I love tools.
I have had various collections of tools through the years. At one point in time I had both a fabrication lab, and electronic labs, and a woodworking shop. And I loved it.
When I worked with wood, the smell of the saw dust was glorious. Simply delicious.
When I worked on my cars, it was always a story of dirt and grease, but the satisfaction of completely, and finally, fixing a broken down jalopy was so FINE.
When I worked with the electronics, it was a story of invention and creation. And some of the gizmos that I made were so special and unique. I just wish that I still had the pictures of my completed projects. I made up all the gear from SLS molds, to glue and plastic frames… and of course all the electronics inside.
Memories.
Some forged through pain, sweat and persistent insects. While others consisted of are much harder to define. Late afternoon sun baking the blacktop and the smell of oil. While others consisted of a ladder and a very hot roof. Still others are far simpler; the twisting of a screwdriver on an invention that I was working on.
Today, I presenting some “tool porn” for you all to enjoy.
Today…
Some say after years of de-coupling, Trump’s bargaining chips over China have diminished. What do you think of it?
Inside 'Delete A', China's plan to 'delete everything America in technology’ - Times of India
How many people have heard of DELETE AMERICA Or DELETE A?
Very few
It doesn’t do many rounds on Mainstream Western Media
China is creating an atmosphere where anything American is to be phased out ENTIRELY
Target dates are 31/12/2025, 31/12/2027 and 31/12/2030 depending on different technologies
Here are some major decisions :-
- Microsoft Windows Ecosystem fully phased out from Grade I – Grade III Government Organizations and replaced with KYLIN (By 30/9/2024)
- Intel & AMD processors fully phased out from Grade I – III Organizations and replaced with Longson Processors (By 30/9/2024)
- Samsung SSDs with SK Hynix commenced phase out from Grade I – III Organizations and replaced with Huawei SSDs with YMTC (Begun 1/1/2024 , Target Date 31/12/2027)
- Cisco Equipment fully phased out from Grade I – III Organizations and replaced with Huawei & ZTE Equipment (By 1/1/2023)
- Grade I – III include Military, Quasi Military , JV Military, Civilian Airspace, Civilian Air Traffic, Civilian Transportation, Civilian Airports, Civilian Railways & Civilian Power Distribution among other things
Here are other things :-
- US Exports formed 9.4% of Chinas GDP Growth in 2015. Now it’s 2.3% in 2023. Dependence on US Exports for Economic Growth has fallen by 75% in the past decade
- Workforce related to US Exports peaked at 1.81 Million in 2016. Now it’s 870,000 – down by more than 50% in the past 8 years
- Chinas Brand Value sales to the Global South stands at a whopping $ 112.6 Billion versus a paltry $ 11.6 Billion in USA. This means Chinese Brands sales in US is a mere $ 12 Billion versus more than $ 113 Billion across the rest of the world. By contrast US Brands sales in China is close to $ 212 Billion versus $ 411 Billion with the rest of the world (Non US). This means 33% of Sales of US Brands depend on China whereas only 9.60% of Sales of Chinese Brands depend on USA.
- In fact if you see Chinese Brands sales in ASEAN is $ 38.2 Billion, almost 3.5 times their US sales
- The Top 15 US Brands – made $ 104.20 Billion for the US Economy in 2023 from China . The Top 15 Chinese Brands made a mere $ 10.81 Billion for the Chinese Economy from USA.
- Chinas dependence on US Technology for its Industrial High Grade Processes is 38% as of 2023 June whereas US Dependence on China for its High Grade Manufacturing Supply Chain is almost 70%. So US dependence on China is TWICE the Chinese dependence on US
It is China that is decoupling from US and Europe
In fact China is preparing to raise massive stimulus to encourage boost in domestic consumption so that by 2027, Chinas Export contribution to GDP falls to less than 15% and US Export contribution to GDP falls to less than 1%
So whatever happens – every move by US against China is programmed to backfire worse against the US
Shocking Truth of South Korean Coup
The details are coming out. Biden “presidency” really were being bad during the last few months.
A friend just shared this, and it’s too funny!
MONTANA STATE TROOPER
In many places in the U.S., when the temperature drops really low, they check on any cars stuck on the side of the road.
One very cold morning, at 3 AM, Montana State Trooper Allan Nixon #658 got a call about a car off the road near Great Falls, Montana.
He found the car stuck in deep snow with the engine still running. After pulling up behind it with his lights flashing, the trooper walked up to the driver’s door and found an older man passed out in the driver’s seat with a nearly empty vodka bottle beside him.
The driver woke up when the trooper tapped on the window. Seeing the lights and the trooper next to his car, the man panicked and shifted into drive, hitting the gas.
The speedometer showed the car going 20, 30, 40, and then 50 MPH, but it was still stuck in the snow, wheels spinning. Trooper Nixon, with a good sense of humor, started running in place next to the car like he was keeping up.
The driver was freaked out, thinking the trooper was actually running 50 miles per hour. After about 30 seconds, the trooper yelled, “PULL OVER!”
The driver quickly turned the wheel and stopped the engine. Of course, the man from North Dakota was arrested, and I bet he’s still shaking his head over the trooper who could run 50 MPH.
Who says cops don’t have a sense of humor?
Sounds right
Scott Ritter EXPOSES: U.S Plot to Put Russia in Nuclear Trap with Ukraine! Putin—Iran Shocking Move!
An EXTREMELY good video.
Why would anyone with half a brain enlist in the United States military?
I grew up in a violent household. My father was an alcoholic, and beat my mother, and us kids. I started to get the best of him by my mid teens, and put a stop to the beatings by the time I was 17.
I was working in dead end jobs, in my hometown outside of Buffalo, New York. The rich kids went to College. The poor kids looked to the Military.
Two weeks after turning 18, I enlisted in the Air Force. I was looking to get out of the harsh Winters of Buffalo, and to start a new life.
I had just missed Vietnam. Saigon fell to the Communists two months before I turned 17. The Cold War was still ongoing, so in 1976, I signed up to be a Nuclear Weapons Specialist. I was on Active Duty (1976-1981.) I spent three years in England, serving on American Occupied RAF Bases. I traveled all over Europe and the United Kingdom in my off time.
I completed one year’s worth of College Credits, attending Night Classes with the University of Maryland (European Campus.) After getting out of the Air Force, I attended College on the G.I. Bill. All of $341 per month. I graduated with an A.S. Degree in Exotic Animal Training and Management.
I had a good first career as a Wild Animal Trainer, Elephant Trainer, and Zookeeper. I first trained Wild Animals for movies and television in Hollywood. Then, I became an Elephant Trainer at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Eventually, I worked with the California Condors. I did that work up until my forties.
Joining the Air Force allowed me to get out and see some of the World. Getting out of snowy Buffalo. And leaving my violent upbringing behind. It gave me a fresh start in life. It is one of the best things I ever did.
Utter Annihilation! With Surrender Deadline Past, Promised Bombing Has Begun in Kursk, Russia
Yesterday, this website reported that the Russian Army has completely encircled Ukrainian forces inside Kursk, Russia.
Those Ukrainians were given until “Dawn” this morning to surrender, or else Fuel Air Bombing would begin.
The deadline has now passed; the bombing has begun.
Ukraine forces in Kursk, Russia, are being annihilated.
In our prior coverage (Story Here) we pointed out that over 1,000 Ukrainian troops, out of the 4700 – 6300 trapped in Kursk, were already seeking to surrender, and were offering New weapons, provided by the US and France, encrypted communications gear, and other military hardware, as inducements to Russia to allow them to surrender.
It is not yet known if those troops did, in fact, surrender, or how many western weapons systems the Russians have now received from those troops.
As each minute passes today, more and more Fuel-Air (Thermobaric) Bombs are being dropped on the remaining Ukrainian troops.
None are expected to survive the onslaught.
From Napoleon to Hitler, history shows that such is the fate of any force that invades Russia.
UPDATE 11:54 AM EST —
Ukrainian Forces are collapsing faster than expected. There are reports of a disorganized withdrawal with high casualties and large groups of Ukrainian soldiers being left behind.
UPDATE 1:40 PM EST —
Yesterday, Ukraine controlled 360 square kilometers of Kursk, Russia. As of three hours ago, that was CONFIRMED down to “less than 230 square kilometers” and dropping fast. As Russian troops enter bombed-out areas, they confirm Ukrainian troops are all dead, then count that area as being back under Russia control. According to one Russian source, “There are far more bombed-out areas to survey, and the bombings continue. Kursk may be disinfected of the Ukrainian disease by tonight.”
It should be noted that Hitler tried taking Kursk in 1943. His NAZI forces were roundly defeated. It is noteworthy that some of the dead Ukrainians found in Kursk today – have NAZI “SS” patches on their helmets. Just as dead now, as Hitler’s troops were in 1943. See image below:
Since the morning publication on the situation in the Kursk region, the situation for Ukrainian formations has worsened even more. Russian troops have increased the pressure in several areas at once, and the Ukrainian Armed Forces are rapidly retreating from the front lines, abandoning the wounded and equipment.
Lebedevka, Okhotnichy, Loknya have been finally liberated. The nearby forest belts are being cleared of enemy remnants. The enemy has been trying to escape towards Sudzha for over a day, and from there to Yunakovka along the only road.
To the north of Sudzha, Russian army fighters have completely liberated Malaya Loknya, Kositsa and Cherkasskoye Porechnoye. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are running across the fields to Sudzha under artillery and FPV drone fire.
To the north-east, the Ukrainians tried to go into counter-attack again, but to no avail. Airborne assault units cleared the forests and liberated Makhnovka, Mirny, Mykhailivka and Martynovka.
Now the battles are going on near Dmitryuki. Separate units of the Russian Armed Forces, which liberated Makhnovka, are already conducting an assault on the outskirts of Sudzha. After the loss of Dmitryuki (it is a matter of time), the situation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces will worsen significantly.
This will open the way to Sudzha, which will certainly cause chaos and disarray in the Ukrainian positions due to the fear of being trapped. The Ukrainian front is gradually falling apart, and the operation that was supposed to be a victory for Zelensky is turning into one huge farce.
Chipotle and Green Chile with Pork
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 2 cups yellow onions, diced
- 1/4 cup jalapeño chile, minced
- 1 cup dried New Mexico green chiles, seeded, stems removed, and minced
- 1/4 cup minced garlic
- 1/4 cup roasted chipotle chiles, peeled and minced
- 1 cup grated pepper jack cheese
- 8 (6 inch) flour tortillas
Instructions
- In a stockpot, melt two tablespoons butter and heat.
- When the butter is hot, add pork, onions, jalapeño, New Mexico dried chiles, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook for 1 1/2 hours or until pork is tender.
- Add the chipotle chiles and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Grill the tortillas and brush with butter.
- Serve with grated pepper jack cheese on top.
- You want to spoon the chili onto your tortilla and roll up and eat.
Brian Lost It When These OF Girls Couldn’t Understand A Simple Analogy
How can the US compete with China and Chinese companies without using sanctions against key technologies, decoupling, and the long arm of the law?
At this point, I believe it impossible.
The reason why the US could compete and dominate the EU, Japan and Korea is scale, and the unnatural size o>f American influence, thanks primarily to the global reach of the Pentagon. That is why this map of AMERICAN NATIONAL SECURITY isn’t ridiculed.
The Eurodollar (or american dollars overseas) is another powerful tool. It has a dominant position in world finance.
However, along comes China, an economy that’s already 3/4 the size of the US, but resistant to US influence, either political, military or geoeconomic. China is peer competition, the same way George Foreman didn’t fold fighting Muhammad Ali.
China, at this point, has graduated into a system of systems builder, and is already a tool-maker of enabling technology.
What is a tool-maker?
In simple terms, the upstream technology that factories depend on for their production.
China isn’t just a maker of consumer end-products today. The Chinese have the world’s most complete supply chain, and Chinese companies are making the rapid climb into tool-making, such as robots, sophisticated precision machines, exotic nano-materials, and all kinds of IOT/ML/big data/AI thingmajigs.
In other words, China is rushing towards the cutting edge Industry 5.0.
It is the year 2023 and Huawei is already pushing 5.5G networks, with speeds up to 10x faster than 5G. That’s the speed of relentless progress driving innovation on the mainland.
It is the year 2023 and CRRC is testing 450kmh HSR rolling stock, allowing the export and technology transfer of the mature 350kmh Fuxing. China had 0km of HSR in 2006. Today, they have 40,000km, more than the rest of the world has managed over the last 60 years. Expect the network to grow in the coming decade.
[Note: Indonesia, Brazil and other third world countries will operate FASTER HSR trains than first world Japan, France and Germany in the coming decade. They will also deploy cellular 5G/6G technology in step with the first world, and perhaps even earlier, all thanks to the Chinese.]
Stepping up to bat with the manic energy of the Chinese requires the same or greater commitment of energy and resources. The first world has kept the rest of the world at bay with patent walls and unassailable leads, but the Chinese are overcoming the obstacles and making up lost ground rapidly. In some industries, the Chinese are already defining the cutting edge, and clear leaders.
The clear Chinese advantage is scale, and the ability to cluster and leverage supply chain ecosystems and innovation centers. That is why Huawei has its campus in Dongguan, a stone’s throw away from the mecca of China’s consumer electronics, Shenzhen. Huawei has unparalleled access to the latest innovations to drive product development. Whereas Apple designs in California, and contract manufactures an ocean away.
Once China catches up on the patent front, Chinese speed and scale will take care of the rest.
America can’t even do anything about its stale Constitution, and can only offer kick-a-canism for the age-old problems of guns, drugs and racism, while the infrastructure continue to decay at an astonishing rate. Social spending dominates the budget, an ever-increasing burden. The bigger problem is the overfinancialized economy that has been overreliant on cheap money. Intel blew 100 billion on stock buyback this century, while its manufacturing lead was steadily eroding. Today, the best Intel chips are no longer at the cutting edge node.
Same story with Boeing, and a host of household American names.
Prosperity breeds soft bellies.
I don’t believe it reversible, not without substantial (and prolonged) pain forcing American introspection.
Too much hubris.
And insufficient grasp of reality.
Why South America now does all its business with China: US companies, investors are dumb and lazy
My God. This is brilliant.
They Always Find Us
Submitted into Contest #207 in response to: A journalist has been granted permission to visit the premises of a lab carrying out top-secret work. They could never have anticipated what they’d find…… view prompt
Theo Benson
This story contains themes or mentions of physical violence, gore, or abuse.
Isabelle had seen Seekers before. Windows across the ship gave good view for those with a morbid enough interest to watch them attack. With a snouted maw filled with teeth, an excess of appendages tipped with claws, long wings, and sleek black bodies, they blended easily against the backdrop of space. Only when close enough to Silver Grandeur’s lights did the light of the ship reflecting off their bodies illuminate their presence. In darkness they did not exist.
She squinted at it. It was almost entirely obscured by the remaining frost and the condensation building inside her goggles. Isabelle steadied her breathing, excitement mounting as she removed her goggles to peer inside. She’d never seen one this close before.
Her breath caught in her throat.
Eyes, eyes that Seekers did not – should not – have, stared back at her.
It lunged.
Isabelle jerked backwards, slamming into the panels behind her. The creature thrashed against the glass and Isabelle glanced down in panic as a small alarm sounded on the panel just under her arm.
The sides of the containment unit hissed open.
Isabelle ran. Tearing metal echoed behind her.
She collided with a labcoat in Section 11. “Go! It’s out!” Not stopping to wait, she ran on through the lab, leaving the startled man behind. Several seconds later there was a scream. A loud crunch. And silence.
Lungs and legs burning, Isabelle burst into Section 1, the door sliding shut behind her. Several dozen scientists milled about, the ship’s shaking having since stopped.
“Run,” she said.
A few labcoats looked at her in confusion. Thudding behind the door she entered grew louder.
Isabelle tore off her mask, wheezing. “Run!”
The door she came through flew across the room, crushing a scientist against the wall. Standing a head taller than Isabelle, the creature that entered stood on legs rippling with sleek black muscle. Its head was surprisingly rounded, with something like the remnants of hair dotting the top of its head. It stretched tall and raised tensed arms, claws glinting in the lab’s harsh light. Opening its mouth, the creature let out a roar.
Scientists screamed and scattered.
Isabelle raced to the door leading into the rest of the ship. Several scientists followed. The hair on the back of her neck stood up, and Isabelle careened to the side just in time to avoid a large metal table as it flew past her and smashed into the door. The labcoats weren’t as lucky.
An alarm blared in the lab. The scientist who activated it let out a blood-curdling scream from the center of the room as the creature charged him. It roared again, striking claws into both labcoat and control panel. Metal and flesh tore.
The lab was plunged into darkness.
Isabelle’s feet slid against the floor, a red emergency light flaring to life and pulsing slowly to illuminate the dark puddle she now stood in. She gagged, fighting to stay upright. Something struck her shoulder and Isabelle went down hard. A woman screamed beside her on the floor, having also fallen, and as the lights flashed Isabelle could make out a tall form to her right.
The creature crouched low. Isabelle scurried away as darkness returned. Crunching, twisting – a rending of flesh met her ears a few feet away, and warm liquid splattered her face. The woman’s screams fell silent.
She crawled as quickly as she could until she reached the lab’s wall. Feeling with slick hands along its surface, Isabelle’s fingers found purchase on the metal grooves of a vent grate. Hands shaking, she pulled off the clover, slipped inside the space just wide enough to hold her, and closed it. Cries of terror and agony dwindled one by one. Isabelle could hear them pounding against the crushed door, wailing as they realized it was too damaged to open. A body slammed against the vent grate and slumped to one side. Warm liquid began pooling next to Isabelle and she backed away. Shuffling quietly until she met a curve in the vent shaft, the young Data Reporter choked back tears. Now was not the time to cry.
A final voice cried out, and with that, the lab was silent.
Isabelle stopped.
Another sound had risen to fill the silence. A low vibration, somewhere between a growl and a hum came from the creature. She could feel the sound rumbling in her chest, deep in her lungs and heart, as though tugging on something. Carefully, she started moving again, crawling on slippery hands and knees.
Her knee skidded to the side and struck the vent shaft with a dull thunk. Isabelle steadied herself, holding her breath. She heard the grate tear free and clatter somewhere inside the lab.
Isabelle thrust herself around the bend, not caring how much noise she made now as the sounds of thudding and scraping behind her soon followed. With a cry of alarm, Isabelle’s weight-bearing hand slipped out from under her. Her head crashed against the side of the vent. Swaying awkwardly, Isabelle focused blurred vision up ahead.
Was it her imagination, or was there light around the next bend?
A growling hum propelled her forward.
Pulling with her arms, Isabelle slid around the final bend and was met by another grate leading down, light pouring from it. Every muscle in her body burned as she raised her hand and struck the grate.
It didn’t budge.
With a shriek, she brought her hand down against the grate again. And again and again and again.
CRASH.
Isabelle dropped to the floor below, pain bursting at her feet.
“HELP!” Her shout echoed as she limped quickly, turning right at an intersection in the hallway. “HEL-”
A closed blast door barring her path.
No.
She whirled around to see the creature dash into view.
No. No.
The creature skidded to a halt, muscles tensing. Bright hallway light finally illuminated the scarlet haphazardly painting both monster and woman. Isabelle’s back pressed against the door. It stalk towards her, moving with slow, purposeful steps. That of a hunter. That of one who knew its place in the pecking order.
Seekers. They always find us.
Isabelle’s back slid until she met the ground. She turned her face away.
“Don’t hurt her!” A voice yelled. Her father’s.
Isabelle looked up in surprise. The creature turned to face Dr. Morrison, growling deep in its body and lifting its arms in a display.
“Don’t do this,” he said to the creature.
It roared.
Isabelle sobbed. “What is it?”
It roared again.
“Dad, what is it?”
His voice was even as he spoke. Measured carefully. “We acquired a Seeker’s DNA many years ago, hoping to find a cure. What we discovered was that they had so much more to offer us.” Dr. Morrison’s eyes flashed with something near-feral. “Strength, Izzy.” She watched through tear-streaked vision as he stepped to one side, the creature tracking his movement. “Strength we could never dream of acquiring on our own. We just needed to bridge the genetic gap.” Her father’s expression grew almost sad as he gazed at the creature. “Human experimentation was the only way. I’m sorry, dear.”
With a rippling of muscle the creature pounced. Isabelle forced her eyes to the ground as the sounds of carnage lifted to join that of the alarm. A sickening cacophony.
And then the carnage ceased.
Slow, thudding footsteps approached her. What had once been a growl dwindled to the lowest of vibrations. A soft humming. Isabelle looked at it with a start.
The creature’s face was close. Strings of sinew hung from red teeth, dripping blood onto Isabelle’s legs. As she looked above the horror of its maw, she saw its eyes. Familiar eyes. A memory pressed uninvited into Isabelle’s mind as the hum reverberated in her chest. Her mother, seated at the edge of Isabelle’s bed, the young girl cowering beneath her blankets as Silver Grandeur shuddered. Feeling a hand on her arm over the blanket, she listened to the melody of her mother’s tune as sleep finally overcame fear.
The creature knelt in front of Isabelle. Extending a single, blood-covered hand, it caressed the side of her face.
Isabelle’s eyes widened in shock. “Mom?”
LOST IN SPACE COLORIZED SCENES FROM THE FIRST EPISODE IN 1965
Trump’s Tariff Wars Will Hurt U.S. The Most
President Donald Trump seems to believe that tariffs can help to bring manufacturing back to the States.
Trump’s tariffs have so far been aimed at four targets, the U.S. neighbors Canada and Mexico, China and, soon to come, the European Union.
During his first term Trump negotiated the U.S.M.C.A. with Mexico and Canada, a free trade zone covering the U.S. and its neighbors. He is now attempting to change the rules of it. But the way he does so is inconsistent.
On January 21 Trump promised tariffs on Canada and Mexico. On February 1 he announced them. Three days later he delayed the implementation of those tariffs. On February 27 he said the tariffs would go into effect on March 4. On March 5 he was again forced to pull back (archived):
President Trump said on Wednesday that he would pause tariffs on cars coming into the United States from Canada and Mexico for one month, after a 25 percent tariff that he placed on America’s closest trading partners a day earlier roiled stock markets and prompted stiff resistance from industry.Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, read a statement from Mr. Trump on Wednesday saying that White House had spoken with the three largest auto makers, and that a one-month exemption would be given to cars coming in through United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
A one-month exemption is a joke. It takes years to move parts production from one country to another. There are hundreds of companies in Mexico, Canada and the U.S. which make the myriad parts that go into a car. It is an completely integrated industry which took years to build.
U.S. car manufacturers had trusted that U.S.M.C.A. would hold. Should the tariffs apply anytime soon they will have to increase their prices by hefty margins or halt their production.
Trump’s tariffs in north America can largely be seen as pressure method for gaining some valuable concessions from neighboring countries. They are part of a negotiation scheme and unlikely to be a longer term problem.
But Trump’s tariffs against China are a different animal. The Trump administration views China as a strategic enemy and would like to seriously hurt it. But China is able to hit back (archived):
Minutes after President Trump’s latest tariffs took effect, the Chinese government said on Tuesday that it was imposing its own broad tariffs on food imported from the United States and would essentially halt sales to 15 American companies.China’s Ministry of Finance put tariffs of 15 percent on imports of American chicken, wheat, corn and cotton and 10 percent tariffs on other foods, ranging from soybeans to dairy products. In addition, the Ministry of Commerce said 15 U.S. companies would no longer be allowed to buy products from China except with special permission, including Skydio, which is the largest American maker of drones and a supplier to the U.S. military and emergency services.
Lou Qinjian, a spokesman for China’s National People’s Congress, chastised the United States for violating the World Trade Organization’s free trade rules. “By imposing unilateral tariffs, the U.S. has violated W.T.O. rules and disrupted the security and stability of the global industrial and supply chains,” he said.
Trump claims that tariffs on China are necessary to stop the illegal import of Fentanyl, an addictive synthetic opioid widely used in the U.S.
China counters that it already has put strong controls on Fentanyl and its precursor chemicals. It can not be blamed for a problem that solely exists within the United States:
The reason why the fentanyl issue in the US is so serious has never been external; it has nothing to do with China, which strictly prohibits drugs. Illicit fentanyl started to enter the US market as early as the 1980s. Later, media revealed that US pharmaceutical companies concealed the addictive properties of synthetic opioids and that doctors overprescribed painkillers, leading to widespread addiction among patients. Statistics show that with 5 percent of the world’s population, the US consumes 80 percent of the world’s opioids, but still has not permanently scheduled fentanyl-related substances as a class. The almost abnormal demand has boosted the development of the illegal fentanyl market, fundamentally contributing to the proliferation of fentanyl in the US.
The Global Times points to the social causes of drug addiction:
[T]he lack of social governance in the US has exacerbated the drug problem. US Vice President JD Vance described a similar situation in his autobiography. Many low-income families live in chaotic community environments with a lack of education and supervision. This has led to many children living in adverse conditions of drug abuse and trafficking, forming a vicious cycle that is difficult to break.
China’s government spokesperson is promising to fight back:
Intimidation does not scare us. Bullying does not work on us. Pressuring, coercion or threats are not the right way of dealing with China. Anyone using maximum pressure on China is picking the wrong guy and miscalculating. If the U.S. truly wants to solve the fentanyl issue, then the right thing to do is to consult with China by treating each other as equals.If war is what the U.S. wants, be it a tariff war, a trade war or any other type of war, we’re ready to fight till the end.
Such language from China is far from the usual one. It therefore seems unlikely that there will soon be a compromise between the U.S. and China.
With respect to Europe the U.S. claims that it is importing more goods from Europe than it can export to it. That is true but does not cover the full width of economical relations. The U.S. is exporting way more services (think software) to Europe than Europe is exporting to the U.S. The total of goods and services exchanges is a wash. If the U.S. insist on putting tariffs on European goods the EU can counter adding a toll to all U.S. services. The results would be, in theory, a tie.
Tariffs however are dangerous. They distort markets and add significant costs to all participants. Their pain will be mostly felt by U.S. consumers:
All the planned tariffs would take the US tariff rate to above 20% in just a few weeks, the highest since pre-WWI. As Joseph Politano points out, the costs of these actions are enormous, covering $1.3trn in US imports or roughly 42% of all goods brought into the United States, or the single-largest tariff hike since the infamous Smoot-Hawley Act of nearly a century ago.
…
The total costs of these tariffs would raise $160bn from US consumers and businesses paying more for their purchases of imported goods, with more to come. Trump’s Tuesday measures are only 40% of his proposed measures. If the next batch is implemented, it would raise the cost of imports to over $600bn, or 1.6% of GDP.
…
So worried is the International Chamber of Commerce in the US, that it reckoned that the world economy could face a crash similar to the Great Depression of the 1930s unless Trump rows back on his plans. “Our deep concern is that this could be the start of a downward spiral that puts us in 1930s trade-war territory,” said Andrew Wilson, deputy secretary-general of the ICC. So Trump’s measures may go well beyond “a little disturbance”.
Posted by b on March 6, 2025 at 15:55 UTC | Permalink
Today’s MM AI art generations
Iran Issues “Final Warning” To U.S. and Israel
The government of Iran has issued a “Final Warning” to the United States and to Israel concerning the likely pending attack by those countries, against Iran.
The Iran government said “An attack on Iran is tantamount to the destruction of all US bases in the region and the destruction of all Israeli nuclear facilities.”
This comes just days after US President Donald Trump sent a letter to the Ayatolla Khameinei seeking to engage Iran in nuclear negotiations. According to Trump, the letter made clear that if Iran does not enter negotiations, it may get bombed.
Iran REJECTED Trump’s reported offer, saying Iran will not negotiate while it is being aggressively Sanctioned and threatened by the United States.
With today’s “Final Warning” from Iran, the stakes are now crystal clear.
Iran does have the missile capability to reach and smash US bases throughout the entire Middle East region, and to attack all of Israel, including its nuclear facilities at Dimona.
Complicating this situation dramatically is that Iran is a military ally of Russia.
Nothing about this situation is good. If the US and Israel attack Iran’s nuclear facilities, it seems clear that Iran will strike back. If/when Iran strikes back, it appears – at least on the surface – all hell is likely to break loose.
This situation could literally explode onto the world — without any warning — within days.
How did your marriage end?
Broccoli.
heavily abridged story below because I have no need to relive all this.
My ex was a normal and healthy 5’6” woman when we met at around age 20.
Everything was fine.
I worked and she Graduated college. She got a great job and the decline began.
She was making far more money than me but I was still forced to work full time and go to school.
Pretty sure the intent was to keep me unemployable.
- She took 75% of my pay as “rent” for a house she bought and only put her name on.
- She wouldn’t really grant me full rights to anything until I graduated college which she was working against.
- She always had some stupid reason and I was tired from working 40+ hours and going to school.
*fast forward a few years*
I’m about to finally graduate college.
She has ballooned to over 400lbs. While I’ve started running half marathons at this point and I’m eating real food.
Every Friday night id make a nice dinner for 2. But, she would get fast food and eat it in front of the TV while I ate alone in the kitchen.
about the time they were cutting toes off her parents for diabetes and I was getting sick of watching everyone check their blood sugar at holidays.
I asked her to just try one of my prepped meals instead of getting fast food.
She was reluctant to eat fresh steamed broccoli with a little butter and some salt on it. After she finally forced it down- she then proceeded to “throw up” for 2 hours.
I went and looked for my own place the next day.
The end.
The Pudding
A digital publication that uses data to tell stories. They create visually engaging and insightful articles on a variety of topics, from pop culture to social issues.
The PuddingSome examples of the content…
I CAUGHT My Cheating Wife Red Handed at a Party and It Ended BADLY! Reddit Cheating Stories
Interesting rant on this… has a lot to say about “no fault divorce”.
I paid to reserve a seat on a plane but a woman sat in it and refused to move when cabin crew directed her to do so. What should I expect from the airline? And what is likely to happen to the woman?
This happened to me a few years ago on an SIA flight from Hong Kong to Singapore. I had an aisle seat when I got to to my assigned seat there was a woman in it. I politely told her that this was my seat. She just stared at me and said something in Mandarian “ Which I do not speak or understand “. I politely asked her again to move and she turned her head and faced towards the window. I went to the cabin pantry which wasn’t that far away and informed one of the cabin crew. The crew member was very polite and told me to take the middle seat across from my assigned seat till we were airborne and they would sort it out. Once airborne and the plane was flying steady The cabin crew member approached the lady. I could not understand the conversation between them it was obvious the lady wasn’t planning on exiting my seat. The cabin crew member brought in their supervisor to no avail. Shortly afterwards the the cabin crew sup approached me and told me that the lady refused to vacate the seat. They informed the first officer of the situation and he said that they will resolve the situation once on the ground in Changi. She apologised to me and asked me if I would stay in this seat for the remainder of the trip.
Once on the ground in Changi one of the cabin crew took my information down and said they will be in touch with me in a few days. When I deplaned I saw two SIA personnel speaking to the lady at the counter near the gangway. Fast forward three days later I received a call from SIA who apologised to me. They reimbursed me for my flight from HK to SIN. When I asked what happened to the lady the SIA agent told me that they do not give out information about ongoing incidents but it was elevated to airline security staff.
I never asked for reimbursement SIA offered it. I received an email from them apologising for the incident. Plus they gave me a voucher for SilverKris lounge for use during my next flight. I received the reimbursement pretty quickly within 96 hrs. Hope this helps out.
Will China Invade Taiwan? Kishore Mahbubani Reveals…
Wow! He calls it out exactly.
Shorpy
Walmart asks Chinese suppliers to slash prices as it faces Trump tariffs: report
By Taylor Herzlich Published March 6, 2025, 10:32 a.m. ET
Walmart has been pleading with Chinese suppliers to lower their prices as it fears President Trump’s tariffs will inflate costs, according to a report.
Asian firms have pushed back after the big-box retailer asked some suppliers, including kitchenware and clothing manufacturers, to slash their prices as much as 20%, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg.
The talks have been held with several manufacturers, and the requested price reductions have varied from firm to firm, according to the report.
Walmart has asked some Chinese suppliers to lower their prices as it faces President Trump’s tariffs, according to a report. REUTERS
Few have agreed to the hefty price cuts, which would force the Chinese suppliers to shoulder the burden of Trump’s tariffs, Bloomberg said.
“As we have done in the past, we will continue to work with suppliers to keep prices as low as possible for customers,” a Walmart spokesperson told The Post in a statement.
“In the meantime, we encourage all parties to work towards finding common ground that will protect consumers from price hikes and continue to grow our economy.”
Walmart declined to comment on reports that it was asking Chinese suppliers to lower prices.
Most of Walmart’s suppliers already operate on thin margins to allow the retailer to sell goods at affordable prices.
Lowering prices by more than 2% would result in a loss for some of these suppliers, sources told Bloomberg.
The average mark up to labor and materials in China is 3%. Anything over 2% is impossible. -MM
Meanwhile, vendors have denied requests from some of these Chinese suppliers to cut their prices more than 3%, so manufacturers are considering turning to Vietnam for cheaper parts, a source told Bloomberg.
Trump aides earlier raised the possibility of imposing tariffs on Vietnam, according to a Reuters report. The country responded by agreeing to aid US deportation requests within a tight 30-day timeframe, the report said.
Retailers have been scrambling to prepare for the impact on prices after Trump this week imposed stiff 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, as well as a 20% levy on China.
During his Tuesday address to the joint session of Congress, Trump said Americans will have to “bear with” him through an “adjustment period.”
Earlier that day, Target CEO Brian Cornell warned that shoppers may notice higher prices on fruits and vegetables in stores within the next few days.
Walmart has historically had strong bargaining power over its Chinese suppliers, and past requests for lower prices have largely been met, sources told Bloomberg.
But the retailer’s latest request is unusual and outsize, leaving manufacturers struggling to decide whether holding onto Walmart as a partner is worth bearing the brunt of the tariffs, according to the Bloomberg report.
Walmart has historically had strong bargaining power over its Chinese suppliers,
Walmart first requested a price reduction from Chinese suppliers after Trump imposed an initial 10% levy on goods from China in early February, sources said.
The retailer asked for more cuts after Trump threatened to double the taxes later that month, according to the report.
Other retailers under pressure may use the same tactic. Target, for example, has been having discussions with vendors about how to handle the tariffs, Cornell said on Tuesday.
Walmart has been trying to reduce its dependence on China over the past few years. Its reliance on Chinese imports dropped to 60% in 2023 from 80% in 2018, according to a Reuters report.
In 2023, the company reported that two-thirds of its total product spend went toward items made, grown or assembled in the US.
Brian Breaks These Girls’ DELUSION On Why Men Won’t Take Them SERIOUSLY
Fob Story.
Submitted into Contest #207 in response to: A journalist has been granted permission to visit the premises of a lab carrying out top-secret work. They could never have anticipated what they’d find…… view prompt
Ken Cartisano
So I’m surprised when I come home late one night and there’s a message on my answering machine informing me that my request for an interview with the Director of AARI has been approved. Arrangements had been made, please confirm by calling this number, bla, bla, bla…
I picked up the phone and called the number in the message. I’m transferred to a ‘human interface specialist’ who tells me, “Our director is seeking an interview with you.”
“But I didn’t request an…”
“Are you Neil Gleary?”
“I am but…”
“Our director” he interrupts, “is seeking an interview with you.”
“Oh.” I say, biting my lip. “He knows I’m a sportswriter, right?”
“She does, yes—if you’re uncomfortable we can always find…”
“No, no. That’s fine. I would be delighted to interview the Director. What’s her name, by the way. And where do I go?”
“A limousine style car will pick you up in front of your apartment at precisely eight a.m. tomorrow morning, he will not wait, so don’t be late.”
“Okay, but why? Why does…”
The call ended.
I spend the rest of the evening searching for information about AARI. All I’m able to learn is that it’s a federally funded research lab dedicated to secret black box projects. Alien technology, artificial intelligence, things like that. This information was provided by a former associate with contacts in the State Department. He was so reticent about speaking about them over the phone, that that was the only information he would give me. When I told him of my impending meeting, he asked me if I had a valid passport. When I told him I did, he said he was just kidding. “If they want you, they’ll get you.”
I told him they were sticklers for punctuality and recounted the message I’d received. He said, “Yeah? Maybe you should test their resolve on that issue.”
“I should be late?”
“Why not?”
You can’t be late, that’s why. It’s contrary to your nature.
In fact, you’re two hours early and a sleek black limo is already waiting at the curb, exhaust fumes rising from the tailpipe. Something tells you it’s been sitting there all night long. The rear door pops open as you approach, you know that once you are in the car, you won’t be able to let yourself out.
You get in anyway. The door closes and locks. You feel protected by the spacious interior insulation and comforted by the smell and sound of the leather seats, the glint of the wood and chrome trim. The first thing you notice is that you’re alone as the driverless car eases smoothly into traffic and down the street, and stops at the first traffic light. You realize, in that short distance, all the windows, except the windshield, have become too dark to see through.
The light changes, the car accelerates through the next ten intersections, as if they’ve been timed to your passage, the car makes several turns and goes down into a cross-town tunnel—and doesn’t come out. By some inexplicable mechanical means, the limo has been shunted to an impossible side tunnel with no other vehicles. Here, the limo feels like it accelerates to a very high rate of speed on a road devoid of all traffic.
The minutes pass in silence as you wonder what you might say to the Director of a top-secret facility, until you are suddenly out in the open, flashing down a highway alongside a wide river. The road loops and bends as you go higher and higher above the river. The limo slows, turns, and darts down a deserted street and into an underground garage. The fluorescent lighting rivals the sun at noon. You look at your watch. It’s nearly 7 a.m. The limo comes to a smooth, unhurried stop and the door pops open. You get out, head for the elevator and stop.
You look around. The garage is huge and empty. There is no call button for the elevator. You feel you are surely being monitored as the elevator doors open of their own accord. You step in, they close. ‘This is all going very well,’ you think. A moment later the elevator plummets several dozen stories in a matter of seconds. You push your stomach back down out of your throat and think, ‘What you’ll do with it, (the story, not your stomach) or who you’ll sell it to is anybody’s guess.’
The doors open. You step out, look around. No one is waiting. But there’s a dark stone line in the middle of the marble floor. You follow it.
A monitor dinged softly, indicating the arrival of the elevator down the hall. She found herself holding her breath and, considering who she was, and how powerful, she could not divine the source of her unease.
She took stock. He had followed implicit instructions, some verbal, some subliminal, and had made his way here, to one of AARI’s most tightly secured labs. The place was deserted for security purposes, all personnel had been temporarily reassigned, or furloughed for the time being. An excessive precaution, she thought, which left her vulnerable, and one that she would not allow to happen again.
But her beauty, in its current state, by itself could overwhelm most men, and her ancestral status was nearly as intoxicating to those of her own species. There was no situation she wasn’t prepared for.
Her current assignment rounded the corner and stopped in his tracks.
“Neil Gleary? Come in, come in. Have a seat.” There was no handshake, no touching of any kind. “I’ve got a pleasant surprise for you and some bad news as well. What would you like first?”
He was slow to answer her, and he seemed alarmingly unaffected by her looks. He took a seat, loosening his tie comically. “How about telling me why I’m here?”
“You’re here to be debriefed and deprogrammed, Neil. Just sit back and relax while I ask you a few questions.”
“Debriefed? From what?”
She ignored his question and asked, “Do you recall what elementary school you went to?”
“No.”
“You don’t sound interested.”
“Should I be? It was a long time ago.”
“How about high school? Remember any of your classmates from high school?”
He hesitated.
“You went to college too you know, remember where?”
He did not remember where. “So? So what? I’ve got a bad memory. I thought I was here to interview you? What does my past have to do with the work you conduct here?”
“Ironically, quite a bit. Are you married? No. Got a girlfriend? No. Ever had one? No. Are you hot for me now? No. Because this,” she waved her hands at her exquisite form, “is not your type. You see, Neil, I’m an alien being, I know I don’t look like one, but here’s the crazy part, you’re an alien too.” He made no move to get up and leave. (Darn, she loved using the tractor beam.) “I don’t look like this—and you don’t look like that.”
“Is that so?” He looked around. There was no quick exit for either of them.
She locked eyes with him. “Your name is XIVIC CIM, your mission here was abandoned 19 years ago. Someone should have brought you in a long time ago. I can’t explain why you weren’t—retrieved, debriefed and—reassigned. It’s inexplicable and inexcusable, but it happens. You got lost in the wafer-work or something. No one knew you were here. Excretion, twenty-four years is a long time to work under-cover, the transition into your true self might well be disturbing.
“What? Why, are we that ugly?”
“Are you kidding? This old leather hide versus our glittering silicon features? There’s no competition. None. It’s just that—let’s face it, you probably think I’m a raving lunatic, and really believe that you are a human being, but when we do an exo-alien mind-press, believe me, it sticks. And you’ve been submerged in the role for a quarter of a century. It’s going to be tough on you, but you’ll adjust. Most deep cover agents recover. I don’t know how, to be honest. I can’t stand wearing this disguise, it creeps me out. Everything has some kind of skin on it. Skin here, skin on that. Uch. Six hours a day, that’s my max. The more we talk about it, the grosser I feel. I understand if you don’t want to talk about something you can’t remember. Perfectly understandable. Do you think you’re ready?”
“Not really. Talking is good. Mmmm, tell me, how does this transition work?”
She held up a small key fob.
He said, “Ahh, you just push a button.”
She nodded. “I have no idea how it works, I’m just another cog in a big machine Mr. Gleary. Are you ready to be yourself again?” Her dazzling smile bounced right off his façade.
“How many of those do you have?”
She pulled open her desk drawer, then closed it again just as quickly. “Enough to keep me busy,” she said, inexplicably flustered.
“And they’re all marked?”
“I think,” she said, “we’ve had enough questions for the time…”
“Before you do that,” he jumped out of his chair, “before you do that, let me just…”
She pointed the fob at his chest and pushed the button. Nothing happened. The elevator chimed, she didn’t remember hearing it go back up, let alone come back down. She pushed the button on the fob again and still nothing happened to Neil Gleary’s visage. The elevator doors opened and there was the sound of boots and guns, jackets and shields with FBAI on them.
“But you’re one of us, XIVIC. How could you?”
He had his own fob. As he stepped into the Director’s private lavatory, to make sure it was empty, he stopped in front of the mirror, the image staring back was that of a tall slender Gray, with long fingers and those legendary black, inscrutable eyes. He pushed the button on the fob once more and appeared human again. He was not ‘one of them,’ and his name was not XIVIC CIM.
The silicon-based alien was well out of earshot when Neil Gleary mumbled his reply: “I like it here. That’s how.”
7 “Normal” Things Sigma Males Have No Interest
Now that Bashar al-Assad & his family have fled Syria for Moscow, what will their lives be like now?
They will be rich exiles
My guess is Assad planned for the exile and has a stash of at least $ 100 Million in Russia which fetches him 12 Billion Rubles today
Like Snowden & Yanukovych , he will be designated a “Foreign Advisor” and additionally be given a Honorary Military Rank of probably Colonel and that automatically means a Pension of 330,000 Rubles ($ 3,091) a month
He will be under strong guard in Moscow and will have both Military and FSB Protection
My guess is after 12 months, his wife will be given a regular passport and can actually visit the UK Or Europe for treatment
Of course if Syria becomes Libya 2.0, then who knows?
After 3–4 years – Assad could be welcomed vociferously back to power
Today if Saddam or Gaddafi were alive, they would be cheered to welcome in Baghdad or Tripoli
So it’s best that Assad, Sheikh Hasina are both alive so that if things become worse for Syria and Bangladesh – these leaders would actually be welcomed back
Chile Quiche
Ingredients
- 1 deep-dish pastry shell
- 2 avocados, mashed
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
- 4 fresh green chiles, roasted and peeled, or 1 (4 ounce) can mild green chiles
- 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/4 cup onion, chopped
- 1 to 2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix or chili powder
- 3 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1 1/2 cups Half-and-Half
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Without pricking the crust, bake the shell for 10 minutes; then remove and cool.
- Reduce the temperature to 375 degrees F.
- If using a frozen pastry shell, you will need to reduce the Half-and-Half in the filling, as the prepared shells are smaller. Reduce the cooking time as well by 15 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine the avocados with garlic, lemon juice, tomato, half the chiles and pepper sauce. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- In a medium-size skillet, sauté the beef, onion, remaining chiles and seasoning for about 12 to 15 minutes or until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Drain and discard all excess fat.
- In a small bowl, combine the eggs, Half-and-Half and seasonings.
- Place the grated cheese in the shell, topped by the drained beef and the egg mixture.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 375 degrees F or until set.
Bruce Lee Outwitted by James Garner!
How did your marriage end?
He came home from work, ate dinner, and said, “I want you to do something, and I don’t want you to fight me on this. I want a divorce.” I was completely blindsided. Then he packed a bag and left for his mother’s house. I made him leave his key. He didn’t understand, asking, “How will I get in the house?” I replied, “You have no reason to enter when I’m not home. You don’t live here anymore.” He was shocked.
I started thinking about his infidelity and the increasing micro-aggressions. For Christmas, he gave me a bottle of men’s cologne—that was it. Of course, he kept it for himself. It was clear he hadn’t put any thought into my gift.
So, instead of begging him to stay, I emptied out our joint accounts and made an appointment with a family attorney for the next day.
Of course, he wanted to drag things out. He came to get his things the same week, and I sat watching TV while he packed and loaded the car. He actually asked me to help. I told him, “This is something you want to do, not me.”
Before he left, I told him I knew he was still having an affair and that my attorney had warned him to be careful. He denied everything, sputtering, but the thing that seemed to bother him most was that I had gotten a lawyer. He actually said, “You got a lawyer? You know I’ll always take care of you. Don’t you trust me?”
By the way, he told me the reason he needed space was, “The kids are grown now, so I don’t have to pretend anymore. I never wanted a family I had to hang out with.”
So that was the end. A year later, a judge awarded me about a third of his assets and income as alimony until I remarry or die. We had been married for 32 years, and I was 65 years old. Now, I’m sitting pretty comfortably and peacefully in a different city. Aside from some incidental paperwork handled by my attorney, I have no contact with him. I don’t have to pretend anymore, either.
Edit: I want to say that finally getting a chance to tell my story has been cathartic for me. Thank you all for your support and encouragement. I am much less angry and more resolved to live well after this. Thank you all.
That was DEADLIER than IRBM ORESHNIK┃Putin’s Harsh Response Left Ukraine Without F16s & Electricity