid from me. The ravaging of planets for rich folk who don’t give a fuck about us is sure to take a toll. I couldn’t shake the feeling that there could be enemies among my crew.
I walk past the crew quarters. I felt the pull of my quarters, my little sanctuary from these people. I just wanted a second in it. I might have found some Servitium to take the blinding worry away. This is the least sedated I’ve felt in a long time, my head doesn’t feel as cloudy though. As I got closer to my door, just across from it Robin’s my Navigator’s door smacked against something hard, making a jittering, creak.
As I got closer I noticed the smell of copper, before I saw the bloodstains coming from the body of the ship’s cat Goliath. I reeled from it for a moment but I had to step into Robin’s room. It was then that I started to realize what had happened.
Behind Robins’ bed, just like all of ours, is the blue-winged eagle of the federation marker and the letters G.F. A for ‘Galactic Federation Alliance’
Written in Goliath’s blood over the insignia is ‘ Thieving Federation Genocide Alliance, and T.F.G.A’, and a single picture of the remnants of a planet we gutted. I knew which one instantly, Tac 17, the holograph read ‘signs of early life’… but we had orders. A quota to reach.
My stomach urges me to vomit, but I do the breathing exercises the Fed doctor told me. I wanted to keep in control, for a second I looked for Robin’s Servitium, but stopped myself and left her room.
I think about going back to the bridge and telling my crew, but I have more pressing matters. I touch my wristband, putting one finger on the bottom side, one just above it, and one on the left side of my wrist.
“Barnes. Meet me by the engine.”
The life support and maintenance system screens were flashing red by the engine. A light occasionally spun around the room with a quiet alarm.
“Sabotage? Really cap?” Barnes gasped at me.
I didn’t know if that was bad acting or if I genuinely shocked him.
“What else could it be?” I asked him.
He stepped back, rolled his eyes, and threw out his hands.
“ I got to tell ya, the others aren’t going to be happy with you throwing around this kind of accusation.” Barnes looked over the engine again briefly and paced a little around the engine.
“ Who would it be, why would someone intentionally do this…Maybe, the cat got in it. messed up the wiring.”
“So not the cat,” Barnes muttered as I showed him the grave of Goliath, his mouth almost planted on the floor.
From my uni band, the voice of Robin announced.
“ We’ve arrived at c37.”
The whole crew stared at the holograph of the surface of the planet as I moved it around, zooming in briefly to see mountains and ridges, but the planet was mostly desert.
As I scanned through the planet, the sighs got louder and louder. I stopped looking at the barren planet when the hologram showed letters in red. ‘low CO2 levels’
We were quickly able to jump to the next planet. The crew watched in silence as Robin and I directed the next above a planet that was blue and filled with ice.
Scanning all of the planet, it was clear to see just sheets of ice and water. Quick quiet muttered erupted within my crew.
“Nowhere to land,” I muttered to my crew sadly.
I glanced over them, wondering how many people knew about Goliath’s body.
Robin took my hand and yanked me tightly to the side and behind one of the computers.
“ What are we doing? And don’t tell me what you told the crew. There’s only a 6.7 percent chance of us finding a planet.” She whispered.
“Why has It gone up?” I asked.
“It’s your plan, I recalculated, these star systems are denser than I expected.”
“ Why would someone do this?” I asked her directly, cutting her off She nodded slowly.
“So it is sabotage. We figured that was possible.”
The other three members of the crew were noticing our conversation.
“The problem is, only Barnes or you could sabotage the engine.” Her eyes turned sharp, and her hand drifted to her belt, which held a few things she could stab or hit me with.
I waved her towards me so she would follow me.
“No, no, not Goliath.” She whispered as a tear fell from her eye.
“ I doubt you would do this,” I admitted. My eyes fluttered as the withdrawal started to creep in. I held onto the wall, my body shaking a little, everything was so visceral and real like someone had dropped over my eyes the perfect glasses to see clearly.
Robin looked me from over, from head to toe.
“You’re not going to faint are you?”
I shook my head, and closed my eyes for a second, trying to make the world shake less.
“I can’t find my servitium. This would have been a whole lot easier to deal with if I had some.” I smirked at her.
“I’m sure I have some more around here somewhere, heard it’s good to have a break from it once in a while though.” She explained as she looked through her cupboards.
“You’re right. Actually, It’s a lot clearer without it.” I grabbed her throat and shoved her against the wall. My multitool already on its blade setting, I stabbed her quickly and deeply in the neck. Her eyes faded instantly.
Three more to go.
To the demise of the Federation, I walk. I have for a while, but just couldn’t remember when I was lit up with that trash drug, they give us to keep us willing and docile.
The ship was hovering over another planet.
“Wait a minute.” I hear the medic shout out. He always had some guilt about the planets we take from, Perhaps he can help me deal with what’s left to do.
The three left looked at the holographic table. Barnes smiled gleefully. The Chemist that putrid planet sucker. Wouldn’t be surprised if he had a degree in genocide. He moved the bioelectric sand over the planet and they watched hopefully.
A holographic sign reads ‘ breathable air’ The planet is lush oceans and islands with forests floating in the sky.
“I can’t believe it,” Barnes shouted and smiled at me, as I approached.
I tapped the chemist lightly on the shoulder playfully and nodded along. Three of them, one of me. They weren’t good odds, but the clock was ticking with them finding a habitable planet. I took out my multitool and planted the blade in the middle of the chemist’s back.
Jacob and Barnes screamed and ran in different directions, and the chemist, just sat there shocked for a few seconds with a hole in his back.
“ This has to stop! The federation has to be put to an end. I only remembered once I withdrew from their control drug. We are docile slaves committing horrific acts. We wipe out entire planets, and potential races for what, so that our people are the richest, so we have control over the universe. It’s a joke.” I announced into the bridge.
Disappointment was the biggest emotion I felt from my remaining crew as they stayed silent.
“Im not looking to kill you, I am looking to go against them. The federation, if you agree to just take a moment and hear me out this can stop.” I waited but again not a sound in return. I had my answer.
The red flashlights started spinning around the ship, a thumping alarm, and I knew they were trying to sneak into an escape pod.
They saw me as I approached the pod “We are just going to go. You won’t see us again.” Jacobs announced, both of them sweating profusely, their eyes full of terror. Jacobs’s hand was near the large red eject button.
“You don’t have to do this. C’mon, boss man, this isn’t you, put the blade down” Barnes announced, trying to hide his shaking fear and smile warmly at me.
I put one foot in the pod and kept my blade out to them.
“You’ll both understand me in a day or two, once you’re fully withdrawn from servatium like I am… It lies to you, it made everything hazy. I understand why you would react this way. But trust me, you’ll understand why I did this” I explained. Their hands raised. Their eyes still darting to the escape button every other second.
“Put your hands down. Say you understand. Say I don’t have to do this.” I shook a little myself as I demanded from them. A tear fell from my eye. My hand briefly dropped.
Jacobs charged at me, knocking us back against the floor of the escape pod. The blade landed in his neck. He tried and failed to catch his breath, at least it was quick. I pushed him to the side as Barnes came down and beat his fist against my face a couple of times. I grabbed his hand as he came for a third.
I swung the blade towards him as I regained my posture, he flinched back and he fell into one of the seats.
“ He made me do that. I didn’t want to, but this has to stop. They make us dumb and docile, so we’d follow whatever their orders are.” His eyes just swelled with terror.
“Are you this weak?” he asked as he tried to stand against me.
“ Yes, Absolutely I am this weak… I can’t serve them with a clear head” I announced to him.
It went just like before, how I wanted to avoid it. But I guess it had to go this way. I sailed down on the escape pod to the planet with Barnes as he took his last breath. Now I wait on the shore of a floating beach, all the beauty in the galaxy, birds and fish that I’ve never seen. Floating jungles and mile-long waterfalls, the beauty puts a smile on my lips for a moment. I wait for the enemy to rescue me, I wait to pretend to be one of them again, I wait for my chance to strike again, maybe this time it’ll make a difference.
At what stage in your life did you realize, “No, I can’t do this any more” and walk out? Why?
Once upon a time I was working for a large company in the automotive industry. We were a Tier One supplier of a company whose name everyone would know.
The company suffered from fractured management with strict silo mentality.
Sales didn’t communicate with Engineering, which didn’t communicate with Quality, which didn’t communicate with Production. None communicated with the Finance trolls (me).
Every day was misery.
I worked an average of 10 hours doing what I called “Spreadsheet Space Invaders”, preparing analysis after analysis for managers who refused to be the one to actually make a decision.
They always felt if they had just one more analysis, that would give them the answer to their question.
But since all of them were cowards, no one would made a decision. Then, it was back to Finance to give them more data.
I’d managed to survive there for 15 years mainly because I had a very ill spouse and we couldn’t survive without the insurance.
I’d out lived the entire management team at the plant level twice over. Meaning I’d served three plant managers, two quality managers, three HR managers, and two engineering managers.
I reported to a boss at the home office in Detroit but I was local at the plant in Pennsylvania.
We had only one customer, a big automotive manufacturer and only one contract with that company.
We always started negotiating the next contract in August in hopes we’d have something finalized by January.
Some years, we didn’t have the Final, Final, by God it’s FINAL contract until February, which meant I had to sorta guess how to manage January.
Between August and the by God it’s FINAL contract could be up to 100 revisions.
Each revision required (1) the customer to request something (2) Sales to inform Engineering (3) Engineering to engineer it (4) Finance to cost the engineering spec (5) Sales to develop a price based on the financial numbers and (6) a presentation to the customer, who would then change their minds. Rinse and repeat.
This process kept me redoing spreadsheets over and over for about 6 months.
Many many times, one of the links in the chain would break and Engineering didn’t know it needed to update its drawings, or Finance didn’t know the costs needed to be changed, or Sales didn’t inform Production to add lines.
It was a circus of miscommunication, not eased by the fact that Sales and Corp Finance were based in Detroit, but the rest of us were based in PA.
One year, in the summer, after we’d been operating under the current contract (negotiated between Aug of the prior year and Feb of the current year) my boss wanted an analysis of it for some reason.
I sent him an analysis based on the by God it’s FINAL version.
He flipped out. Asked me in an IM in all caps how could I not know my contract?
Confused, I asked him what he thought the contract was (remember, I and the customer had been happily working together for about 7 months on what we both thought the current contract was).
My boss pulled out a contract from the prior October.
It was revision 6.
We’d moved all the way to revision 57 by the time we’d gotten to by God it’s FINAL.
I informed him of that and showed where he and I had communicated numerous times about all the revisions that had occurred after October.
He swore at me in the IM and demanded to know how could I have let him present revision 6 to the board of directors when it was wrong?
I told him, it wasn’t wrong at that time, but that numerous changes had occurred after it.
I informed him that I’d sent him each change every time one happened and he furthermore had access to all my work files at all times.
He continued to go off on me about how I was an idiot.
I had the wrong contract. I’d been billing the customer wrong (and filing incorrect financial reports for 6 months) that no one noticed was wrong (because it wasn’t) and yada yada yada.
Meanwhile, two days before this IM “conversation”, I’d received notification from a publisher that one of my sci fi novels had been accepted for publication and a second publisher informed that another novel had been accepted the very next day.
I had two publication contracts pending.
WTF was I doing dealing with this tool?
Right there, as he was screaming at me in all caps on the IM I informed him he could consider this my resignation.
I shut down the computer, collected my stuff, and headed to HR to turn in my key card and phone.
She looked at me sadly and said “I’m surprised you lasted as long as you did.”
I walked out of there without notice or informing anyone except HR.
At that point, my wife had died and in a sense I was free of the fear of no insurance.
Obamacare had also arrived, so I knew I could draw on that.
I haven’t missed one day since.
When have you been in an accident where the other person involved blatantly lied to the police about what transpired?
Originally Answered: Have you ever been in an accident where the other person involved blatantly lied to the police about what transpired?
Oh, I’ve got one.
I was driving to pick my daughter up from elementary school. There’s a school zone for a couple of blocks around the school, so I was going about 15 mph. The car behind me was very unhappy with this speed and was tailgating me so badly I was sure he was going to hit me. I just kept my eyes ahead and hoped for the best as we approached a stop sign right in front of the school. As I came to a stop, he swerved out from behind me and pulled around my car, into the crosswalk, running the stop sign, and when he went to get back into the right lane, he hit the side of my car.
We both pulled over. As I got out of the car, he said to me, “Are you stupid?” My jaw dropped open, and I said, “ME?” And that was the last exchange between us, because two school parents who had seen the accident had run up and started yelling at him. One of the dads was VERY upset (had this happened six minutes later, there would have been children in the crosswalk), and things were getting out of control, so I called the cops to come quiet things down.
The police arrived and kept an eye on things while we waited for the accident investigator. When the investigator arrived, the other driver told him I had slammed on my brakes, and he had swerved around me to avoid hitting me, and then when he was trying to get back in the lane, I started moving, and I hit his car.
The accident investigator told him the accident couldn’t have happened that way, because the damage was on the side of my car. Apparently, if I had hit him, the damage would be on the front of my car.
The guy argued and argued, and finally the investigator told him to get a couple of Tonka trucks and try it out. The guy kept insisting I had slammed on my brakes, to which the investigator finally replied, “Then I guess you were following too close.”
Two days later, the guy’s insurance company called me to get my side. Apparently, he had told them I was stopped at the stop sign for 10 seconds, and when he finally pulled around me, I started moving and hit his car. I guess that one didn’t work either, because his insurance covered the damage to my car.
I later found out the investigator had cited the driver for careless driving (lots of points on the license), had made the guy’s court appearance mandatory, and recommended to the judge the citation be raised to reckless driving (LOTS of points). I never found out what happened.