Today I drove into Shenzhen to do some financial and Banking stuff. Shenzhen is getting more and more beautiful each and every day.
But parking is super expensive. Hint: if you move to Shenzhen use public transportation, the price of parking is transcendent.
Blue sky’s, trees and plants and flowers are everywhere. Super modern. Even more so than it was back ten years ago, and now hyper-so.
We took the Zhuhai to Shenzhen expressway and it was quick and too amazing. The bridges and the tunnels and the general road architecture were all astounding. Guys you all have no idea just how out-of-sight China is today.
It’s one thing to visit.
It’s another thing to live here for a few years as a teacher and experience life.
But it’s all together another thing to be a long duration expat, living int he mist of this revolution and being exposed to different elements here, there, and everywhere. Putting all the myriad pieces together is simply eye opening and mind boggling.
I’ll tell you what.
You’ll see.
Today…
Secretary of War Summons All Generals and Admirals to Meeting Next Week
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has summoned ALL Generals and Admirals of the United States armed forces, to a meeting next week at Marine Corps Base, Quantico, VA.
Top commanders in conflict zones and senior military leaders stationed throughout Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region are among those expected to attend Hegseth’s meeting. Everyone with the rank of Brigadier General or above is expected to attend.
This is an unprecedented action, a gathering of ~620 senior officers, called on short notice and without a stated reason.
It appears the ENTIRE command structure of the United States military will all be in one place at the same time early next week. The national security implications are huge; not only for having all of the command officers in one place at the same time – and adversary could wipe them out – but also for the unstated reason(s).
A Senior Pentagon media correspondent told me: ‘I’ve never seen anything like this in my past 30 years of reporting on the U.S. military. We might be going to war.’
Hal Turner Remarks:
What is happening — or coming — that every single General and Admiral must be at this meeting? Whatever it is must be so secret that they don’t want to risk comms-links being compromised, or staff overhearing the subject, and leaking it. THAT’S SERIOUS.
We’ve got the ongoing Russia-Ukraine situation that President Trump has apparently changed position on; which could mean actual World War 3.
We’ve got a U.S. force build-up taking place off the coast of Venezuela, and ongoing destruction of “drug boats” coming out of Venezuela with tons of illegal drugs being sent to the bottom of the ocean.
We’ve got a Government shutdown coming on September 30 into October 1, when the present US federal Budget expires while Congress has not – and apparently will not — approve a new budget.
We have a growing, violent, political class, which is shooting people and buildings, killing people, planting bombs and attacking Immigration officers in many places in this country.
On a strange note, we have the space object being referred to as “3I/ATLAS” which folks originally thought was a Comet, until it changed course a couple times, clearly heading for earth. What if it turns hostile?
Big issues, for certain. But calling a meeting of ALL the top Generals and Admirals next week – without a stated reason, gives me the chills.
I can’t help but feel something wicked this way comes.
UPDATE 5:6 PM EDT —
All 11 unified combatant command Supreme Commanders have also been ordered to appear before the War Secretary, including STRATCOM & USSOCOM by Department of War!!
It is rumored that President Trump will also attend (although they are keeping that information secret)! Both the President and War Secretary have the power to Fire anyone in the Military!
What is the one in a million coincidence you have ever had?
I listen to TV when I work from home, and occasionally glance at it. A month ago there was a food show on and when I looked up, I saw my son-in-law on the show, giving his opinion about the food a vendor was selling! The show was first aired in 2020 and he guesses it was around 2015. He remembers being interviewed but had no idea it was going to be on TV! Can’t believe I actually caught it!
Jeffrey Sachs EXPOSES: Trump’s REAL Plot to END the Ukraine War—China & Russia Plan as West in SHOCK
Have you ever known someone who has gone missing?
Around 1981 my niece was 16 years old and 8 months pregnant. Her former boyfriend wanted nothing to do with her or the baby. He was a thug and we were relieved not to have him in her life. She worked at a Dairy queen and when she got off that afternoon she was headed home to work on the nursery.
She never made it home and couldn’t be found.
The whole family was searching for several days. The boyfriend was not cooperative. Most people stopped looking but her brother was relentless and was non stop trying to find her.
On the fourth day he drove down a dirt road and spotted something in the ditch. It was his little sister deceased along with her unborn child. She had been shot in the back of her head.
The boyfriend was arrested and sentenced to life.
Her family was never the same.
It was heartbreaking for all of us. I had almost put it behind me till I saw this question and realized I did know someone who went missing.
Her name was LeAnn. She was buried with the baby.
U F? No.
Submitted into Contest #289 in response to: Write an open-ended story in which your character’s fate is uncertain.… view prompt
Kathrine Steppke
He goes back into his room. She stays slumped in the bean bag chair with the hot cocoa next to her. She waits an hour and 12 minutes. He comes out of the room. He says, “The Uber is here. Here is the money. Please leave.” She looks into his eyes giving him a pleading look. His face is red pleading back, “Leave!” She gets on her clothes faster than a professional stage actor, runs downstairs and dives into the Uber, where the driver already has the door open.
Upstairs, the man picks up the hot cocoa. The bunnies have somehow retained their shape but they are on opposite ends of the cup looking sad. “Must have been old marshmallows” he grumbles to himself. The bunnies float back to eachother with heads resting on one another. He pours the cocoa down the sink leaving the cup inside. He collapses on the floor wailing loudly. Then, pulls out a picture of himself with her from his back pocket. It reads, “Galilee and Gordy together 4ever.” He rips it up and throws the pieces towards the trash though most pieces land near his foot, which he tries kicking up in the air, but is unsuccessful again. The dinosaur slipper comes off, spiralling up in the air in an arch shape. He screams just before the dinosaur slipper hits him on the head.
Galilee sits in the Uber. The Uber driver wears a fuzzy pink coat with a matching hat and heart shaped sunglasses. She smells of sunscreen. The blinding light from the sun surrounds her. It is now very warm, though the snow outside is still piled high. The uber driver is chewing gum loudly while staring at Galilee. The Uber driver offers Galilee a stick of gum flavoured like strawberries. Galilee stares into space for the length of three Mississippis then waves the gum away. The driver shrugs then introduces herself, “The name’s Honey Milky-way Moore. You’s goin’ to the Strawberry Fields Hotel? Am I goin’ anywhere’s else fo you’s? Galilee says, “How about off a cliff?”
Honey turns with her lips quivering and eyes narrowing, “Hey! What’s a matta?” Galilee laments, “You don’t care. You just want to have an excuse to charge me for extra.” Honey notices the time already going in the Uber. She smashes the machine breaking it. Honey says, “Ain’t nothin’ more important than everybody keepin’ everybody safe.” Galilee sighs, “You wouldn’t believe me anyway.” Honey throws her hands up, “Try me. I’ve had some weird crap happen to me. I’ve been visited by spirits, abducted by aliens, and just yesterday I was broken up with by Bigfoot.”
Galilee raises an eyebrow, “As if…wait… did you say abducted by aliens?” Honey answers, “Yeah. They put some kind of weird equipment in me fo’ their experiments. I think they gave me an STD but Bigfoot, also known as Dennis, did not believe me.” Galilee’s eyes widen, “They did some kind of experiment on me and got me pregnant.” Honey shakes her head, “Ooooh…not much yous can do ‘bout that now that abortion is illegal ‘round here.”
Galilee slumps down.
Honey looks at Galilee up and down. Galilee trembles, “I have nowhere to go after the hotel. I’ll be on the streets.” Honey makes a suggestion, “Yous could sleep at my crib. I know it ain’t safe sleepin’ in a strangers place but it’s gotta be safer than nothin’. Galilee starts to tremble a little less, then turns her head out the window and says, “Yes. Thank you so so much.” Galilee felt a warm embrace though there were no arms around her then she heard a small voice inside her head saying, “You’ll be okay.”
Is it a good or bad thing that the US empire hegemony is declining to a multipolar hegemony of Russia, China, and of course the USA?
A multipolar world is not a multipolar hegemony.
China does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries; the Chinese do not preaching to other countries; and the Chinese are not interested in hegemony.
1. To answer this question, we first need to look at the direction of US-Russia relations.
In my opinion, US-Russia relations cannot return to the past.
Trump can be considered the most pro-Russian president in US history.
It must be said that Putin’s encounter with Trump is also a kind of luck. However, this is only a personal factor.
In international relations, personal factors are important but not decisive.
The decisive factor remains the fundamental interests of the two countries. Currently, there are many conflicts in US-Russia relations, and these contradictions are difficult to resolve.
Therefore, US-Russia relations may improve in the coming years, but this improvement will be limited.
2. Next, let’s explore Trump’s considerations regarding US-China-Russia relations.
Just a few days ago, Trump expressed his hope for Russia to rejoin the G7, his intention being quite clear – he wants to bring Russia back into the Western camp.
Many years ago, Brzezinski published a book called “Strategic Vision”.
At that time, Brzezinski had already insightfully pointed out that the only future challenge for the United States would come from China, and he claimed that the US had never faced such a strong opponent before.
He proposed that the US must strengthen itself, revive its manufacturing industry, and not indulge in financial games all day long, wasting time.
Additionally, it is essential to firmly control North America, indirectly control South America, and protect Australia.
He also advocated for bringing Russia and Turkey into the Western camp. In this way, the US strategy could operate flexibly.
However, the paths taken by Clinton and George W. Bush were vastly different from his ideas. Trump’s thinking is somewhat similar to his, but Trump intends to sacrifice the interests of Ukraine and Europe, which Brzezinski vehemently opposed.
Moreover, Trump did not focus on attracting Turkey, but instead fully supported Israel in the Middle East.
Although Trump did not completely follow Brzezinski’s ideas, there are certain similarities between the two.
Now, Trump is firmly focused on one goal: concentrating on countering China, with strong personal emotions.
Therefore, he will certainly cozy up to Russia and then concentrate his efforts against China.
3. Now let’s take a look at the China-Russia relationship.
Regardless of how US-Russia relations evolve, we will spare no effort to strengthen the China-Russia relationship. I firmly believe that Russia, based on its own national interests, will also value its relationship with China. In the future, the enthusiasm for cooperation between Russia and China may not be as high as in recent years, but overall, the China-Russia relationship will remain stable.
Moreover, since Trump took office and has been aggressively pressuring Europe, relations between China and Europe are likely to ease. Seeing Trump’s actions and witnessing China’s increasing strength, countries like Japan and South Korea may not necessarily completely comply with the demands of the United States.
From our own perspective, China is now extremely confident and independent. In the strategic game between China and the US, we do not rely on any external temporary opportunities. This is not to say that China does not seize opportunities; once an opportunity arises, we will certainly seize it.
However, when it comes to resolving major issues, we do not advocate relying on third-party forces, as this would compromise our autonomy.
In the game against the US, even without Russia’s assistance, we have the ability to respond calmly.
In the Asia-Pacific region, China now has a significant advantage, with the entire frontline deployment completed, waiting for the US to “challenge” us.
Many people think that if Trump focuses more on confronting China, China will be in trouble. However, I do not share this view; instead, I see it as the “big fish” taking the bait.
This will be the moment when American hegemony will completely disintegrate.
San Antonio Stew
Yield: 8 servings; about 10 cups stew
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can condensed beef broth
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 cup Pace picante sauce
- 1 medium onion, cut into 1/2 inch wedges
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (16 ounce) can whole tomatoes
- 3 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 ears fresh or thawed frozen corn, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 medium zucchini (about 1 ounce), cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven, brown meat, half at a time, in hot oil. Return all meat to Dutch oven.
- Add broth, hot water, picante sauce, onion, parsley, salt, cumin and garlic. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 1 hour or until meat is tender.
- Drain and coarsely chop tomatoes, reserving juice, add tomatoes and juice to Dutch oven with carrots, corn and zucchini. Cover and simmer 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- Gradually add cold water to flour, mixing until smooth. Gradually stir into stew. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute or until thickened.
- Serve with additional picante sauce.
Can a credit card company suddenly tell you that you have an unpaid card from over 25 years ago? Can they make you pay it?
I had a mastercard card from an account I had with HSBC in NY. My card bills were paid by automated deduction so I never really reviewed the statements or was concerned much….this was a card i rarely used.
I check that it was paid it off fully when I left the country. I didn’t receive any subsequent statements by snail or email, probably because my address was then invalid but at the time i thought I just had zero balance. And, I had a pretty decent cash balance in my current account, which I decided to just leave as a rainy day fund, a little over 30k.
About 10 years later, I’m in NYC with some free time and I go to check my bank account. I want to update my personal details and reactivate my card with them.
They check and say there’s a block on my card number. So, the RM and I call the credit card center. There’s apparently an amount owing on the card of $3,000 based on some last minute charge that had gone through after my last billing, and of course with compounded late charges and fees. I said, that can’t be right, the payments have always been automatically paid in full, and there’s been more than enough cash balance to pay off any charges.
I tell them just wave all the penalties and I’ll pay off the balance and have my card reactivated.
The call center says, you can’t, the card holder is deceased and the amount has been written off. I said, I’m the card holder, not deceased. She says, well, you don’t have to pay anything as it’s been written off. But I cant get a new card until this is cleared up, I said.
So a couple of weeks later the RM calls back. She figured out that there was an original charge of about $200 that was late billing. For some reason the automated payment failed. They kept charging me fees and interest and eventually sent the account to collections, and someone decided I’d died and the account was uncollectable.
After a bit more administrative haggling, the bank finally reversed all the fees and penalties, and I paid the original bill of $200. The RM told me its the first time they ever got paid after 10 years by a dead person.
My Wife Was A 304 And I Was A Chad, Now We’re Swingers Who Have Been Married For 15 YEARS!
What is the sneakiest thing you did to get back at an awful neighbor? Did you get caught?
Going anonymous as this is still legend around the neighbourhood.
I live in a small hamlet on the coast ( somewhere in the world) where about 70% of the houses and cottages are permanently occupied. The other 30% are holiday homes for the wealthy or holiday rentals.
There is one large house perched high on the sand dunes overlooking a large portion of the community that belongs to a wealthy family that are only ever seen in the summer months and for most of the year the house is empty.
This house came alive one summer with raucous teenagers and young adults. The parents ( or anyone responsible) were obviously not around as the music was deafening into the early hours along with screaming and yelling.
This crowd were also seen breaking benches at the local lookout point and left beer cans and cigarette butts strewn on the beach.
The police visited twice after complaints were made and the noise would be reduced for a while but return to previous levels soon afterwards.
Us residents, while used to some inconsiderate behaviour from excited visitors, had reached our limit after 3 days and after some discussion over neighboring fences a consensus was reached that some local corrective action was required.
The morning of the fourth day, at the time that the shouting and screaming would usually start along with the music, there was a stillness.
As it turned out someone had crimped the copper water infeed pipe to the house at the flow meter stopping all flow to the house.
No showers, no washing dishes ( unlikely that was happening) or flushing toilets. I believe a note was attached to the meter requesting that noise be kept down and for more respect to be shown to the community.
I also heard that a call was placed to our local plumber but as “ luck” would have it he was fully booked for a few days in advance and couldn’t assist.
The greasy looking mob vacated the house that day and there has not been a reoccurrence since.
Sir Whiskerton and the Super-Skunk Spray Incident: A Tale of Rainbows, Tourists, and Feline Diplomacy
Ah, dear reader, prepare yourself for a tale of colorful chaos, unexpected visitors, and one very determined skunk with a flair for the dramatic. Today’s story is one of rainbows, tourists, and a cat who proved that even the most dazzling displays can have unintended consequences. So, grab your sunglasses and a sense of humor, as we dive into Sir Whiskerton and the Super-Skunk Spray Incident: A Tale of Rainbows, Tourists, and Feline Diplomacy.
The Super-Skunk’s Grand Ambition
It all began on a sunny morning when Boris the Super-Skunk, ever the dramatic and self-proclaimed hero, decided it was time to upgrade his already impressive spray powers. “My spray is no ordinary spray,” Boris declared, striking a heroic pose in the middle of the barnyard. “It can knock down trees, create rainbows, and even summon cheese wheels! But I must go further. I must become legendary!”
The farm animals gathered around, intrigued by Boris’s proclamation. Doris the Hen clucked nervously, while Rufus the Dog wagged his tail in excitement. “What do you mean, Boris?” Rufus asked, his green fur glowing faintly in the sunlight.
“I mean,” Boris said, puffing out his chest, “that I will enhance my spray to create the most dazzling rainbows the world has ever seen! Rainbows so bright, so beautiful, that they will attract admirers from far and wide. I will be the hero of the skies!”
The animals exchanged skeptical glances. “But Boris,” Doris said, fluffing her feathers, “what if your rainbows attract more than just admirers? What if they attract… humans?”
Boris waved a dismissive paw. “Nonsense! Humans are easily distracted. Besides, what harm could a few rainbows do?”
Mr. Wigglesworth’s Dubious Experiment
Boris’s first stop was Mr. Wigglesworth, the farm’s resident eccentric and self-proclaimed inventor. Mr. Wigglesworth, a portly pig with a penchant for dramatic gestures, was thrilled by the idea of enhancing Boris’s spray. “A rainbow-making skunk spray?” he exclaimed, adjusting his oversized glasses. “Why, that’s the most brilliant idea I’ve ever heard! Well, aside from my theory that hay bales turn into pumpkins at midnight.”
Boris and Mr. Wigglesworth spent the next few days in the barn, mixing potions, grinding herbs, and occasionally setting off small explosions. The other animals kept their distance, though Rufus couldn’t resist peeking in from time to time. “What’s going on in there?” he asked Sir Whiskerton, who was lounging on a nearby hay bale.
“Trouble,” Sir Whiskerton replied, flicking his tail. “Mark my words, Rufus. This experiment will end in chaos.”
Finally, after much trial and error, Mr. Wigglesworth emerged from the barn, holding a glowing vial of liquid. “Behold!” he declared. “The Rainbow Elixir! One drop of this, and Boris’s spray will create rainbows so magnificent, they’ll make the Northern Lights look like a child’s crayon drawing!”
Boris eagerly took the vial and added a few drops to his spray glands. “Now,” he said, striking another heroic pose, “watch and be amazed!”
The Rainbow Spectacle
Boris aimed his spray at the sky and let loose a mighty blast. The farm animals gasped as a dazzling rainbow arced across the sky, its colors so vibrant they seemed to shimmer with life. “It’s beautiful!” Doris exclaimed, her eyes wide with wonder.
But the beauty was short-lived. Within hours, the farm was overrun with humans. Tourists from nearby towns had seen the rainbow and flocked to the farm, eager to witness the spectacle for themselves. They brought cameras, picnic baskets, and an endless stream of questions. “Where’s the skunk?” one tourist asked, holding up a selfie stick. “I need a photo for my Instagram!”
The farm animals were overwhelmed. The chickens couldn’t lay their eggs in peace, the cows were too distracted to graze, and Rufus kept getting tangled in tourists’ leashes. Even Sir Whiskerton, who usually enjoyed a good sunbeam, found himself constantly interrupted by curious humans. “This is unacceptable,” he muttered, flicking his tail in annoyance.
The Turmoil
The influx of tourists disrupted daily life on the farm. Doris the Hen was particularly frazzled. “I can’t even cluck without someone taking a photo!” she complained, flapping her wings in frustration. “And don’t get me started on the noise. It’s like a carnival out there!”
Rufus, on the other hand, was having the time of his life. “Look at all the new friends!” he barked, wagging his tail so hard it created a small breeze. “They keep giving me treats!”
Sir Whiskerton, however, was not amused. “This chaos cannot continue,” he said, narrowing his green eyes. “We must find a solution before the farm becomes a permanent tourist attraction.”
The Investigation
Sir Whiskerton called a meeting of the farm animals to discuss the situation. “Boris,” he said, addressing the Super-Skunk, “your rainbows have brought us more trouble than we bargained for. We must find a way to restore order.”
Boris looked sheepish. “I didn’t mean to cause so much trouble,” he said. “I just wanted to be a hero.”
“And you are a hero,” Sir Whiskerton replied, his tone softening. “But sometimes, even heroes need to tone down their displays. Perhaps we can find a compromise.”
Mr. Wigglesworth, who had been quietly observing the meeting, suddenly perked up. “I have an idea!” he exclaimed. “Why not turn this into an opportunity? We can sell rainbow-themed souvenirs to the tourists! Think of the profits!”
The animals groaned, but Sir Whiskerton saw the potential in Mr. Wigglesworth’s plan. “It’s not a bad idea,” he admitted. “If we can’t stop the tourists, we might as well make the best of it.”
The Resolution
With Sir Whiskerton’s guidance, Boris agreed to tone down his rainbow displays, limiting them to one spectacular show per day. Meanwhile, Mr. Wigglesworth set up a souvenir stand near the barn, selling rainbow-themed trinkets like keychains, hats, and even miniature skunk figurines. The tourists loved it, and the farm animals finally had some peace.
“It’s not perfect,” Doris admitted, “but at least we can go about our business without being mobbed by humans.”
Rufus, however, was disappointed. “I’ll miss all the treats,” he said, his tail drooping.
“Don’t worry, Rufus,” Sir Whiskerton said, patting the dog on the head. “I’m sure the tourists will still sneak you a snack or two.”
The Moral of the Story
As the farm returned to a semblance of normalcy, the animals reflected on the day’s events.
The moral of the story, dear reader, is this: Even the most dazzling displays can have unintended consequences. Whether you’re a skunk with a flair for the dramatic or a cat with a knack for solving mysteries, it’s important to consider the impact of your actions on those around you. And while a little chaos can be fun, it’s always wise to find a balance between spectacle and serenity.
A Happy Ending
With the tourists entertained by Mr. Wigglesworth’s souvenirs and Boris’s daily rainbow shows, the farm animals were able to return to their routines. Sir Whiskerton, ever the diplomat, had once again saved the day, proving that even the most colorful problems can be solved with a little creativity and compromise.
As for Boris, he learned that being a hero doesn’t always mean being the center of attention. “Sometimes,” he said, gazing at the sky, “the greatest heroism is knowing when to step back and let others shine.”
And so, dear reader, we leave our heroes with the promise of new adventures, new rainbows, and hopefully, no more overzealous tourists. Until next time, may your days be filled with laughter, love, and just a little bit of feline genius.
The End.
What was the most expensive surprise you received in a bill from a doctor or hospital? Did you pay it?
I was out of town on a ranch on a weekend visit when a little infection in my index finger became a BIG infection in my index finger. All of the local urgent care places were closed, so I had to go to the emergency room in the next town.
The doctor spent less than 45 seconds with me.
A quick injection of anti-biotics and he told the nurse to give me a prescription for some anti-biotic pills.
I knew it was going to be expensive but $2000?
I think I paid a $350 copay at the onset of the visit. My insurance company paid another $500 if memory serves, so they billed me the $1,150 balance.
I looked at the medical coding on the record and saw what Medicaid pays for that. Somewhere in the $150 range.
I wrote them a letter pointing that out and sent a check for $150.
The letter stated that by cashing the check, they would waive any future obligation from me and I had similar wording on the back of the check.
They cashed it (of course) and then tried to come after me for the balance. I pointed out that by cashing the check they had agreed to my proposed settlement and that was the end of it.
Never heard from them again.
But that bill was beyond absurd.
Weather Weapons & Worse | Tesla’s Stolen Tech and the New Arms Race
Why wouldn’t you like to live in the countryside?
It smells nice out in the country.
Fresh air blows in your face.
You watch the animals graze.
It’s quiet.
I like the countryside.
That being said…
I fucking hate the people that live and dwell in it
Maybe “hate” is too strong a word, and maybe it isn’t all country people, just those I grew up with. Yet I make no secret of the fact that I find some attitudes and mannerisms that characterize country life as I’ve experienced it, quite distasteful.
All the gossip, pettiness, overzealousness. The narrow-mindedness, duplicitousness, mean-spiritedness. Sometimes I’ll joke that our parish church isn’t really holy ground. If it were, many of the parishioners I know would have already caught fire and burned to a crisp as soon as they set foot in it.
And the neuroticism…
Then there’s the narcissism of small differences, as epitomized by the fact that these people aren’t above disliking you for the most trivial of reasons.
I had a guy tell me he didn’t like me because he didn’t like my face.
Not my facial expressions like I was frowning or anything.
My actual facial structure. He thought my face was “suspect”.
I give him bonus points for recognising he disliked me for something I had no control over at least. Most of them never reach that milestone. Usually they assume their first intuition or instinctual response to anything that breaks the mould is an accurate reflection of reality. If you have a face that looks “felonious”, then you’re a criminal, and will be treated like one.
They take their prejudices to be the voice of conscience, and offhandedly dismiss everything that doesn’t align with them.
If you refuse to toe the line, they’ll believe you’re just asking to be badmouthed and socially excluded. Even if the ideas and attitudes they expect you to uphold are counterproductive or downright foul.
They badmouth everything you do that they don’t understand or that they resent knowing they will never be able to replicate. They love to make you feel as miserable as they feel inside. As religious as they purport to be, I guarantee you, if their Savior/Redeemer lived and dwelt among them, and they failed to recognise him — and, rest assured, they would fail to recognise him — they would soon discover or contrive some reason either to badmouth him or harass him out of town.
You can safely deduce that I only harbor so much bitterness against these people precisely BECAUSE I used to live there. I’m the son and grandson of old-time farmers. For the first twenty-five years of my life I lived and worked there, lest I’m accused of being some urbanoid bigot. I was, and still am to an extent, a countryboy. You tend to know people better – painfully better – when they live under the same roof as you or in your general vicinity.
Jesus Christ, the things these people are capable of when they don’t like you, and feel justified in letting you know, are downright horrifying.
I used to take exception at the supposedly bigoted city people that accused countryfolk of being bigoted, ignorant and stupid. Partly because I’m from the country too, yet didn’t recognise myself in their depiction of country behavior.
I still don’t entirely agree with it. As I’ve said, not all country people are like this. But I don’t blame cityfolk for thinking they are either.
What Falls
Submitted into Contest #288 in response to: Start or end your story with someone standing in the rain.… view prompt
Jae Po
“Trish… Trish!!”
“Oh, yeah?” Tricia’s eyes returned her to the present, where Jessica was staring at her, waiting for her response.
“I said, can you please get those orders out for me??”
“Ah, yes, I’m sorry,” she answered. “I’ll get them right now!”
Tricia mentally smacked herself for daydreaming yet again—and on the job, of all places. Yet, she especially couldn’t stop her mind from going there today—the day when she was that much closer to finally be able to afford a dream for which she had been saving up for years.
After she brought the dishes out to the customers, her mind briefly returned to that rainy day all those years ago. She couldn’t believe it had been 57 years since that six-year-old girl had pranced around on that lawn, enjoying the shower from above without a care in the world.
If only she’d known.
On the other hand, even if I had, she pondered, would it have made any difference? Clearly, I was already really enjoying myself then, so nope, probably not. And I definitely wouldn’t have been able to change anything…
“Here you go,” said her last customer as he unknowingly interrupted her thoughts and handed her seven dollars.
Tricia’s eyes widened, her face overcome with joy. The man was taken aback, considering the tip he’d given her, but he also was appreciative that she seemed so appreciative. And she was.
“So, did you crack the big threshold tonight?” Jessica asked Tricia as she was closing out the register later that night.
“Yes! I did!! Thanks to the cheap older gentleman towards the end of my shift. He gave a $7 tip on a $125 total, but I don’t even care. I could’ve kissed him!! I was so psyched.”
Jessica laughed. “Wow, $7? ‘Cheap’ is right. He knows he was wrong for that!”
“Hey, it might as well have been $7,000. It puts me right where I need to be.”
Jessica smiled. “Well, that’s good. I’m really happy for you, Trish. You deserve it.”
Tricia returned the smile. “Thank you, Jess. I’m so excited.”
“So! When are you going?!? I’m surprised you haven’t already left!”
“Ha ha, I wish. I have to close out tonight, and remember, I’ll still need this job when I get back. But you better believe, I’m packing my bags as soon as I get home and hitting the road first thing in the morning!!”
Jessica chuckled. “That’s wonderful. You’ll have to tell me all about it. I’ve heard really great things but have yet to be able to afford it, myself.” She paused for a moment as she tilted her head in thought. “I actually think you might be the first person I know who has done it, so be sure to take lots of pictures, and don’t leave out any of the details when you get back!!”
The dry heat smacked Tricia in the face so hard as she left the building, it felt like an assault. Having been so excited to end her shift and get home, she suddenly realized she’d forgotten to take off her clothes before coming outside.
She looked around, placed her tote bag on the nearby curb, pulled off her shirt, and stepped out of her pants, making her shoulders, chest, stomach, back, and legs the next wretched victims of the heat’s violence.
Still. Better, she thought.
Barely better, but better.
She surveyed her surroundings again before picking up her bag. She wasn’t worried about anyone harassing her as she walked as an older woman at 2 in the morning in just her bra and panties—it was a scene much more common than seeing someone more traditionally clothed—she just didn’t want to risk anyone swiping her bag with her precious accumulated prized earnings of the night. Her tips, including those precious final seven singles.
She needed those seven singles.
After making it to her car safely, she read the temperature on the dashboard: 108°F. Tricia exhaled in exasperation and then turned on her headlights to illuminate the road ahead.
That next morning, she almost tripped darting out of bed. After a quick shower, she put on her comfy bra, underwear, flip-flops, and black shades, and slathered on her 50 SPF sunscreen lotion. With her packed suitcase and big thermos full of ice cubes, she raced out the front door.
As she sat the suitcase alongside the several cases of water—mostly her monthly allotment from the government—in her trunk, she thought again about how much she wished she could afford tint on her windows. It was a luxury only the wealthy could afford. She would have to save up many more years, sacrificing other luxuries such as this trip, to even come close.
She grabbed one of the water bottles, and then set out on the 15-hour-long drive, figuring she would split it up over two days. Soaking her handkerchief with the dew quickly accumulating on her forehead, Tricia took a sip of water and read the dashboard temperature: 112° F.
The ice cube she pulled from her thermos practically disappeared as soon as it hit her skin. Its remnants drizzled down her brow, barely grazing her nose before it plopped onto her bra. That drop was joined by what little was left of the cube, as she slowly rubbed it on her neck and chest, letting the rest melt entirely.
“I know we’ve been suffering a bit out here, folks,” said the radio meteorologist. “…With the highs in the 130s the last few weeks, but fret not, reprieve is coming! You might be able to cover up a bit more than usual, as we can soon expect single digits! And maybe even as low as 98!! Starting just next week.”
“Ah, thank God,” Trish exhaled and dapped her forehead again.
Trying to keep her eye on the road as much as possible, her mind couldn’t help but drift off to where it had been tens of thousands of times before—imagining what it will be like, for the first time in all those years. She could see it, feel it, smell it, even taste it.
It was a few hours before she took another sip of water, always trying to ration what she had, not knowing when she’d get more. She eyed the dashboard which now read123°F. What little breeze had helped her save gas for the first part of the trip had gone completely. She finally rolled up the windows and turned on the air conditioner.
Two days later, Tricia car pulled into the parking lot of the building which displayed giant blue letters:
The Oasis: An Interactive Experience Museum.
She couldn’t believe it. After so many years and so many sacrifices—financial and otherwise—she was finally here.
After dragging her suitcase out of the trunk and towards the building, she soon encountered a smaller sign, in black letters, which read: Please do not bring any bags or luggage inside. Dress as needed before you enter.
Before you enter?!? she thought. That can’t be right. What are they trying to do, roast us?! That should be illegal.
Still, she hurried back to her car, pulled from her suitcase the single shirt and pair of pants she’d brought, and put them on. Then she began excitedly sifting through to find the most important items—those which she’d ordered months ago and had been resting comfortably in her suitcase mostly since.
And there it was. The pretty, pink raincoat with white and yellow polkadots throughout that she had tried on and paraded in front of her bathroom mirror like a little girl in her mommy’s dress clothes nearly every day since it arrived.
Nestled under it were her also-“new” matching rain boots—additionally gently broken-in, thanks to her personal at-home fashion shows.
She stepped in them after kicking off her flip flops but waited to get inside before she put on the coat. She reasoned, no need to die of heat exhaustion just a few feet and minutes away from fulfilling one of her dreams!
Last to grab was her adorable new umbrella. She already had a black one but thought she would treat herself for the occasion. Although she’d seen an umbrella that matched her coat and boots, she’d decided to go a little different for it and instead ordered one that was light-blue and featured “raining” cats and dogs. She’d thought that was so cute.
And now, she was ready. She left the luggage in her car and headed back to the building.
After she was checked in at the front desk, signs led her to the exhibit she had come and paid all of her savings for. On her way, she couldn’t help but notice another standout exhibit that had an incredibly long line of people waiting to get in—even longer than the one she was headed towards. The door that led into it featured a big picture with countless little white balls. She felt a mixture of excitement and sadness as she thought to herself, I’ll have to save up another five years, maybe more, for that one.
Finally, she arrived to her long-awaited exhibit. It didn’t take long for her long line to be ushered by their tour guide into the door with the picture of countless diagonal blue slits.
As they entered, the guide gave Tricia and the other visitors a pair of special glasses. “Put these on,” he said, “And I’ll give you further direction once we get inside. Remember to keep them on to remain in The Experience.”
Tricia put her glasses on and walked through the door, and suddenly, it suddenly was as if she was in the living room of someone’s nicely decorated home. The fireplace roared on one wall. She could almost feel the heat.
And then she turned to her right. And there it was.
She slowly walked towards the open window, taking in the scene as she stepped. Slits of water shot down in a slightly diagonal direction and soaked everything it touched: the concrete and grass below, the trunks and leaves of the trees, the flowers, the bench on the left side, and some colorful playground equipment in the distant right. A jogger running by, seemingly unfazed by the onslaught, while a group of kids jumped around in a big puddle, the mud splashing on their clothes and laughter echoing from them. The occasional car drove by on the road nearby—the water falling and sliding down on each side. Two black, plastic bars swung back and forth on the front window, furiously pushing the water to each side and clearing the driver’s view.
Tricia tried to remember what those things were called. ‘Scrapers,’ I think? ‘Scrapers’ or …’scrubbers’? ‘Rubbers’? ’Swipers’? Oh, wait! That was it. ‘Wipers.” They were called ‘wipers.’ Windshield wipers.
Tricia could hardly contain herself as she approached the home’s front door. She opened it and took in the outdoor scene once more, bracing herself for what she was about to feel. And then, she stepped forward.
Pitter patter, pitter patter, pitter patter sounded off on her raincoat.
Splashes on her legs as she stepped with her boots, which suddenly felt slightly heavier than before to lift.
“Welcome to The Rain Experience,” said the guide. “Up until a little less than three-quarters of a century ago, this was what it felt like when enough precipitation would build up above. It would rain. We would go outside, and water would literally fall from the sky… Just as you’re seeing and feeling now.”
“You’re welcome to keep your raincoats on and use your umbrellas, or you can ditch them both for the full wet experience,” he grinned enthusiastically. “I’ll share some information and history about rain, and I’m happy to take pictures of you at key locations throughout the tour—walking down the sidewalk, sitting in the park, standing next to a building or statue or a car—whatever you want. There will be lots of opportunities!”
Tricia continued walking slowly, nearly pinching herself to confirm this was reality as she listened.
“You can continue to use your earphones to tune into my commentary or mute or remove them as you’d like to more fully immerse yourself into The Experience,” the guide went on. “It’s up to you. Some people come on separate days — once, to hear the full narration, and the other for the non-audio, immersion experience. Of course, an additional visit will require a separate ticket,” he chuckled briefly. “But if you’re able to swing that, it is highly recommended. Otherwise, you may want to split the time accordingly during your visit today. Make it count!”
Tricia kept her earphones in for the moment.
“Back in the days of rain, it sometimes would be on the lighter side, which is what you’re feeling now, to help you to get used to it. They would call it ‘drizzle’ or ‘light showers.’ Other times, it would be a lot more—something they would call a ‘downpour.’ Hang tight and have your umbrellas ready, as we’ll give you a sense of that shortly.”
The tour guide continued, “If it got cold enough in the sky, instead of rain, you’d get snow, which you probably saw the exhibit for on your way in. Cool stuff! You should check it out some time if you haven’t.”
“But back to rain… Back in those days, they sometimes would even have these things called thunderstorms and hurricanes, where certain conditions would make rain powerful and even deadly. You’d see electricity, called ‘lightning,’ in the sky, or the rain would team up with wind and knock down trees and power lines! Those were the hurricanes. Those would get so bad that they could, and would, take out whole towns!”
Tricia’s and the other visitors’ eyes and mouths widened.
“Yeah, I know, right?” the guide continued. “Those hurricanes actually were the last of what we experienced before…getting to where we are now. For centuries, they were pretty infrequent — less than 50 around the world per year. But in the decades leading up to the endless drought, that number had soared to an average of 250 a year! It got to be where there was a different hurricane somewhere around the world each week—some places, each couple of days! And each year, they became more intense than the last. At the same time, more water sources were drying up at rapid speeds. As quickly as the hurricanes were picking up, those sources drying happened even more quickly, which soon thankfully put an end to the hurricanes entirely. No more hurricanes! But not so thankfully, it also meant less and less rain, until it stopped raining completely. And, well, you know the rest. We now have very limited water sources around the world and have largely had to manufacture most of the water you drink, use for cooking, bathing, and so on. But! Unfortunately, one thing they have yet to figure out how to manufacture…is any water-related weather. And hence the founding of The Oasis and what we’ve brought to you here today and have amazed the world with the past 25 years!”
She removed the ear pieces and put them in her pocket. She wanted to enjoy some of the experience of it by itself. But still couldn’t get away from the interruptions entirely.
“Did you ever experience the real thing, Mr.?” a little girl visiting with her parents asked nearby.
The tour guide laughed. “No, I’m only 24. That was way before my time.”
“Oh,” she said.
“But my grandparents experienced it… when they were younger.”
“Yeah, my parents did, too,” the little girl’s mother said.
“Really?” beamed the young girl. “Pa and Nana were alive for real rain?”
Her mother nodded, smiling.
“What did they say it was like?”
“Well, probably just like this. We get to feel what they did back then.”
Tricia looked up towards the virtual rainy sun and tried to tune out the voices around her as the falling water soaked her. Even knowing it wasn’t real, she’d never seen a sun so beautiful. It looked different behind a watery haze. She closed her eyes and let her mind take her back to the lens of her 6-year-old self running and giggling around her family’s yard. Except, this time, instead of just seeing it in her mind, she was able to feel it. Her lips stretched further than they ever had.
Even though she was soaked, Tricia felt a sort of warmth. And not the kind of sweltering “warmth” she and the rest of the world had long been plagued with outside. It was a comforting warmth. A peace. And her heart decided this was the last thing she’d ever want to feel.
Tricia stood for there for a few more minutes, enjoying the downpour as it drenched her from hair to heel.
As the fall slowed, so did her body, until it became limp.
The tour guide and other visitors rushed to her. “Somebody call an ambulance!” were the last words her ears captured. Beyond them, just ahead, her narrowing eyes landed on the much-raved-about display set to conclude The Experience, an arc spectrum of all the colors.
Does Hamas use human shields?
Even if every single accusation against Hamas was 100% true that still does not justify Israel committing atrocities, up to and including systemic genocide.
This is literally like saying because one guy committed a crime and took hostages, the government has to kill every single person in that city block, including the hostages.
Actually I’ll take that analogy a step further. Israel’s tactics is no different than the Nazis in Belarus saying they would kill 3 or 10 civilians for every soldier harmed by the partisans, then making good on the threat.
If the local population is willing to endure horrific collective punishment and extermination to protect the insurgents, then that is a pretty clear statement that the insurgents are good and the government they’re fighting against is evil.
The Israelis don’t even attempt to downplay their barbarism, they just insist that Hamas is also evil, as if that’s an argument. The enemy committing murder and rape does not justify YOU committing murder and rape. Especially since the Israeli accusations are unsubstantiated and consistently proven false later. It is just deflection and shouldn’t even be taken seriously.
How much of a threat does Taiwan pose to China, considering Prime Minister Lai Ching-te’s “Taiwan independence” strategies?
Spelling this out seems necessary, given how many of my fellow Americans have less than rudimentary knowledge on the matter.
Taiwan itself isn’t a military threat, at least not since the 80s/90s. But anyone being fair about this matter knows that Taiwan’s threat to China is as meaningful as that American truism that “Taiwan is our unsinkable aircraft carrier.” It is the spear point for a motivated anti-communist war that America may choose to wage on the sole basis of the will of the American government (and ostensibly the people through representation). The Taiwanese will not choose for America, nor will the Chinese. This is the real threat, which the Taiwanese wield in their quest for independence/identity.
And what is at stake? It is a question of whether once again, it will be the Americans who dictate the Chinese identity to the Chinese people. The bottom line is that Taiwan is officially called the Republic of China because it was a Chinese attempt to define what China was. Being part of this process, it is on the Taiwanese to prove that they can dictate the terms of China to the Chinese, having little desire to remain part of it. On their own, the power that backs this will is inconsequential, hence Taiwan’s dependence on the threat that the US poses. It cannot divorce itself from this power without having to change the calculus of war.
The US, under Trump, is not terribly interested in the international neoliberal project. If this means that the US withdraws its will to exert that threat for Taiwan, then Taiwan’s threat will migrate from being a spear point to merely being a possible spear point. Once that shift happens, China will be incentivized to take the possibility off the table. Taiwan can either appeal to China for leniency, or it can put up enough of a fight to deter China. PM Lai Ching-te clearly wants to take the second option. The success of his strategy is contingent on how much the Taiwanese are willing to fight and how well Taiwan can materialize the necessary means of war.
We will see if Lai Ching-te’s strategy actually bucks the historic trend of Taiwanese youth overwhelmingly showing disdain towards military service. Until then, Taiwan will have to rely on the many Americans frothing at the mouth estimating just how many Chinese they can kill by nuking Three Gorges Dam. Unlike the internationalist neoliberal project, this is very much an ember that is alive and well with this administration (maybe excepting Musk and/or Trump).
And if this doesn’t qualify as a real threat, I suppose I will let the US nationalists scream at the doubters until impressions improve.
Japanese pictures various
What happened when you moved into a house that was surrounded by HOA homes and yours wasn’t one?
I kept on getting HOA complaints, fine notices, busybody Karens ringing the doorbell or banging on the door, all sorts of problems.
However, as my house was not a part of the HOA, I refuted, ignored, politely responded, and in a couple of cases called the local police to report the harrassment when it got that bad.
Over time, I got to know quite a few of the neighbors who were not on the HOA board over barbecues, and doing local community stuff, like helping the elderly lady with her shopping, trimming a few lawns because people were unable to do it themselves because of physical injuries, disabilities, or being on vacation.
I let all of my new friends know that none of the hassles they were subjected to by the HOA were a problem for me because I was not a part of the HOA.
Over the course of about a year, I saw the sentiment toward the HOA go from “it is a pain sometimes but it is useful in others”, to “kill it with fire”. At that point the members all attended one of the (secret, and as inconveniently timed and located as much as possible) HOA meetings, forced a vote on the HOA board membership in accordance with the byzantine HOA rules (explained by yours truly and a lawyer friend of mine, who provided an hour of his time to consult on the rules in return for a couple of bottles of whiskey), and almost unanimously voted to dissolve the current HOA board and hold elections to replace them.
The HOA Board, perhaps not surprisingly, vetoed that claiming some unusual interpretation of one of the badly written rules, expecting the residents to give up and leave.
Didn’t work.
It went to court, the HOA board members lost, and because of one of those byzantine rules ended up paying out of their own pockets for all the legal fees (basically, after the vote the board tried to ignore, the HOA finances should have been frozen pending the election of the new board…
…but that did not happen, and the board were crucified and almost bankrupted in civil court to reimbuse the HOA and pay legal costs of the lawyer who was willing to work for whiskey for an hour, or for the pleasure of crushing a HOA.
A new HOA board was elected, ran for a few months, and then the HOA was almost immediately dissolved by the new board after they recovered the missing money from the former HOA board members.
South Texas Carne Guisada
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 3 pounds sirloin
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 clove garlic, mashed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 (11 ounce) can beef broth
- 4 flour tortillas, warmed
- Sour cream, cheese and pico de gallo (optional)
Instructions
- Cut beef into 3/4 inch cubes. In a large nonstick skillet or stock pot, sauté beef until brown, over medium heat.
- Add oil and flour and toss with beef until flour is brown.
- Add water and spices, stirring well.
- Add beef broth and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for approximately 30 minutes until beef is tender. (If sauce seems too thin, add a bit more flour to desired consistency.)
- Place a warmed flour tortilla in a soup bowl and spoon the carne guisada into the “tortilla bowl.” Garnish with sour cream, cheese and pico de gallo, as desired.
Attribution
Recipe and photo used with permission from: Texas Beef Council
What is the biggest hustle or scam you have ever pulled? What happened?
My high school was for 10th-12 grades. When I started 10th grade and had to get out of school early for a doctor’s appointment, my older sister told me that we had to take notes to the school’s administrator the day before because she would call the parents if a student brought in the note the day of the early leave request. The woman would also call if a note was the first time from a student.
That’s when I set up my plan. My mom would have us write the notes and she would sign them. I took every note she wrote and threw them away. I would turn in a note in my writing but with my version of my mom’s signature. The woman called my mom a few times but my mom, knowing she had signed a note, would verify that she signed the note.
Senior year is when I put my plan in overdrive because I had PE for my last class. I would write a note saying “Please excuse Gary from school at 1:30 for an appointment.” (I wasn’t lying because I didn’t claim to have a doctor or dentist appointment.
My parents got a hint that something was up when during my senior year, my parents went out of town and I had a dentist appointment while they were gone. When they got back, my mom asked if I had to reschedule my dentist appointment because they forgot to leave a note. I said “No, I took care of it.”
Our report cards show how many of each class we missed. English was my first class of the day. I missed two classes in the spring semester. PE? The report card showed 18 missed classes. Then there were all the PE classes that I would be there for the attendance check. The class would exit the gym and turn right to get to the fields. I would turn left and head for my car with my street clothes that I had hidden in the bleachers. I had one best scores in the year end fitness test but the teacher gave me a C because of my absences. (She also thought I was faking it when I had to lie down on the gym floor because my back hurt.)
Stephen King’s The Stand (1994) 4K
6 hours of pure viewing pleasure! Have fun guys!