I’ve been doing a lot of reflection as of late.
Well, actually, I have always been a serious fella… a bit of a clown at times, but yeah, overly serious. Too serious. And so lately I have been a reflecting on things.
Stuff.
You know, us Americans (and many in the West), live in a “Capitalist based society” and that means the accumulation of things. And that also means that the things establish our identity. And as well, our relative importance.
For instance, back in High School, no girl in her “right mind” would date me driving a beat up car. Well, a few would. But, not many.
So, yeah. Car type matters.
Later, getting older, I was judged by what car I drove to work in. Oh, sure, I could drive the car that I owned, but it will affect my promotion prospects.
Same with the home.
Where you lived, the kind of house you lived in, and most importantly your neighborhood all factored into your value and worth.
Not just from your peers, but from your spouse as well.
And if you lost your job… a career nose dive was a real possibility, along with a divorce, and loss of just about everything you owned. S it’s high, high stress in The United States.
So to make us feel good, we bought things.
And the endless cycle began.
And at the end of a couple of decades of this…
… the forever hamster wheel. You realize just how empty the life of an American really is.
Glad I moved to China.
Find out what’s important to you, and guard it ferociously. My suggestion for all you gen Zoomies out there.
Today…
U.S.-China Trade War EXPLODES! Ports Jammed, Amazon Cancels Orders & Car Prices Skyrocket!
“America is sleepwalking into an economic defeat.”
🇺🇸🇨🇳 “America is sleepwalking into an economic defeat.”
In a recent discussion, New York Times columnists Ezra Klein and Thomas L. Friedman reveal a sobering truth: the U.S. is fighting a trade war with China without even understanding the China of today.
Across party lines, U.S. politicians now see China as the enemy — but they’re still clinging to 1990s fantasies: that China doesn’t innovate, only steals, and is decades behind. But ask American or European businesses operating in China, and they’ll tell you:
“We came here for the market. We stay for the innovation.”
Friedman warns that ideological hostility has made it politically toxic for U.S. officials to visit China or engage openly. Companies are afraid to hire Chinese talent. As a result, Americans are flying blind in a high-stakes conflict — deluded about the enemy’s strength and blind to their own vulnerabilities.
The communication window between China and the U.S. has narrowed dangerously. And instead of trying to understand a rising rival, Washington doubles down on fantasy, sanctions, and arrogance.
You cannot win an economic war against a country you refuse to understand.
Watch this if you care about peace, realism — and America’s future.
10 minute or so video
https://x.com/OopsGuess/status/1915280976386941416
If you don’t understand this topic and are curious this 10 minute excerpt video will bring you up to speed.
Posted by: LoveDonbass | Apr 24 2025 14:31 utc | 2
How can Europe honestly view its lifestyle as better than that of the United States?
I was actually in Europe for three weeks last October. A relative died and left me some money indicated for travel, so I went to Norway. I went in a modest way and budgeted carefully, because I am poor in the US. Not fully impoverished, because I have stable housing and a car, but poor, because I have been physically disabled since birth and my health is now so bad that I cannot work full-time.
The differences still stagger me.
The people selling knickknacks on the sidewalk all looked healthier than I am. They had better teeth than many of my fellow poor friends, all of whom work.
The trains, trams, and busses were all regular, inexpensive, and easy to access. The only time I had to have a car was while spending a week on the tiny island my family emigrated from. There was a bus, but the walk was farther than my disabled body could tolerate.
Even with my physical disabilities, I was able to.walk more than I ever have in my life. I could actually get around and still find areas to rest and recuperate.
I expected the prices to be higher, but they were only about 5–10% more than in the US. If I had not budgeted in special activities, I would have spent less overall, because I didn’t have health insurance payments or sin taxes.
I declined to get my sales taxes refunded, because I could see with my own eyes what my meager contribution was funding. I saw public works projects actually progressing! I also saw the clean and efficient public transportation, the cleanliness of the public commons, and the well-maintained roads. I didn’t feel like the taxes were a scam, because I knew what they were paying for.
I actually needed to go to the hospital after having a dystonic attack in Oslo airport. I cried and protested that I didn’t want to go, because I knew from American hospitals that there is no medical treatment for paroxysmal dyskinesia except low-dose anti-seizurals and time. I already owed my local ER $3500 (with monthly insurance) because I had had an ovarian cyst burst and could not stop screaming. The hospital is also uncomfortable at best – a writhing body on a gurney under incredibly bright lights, with the knowledge that you are going to be paying for months, is not conducive to rest. Imagine my shock when the room had comfortable lighting, the bed was comfortable, and the doctors and nurses looked at me like a patient instead of a nuisance. Imagine my shock when the full price bill worked out to $40.36.
I did not feel like complete strangers hated me and wanted me dead.
No one yelled a slur, insult, or come-on at me.
When I found myself talking to strangers, they were all genuinely curious and polite people. None of them tried to tell me what my life as a poor, disabled American was REALLY like because they had heard a news report saying my life was different.
The arrogant surety that other people are not the experts over their own lives was just not there. I hadn’t realized how intrinsic this is to the worst part of the American character until I didn’t have to deal with it.
I felt calm and peaceful and relaxed. I wished daily that I lived THERE and not HERE. Hell, I would honestly like nothing better than to grab my husband and our cats and emigrate right back to where Grandfather left.
Ben Norton: “China is the most sovereign country” – Understanding China & BRICS expansion
What’s it like to have cops that believed in armed citizens compared to the arrogant cop who told me he is prepared to confiscate my “illegal” guns banned by Trudeau?
It completely changes the tone of interacting with them.
Pulled over. Side of the road. He walks up, I already have the windows down. It’s storming.
Me: Before we even get started, I just want to point out my hands are on the steering wheel and I’m not reaching for anything. I’m wearing a handgun and there’s a cased rifle in the back seat. How do you want to proceed?
He glanced at the rifle case, returned his attention to me.
Him: Just leave it holstered. Your trailer lights are out. As loaded as you are, i couldn’t even see you from directly behind you. Can i have your drivers license and proof of insurance?
Me: It’s in the console. I’ll get it out. (Hands it to him)
Me: While you’re running that, do you mind if i get out and check the trailer? Lights were working when I left Colorado Springs.
Him: No. Go ahead.
Unplugging the cable and plugging it back in fixed the lights. I got back in. He walked back. Handed me the documents back.
Him: I see your fixed them. Be safe.
Me: Thanks for stopping me. Far preferable to being hit. Have a good evening.
And that was it. How different would it have been for you?
What was the best way you got revenge on a terrible customer?
It was the best thing ever, and I didn’t even do it on purpose.
I was running my shift, when I started hearing some talking on the drive thru speaker. It was faint, so I couldn’t hear what they were saying. I peeked outside to see if there was a car at the order box. Nope. Checked all the headsets to see if one was on and “open”. Another nope. It’s quiet again, so I think nothing of it and go on about my work.
About 10 minutes later, a male voice comes booming through the speaker, using very coarse language and making sexual comments. He’s loud enough to be heard in the dining room, where our Sunday after-church crowd is lunching. I immediately call an apology out into the now-silent dining room, and promise to take care of it as quickly as possible. I spoke over the headset, asking the man to please stop cursing, as this is a family friendly establishment, and was there something I could help him with.
This was met with laughter and more profanity. Looking out the window I saw them, parked in a pickup truck, CB in hand. They’d somehow used it to get into our drive thru intercom! I speak one more time, asking them to leave or the police will be called. More laughter, more obscenities. I call the police.
A patrol car arrives, and parks directly next to their truck (I’d given the police a description and plate number in case they left before police arrived). The men hand over their IDs, and the officer gets back in his car, moves it in front of their truck to block them in while he runs the IDs. He gets out, and the driver gets out. The officer pats him down, has him empty his pockets.
Another cruiser arrives as the first officer handcuffs the driver and puts him in his car! The second officer approaches the passenger and does the same! While officer #2 stayed outside with the cars, officer #1 came inside to inform me that both men were being arrested on unrelated warrants, and would also be facing charges of disturbing the peace! The dining room, which had gone silent again when the officer came inside, broke out in cheers and applause!
“I Wanted to Open Our Marriage — My Husband Flushed Our Wedding Rings Instead”
Yada Yada Yada
Sheech! If you don’t want to be married… Don’t do it.
Idiot!
Can you describe the experience of being a Vietnam veteran who served in the jungle?
I was with the First Cavalry in 1968–69 up on the Cambodian border north of Tay Ninh. We mostly ambushed while looking for large NVA bunker complexes. We did a lot of combat assaults and at one point were out for almost 90 days without coming in to one of our forward landing zones for a “stand down”!
we moved to a new ambush site almost every day and got into an ambush and at night, we would set up on a path and ambush them back.
We had contact twice a day.
We took killed and wounded but nowhere near what the NVA (North Vietnamese Army) would take.
We were dirty, smelled from not bathing, had fatigues that in some cases were torn into rags with our “rumps” hanging out! Our resupply, many times was “ kick out” because the chopper could not land.! The chopper flew low and fast over where we popped a smoke grenade and kicked supplies out the door trying to hit the smoke through triple canopy jungle! First came ammo and parts (radio batteries etc), then came C Rations and if the chopper was not raking too much fire from the bad guys, we got water kicked out!
If no water kick out, we had to find a stream or usually an old bomb crater that had “thick liquid” we could scrape away to find something drinkable.
Presweetened Koolaid helped with the taste. This was in areas heavily sprayed with Agent Orange! I bet most of us got cancers!
Finally, we would get word we were going in to a Firebase for a few days(usually three). We could bathe, get mail and packages from home, change out of the dirty torn uniforms, get hot meals and become HUMAN again.
I swear, there were times we looked so bad we scared our own people! No one messed with us! We had nothing to lose!
Then, load up (70+ pounds) and up on a chopper for another combat assault into the unknown where we knew nothing about the size of the unit we were looking for.
photo is me in an NVA bunker complex. My knee is next to the slit he fired at us from. Bamboo is chopped from bullets going through! Roof was reinforced with bamboo and dirt was like concrete!
Asteroid Mining
Submitted into Contest #283 in response to: Write a story that ends with a huge twist.… view prompt
Ralph Straub
It took time and a lot of hard work, but I finally Isolated the find and strapped it to my ship. It was a lot bigger than I originally thought. It was more than one piece, and I had difficulty trying to figure out what to do with the organic compounds I found, so I put them in with the recyclers. The algae seemed to love them. The food they produced seemed to add extra energy to my step and somehow my mind was sharper than ever.
No one is going to believe the variety and mixtures of the elements I found. I don’t even quite believe it. It’s not every day you find an alien ship crash site and collect the technology that might just get humans to other star systems and galaxies. These engines I collected are really something. The power source was gone, but one of them lit right up when I tapped into the cold fusion plant. I’m definitely going to be rich on this find.
Taco Lasagna
Yield: 10 to 12 servings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 (1.25 ounce) packages taco seasoning mix
- 4 cloves pressed garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon cornmeal
- 2 (10 to 12 count) packages corn tortillas
- 1 (24 ounce) jar salsa
- 1 cup sliced green onions
- 16 ounces sour cream mixed with 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
- 3 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In large saucepan, cook beef until brown and drain well. Add taco seasoning, garlic, pepper and water. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Set aside.
- Sprinkle cornmeal in bottom of 9 x 13 inch Baker. Place 6 tortillas in bottom of pan overlapping and extending up edges slightly.
- Layer in following order:1 cup salsa
1/2 of meat mixture (2 cups)
1/2 cup green onions
1 cup sour cream mixture
2 cups combined cheese - Repeat starting again with 6 tortillas, salsa, meat, green onions, sour cream and 2 cups of cheese.
- Bake for 40 minutes.
- Remove and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Attribution
Pampered Chef
What is China’s current fighter jet production capacity across all facilities?
Question: What is China’s current fighter jet production capacity across all facilities?
Answer:
That’s a complicated question.
First of all, there is not really any official announcement regarding to the matter. Any number you see online is strictly guesswork, thus can be quite far from reality.
Second, capacity and actual production are two entirely different thing. Considering the Chinese military budget is a tiny 1.7% of GDP and it has 45% of the planet’s industry’s capacity, it is quite safe to say the Chinese are not at all running anywhere near full capacity.
Third, specific technology-wise, it is theorized that the most advanced Chinese fighters (such as J-20) were not really produced in full force due to the Chinese engine development program is still ongoing (this changed in 2024, since WS-15 is now officially in service).
With all these in mind, it is estimated at least 100 J-20 has been delivered to PLAAF in the year of 2023.
So we are probably looking at between 100~150 J-20 to PLAAF per year, similar number of J-16 and a smaller number of J-15. Part of the J-15 capacity is probably going to be swapped to J-35 once the testing phase are done.
No, about 300~400 fighters per year is not at all small. Because modern fighter generally has a lifespan at least 20~30 years, which means you would are looking at a fleet of 6000~12000 modern fighters.
Just for comparison purpose, the USAF has approximately 5,500 combat aircraft right now. USSR air force, at its height, has about 10,000 combat aircraft.
Of course, there is a bit more details into the whole estimation work, such as currently we do have a mix of fifth generation and fourth generation mostly due to fifth generation fighters are not designed to entirely replace the fourth generation (most due to stealth requirement limiting the fighter size and functionality), so you got concurrent production of both generations.
This may change when the six generation aircraft comes along, which, in theory, is supposed to completely replace fifth and fourth generation fighter.
Again, everything here is guess work.
And to nip one thing in the bud, it is not at all strange that China, have far bigger industry capacity than either US or USSR at their respective heights, would have a comparable and slightly bigger air force size. Yes, it does hurt many people’s ego and feelings, but logically, nations with stronger industry and economy have better equipment is nothing surprising.
Scott Ritter : Does the West Understand just how bad they’ve been beaten?
Is Russia’s economy currently collapsing? What factors contribute to Russia’s abundance of natural resources?
Hurray, Potemkin Christmas decorations around Kremlin, Putin’s seat of power! We fight West but let’s decorate the city as if it were a Western European capital. Barbarians who fought Roman Empire wanted to be Roman more than anything else.
A glittering carousel surrounded by darkened Soviet era office buildings.
The fancy shopping street but many luxury brands have left after the war with the West had begun.
The sham is surreal. Millions of rubles have been spent to make a quasi-European shopping and Christmas fair ground for Muscovites and tourists from China and Middle East to take photos and post on social networks.
A Pushkin’s fairy tale about the golden fish and the greedy fisherman’s wife who kept making new demands until she decided to become a Goddess and golden fish punished her by putting her back into the fisherman hut’s squalor “with the broken basin.” It is a story of Putin’s corruption from power, and blue and yellow design colors symbolize Ukraine that has put him back in his place.
Hermès shuttered the doors to rich Russian customers but they flock to France to stock up on luxuries.
In contrast many Italian luxury brands have stayed in.
Glühwein and candies on sale at 50% discount.
Europe has abondaned us but we have not abondaned Europe – that’s the message that the city hall located just across the street is broadcasting to the world.
Dior has left but the signs have not been removed as if expecting them to return any day now.
The red woolen Christmas tree decoration structure advertises shopping and sightseeing in Moscow.
There are long sharp spikes on the rooftops of this church to prevent pigeons from sitting on the ledges.
Prosecutor General’s office on the right and shuttered Gucci shop where prosecutors used to shop for presents for their wives and mistresses.
Marriott hotel has lost letter R. It has been marred by association with Putin’s murderous regime.
Stern faced security guards stared at me from every entrance as I took photos of the street with my phone.
While foreigners shop in GUM on Red Square, Russian fashionistas prefer department store Tzum. Orange carton shopping bags with black box design are instantly recognized as a top status symbol. Every woman in Moscow wishes to carry such bag through the streets and make everyone around envious.
Winter in Moscow is the municipal brand that wants to pretend that business is as usual and nothing has changed in the relations with the West.
Russian translation of the English slogan is in tiny letters. Because who cares what it means. It’s in English. The language of business and cool consumer goods.
Sickly yellow lights are on display block after block.
A couple snuggling up in a coffee shop with an English name.
“Made in Moscow.” Mayor Sobyanin markets his city as separate entity from the rest of the country.
Fun in the snow. Girlfriends are taking selfies of each other.
What are your thoughts on Chinese actor Wang Xing being kidnapped and trafficked to a scam compound in Myanmar?
- Myanmar is a region of warlords and chaotic public order.
- “Fishermen” sit in Burma with fishing rods, but their “hooks” and “bait” are cast towards China.
- Chinese people are accustomed to China’s safe environment and lack vigilance. Wang Xing had several chances to escape but missed them due to lack of vigilance.
- Money does not grow on trees. Ordinary people don’t have so many opportunities to get rich overnight. We need to be realistic.
- The reason why the Myanmar telecommunications fraud park was able to grow so quickly is because a large number of Chinese investors have invested in it. A Chinese man from Guangdong nicknamed “Golden Tiger” is an investor in “Apollo Brilliant Company”. He registered Apollo Brilliant Company in Myanmar, paid protection fees to the local government, and waited for dividends. The Guangdong man has been arrested by Chinese police. The “Apollo Brilliant Company” that deceived Wang Xing this time is an intermediary, located in the middle of this telecommunications fraud industry chain, responsible for connecting the upstream park and the downstream victims. If the Chinese police can identify all the Chinese investors in Myanmar and focus on them, it will be a good clue to solve the
- China does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. The most the Chinese government can do is ask Myanmar to cooperate in eradicating the telecommunications fraud park. It is not realistic for the Chinese police or PLA to enter Myanmar to eradicate the telecommunications fraud park, as it is easy to be criticized by the West. Of course, the families of the victims can organize themselves, set up NGOs, call for public and corporate donations, set up civilian military companies in Myanmar in the name of NGOs, form a elite mercenary force of hundreds of people, purchase weapons on the black market, and directly use force to liberate Myanmar’s telecommunications fraud park. The Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) is small, with only one or two thousand people, and has four brigades under its jurisdiction: the 333rd, 555th, 777th, and 999th. It is very short of experienced personnel and its weapons and equipment are very backward. The mercenaries equipped with drones and robot dogs can easily defeat them. If the Myanmar government knew about it, the Chinese government could also explain it as being unaware and that it was a non-governmental action by the NGOs. Since criminals can register telecommunications fraud companies in Myanmar, it is only natural for the victims’ families to set up civilian military companies in Myanmar to save themselves. Myanmar is a chaotic region without order and law. Whoever has the stronger fist has the final say. The US government is very good at using NGOs to do bad things, and the Chinese can learn a little from this. There are also many private military companies in the United States, such as Blackwater, which can do many things that are inconvenient for government forces to solve. It’s just that it’s best to disband on the spot after the mission is completed. Don’t stay there and become a warlord, harming the local people. 😅😅😅 The remnants of the Kuomintang caused havoc in Burma for so many years, and later formed the Golden Triangle. This example must not be repeated.
- If the telecommunications fraud park continues to do evil, I think the Chinese government can call on the United Nations to define it as a “terrorist organization”, so that the Chinese police or the People’s Liberation Army will have sufficient reasons to enter Myanmar in the name of “anti-terrorism” to eliminate the telecommunications fraud park. This matter needs to be known by more people in order to win the attention of international public opinion.
The Myanmar fraud park is located in the sphere of influence of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA).
DKBA members, in addition to Buddhists, some soldiers are actually monks in the temple. Worshiping Buddha and killing, as well as pornography, gambling, drugs and fraud, do not seem to constitute a big contradiction or psychological barrier in their eyes.
Indian experts say access to China’s supply chain is a must, but will Chinese companies ever invest in this country again?
I am Chinese, I will answer this question with my own experience in India.
Around 2017-2018, China’s internet industry was still booming, and India was considered a vast untapped market by many Chinese internet companies. At that time, not only internet companies but also many VC funds and startups went to India to seek opportunities. My job was to work as a consultant, providing advisory services to these Indian companies to help them better connect with Chinese investors.
Things changed dramatically in 2020 when India banned TikTok and all Chinese apps. This incident served as a warning to Chinese enterprises, and no one was interested in discussing investment opportunities in India anymore. At the same time, India canceled all visas for Chinese citizens, and no Chinese nationals were allowed to enter India, including Chinese students. Chinese people in India were also required to leave immediately. Indian visas have not been restored to their previous level, but no one seems to care anymore.
The Chinese company that invested the most in India is Xiaomi, but how has India treated Xiaomi? They required Xiaomi to hire Indian executives, demanded that Xiaomi transfer its technology to India, and did not allow Xiaomi to repatriate its profits. They used various means to fine Xiaomi, even if the legal basis for those fines was established later. Xiaomi’s experience has become a joke in China, with everyone mocking Xiaomi’s foolish strategy. They didn’t make money in India and were slaughtered by the Indian government. The experiences of Xiaomi and TikTok in India are not isolated cases.
Another well-known case among all Chinese people in India is that Anil Ambani owes three Chinese banks $717 million in unpaid loans. From our own real experience, our Indian clients first asked for discounts on the payments they owed, then requested installment payments, and as a result, the payment never happen after several years. We have since abandoned all business in India. Once, local government officials in China asked us about investment opportunities in India, and we explicitly told them not to do it, as India is a trap.
Dangerous Travel: Safety When Traveling The United States?
MM AI artwork
This time I am experimenting with Ancient Greek, and Roman scenes.
A fight for light
Submitted into Contest #282 in response to: Write a story set in a world of darkness where light is suddenly discovered.… view prompt
Anirudh Raja
‘I think I found a stone’
Dr. Tavian approached the miner and then examined the stone with his eyes, it possessed a shade of mustard yellow, and a dirty brown.
‘Everybody block your eyes’
He gently tapped the stone, and then the same streak appeared, emanating from the now blistering orange-ish red stone.
‘I dub this Luxium’
‘How do we mine it if our eyes burn, everytime its touched’ asked a miner
‘Any thoughts?’ asked Dr. Tavian to his team of scientists
‘We could excavate the whole rock around it’ said the geochemist, Darius Gale
‘That’s too much load, considering that there may be more behind this single vein.’ said Dr. Tavian
‘We could re-engineer the mining goggles to block the light out’ said the ophthalmologist, Lucan Viridus
‘Do we have the resources to do it?’ asked Dr. Tavian
‘We can make the lens using the quartz that we found earlier, and then suspend the stone in midair in one of the pressurised chambers that we got, so it does not activate’ said the experimental physicist, Eris Solen
‘You came up with the best idea, daughter. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Luke bring out your thing.’ said Dr Tavian
‘That thing is capable of any precise mechanical function, and has a name. Molder’
‘Yeah sure. Molder’ said Dr. Tavian
Lucan whipped out an ingenious piece of machinery from his supply bag. The device opened up like a chest. Lucan placed the quartz in the chest, and then typed “concave lens : 8 cm radius” into a module. He closed the chest for five minutes then the lens was ready like food in a microwave, once he opened it.
‘This should be able to block most of the light when extracting the stone, once you extract it drop it in this pressurised chamber. Here, Linus.’ said Lucan, while handing it to one of the miners.
Everybody closed their eyes and Linus began his extraction of the stone. After attaining it, he dropped it in the chamber, and watched as it returned to its deactivated state in the midair
‘Here it is’ said Linus, holding it up like a trophy.
‘The fruit of our labor’
Linus then passed the container around for a while, the stone let out just a sliver of light, enough to see, due to the pressure from all sides of the box.
THUMP A boulder suddenly fell, enough to tip the fragile support that the cave stood on. The boulder blocked the way they came from. The ceiling and ground started to shake rapidly, as water flooded the surroundings of the cave from a crack that the boulder made in the wall.
‘There’s an opening in the roo-’ said a miner before getting squashed by the unpredictably moving boulder.
The water began to rise at a concerning rate while the team was still trying to figure out what to make of the situation.
‘Everybody be calm’ said Dariuus
‘We can all make it out, first get the stone out. Linus, get it to safety. Use the hooked rope to climb out’ said Lucan while pointing at the hole that the late miner revealed.
Linus made it out with the stone tightly clenched in his right arm. He then lent his hand out to the next survivor.
‘Father, you next’ said Eris
‘No, you three are the most important. Get out now!’ said Dr. Tavian
Darius readying up to ascend the rope next, he grasped it and started pulling at it.
‘You dropped your comms’ said Lucan.
‘Forget it, just get up’ said Darius.
‘Eris go’ said Lucan.
While Eris was making her way up, Lucan swam to the comms and tucked it in his zipped pocket.
‘Luke, now’ said Darius
Lucan was the next to make it up.
All three of them made it to safety with all of their supplies but then the boulder started accelerating, and started to thicken and elevate the water, increasing the pressure. The now floating miners began to scramble, all trying to climb the rope at the same time. Dr. Tavian was ahead of them on the rope, and reached his hand out.
‘Here father’ said Eris
‘I’m almost there’ said Dr. Tavian while grasping his daughter’s hand and then SQUELCH. The boulder successfully descended the cave, and massacred the doctor, and the rest of its miners on its way. His only daughter was left with only his hand as a reminder of him.
‘Dad’ cried Eris.
‘I doubt that he died with any regrets, having left his legacy with you’ said Lucan
‘He was an innate leader’ said Linus
Everybody took a moment to honor the lost. The pause lasted for five minutes until Darius broke the silence.
‘We have to make a move, they will be expecting us some time soon. The hand, leave it or keep it but I don’t want to see it’ said Darius
‘Back off, she just lost her father. We’ll start when she’s ready’ said Lucan
‘It’s alright. I’m ready Luke’ said Eris
‘I can smell fresh air, somewhere from here.’ said Darius
‘We move there’ said Darius while pointing to the creek that shone upwards towards the left.
The group tediously hiked their way up to the creek, and steadily made their way to the surface, surviving on the scarce rations of food
‘We’re finally here’ said Lucan
‘Send a message to the Lord’s office, Luke’ said Darius
‘There is no service, I can’t establish a connection between the city and my comms’ said Lucan
‘We can ask that bystander.’ said Eris while pointing at a single person on a tractor in the empty farmland that they appeared in.
Eris started waving and edging towards him, causing the others to follow along, until she finally approached.
‘Sir, how far are we from Ja-Katris?’ asked Eris.
‘It should be right across a mushroom forest that should appear about 60 flicks from here. For the right price, I can take you there.’ said the bystander.
‘Melargee forest?’ asked Darius.
‘Yeah’ said the bystander
‘How much do we have?’ asked Darius to Lucan
‘We have about 100 credits’ said Lucan. ‘How much do you cost?’.
‘100 credits exactly’ said the bystander.
‘Just give it, we don’t have enough time to negotiate.’ said Darius to Lucan
The bystander drove them up to the forest.
‘I’m pretty sure that there is better service here’ said the bystander
‘How? Its a forest, where would you find cell towers’ said Lucan
‘It seems that the mushrooms have some weird constantly vibrating frequency, and before you go, here’s some food to last you through, I can’t let a hungry man go on an empty stomach’ said the bystander before retreating back to his farmland.
The bystander handed them a basket of apples.
‘Thank you for your hospitality.’ said Eris.
The four troopers then edged their way into the heart of the forest to set up camp there.
‘What’s in the box he gave us?’ asked Linus ‘We haven’t eaten anything since the cave.’
‘We have a few apples, and some melons.’ said Eris.
‘Guys, our comms are finally back online.’ said Lucan ‘Darius, why do you have a message from Lord Atris?’
‘I thought I lost my comms in the cave. Just give me-’ said Darius restlessly while running towards Lucan.
The recording sent to Darius initiated.
‘Congratulations Darius, you eliminated the team. Return back with the Luxium and claim your prize back at the palace. Their markers have been erased. The rest of the surviving scientists must not know that I wish to use the stone as a weapon to turn my temporary reign into a permanent one. They are still needed to refine the Luxium to its true potential. Keep up the charade and come back immediately, Lord Magnus Atris signing out.’.
Darius nervously froze. His plan didn’t pan out the way that he wanted.
‘It’s not what you think.’ said Darius.
‘Then what is it?’ said Lucan.
‘It’s just, he said-’ struggled Darius while picking up one of the fiery logs from the bonfire. Darius then started swinging the fiery log in Lucan’s direction but then SWISH.
Linus impaled Darius with the hook before he was able to make the move.
‘What just happened?’ said Eris.
‘Linus’s survival instincts kicked in, that’s what.’ said Lucan.
‘I had a feeling about that guy from the start. He was pretty unnerving.’ said Linus.
‘What do we do about the Luxium now?’ asked Lucan.
‘We can’t just disappear off the grid with it. Magnus would find us with such a big infantry.’ said Eris.
‘He’ll also probably know about Darius’s death by now, considering the fact that he placed unknown markers in all of us.’ said Lucan.
‘We could expose him.” said Linus.
‘The message was a one-time audio’ said Lucan.
The remainder of the team spent all night devising the perfect plan to expose the true plans of Lord Magnus Atris to the public of Ja-Katris.
At the dawn of the cycle, they started making their way to the borders of Ja-Katris, and by noon they had reached. The team assumed a position of stealth to gauge the surroundings, hiding behind one of the large mushrooms between Melargee forest and Ja-Katris.
‘Do we go now?’ asked Eris.
‘Alright.’ said Lucan.
The three then surrendered themselves in handcuffs to the authorities. The personal guard of Magnus Atris then took them to a secluded royal room, with Magnus Atris awaiting them.
‘I didn’t expect you guys to turn yourselves in that easily. Seems like you chickened out. Boys check ‘em.’ said Magnus
‘This won’t end well for you.’ said Lucan.
‘Oh also, do you want to know how Darius caused the boulder, over the expedition, he placed timed bombs eventually causing the cave to be waterlogged, and a boulder to fall out of one of the holes he had made. I actually came up with the idea. It’s amazing. Isn’t it?’ said Magnus
‘You’re diabolical.’ said Linus.
‘Well, you aren’t supposed to be alive, but I’ll let you live for a little while’ said Magnus
The soldiers entirely stripped the heroes of their supplies, and switched all their active devices off.
‘Did you find the stone?’ asked Magnus
‘This one?’ asked a soldier, holding up the pressurised chamber.
‘Yes. This one. Ohh, it’s beautiful.’ said Magnus while releasing it from the chamber. Magnus held it in his hand like a trophy in its blinding glory for just a second due to his eyes beginning to cry like a waterfall. He immediately dropped it back in the chamber
‘Do you even feel any remorse after killing your own people?’
‘No, of course not. If that pest, Tavian had lived, he would have wanted it to be used for the betterment of society.’ said Magnus
‘What are you gonna use it for now?’ asked Lucan
‘I thought you heard the recording. Nevermind, let me repeat. I’m going to use it to make the whole of Ja-Katris bend to my will under the threat of being vaporised by the Luxium at a high concentration. Basically blackmail the citizens. I deserve this after suffering as a leader in a democracy. What use is power if not to be corrupted.’ said Magnus
‘To be responsible, to be truthful to the people who placed it on you, such as the rest of the team.’ said Eris.
‘How is that useful to me?’ said Magnus rhetorically
‘You’re done.’ said Lucan.
‘You’ve got a lot of nerve, you know-’
‘Shut up.’ said Lucan ‘Can you hear the rumbling outside? Those are the people of Ja-Katris. Every word you said here was heard on every radio in this city.
‘Someone, get a radio.’ said Magnus
One of the soldiers handed him a radio from a nearby room
‘Put it on the main channel’ said Lucan
Magnus turned it on and the radio echoed ‘Put it on the main channel’.
‘How?’ asked Magnus in despair.
‘We implanted the comms device in the Luxium’
‘You can barely look at it. How is that possible?’
‘The molder. You give it any instruction for a precise mechanical function, and it does it’ said Lucan
‘The what?’ asked Magnus.
‘An ingenious piece of machi-. You know what, forget it.’ said Lucan
The doors finally cracked open, and the whole room could hear the raging crowd downstairs.
‘Go meet them’ said Eris
How did Singapore develop so much so quickly from the poor 3rd world to the rich 1st world?
If today, you are given a poor country to run with approximately 1.89 million mouths to feed and its means of living depending on the port operation for loading and unloading, trading, fishing, small businesses and manufacturing of textiles which are the sources of income… How far can you see the future of such a country?
1 year? 3 years or 5 years to be buried 20,000 ft in the ocean.
That sounded like Singapore in 1965 when it was left to do or die and with a little help with water and day-to-day commodities from the big bad brother- Malaysia.
How did Singapore develop so much so quickly from the poor 3rd world to the rich 1st world?
That is a grandmother’s old story everyone already knows.
By April 2025, does the Chinese government believe that it is impossible to have meaningful and productive discussions with the US government, which is why it is moving to a full cut of trade ties with the US?
Here’s a factoid that may be surprising to some.
The Korean war, a 20th century conflict fought in the early 1950s, is still an active conflict today, in the 21st century.
Why do I say that?
Remember this shot that made waves around the world?
Donald stepped into North Korea at Panmunjom with Kim, following the historic signing of the Panmunjom Declaration between the Koreas, committing to bring an end to the Korea War.
It is the year 2025. There is still no peace treaty, and the fragile calm of the peninsula is still being held together by the 1953 armistice.
The 3rd generation of the Kim leadership is still resisting, saying no to America when it imposes unilateral terms on the North.
It is the same with china. We are confronting the tariffs you are imposing on us. We are rejecting them permanently, and we will push back until either you give up, or one of us falls.
In other words, no means no. A unilateral tariff regime that tears up the heart of the WTO’s MFN formulation must not be wielded as a negotiation tactic. The Chinese learned from the Phase One trade deal, which brought nothing but grief. China is the number one problem for america today, a challenger that must be taken down, by hook or crook.
Beijing’s calculus is “can we make a deal to bring some respite”? And the answer is no, with bipartisan support for a full court press against the full spectrum of Chinese interests. The Americans will not stop until they either break up china, or obtain guarantees that will keep it down longterm, a la Bretton Woods and the Plaza Accords.
Beijing decided fine. Since a confrontation is unavoidable, let’s make a stand here. There is enough water under the bridge for the Chinese public to understand and support the decision. Besides, the chip ban shock, asset bubble contraction and covid were far harsher tests, and the Chinese overcame the challenges with steely discipline and ingenuity.
China wants america to stop the nonsense and come to the table as a fellow member of the WTO.
In other words, a normal trade negotiation between normal countries.
But if america insists on being special, it will be treated specially, in the only language it understands.
Pepe Escobar : I’m gonna MAGA you, baby!
This,
Image source: Web/Google
In 2015, one day a school boy named Amit was going to school. On the way he was hit by a car. Amit was bleeding, he needed immediate medical help but that car driver didn’t even stop and he didn’t feel to take Amit to nearby hospital. Amit was lying on the road, some people came and took him to a hospital but unfortunately he died. Amit’s dad Jitendra ji came to see his son and he was shocked to know about his little child is no more. Amit’s mom was in deep grief. In just a moment a happy family was shattered.
Image source: Web/Google
Jitendra ji filed a complaint but the police didn’t investigate. They even closed the case without informing Jitendra ji. This was ridiculous!
Jitendra ji and his wife just wanted to know his son’s killer. They wanted to question that man why he left Amit alone to die, he could have been saved if he was taken to hospital on time. They just wanted a Sorry. Was that so difficult??
Jitendra ji decided he will find that man who killed his beloved son. On the accident spot, he found a broken rear mirror and a broken car number plate. Car number was not full, but on the mirror there was a number. He asked from the local service centre but every time he got dissappointment. One day with hell lot of efforts a mechanic told him that this mirror is of a Maruti Car. Jitendra ji went to the manufacturing unit of the Maruti cars. He told his story and there people helped him. With the mirror number he managed to find the car registration number and with registration number he found the car owner’s name – Gyan Chand. It took 8 years for Jitendra ji to find the real culprit.
He went to police again with all the proofs and now again police disappointed him by not filing the complaint. He then moved to court and here also he didn’t get justice, his plea was rejected not just once but 4 times repeatedly. In Jan 2023, he again appealed to court for the 5th time. This time court accepted his request and asked the police to re-open the case but till now no arrest has been made.
Jitendra ji fought 8 years to find all the evidence and the person who killed his son. He is still fighting for the justice and he has told that he will fight till his last breath untill and unless his son’s killer get punished.
This story is deeply heartbreaking…….
Image source: Web/Google
I Salute Jitendra Ji from the bottom of my heart🙏
Amit would be Proud of his Dad❤
**Update : On 21st Oct 2023, Police has arrested the accussed, Gyan Chand.
Spicy Tomato Fettuccine
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
- 8 ounces fettuccine, cooked
- 2 ounces turkey bacon
- 1 large onion
- 4 or 5 large tomatoes, peeled and seeded
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Keep warm.
- Fry bacon until crisp on 11 inch griddle; drain and set aside.
- Chop onions and tomatoes with food chopper.
- Snip parsley using kitchen cutters.
- Heat olive oil and stir-fry skillet. Press garlic with garlic press into skillet. Stir-fry 15 seconds.
- Add onion. Stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, parsley, and seasoning to skillet.
- Gently stir 3 to 4 minutes until thoroughly heated.
- Remove from heat and serve over pasta. Grate fresh Parmesan cheese over top.
Attribution
Pampered Chef
- People may forget what you said, but they’ll always remember how you made them feel.
- Overthinking doesn’t solve problems — it only creates new ones in your mind.
- The things you fear the most often lead you to the biggest growth.
- Happiness doesn’t come from outside — it starts in your mind.
- When you truly love and respect yourself, others start doing the same.
- Forgiving someone sets you free more than it helps them.
- Life won’t always go as you planned, and that’s perfectly okay.
- Negative people slowly drain your peace — choose your circle wisely.
- A heart full of gratitude turns even little things into blessings.
- Whatever you repeatedly tell your mind, it starts to believe.
- Failing doesn’t mean you’re weak — it means you’re trying.
- Never make important decisions when you’re angry or upset.
- Life is too short to fake it — be real, be you.
Title: Sir Whiskerton and the Curious Case of the Beatnik Cat
Ah, dear reader, it is with great excitement (and a touch of bewilderment) that I welcome you back to yet another one of my extraordinary adventures. Today’s tale is a peculiar mix of intergalactic diplomacy, existential poetry, and an unexpected encounter with a most unconventional feline. Yes, that’s right—Captain Meowtronic of the Intergalactic Feline Federation has returned to our humble farm, and this time, he’s brought with him a mystery so baffling that even I, Sir Whiskerton, was momentarily left scratching my head. So settle in, dear reader, and prepare yourself for the hilarity-filled tale of Sir Whiskerton and the Curious Case of the Beatnik Cat.
A Familiar Visitor
It was a quiet evening on the farm. The chickens were roosting, the cows were chewing their cud, and I was perched on my favorite fencepost, watching the stars twinkle in the night sky. All was calm—until a sudden flash of light lit up the barnyard.
“Not again,” I muttered, shielding my eyes with a paw.
Sure enough, a sleek, chrome-plated spaceship descended gracefully onto the farm, its engines humming softly. The hatch opened with a dramatic hiss, and out stepped none other than Captain Meowtronic, resplendent in his glittering silver uniform.
“Sir Whiskerton!” he called, his whiskers twitching with urgency. “We meet again!”
“Captain Meowtronic,” I said, hopping down from the fence. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“We have a situation,” he said gravely. “A new kind of cat has been discovered, and the Federation is at a loss. We’ve never encountered anything like it. We need your help to figure out what… or who… this cat is.”
“A new kind of cat?” I said, intrigued. “Well, you’ve come to the right feline. Lead the way.”
The Beatnik Cat Appears
I followed Captain Meowtronic into his spaceship, where he led me to a small, dimly lit room. There, sitting on a cushion and bopping his head to an invisible beat, was the strangest cat I’d ever seen.
He was lanky, with a black beret perched jauntily on his head and a pair of round sunglasses balanced on his nose. A set of bongo drums sat in front of him, and he tapped them rhythmically with his paws as he muttered under his breath.
“Dig it, man,” the cat said, his voice low and smooth. “The stars, they shimmer like cosmic vibes, ya dig? I’m just a cool cat groovin’ to the universal beat.”
I blinked. “What… is he talking about?”
“That’s the problem,” Captain Meowtronic said, throwing up his paws. “He speaks in riddles, recites nonsensical poetry, and refuses to engage in any meaningful way. We’ve run every test, and all we’ve learned is that he calls himself ‘Jazzpurr.’”
“Jazzpurr?” I said, raising an eyebrow.
“Yeah, man,” the cat said, looking up at me. “Jazzpurr, the feline beatnik. The paws that tap, the whiskers that vibe, the soul that jives. You dig?”
I stared at him, utterly baffled. “Is this some kind of joke?”
“I assure you, it is not,” Captain Meowtronic said. “We’ve never encountered a cat like this before. He doesn’t adhere to any of our protocols. He doesn’t even groom properly! Sir Whiskerton, you must help us make sense of this… anomaly.”
Introducing Jazzpurr to the Farm
After much deliberation (and some convincing on Jazzpurr’s part, which mostly involved an impromptu bongo solo), I decided to bring him back to the farm. If anyone could figure out what to make of him, it was the other animals.
The moment we arrived, the farmyard erupted into chaos.
“What is that?!” Doris the hen squawked, flapping her wings.
“That! Oh, it’s so strange!” Harriet clucked.
“Strange! I can’t bear it!” Lillian screeched.
“It’s a cat,” I said, rolling my eyes. “A very… peculiar cat.”
Jazzpurr tipped his beret to the hens. “Ladies, ladies, no need to squawk. I come in peace, spreading vibes and rhythms, ya dig?”
“What’s he talking about?” Porkchop the pig asked, waddling over with a confused look on his face.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” I said.
Jazzpurr pulled out his bongos and began tapping them softly. “The mud, it squelches beneath the trotters. A pig in the muck, a groove in the soul. Oink, oink, baby.”
Porkchop blinked. “Uh… thanks?”
Jazzpurr’s Farm Adventures
Over the next few days, Jazzpurr made himself at home on the farm. He quickly became a source of both amusement and confusion for the other animals.
One morning, I found him sitting in the chicken coop, reciting poetry to the hens.
“The egg, man,” he said, gesturing dramatically. “The egg is the cosmic cradle of life. It’s like… whoa.”
“Oh, Jazzpurr!” Doris clucked. “Your words are so… profound!”
“Profound! But also confusing!” Harriet added.
“Confusing! I can’t bear it!” Lillian screeched.
Later, I caught him in the barn, teaching Rufus the dog how to play the bongos.
“You gotta feel the rhythm, man,” Jazzpurr said, tapping a beat. “Let the vibes flow through your paws.”
Rufus barked happily as he attempted to mimic Jazzpurr’s drumming, though his paws were far too large for the tiny drums.
Even Ferdinand the duck got in on the action, joining Jazzpurr for a duet.
“Quack, quack, quaaaaaaack!” Ferdinand sang.
“Ribbit-ribbit, man,” Jazzpurr replied, adding a bongo flourish.
The result was… well, let’s just say it was an acquired taste.
The Truth Comes Out
Despite Jazzpurr’s eccentricities, it became clear that he wasn’t actually an alien or some mysterious new species of cat. He was simply a beatnik—a feline with a flair for the dramatic, a love of rhythm, and a penchant for nonsensical poetry.
When I explained this to Captain Meowtronic, he was both relieved and exasperated.
“So he’s not an anomaly?” the captain said, shaking his head. “He’s just… weird?”
“Precisely,” I said. “But weird isn’t bad. In fact, I think Jazzpurr has brought something unique to the farm—a little creativity, a little chaos, and a lot of laughter.”
Jazzpurr, overhearing this, tipped his beret. “Thanks, man. You’re a real cool cat.”
A Beatnik on the Farm
In the end, Jazzpurr decided to stay on the farm, much to the delight of the other animals (and the occasional bewilderment of Captain Meowtronic). He set up a “poetry lounge” in the barn, where he hosts weekly open mic nights for anyone brave enough to participate.
The moral of the story, dear reader, is this: it’s okay to be different. In fact, it’s our differences that make life interesting. So embrace the quirks, the oddities, and the bongos—they’re what make the world a groovy place to live.
As for Jazzpurr? He’s still bopping, grooving, and reciting poetry to anyone who’ll listen. And though I may not always understand his “vibes,” I can’t deny that the farm is a livelier place with him around.
The End.
Are the YouTube videos from the China Observer channel of collapse of China’s export economy that catastrophic?
I am in Guangzhou as I write this post
The atmosphere here among some of the US exporters is definitely gloomy
They don’t seem to be as much worried about the economics as the fear of having to adapt and change after so many years
The Prospect is daunting. They especially belong to the older generation who wouldn’t be unhappy if Xi kowtowed to Trump
They were all comfortable selling stuff to US and now they have to source new markets all over again, a tough task for exporters who have spent 20–25 years cultivating clients only in the US
Some others have adapted
I met a guy selling Smart Coffee Makers. Last year they sold 55,000 Pcs to the Agent of Costco for $ 53.50 a piece , which was resold for $ 153 in US and became a very popular Christmas gift
This year Costco wanted him to cut the price to $ 26.50 but he refused
He instead sold 13,000 Pcs to an Australian importer , 18,000 Pcs to European Importers and 6,500 pcs to ASEAN Importers. That’s 68% of his US Orders
He got an average of $ 55 per piece making far more money than he would have made selling to Costco at 50% discount
I met agents buying for Jiomart ,Croma & D-Mart but they feel this product wouldn’t move in India because they have to price it as ₹13,500/- and nobody would buy at such a price
Another guy who is selling these containers sold 90,000 Pcs to Agents of Walmart last year for $ 3.00 a piece
This year he sold 36,500 in Q1 but now Walmart wanted him to sell for $ 2.20 a piece (This was when Tariffs were 20%)
Now Taobao and JD dot com offered a green channel listing his products with a “Korean War” Appeal calling the US an Enemy and talking of the Korean War
Patriotic Chinese snapped up 80,000 Orders in under 4 hours for 25.55 Yuan a piece ($ 3.50)
His entire Walmart orders have been sold within China and he has made more money than he did last year
Conclusions
A. Smart Electronics, Consumer Electronics and Home Appliances are getting booming orders from Australia, Europe, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia & UK. The Prices are very low for such good quality. Buying for £ 44 and selling for £ 120 is irresistible
So these products will definitely find other buyers and they aren’t that concerned about the US market
Mexican buyers are placing huge orders so my guess is these products will find their way to Walmart and Costco through Mexico after paying 10% Tariff
B. Low Cost Goods are getting heavy listing on Taobao and JD and other online platforms and livestreaming using PATRIOTISM and calling the exports “War Victims”
Many Chinese are buying them in droves out of patriotism
C. The Ne Zha Rebranding
Many products to be exported to US have been rebranded with Ne Zha stickers and have sold like Hot Cakes
These 309 Yuan ($43) small suitcases sold 7,000 under 1 Hour. 10,000 of these were destined to be shipped to Long Beach and Newark by 15/5/2025 and now 7,000 have already been sold on JD and TaoBao
Who are in trouble?
A. Suppliers of many US Clients who sold stuff on Amazon USA. These guys are too much Anglos and the Gen Z who are the biggest buyers don’t like Americanized stuff like Popeye, Garfield, Pokemon etc
Low Cost Jewelry, Plastic Moulds etc have all faced massive order losses and are panicking
There isn’t a market for such trinkets anywhere else
B. Suppliers of High Quality Clothing. Such suppliers have fiercely guarded their markets for years. European Suppliers will not allow anyone to push into their markets while Bangladesh and Vietnam have their own clothing exporters
These guys exclusively worked for US Brands and the US Markets and now they are in trouble
C. 3D Printers, Low Cost Consumer Goods
These guys haven’t found alternative markets so far
In India it’s too expensive
D. Lighting Equipment – Again fiercely protective markets. If a US Supplier has to sell $ 100,000 of light equipment in the European markets, he has to sell his stuff to a European Supplier for $ 60,000 who will then send the stuff to Rotterdam or Liverpool
E. Sports Equipment – Almost $ 70 Million cancelled orders in Yiwu alone.
Who are comfortable?
A. Smart Consumer Electronics and Low Cost Green Goods – They have a huge market in Russia. TCL and Hisense have a 60% market share in Russia and Eastern Europe and Serbia and Central Asia compared to 8% in 2021.
B. Electronics Equipment – Entire waiver by Trump administration. However even otherwise orders across the Globe will make up for them
C. EV Batteries – Huge orders from Mexico to be rerouted to US. Already being done since 2023.
D. Automobile Parts, Paints, Glass – Again Mexico is handling the orders
E. Chemicals for Pharmaceuticals – Bulk Buying and Front Loading is massive. Compared to Q1 2024 , Q1 2025 saw 34% increase and now Q2 2025 has already seen a 9% increase and it’s just been 15 days
F. Fine Tooling Components and Parts for Fine Tooling Equipment – Massive Transshipments through Europe & Mexico
G. Spectacle Frames & Lens – Vietnam is bulk buying in huge numbers for Transshipments
H. Industrial Smart Cranes – BRI Projects can absorb the extra unsold inventory easily
I. Aircraft Parts – Being Rerouted to COMAC and Airbus while Boeing is desperate. Their executive was in Shanghai yesterday
J. Artificial Diamonds (Lab Diamonds) – Huge Orders from Intermediate Countries to be rerouted to USA
Who are in trouble in US?
Every small business is in trouble
Industrial components are crucial and their tooling is superb in China
They say India simply cannot produce that class of tooling and the Indian price is only 8% lower with 60% quality ($ 190 vs $ 175)
The Big Brands like Gucci are in trouble due to IP deregulation. The Chinese factories that made these products for $ 300–400 each which sold for $ 9000 – $ 23,000 in US due to copyright is merrily tossing aside design proprietary and selling a $ 13,000 Bag for $ 1,450 including the 145% Tariff 😁
They still get $ 600 per bag, higher than the $ 300–400 a bag they would get from the distributors of Gucci
I saw a $ 3,200 hermes scarf sold as Hermiss from a factory for $ 450. Same Quality!!!!!!
So now the US Customers ARE PAYING THESE GUYS TO STOP
They are saying “Ok. Just stop selling. We will pay you whatever stock you have at full price. Just keep them with you until everything gets resolved”
Only the Big Tech is OK
I feel in a year or 18 months China will completely adjust without the US Market
Trump’s Bluff is OVER.Trump U-Turn on China Tariffs. China uses US’ blackmail, starts with S. Korea.