My first wife suffered from a very serious mental illness. She was both bi-polar and schizophrenic. It didn’t really hit until she turned 27 and then her madness exploded into our life. It was awful.
What followed was a long period of periodic rages, attempts of suicide. And just Hell. She would be in and out of mental hospitals. From Indiana, to Pennsylvania to North Caroling, Louisiana and Massachusetts, she went in and out of so many hospitals. Mostly for months at a time in severe lock-down conditions.
Today, I want to talk about something that became my “normal” at that period of time.
My ex-wife would have an “event”, whether outside the hospital, or inside it, but the end result was always the same. She would be sedated, strapped in a straight jacket and placed in a padded room.
These things actually do exist, and they really are padded. The only thing is that she lay on a table in that room with manacles on her wrists, and ankles. And that is something that I will never forget.
Looking at her screeching while bound in a padded room. And I, at the other side of the wire mesh reinforced square window looking in at my wife; a crazy howling lunatic.
I have many stories from those days, as I must have endured 15 years of it. And here, I present it for your consideration.
Today…
Merry Christmas
Is it true that you can never please everyone?
I am going to share a 1400 years old story. This is a (alleged) conversation between Prince Qin (who later become the Emperor of China) and his advisor, Xu (who later became the equivalent of Prime Minister).
The Prince asked Xu:
“Among all my advisors, you are most capable. Yet, a lot of people criticize you behind your back. Why so?”
Xu responded:
“When it rains in Spring, farmers love it because it irrigates the crop; but travelers hated it because it turn roads into mud. When it is full moon in Autumn, pretty women in their leisure delight in its glow, yet thieves curse its revealing light.
If mother nature in all her mighty couldn’t please everyone, what can you expect from a humble servant such as me?”
太宗嘗問許敬宗曰：「朕觀群臣之中，惟卿最賢，人有議卿非者，何也？」
敬宗對曰：「春雨如膏，農夫喜其潤澤，行人惡其泥濘；秋月如珪，佳人樂其玩賞，盜賊惡其光輝。天地之大，人猶憾焉，而況臣乎？”
-史綱評要 卷十八 唐紀
Why does China look so confident in this trade war vs. the USA? Can finance/economic experts tell us something we don’t know?
I’m not an economist or a trade expert, but I’m going to give you an ordinary non-American’s perspective.
I’m British, for over half a century we have viewed America as our most important ally.
Culturally our closest allies are the Irish (obviously), the Australians, Canadians and New Zealanders but economically, strategically and militarily it’s the USA.
Trump has figuratively speaking, given the rest of the world the middle finger – except Russia for some strange reason.
He has treated Canada and Mexico – his closest neighbours particularly harshly.
His treatment of the world’s most important and powerful industrialised nations – China, has been absurd.
This has had one very significant and powerful effect – many of us now are in effect on ‘team China’.
Only they have called out Trump for the bully he is and openly declared they are not going to be pushed around by bullies. Good for them, no-one likes bullies.
China make most of the world’s stuff and their GDP has been catching up with the US for several years. You can Google China US GDP chart and find lots of them. Like anything statistical the critical things are what is and isn’t being counted but the one thing they all show is that China’s rate of GDP increase is (in some cases a lot) faster than the US. This means they are going to catch up eventually.
Some forecast this as early as 2028, but that was before Trump’s tariffs, so I would suggest it could be sooner.
When you have a huge population that is politically stable, technologically advanced and is at the forefront of many scientific advances, you would expect it to have a strong economy.
China knows it can economically compensate for US markets in many areas. For Chinese entrepreneurs it’s arguably a gift.
They are not encumbered by regulations and unions and public opinion to remotely the same extent as the US.
Tariffs are most likely going to make China stronger and America weaker. Not just financially but also politically.
As a Brit, I know that the US is not the same trusted friend that it used to be. Still undoubtedly a friend, but a bit like one that has been telling lies about you to your other friends.
I know Trump does not equal America, and many citizens are aghast but they sleepwalked into it. Any political system that permits a head of state to have a degree of power with few curbs is going to end up in trouble at some point.
Trump will pass, relationships will be mended, but they will never be the same.
I never thought I would support China against the US, but here I am.
I’m not proud of it, but I’m being honest, and right now I’m contemplating getting some more woodworking tools on Temu…
Homestyle Ham and Cheese Pockets
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 12 (12 x 12 inch) puff pastry squares
- 1/2 pound thinly sliced ham*
- 6 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/2 pound Wisconsin Swiss cheese
- 1 tablespoon water, and additional water, as needed
- 1 egg
- Gherkins, for serving
- Carrot sticks, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Lay the puff pastry squares out on a lightly floured surface.
- Place 2 ounces of ham on half of the squares, leaving a 1/4 inch border all the way around.
- Spread 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard evenly over the ham, and top with 2 ounces of Swiss.
- Lightly brush the border of each square with water.
- Place the remaining square evenly on top of the cheese.
- With the prongs of a fork, seal the pastry all the way around.
- Combine the egg with the water, beat well.
- With a pastry brush, baste all of the squares with the egg wash, and prick the tops with a fork.
- Place the squares on a parchment-lined sheet pan (12 pockets per sheet pan) and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown and puffy.
- Serve the pockets immediately with gherkins; garnish with carrot sticks.
Notes
* Any type of meat can replace the ham.
Attribution
Recipe and photo used with permission from: Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin
If gun shots are so loud, how do soldiers hear their own teammates?
Oh, here’s a question I can answer in intimate detail!
I served in heavy ground combat in early GWOT era. So, I’ve been in more firefights that I can count, and this includes a lot of different scenarios — from short but intense ambushes, to extended firefights shooting from positions that were at risk of being overrun (lasting hours), to being next to 50 cals going off on long bursts within masonry buildings (the f-n worst!), to being within a danger close 500-lb bomb drop, etc.
Anyway, this probably goes without say, but yes, I have hearing loss.
But, here’s the deal…
In some situations, you simply can’t hear. At least, not for certain periods of time. Of course, while people are shouting at others over the crazy din it might look like total pandemonium. However, there are some patterns involved. For one, if a group of trigger pullers are unloading for extended periods of times, they obviously see some enemy activity that needs to be directly engaged. But, it doesn’t last forever. Those enemy are then getting killed/wounded, taking cover, backing off, repositioning, retreating, etc. There’s going to be lulls. Team leads might also shout “cease fire” over and over until they are noticed (along with signals and physically engaging those around them). The troops in closer proximity will eventually take note, stop firing and yell the order down the line. Eventually, the shooting will stop (for the most part, let’s say). Then new orders/messages will be relayed.
You’ve also got some units that are on various forms of commo gear. You might have a team that has cans on, and they might be blocking out much of the din, while radio chatter is still audible. Unfortunately, you can’t always wear cans or put in plugs. So, a lot of times, you’ll see people with their detachable radios blocking one ear with a finger and putting the radio with the speaker right up to their ear to hear transmissions.
There’s also times where you will literally have to get up on a colleague that is actively shooting and give them hand signals or physically touch them to get their attention. Even then, if they stop shooting, and there is still shooting by guys in close proximity, you will be screaming at the top of your lungs right next to their ear.
And to be very frank, there will be times within an intense battle where you simply will not be able to hear at all. If someone is talking to you, you just shake your head and scream “I can’t hear you.” and hope they can read your lips or understand what you are trying to say. And then you wait for a lull to communicate.
Finally, when this shit is all going on, your hearing will be impacted immediately. So, even when all firing ceases, you might have severe ringing or diminished hearing…where you have to yell to hear yourself speak and cup your hand by your ear and have people speak loud next to your head.
It’s a wild feeling.
Again, one of the worst things is being in a masonry building next to a 50 cal going off on long bursts/extended firing. It’s so loud, it can make you feel like you’re going mad.
What was the biggest mistake you made in marriage you did not figure out until afterwards?
I was an extremely dominant wife.
I always set the plan and decide everything for weekends, movies, buying things and so on. Yet I kept on complaining that he couldn’t lead our marriage like a real man, be the head of the family, taking decisions, and much more. FYI, he is the breadwinner of us, I also have a career, and we don’t have children yet.
It was until later we had the biggest fight ever, and I left the house for two months because of so much ego and arrogant of myself. In the period of temporary separation, I experienced so many introspection.
I realized that I was very controlling and easily upset over small stuffs. I understand now that his responds toward my attitude were a series of adjustment that he made to keep this marriage work. He was always said yes to everything I asked him to do things when his true self was against it.
In the end, I am the one who felt miserable of the separation, while I could see him enjoying his alone time without my disturbances.
Fast forward, It was love that brought us together in the first place, and it is also love that unites us again.
THIS TIME, I learn to really refrain myself from being too controlling. I listen to him more, I let him decides for us, I said yes to all of his plans, and the results are he shows his love to me even more. I could see him as my leader, my protector.
Scientists Terrifying New Discovery of Amelia Erhart Changes Everything!
The Mongols, preparing to conquer a country, first sent envoys to its ruler, and these envoys were almost always killed on his orders. Did they deliberately behave in such a way that they would be killed, and thus a pretext for war appeared?
I don’t know about “almost always” killed, but yes the life expectancy of medieval diplomats wasn’t very good.
Two classic examples are Kiev and Baghdad, who executed Mongol emmsisaries, resulting in those cities being brutally sacked.
Siege of Kiev in 1240
The main thing to understand is that most humans back then were just violent and uneducated. Arabs were violent and Slavs weren’t exactly pacifists either. They were just as notorious for raiding and pillaging their neighbors as everyone else at the time.
A modern rational person who sees he is badly outnumbered and outgunned would probably understand that he should at least be respectful toward the enemy emissaries, even if he declines their offer.
But there is evidence against even this statement. When the movie 300 came out, modern audiences cheered when the Spartans killed the Persian diplomats and threw them into a well (this did happen in real life btw), and that is just main character syndrome. When you consider yourself the hero of your own story, that can make you oblivious to the consequences of being too brutal to your enemies.
There was one case I remember reading about (but unfortunately couldn’t find again for this article) about King John’s siege of Rochester castle in 1215. It was a particularly brutal siege and John was so angry he built gallows to execute the garrison to the last man. But his advisors convinced him to show clemency, as the war might later turn against them and they could be the ones trapped in a doomed castle.
Showing clemency is the sign of a man who understands the golden rule of treating others the way you want to be treated, and not every confrontation is guaranteed to go the way you wanted it to.
EMILY DRAKAIGNE
Written in response to: “Set your story in a café, garden, or restaurant.“
HAAKON RAGNSKJOLD
“Just want you to know it’s nothing personal—but Jesus told me to kill you.”
I made sure that where I sat down was only about fifteen feet away from Laughing Boy, with a clear, unobstructed path in case I had to act to take any kind of action—you know what I’m talking about.
For some reason, near the back of the cafe, the place looked smaller. That wasn’t just a trick of the light. The tables the guy and the girl were sitting at really were a bit closer together. Wasn’t my imagination, though I couldn’t think of a reason why it should be that way. Did it have something to do with the problem they’d been working on through the night. No idea. Weird.
And that’s when it got decidedly weirder—big time!
The guy by the wall got up and tried to navigate his way between the two tables, inadvertently bumping into the girl. Her coffee, which she’d been about to pick up, went flying.
“Oh, my God!” I think everyone at Bleue Rose heard her.
The guy was apologetic. “That sucks. I’m sorry.” I could see a mounting fury in the woman.
“You just ruined all my stuff!”
“Just get some napkins. It’ll be fine.” A little bit too lackadaisical for my taste. He’d done that to me and brushed it off with that tone of voice, I would have broken his face. It looked like she wasn’t having any of that either.
“Fine? There’s coffee inside of my computer.” I was liking this girl’s fire. But I honestly wasn’t expecting what happened next—nor was anyone else.
“You know what—just get away from me!” She jumped up suddenly, thrust out her right arm, pointed right at the guy—and he went sliding up the wall about ten feet and stayed there. Some unseen force was holding him in place!
There were random cries and even a few screams. Sudden panic. You could feel the collective heartbeat of the room, but nobody moved. They were paralyzed, maybe even petrified with fear. Just ordinary people who’d just seen something they’d been told all their lives was impossible—people who’d just realized that all their lives they’d been lied to.
It looked like the same was true for the girl. I think she was just as surprised as anyone else. Her hand struck down as if it was an ax she was wielding. The guy fell to the floor and remained there, looking catatonic.
She slowly turned around, staring at her hands. Had she really just done that? Defied the laws of nature like that? I could relate to her confusion.
Her fingers flexed. She turned her palms up and down and up again. And then as if suddenly making a decision, and to see if she could really do this, she pointed them at the tables around her and six of them went sliding across the floor! It was as if she had surrounded herself by a bubble of force that had moved everything out of her way.
And then she screamed. Her hands were thrust behind her neck, under her hair. The entire place went out of control. Paintings fell off their hooks. The book shelves suddenly vomited out their books.
I’d been so taken with watching the girl and what she could do that I’d completely forgotten about the weirdo. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him jump up. A wicked looking butcher knife, that must have been at least ten inches was clenched in his fist. “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live!” he cried out and leapt for the girl.
I was quicker. I threw myself at him and he crashed to the ground. Before he could recover himself I fastened my palm over his face—I gave my fire free reign and burned out his neural circuits. Then it was time to deal with the girl.
“You stupid idiot! Why’d you let it out what you can do? Everybody in this damn place saw you using your powers! They’ll kill someone like you. You can’t fight the whole damn city. What the hell were you thinking?” I was mad. Letting the world know what we’re really capable of endangers every one of our kind—and there are precious few of us as it is. I’d spent years wandering from city to city trying to find even one more—and I wasn’t going to let a novice like her get killed by a goddamn Christer fanatic!
She looked really confused. She didn’t know. This was the first time she’d actually used her powers. She didn’t knew she had ’em. I didn’t like being hard on her like that, but she had to realize the stakes that were being played here.
“Now I’ve got to clean up the mess you made.” I turned around and looked at everybody else in The Bleue Rose.
The doors slammed shut. No one was going to go in or out.
The curtains and blinds smashed down. No one was going to see what went on in here.
I stretched out my arms and a wave of psychic fire poured out of me. There was no time for anybody to even scream. Their eyes went blank and they crashed to the floor. Some of the servers were almost friends. I hated doing this, but this was a matter of self-preservation.
The girl was aghast with horror. “You…killed them.”
“Lobotomized. Wouldn’t have had to do that if you hadn’t revealed your powers…”
She looked at me as if I was insane. “I don’t have any powers. You don’t understand. This whole thing. It was a prank.”
“A…prank?”
“Yes. For that movie about that telekinetic girl. It was all fake. I can’t do anything like that. Bob, over there—he had a harness attached to him. We pulled him up by weights on the other side of the false wall.”
That’s why the room had looked smaller. That’s what he was fiddling with behind his back.
“The tables were on rollers, radio controlled—and the pictures and books? We had a wire jerking them out of the way.”
“And was the guy with the knife part of your prank.”
“N-no.”
“Caught you by surprise, didn’t he. He would have killed you if I hadn’t been there. I thought you were one of my kind. But you’re just like the rest of them. And you know what that means…”
I thrust up my hand. Too bad. I had hopes. But now she was just one more victim. I let out the fire.
She hid her face behind her hand but the other was thrust out, as if to ward off a blow. Psychic fire ripped out of me, tore at her fragile mind.
And nothing happened.
Realization slowly dawned. She had been here, but until that moment when I put her mind and soul in danger—she had not been ready.
“You do have powers.”
She looked at her hands. “No—that’s not possible. I’ve never been able to do anything like that. That was just fake.”
“It was all latent with you. You didn’t know. Like everyone else you’ve been trained to think it’s impossible—but playing that role made you believe—at least subconsciously—that it was possible. And when your life, your sanity, was in danger you woke up. We have to get out of here. You’ll need training, but I can supply that.”
“I can’t go with you—not after what you did to all those people. You would have killed me, if I hadn’t—I don’t even know what it was I did.”
“You defended yourself. Your powers awoke. Once they wake up, they don’t go back to sleep. They grow. If you don’t learn how to hide and to control them they’ll make you a target. Five months from now, tops—they’ll hunt you down.
“You did it as a prank—to advertise a movie. But people were scared. They thought it was real. One of them thought it was so real he tried to kill you. You wouldn’t have been able to save yourself in time.
“What do you think the human race will do when they find out what you’re really capable of?”
“Do…do experiments on me. Find out what makes me tick.”
“No. It’ll be safer to just kill you. I found that out the hard way. We’re too dangerous to live.
“Like I said, you’ll need training and I can supply that. But you have to understand—you are not of the human species anymore. The Cro-Magnon cannot go back to being a Neanderthal. We are a new species—and this is a fight for our survival. A fight to the Death.
“Believe me—there’s no other choice. There’s no other choice.”
It was finally hitting her. There was no other choice. She nodded her head.
“I’ll go get my coat. I’m Emily, by the way—Emily Drakaigne.”
“Wulfgar Hrafngaerd.”
“What’s our next move?”
“We find others of our kind. They’re out there. And I’ve got a feeling it won’t take another thirty years to find them, like it did you.”
Proving Atlantis | The Megalithic Yard Mystery (STRIPPED)
How is China dealing with the collapse of its housing market?
There will be a crash in the US stock market, but it is unlikely that there will be a crash in the Chinese property market.
The reason why China’s property market will not crash is very simple:
China’s property market is not a free market at all because the supply of land is controlled by the state and is not freely traded.
The Chinese government has 10,000 ways to control the stability of property prices.
Houses are for living, not for speculation
As I said earlier, China’s property market is not a free market.
If you sell your house on the black market or clandestine market, the loss will only be borne by you!
Why would you sell your house on the black market or clandestine market?
Why I never plan to sell the house I live in (if I sell the house I live in, I will have no house to live in)
I will tell you the reason directly — You bought multiple houses not for living, but just for speculation. Your motivation for speculating in real estate is wrong from the beginning.
The Chinese government is about to start imposing property taxes on homeowners who own a large number of properties (Tax exemption for the home live in), so they are rushing to sell their extra houses, and the house prices are getting lower and lower as they sell.
This is how the so-called “real estate market crash” came about.
But China does not have a free real estate trading market, so this is not a “housing market crash” but a speculators’ crash.
Chinese Trolls CIA China Recruitment Video
Pictures
Is this true about healthcare in the United States: “People pay horrific premiums and ridiculous deductibles and have to become indebted if they seek care”?
I am 41 years old.
After experiencing a stroke-like event in January that left me with a severely weakened left side and other neurological symptoms, I was faced with a choice of SURGERY NOW, or PARALYSIS LATER.
I was diagnosed with severe cervical stenosis with myelopathy. The treatment was a 5-level posterior laminoplasty.
The day before my surgery, I received a PARTIAL approval from my insurance company.
I particularly love how the hospital is charging me $9 EVERY time I took 2 of their pain pills, when I can get 64 of them for less than $9 from any pharmacy.
Even better is that when my 90 minute surgery was done, I spent an extra 6 hours in the recovery room ONLY because my next hospital room “wasn’t ready”.
The Never Changing Weather of Umbra
Written in response to: “Set your story in a place where the weather never changes.“
John Buzzard
Wren shook his head. “We cannot live in fear of the light.”
“It isn’t fear, it’s fact.”
“It is your fact,” Elder Talis said. “Not ours.”
The room fell silent. Lyra felt a weight settle in her chest. It was not that they did not believe her, some of them did. But they believed in something else more.
A bell rang outside, its low chime signaling the return of scouts. The elders turned toward the entrance. Lyra exhaled sharply and followed.
Outside, the sky was painted in shades of violet and deep crimson, a permanent twilight had cradled their civilization for centuries. In the distance, the daylight side shimmered, a golden promise to those who longed for warmth, a death sentence to those who knew better.
She had to make them understand. Somehow. Because if they stepped into that light, they would not return.
***
The great migration had begun. Streams of people moved toward the Ember-lit horizon. Their silhouettes were swallowed by the shifting glow of the daylight side. Lyra stood at the edge of the departing crowd, the bioluminescent vines curling at her feet like restless spirits. She had fought against this, pleaded, argued, and presented evidence. None of it had been enough.
Until now.
Elder Tillman stood beside her, his face drawn with something deeper than exhaustion. His daughter, Miro, lay curled beneath a woven blanket in the back of their transport, her small frame barely moving. The sickness had already taken hold.
“You were right,” Tillman said at last. His voice was quiet, thick with regret. “the sickness isn’t a warning. It isn’t a test. It’s death.”
Lyra swallowed hard. “It’s not too late for you,” she said. “For Mira. But the others…”
He turned to watch the procession, the torches glowing like fireflies against the approaching dawn. “Many won’t listen. Even if I speak out now.”
“You have to try.”
Tillman clenched his jaw. “And if I do, they’ll turn against me. Maybe against you too.”
Lyra looked toward the migrating settlers. Among them were children laughing, running ahead, excited to see the golden lands their ancestors had once called home. Parents soothed infants swaddled against their chests, whispering reassurances that the light meant safety. She felt a hollow ache in her chest.
“They’ll die, Tillman.”
The elder exhaled sharply. “Not all of them. Not if we act now.”
Lyra turned to him, and for the first time, she saw something beyond regret in his expression. Resolve.
***
They moved quickly. Under the cover of twilight, Tillman sent quiet messages to those who would listen, trusted families, and those who had already begun to question the prophecy but were too afraid to speak. It started with a few whispers, a handful of people slowing their steps, looking back toward the bioluminescent forests they had called home. Then others stopped, hesitated, torn between the teachings of the elders and the truth they could no longer ignore.
But as the divide formed, so did the resistance.
“What are you doing?” Wren’s voice rang through the crowd. He stood at the center of the migration path, his dark eyes flashing in the ember light. “You would turn back now? After everything we’ve been given?”
Tillman stepped forward. “Wren, listen to me…”
“No. Enough of this.” Wren’s voice rose. “The Ember Star has called us home. We are fulfilling our ancestors’ journey. You would have us return to the darkness? To stagnation?”
Tillman straightened his spine. “I would have us live.”
Silence rippled through the settlers. The tension was a coiled wire, ready to snap. Lyra could see it, the hesitation, and the fear. Some were beginning to understand. Others, like Wren, would never accept it.
“This is her doing,” Wren said, eyes locking on Lyra. “The scientists. She poisons your minds with fear.”
Lyra met his gaze steadily. “Fear isn’t the enemy, Wren. Death is.”
The murmurs grew. Some settlers stepped back, retreating toward the bioluminescent fields. Others pushed forward, determined to press on toward the golden light. The divide was complete.
Tillman turned to Lyra. “We leave now. Those who follow, follow.”
And so the split began.
***
As Lyra led her group back into the safe embrace of the twilight, she couldn’t shake the dread pooling in her stomach. She looked back one last time at those continuing forward, friends, cousins, and children she had once played with. They had made their choice.
She only prayed it wasn’t a fatal one.
Italian Beef and Cheese Calzone
A calzone, “stocking” or “trouser,” is an Italian filled oven pizza, originating in Naples. Think of it as an inside-out pizza. It may be served with a sauce, such a pizza sauce, drizzled over the top.
Total: 50 to 60 min | Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
- 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes with onions, drained
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend
- 1 tablespoon cornmeal
- 1 (13.8 ounce) package refrigerated pizza crust dough
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot.
- Add ground beef and bell pepper; cook for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking into 3/4 inch crumbles and stirring occasionally.
- Pour off drippings. Stir in tomatoes and oregano; continue cooking for 5 to 7 minutes or until liquid has evaporated.
- Remove from heat; stir in cheese. Set aside.
- Sprinkle cornmeal evenly over rimmed baking sheet.
- Unroll pizza dough lengthwise on baking sheet, straightening edges of dough if necessary.
- Spoon beef filling over long half of dough, leaving 1-inch border on 3 sides.
- Gently lift and pull top half of dough over filling to enclose; pinch dough edges to seal.
- Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
- Cool for 5 minutes.
- Cut crosswise into 8 slices.
Notes
Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F. Color is not a reliable indicator of ground beef doneness.
For easy cleanup, line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Sprinkle with cornmeal and proceed as directed.
Nutrition
Per serving, using 80% lean ground beef: 563 calories; 26g fat(10g saturated fat; 7g monounsaturated fat); 96mg cholesterol; 764mg sodium; 50g carbohydrate; 2.2g fiber; 37g protein; 5.2mg niacin; 0.4mg vitamin B6; 2.4mcg vitamin B12; 5.3mg iron; 18.5mcg selenium; 5.5mg zinc
Per serving, using 95% lean ground beef: 496 calories; 17g fat(7g saturated fat; 3g monounsaturated fat); 96mg cholesterol; 758mg sodium; 50 g carbohydrate; 2.2g fiber; 39g protein; 6.4mg niacin; 0.4mg vitamin B6; 2.3mcg vitamin B12; 5.7mg iron; 18.0mcg selenium; 6.0mg zinc
This recipe is an excellent source of protein, niacin, vitaminB6, vitaminB12, iron, selenium and zinc.
Attribution
Recipe and photo used with permission from: Beef Checkoff
Chinese Trolls CIA China Recruitment Video
What do you think about China making a trade deal with Australia for beef, leaving US suppliers without their largest customer moving forward?
I actually admire the way China has handled all of this.
During Trump’s first term, he put unreasonable tariffs on China. This was not well publicized. There was no debate with China. There were no negotiations between China and the U.S.
China did two things in response that you didn’t hear much about. 1. China declined to renew contracts for the U.S. to supply soybeans and ginseng. 2. China began preparations to reduce trade with the U.S.
American farmers had to be compensated in billions of American dollars.
Trump buried his blunders with China from public view.
Trump didn’t learn anything from that event. Four years later, Trump did it again with everything, and beef.
Trump’s plan was to isolate (punish) China, and he assumed that the rest of the world would follow suit and help him castigate China with and for him.
That didn’t happen.
Trump publicly announced that China would come grovelling to the U.S. to get the tariffs lowered. He implied that China was one of the hundreds of countries ‘kissing his ass’ to do business (what world leaders speak like this in public statements!).
The phrase, ‘don’t poke the sleeping giant’ means ‘disrespect China at your peril’. Trump lied about and disrespected China. There were no negotiations. None.
China did not make a fuss. They made no public announcements. They simply declined to renew beef contracts with the U.S.
Instead, they contracted with Australia for beef. Oz has a better product without fast-grow synthetic hormones.
China also paused all container ships going from China to the U.S.
Why did they do this? Because the American population placed a vindictive, unstable, dishonest criminal in charge of their country, again. China is a trustworthy and reliable trade partner. The U.S. is not a trustworthy trade partner to anyone.
I admire China for handling this messy situation quietly, effectively, and with dignity. They simply declined to participate in Trump’s circus.
Americans who voted for Trump, and the ones who complacently assisted in throning Trump by not voting, have done an awful thing to their country.
Sir Whiskerton and the Matchmaking Genie: A Tale of Tinfoil Armor, Goose Duels, and a Very Smug Cat
Ah, dear reader, prepare yourself for a tale so absurd, so dripping with misplaced pride, that even the scarecrow might cough from secondhand embarrassment. Today’s story is one of inflated egos, a groovy genie’s mischief, and a goose so unimpressed she could wither a sunflower with a glance. So, grab your popcorn (or, if you’re Zephyr, your magic popcorn that never runs out), and join us for Sir Whiskerton and the Matchmaking Genie: A Tale of Tinfoil Armor, Goose Duels, and a Very Smug Cat.
A Genie’s Prank Gone Royal
It all began on a perfectly ordinary Tuesday—which, on Sir Whiskerton’s farm, meant the pigs were debating whether mud was a beverage, and Doris the Hen was gasping at a leaf that dared to fall unpredictably. But the real chaos began when Sir Cattenton, Whiskerton’s insufferably pompous brother, strutted into the barn, his tail held so high it nearly brushed the moon.
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“Behold, peasants!” Cattenton declared, striking a pose atop a hay bale. “I have arrived to grace you with my magnificence. Again.”
Nearby, Zephyr the Genie floated above his lava lamp, swirling a spectral cup of chamomile tea. “Whoa, heavy ego vibes, my feline friend,” he mused. “You ever think, like, maybe humility’s the real power move?”
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“Humility?” Cattenton scoffed. “A word invented by the unremarkable to cope with their dullness.”
Zephyr’s glasses glinted. “Yeahhh, I’m gonna fix that.”
With a snap of his fingers, a love letter materialized in Cattenton’s paw—written in elegant, looping script and smelling faintly of pond water.
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“My dearest, most regal Cattenton,” it read. “I have admired you from afar. Meet me at the duck pond at noon. Yours, a secret admirer.”
Cattenton’s chest puffed up like a soufflé in a heatwave. “Ah! Finally, someone of taste.”
The Trap is Set
Unbeknownst to Cattenton, the letter was Zephyr’s handiwork—and the “admirer” was none other than Gertrude the Goose, who had no idea any of this was happening.
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“Dude, this is gonna be gold,” Zephyr whispered to Sir Whiskerton, who was already face-pawing in anticipation.
At noon, Cattenton arrived at the pond in full “battle regalia”—a suit of armor crafted from tinfoil (stolen from Chef Remy’s kitchen), a twig scepter, and a cape made from a napkin that read ”Hot Sauce” in faded letters.
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“Ah, my mysterious beloved!” he called, striking a pose. “Reveal yourself!”
Gertrude waddled into view, squinting. “What in the name of migratory patterns is this?”
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“Your true love,” Cattenton declared. “I accept your affections.”
Gertrude’s beak dropped. “My what?”
Zephyr, now floating above them with a bag of spectral popcorn, narrated like a sports announcer: “LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE A SITUATION.”
The Duel of the Century
Gertrude, leader of the geese and veteran of The Great Feed Fiasco of ’23, was not one to suffer fools. Or cats. Or especially cats who wore tinfoil and called her “m’lady.”
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“You dare presume I’d court a puffed-up hairball?” she hissed.
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“I—wait, what?” Cattenton’s confidence wavered.
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“CHALLENGE ACCEPTED,” Zephyr boomed through a magically amplified kazoo. “FOR THE GEESE! FOR THE GLORY!”
And so began the Royal Pecking Duel of Pride.
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Round 1: Gertrude lunged. Cattenton’s tinfoil chestplate crumpled like a bad metaphor.
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Round 2: Cattenton attempted a “dazzling spin.” He tripped over his cape.
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Round 3: Gertrude pecked his ego so hard it audibly deflated.
The farm animals gathered to watch, placing bets (Porkchop won three acorns by predicting Cattenton’s humiliation in under two minutes).
The Moral of the Story
As Cattenton lay in a heap of tinfoil and regret, Zephyr floated down, grinning. “Pride cometh before the fall, my dude. Literally.”
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“I hate you,” Cattenton groaned.
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“Nah, you hate yourself,” Zephyr corrected. “But hey, growth is groovy.”
Gertrude, satisfied, waddled off with her gaggle, muttering about “delusional felines.” Sir Whiskerton, meanwhile, handed his brother a cold compress (and a tiny, smug smile).
Moral of the Story? Pride makes for a terrible armor—especially when it’s literal tinfoil.
The End.
Post-Credit Scene:
Zephyr sells “limited edition” tinfoil armor to the squirrels. “Collector’s item!” he insists, as Doris models it disastrously.
Best Lines:
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“Humility? A word invented by the unremarkable.” – Sir Cattenton, immediately before disaster
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“FOR THE GEESE! FOR THE GLORY!” – Gertrude, unofficial goose war cry
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“Dude, your ego has its own zip code.” – Zephyr, accurate observer
Starring:
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Sir Cattenton (Tinfoil Knight & Professional Embarrassment)
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Gertrude the Goose (Pecking Champion & Unimpressed Queen)
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Zephyr the Genie (Chaos Coordinator & Popcorn Enthusiast)
Key Jokes:
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Cattenton’s “armor” is just repurposed tinfoil from Chef Remy’s Glow-in-the-Dark Pickles Experiment.
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Zephyr narrates the duel like a WWE announcer, complete with fake crowd cheers.
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The love letter is signed “From Your Biggest Fan”—which Gertrude later reveals was literally a barn fan.
P.S.
Remember: If your ego is louder than your common sense, you’re already losing.
How do US Navy destroyers compare to Chinese destroyers?
Gotta be honest… we don’t know for sure.
There’s not a whole lot we know about the Chinese destroyers, and what we do know isn’t enough to make a definitive answer. The Type 55, which is the one I will be going over, is a little bigger than our Arleigh Burke destroyers, has a couple more missiles, and similar hangar facilities. On paper, they’re a little better.
In practice, it’s anyone’s guess. Many people just look at the stats and call it a day. They neglect all other factors (which can be very hard to factor in, but they can be the deciding factor between a win and a loss) like weather, time of day, supporting ships, area, etc. It’s near impossible to account for all of these things and come up with a clear answer. With no real way of finding out just how good the radar and other capabilities are for these systems (both nations keep this information under tight wraps, especially China)
It’s also worth mentioning that these type 55 destroyers are few in number still. As of the time of this writing, there are 8 built and 4 under construction, with a total of 16 planned. The USN has 74 destroyers, Flights I, II, IIA, and III, with 15 on order and 10 currently being built.
So to recap, how do they fare? The Type 55 seems to be a little more capable than the Arleigh Burke. However, there’s no way to know for 100% sure as of right now.
Reuben Turnovers
Try this zesty twist on the traditional corned beef and cabbage.
Prep: 30 min | Bake: 20 min | Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 12 Rhodes™ Dinner Rolls, thawed to room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups sauerkraut, drained well
- 6 tablespoons Russian dressing
- 1 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese
- 1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds
- 1/2 to 3/4 pound thinly sliced corned beef
- 1 egg white, beaten
- Additional caraway seeds
Instructions
- Spray counter lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine two rolls together and flatten into a 7 inch circle. Repeat with remaining rolls.
- Combine the sauerkraut, dressing, Swiss cheese and seeds together in a bowl.
- Divide the corned beef into 6 equal portions and place in the center of each dough circle.
- Divide the sauerkraut mixture into 6 equal portions and place on top of corned beef being careful that it doesn’t touch the edges.
- Moisten the edges of each circle with water. Fold each dough circle in half covering the filling. Press it down to seal edges together with your fingers or a fork.
- Place turnovers on a sprayed baking sheet.
- Make 3 small cuts in the top to vent the steam.
- Brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with caraway seeds.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Attribution
Recipe and photo used with permission from: Rhodes Bake-N-Serv
When did you or someone you know “ruin it for everybody”?
I was once involved in a business trip that involved about a dozen personnel. We were negotiating for software to run a large retail chain.
One of the junior members did nothing but complain during the whole way there. ( Several hours of driving)
We get to the hotel, which while not fancy, was decent. She complained and had her room changed. Finally we were taken to a nice dinner by our hosts. Dinner was really delicious but kind of rustic due to where we were.
As everyone was talking She started complaining about something or other. Our CIO ushered her into the hallway for a chat. She came back as white as a ghost and didn’t say another word all night.
The next morning it was announced that she had a family emergency and had gone back to the office.
We never saw her again.