Oh, the memories.
Whether items of furniture, or books, letters and photos.
One photo… now lost back in the ‘States; My father’s picture on my grandmother’s porch with his two brothers, all wearing their military uniforms. The steel-mill smokestacks in the background.
Another photo… My father holding myself by the arms as I took my first steps. Gosh. My father was so young. This photo is lost in my lost luggage in Newark , NJ.
Another photo… my mother with a 1960’s era “beehive” hairdo. She’s wearing 1960-era capri’s, gardening gloves, and a small shovel. Nice memories.
A photo of myself and my “best friend” playing under a tree with “Army Men”. Sometime in the mid-1960’s. Black and white with a stained edge.
My father had tons and tons of “slides” which were projected on a wall with a projector. My sister (youngest) wanted them, and so when my father died, she got a bunch of boxes with the complete records of us growing up in high definition technicolor.
And she sold them on ebay.
All of the thousands of pictures that my father took of us vaporized for a pittance.
Sad.
I do wish that I could look at some of them, and pass them on to my daughter. Sigh.
Today…
What is your favorite hobby from childhood that you still enjoy?
Playing the drums. I had significant talent in my teens but I kind of let it go and didn’t play for a good 10 years. Then one day my Uncle visited from out West and busted out his guitar. My Dad could play damned near anything so he grabbed the bass and I of course got the drums.
We jammed for about 3 hours and it was a riot. It all came back to me. Sadly I haven’t seen my Uncle in 15 years and we haven’t jammed for at least 25. I still play though from time to time and it’s still fun especially if I’m drinking I will totally rock out.
In grades 7 and 8 I was the drummer for the band. Actually when I was in grade 7 I ended up drumming for both bands when something happened to the grade 8 drummer. He never came back which worked out great for me!
That teacher had so much faith in me that he told me I could at will change anything I wanted to about the drum parts and I changed a couple of songs a lot. My versions were totally superior because the original parts had to be written with the least talented drummers in mind so I rocked some songs out hard! It was pretty sweet I ended up winning an award at the end of grade 8 and the teacher told my parents that in the 60 year history of the award no drummer had ever won.
My grade in music class was 98% both years. To get 100% I’d have had to join the choir and sing which was not happening.
What makes China’s military capabilities, like its aircraft carriers and missiles, a significant concern in potential global conflicts?
If you raise this question from the perspective of American imperialism, it is understandable — China is a threat to US because China is too close to US oversea military bases.
But from China’s perspective, the United States’ first and second island chains are containing China, inciting its lapdogs to provoke conflicts in the South China Sea, selling weapons to Taiwan, and interfering in China’s internal affairs… The US threat theory is correct.
The US claims that it is not seeking conflict with China – but a look at what the US is doing all along China’s peripheries reveals the US is already in a conflict with China and has been for decades.
The US pursues this conflict – admittedly – not out of national security concerns, but to preserve what it itself calls its “primacy” in the Indo-Pacific region.
Is China now more popular worldwide than the US?
I’m Australian and work for a company that operates equally in US and Australia and there are loads of well-paid jobs advertised in the US, where the company would take care of work visas, travel and accommodation.
Nobody wants those jobs.
Since February, something has snapped and Australians are just looking at the US with horror, distrust and uncertainty. At least with China you know where you stand.
I went to China on holiday a few years back and it was so safe and friendly that I just felt relaxed the whole time I was there. Looking at the way Western media talks about China like they’re a sinister power-hungry empire simultaneously threatening the West and on the verge of collapse, I really can’t take them seriously.
China didn’t invade Iraq or Afghanistan nor give weapons to Netanyahu and they don’t have military bases dotted around every country.
I did read newspapers in China and they were clearly highly controlled but the Western media is hardly any better, just controlled by oligarchs rather than The Party.
I think Australians are beginning to see through the Western propaganda a little. I’m no Sinophile particularly (apart from the food!) but I’m really struggling to see how the CCP is worse than the US government on any measure at all right now.
Breaking Bad – You’re a Drug Dealer (S3E1) | Movieclips
Chicken Pizza Burgers
Yield: 4 burgers
Ingredients
- 16 ounces ground chicken, fresh or thawed
- 2 cups pizza sauce, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 4 slices provolone cheese
- 4 hot dog buns
Instructions
- Mix chicken, 2 teaspoons pizza sauce and basil in a bowl.
- Shape into 4 wide, hot dog shaped patties.
- Grease grill, then heat.
- Cook for 9 to 10 minutes or until 165 degrees F in center.
- Top each with a cheese slice during the last few minutes of cooking.
- Toast buns on cooler portions of grill.
- Heat remaining pizza sauce.
- Spread on toasted buns and top with patty.
“I Asked for an Open Relationship Before My Solo Trip—He Said No, So I Called Him Insecure”
What is the best thing your teacher ever told you?
Original question: What’s the best thing you’ve heard your teacher say?
The first day I walked into my 10th grade chemistry class, the lights were off. The teacher was waiting at the front of the room, holding a small candle in front of him. The candle’s tiny flame was the only source of light in the room.
The class murmured a bit, confused and excited. Once we’d all quieted down, the teacher said, “Tell me some of the observations you can make about this candle.”
We paused for a moment. That seemed a little too easy for chemistry class.
“But keep in mind,” the teacher added, “that observations are the things you observe empirically. Inferences are the things you conclude… and inferences can be wrong.”
We stared at him, wary now.
At last, someone piped up, “Um…The flame is yellow?”
“The flame gives off heat.”
“The wick is burning.”
“The wax is cylindrical!”
The teacher raised his eyebrows at that one. “Are you sure?”
We stared harder at the candle, not sure how to respond to that. It definitely looked cylindrical.
The teacher shrugged. Then he put the candle into his mouth and started chewing.
The class stared at him.
At this point I was wondering if I ought to call the emergency room or something, but the teacher just kept chewing as though nothing was wrong. Eventually, he swallowed, shrugged again, and said, “Actually tastes okay.”
As it turns out, the so-called “candle” wasn’t made out of wax at all. It was actually just a slice of banana, with an almond slice for the wick.
The student’s “wax” statement had actually been an inference.
After explaining this to us, the teacher turned on the lights and said, “If there’s one thing I want you to learn in this class, it’s the first rule of scientific thinking: Never assume that your mind can’t lie to you.”
And that’s the story of how my 10th-grade chemistry teacher swallowed a candle to teach us the first principle of scientific thinking. Here’s to you, Mr. Miller.
Mr. Miller’s candle looked a lot like Evan’s, but without the awesome plate.
~Traveling~
Written in response to: “Write an open-ended story in which your character’s fate is uncertain.“
Jim Parker
~Traveling~
Debbie put her darling SUV, Miss Interceptor, on cruise control and held up her right hand. “We are exactly half way there …right… Now!”
Shewuma took her right foot off of the dashboard and turned in the passenger seat to pose a question. “Why do you always get to drive? Sometimes somebody else might want to.”
“A year, 1 month and 2 days ago, you didn’t even know how to drive,” Debbie answered flatly.
“Well I do now. So I ask again, why do you always get to drive?”
“Because it’s my truck.”
“Then next time we go on a trip, we’ll take my Trans Am and I’ll drive.”
“Good luck with that.” Said Jim from the bucket seat behind her. “I’ve been with her since we were kids and I’ve only driven once.”
“She let you drive. I’m surprised. What was the occasion?” David E. asked from the bucket seat next to him.
“When we went to the Desert to find the Crystal Skulls and kill Lucy Lange. I drove while she and Malachi did their hocus pocus.”
“Jim.” Shewuma looked around the seat at him. “Stay on point.” She narrowed her focus on Debbie. “I’m serious. I think we should vote or draw straws or something. It’s not fair that you just decide who drives. I normally put up with this Comista of Earth crap, but this is different…Well?”
“Life’s a bitch and then you die.” Debbie said with a hint of a smile.
Wu turned backwards in the seat on her knees looking between Jimmy and David E. for support.
Jimmy was no help saying, “I’m like Bennet, I ain’t in it. She’s supposed to be Mankind’s new destiny? Let her drive.” David E. just shrugged.
“Destiny my ass,” mumbled Shewuma as she sat back down and planted her foot back up on the dashboard.
Debbie glanced over at the short dress riding up, exposing Wu’s panties and commented, “As much as I enjoy the view, decorum Wu.”
“If you get to drive, then I get to flash.”
Jimmy leaned up looking over the seat. “Hey Wu. Put in the Veronica Swift CD.”
“We don’t have a Veronica Swift CD,” said Debbie.
Jim countered, “Yes we do. I got it last month.”
“How? I would know.”
“Surprise Debs. I actually went to a store and bought it in person with money. What do you have against her singing? Did you know she has perfect pitch and plays the trumpet?”
“Yes I do know. Her singing is fine. I don’t care for her outfits and flaunting on stage.”
“Wait a minute. Look at how Elvira dresses and acts on stage and you love her. Reconcile that. I think your being a little too Comista of Earth here, with some I’m all that thrown in.”
Wu added, “See? That’s what I’ve been saying.” Jimmy, Wu and David E. all waited for the avalanche of redress that was sure to follow.
Debbie pondered for a few seconds and surprised them with, “I see your point. Play it Wu. I’ll give her another shot.”
Jimmy was a bit shocked. “I won an argument with you?”
Wu said, “She let you win. She’s being nice because she feels guilty about not letting me drive.”
“Not Hardly.” Debbie answered. “I think your cranky because your horny. Jimmy and I will take care of that when we get to the Reservation.”
Wu purred, “You have my attention. Tell me more.”
“Whoa, whoa!” exclaimed David E. “I’m too old and too straight to be hearing about you three and your kinky sex life.”
Jimmy chimed in. “It’s not kinky. Were married.”
“And three people married is whole other legal issue.”
“You said hole,” Debbie pointed out.
Jimmy and Wu laughed while, hoping to move on, David E. made a suggestion. “Let’s play the game and I have the first one.”
Jimmy and Debbie were in. Wu reluctantly said, “Okay, I guess. But this driving thing isn’t over by a long shot, Debbie.”
“Here’s my question. If you could have lunch with anyone from history, who would it be? Debbie, would you like to go first since you’re the driver?”
“Ha, ha. Funny David E.” said Wu. “But I already know she’ll say Jesus Christ.”
To Jimmy’s surprise as well, Debbie responded, “Actually no. Enoch had dinner with Jesus many times. His memories I carry are just like being there with Jesus myself.”
“What was he like?” asked Jimmy.
“Probably not what you would expect from reading the Bible. He was quite charming and funny.”
Anxious to say her pick, Wu pressed, “Well who then Dibs?”
“Grimsanchis,” Debbie said to no reactions. “You know, the Erran that invented the code to organically program the Quartz Crystal Computers.”
Wu snorted “You’ve become such a nerd Dibs.”
“An extremely hot nerd,” added Jimmy.
“Touché.” Agreed Wu. “So my guy is Genghis Khan.”
“He was kind of a bad guy wasn’t he? He killed millions of people.” David E. argued.
“I don’t think bad is the word?” said Wu. “He was ruthless in warfare, especially if you crossed him, and he was a gifted military innovator. No surprise those traits racked up an unprecedented body count. But to those loyal to him, he was quite generous.”
Debbie added, “He created trade routes between Europe and Asia and established a codified legal system throughout his empire for which he never gets any credit.”
“He also took care of the families of his men that fell in battle.” Said Jimmy.
“See?” Said Wu.
“I’ll have to do some reading on him,” said David E. “My pick is Ben Franklin. Scientist, inventor, writer, politician, businessman. He drafted the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence and is the only Founding Father to sign all three documents that freed America from Britain.”
Debbie stated further, “Most people don’t know that Ben Franklin became an outspoken abolitionist later in life and freed his own slaves. He needed Keto though. In pictures he looks like a heart attack waiting to happen. Who’s your pick Jimsy, like I don’t know.”
“Vanessa Williams.”
“And I was right.” Said Debbie.
Shewuma groaned, “Come on Jim.”
David E. intervened. “Hey girls, Vanessa Williams is quite an accomplished business woman, singer, actor, first Black Miss America.”
“He was a kid when she won and then turned up naked in a magazine. He’s been obsessed with her ever since.” Debbie replied.
“I’m not obsessed with her. Why do you always say that?”
“How many posters do you own?”
“Two.”
“What are they?”
“I have a poster of all the major guitar chords and their variations.”
“Come on. What’s the other one?”
Defiantly he said, “Vanessa Williams.”
Wu laughed. “Yes, you are most certainly obsessed. Pick someone else Jim.” He seemed annoyed. “For me and Debbie. Okay?”
“Then I pick Joan of Arc.”
“His other obsession.” Said Debbie.
“At least I picked someone we’ve heard of and not some obscure alien flunky.”
“What the hell did you call him?”
“Alright, alright,” Interrupted Wu. “Let’s change the game. Your favorite joke. David E. you go.”
David E. thought for a moment. “You guys won’t like it. It’s a Catholic thing.” They all insisted he tell it. “Okay. A Catholic Priest was giving a group tour of the Vatican’s lower vaults. The people were astounded as he pointed out row after row of priceless relics, artifacts, and treasures. One man presented a question: So much was just being stored away, why doesn’t the Church sell a tiny portion and use the proceeds to help the needy? In disbelief the Priest answered dismissively, Fuck you!”
Jimmy and Wu were floored. Wu shook her head while Jimmy said, “Damn David E.”
“I told you. You have to be Catholic to appreciate it.” Then Debbie burst out laughing and he added, “Or have Alien DNA apparently. Here’s another one. In school, the Nun asks her class what they want to be when they grow up. Little Mary replies, A prostitute. A what? Demands the Nun, making the sign of the Cross. A prostitute, repeats Mary. Thank god. I thought you said Protestant.”
Jimmy said, “I didn’t know you were Catholic. We’ll talk about that later. Wu, you go before we get struck by lightning.”
“I’m doing two Knock-knock jokes. Knock-knock?” (“Who’s there?” asked David E.) “WAH” (“Wahoo?”) “YIPPIE! I made that up myself.” To mixed reactions she told the next one. “I need to set this up first. It always makes me laugh out loud. In a movie, Tom Hanks is playing this real serious, sour-puss kind of guy. His partners are ragging on him because he never laughs or tells jokes. He says, you want to hear a joke? I got one for you. Knock-knock. (“Who’s there”) “Go fuck yourself.” Wu laughed so hard she barely got the words out.
Everyone else was more amused by her laughing than the joke itself. Jimmy said, “Time for a real joke. A Trucker in a semi sees someone in distress and pulls off the road. The man is naked and hog tied on his knees all bent over. What happened to you, asked the trucker? A car ran me off the road. Two men dragged me back in the woods, took my money and clothes, beat me and left me like this. I’ve spent the last 2 hours crawling out here using my knees and forehead.” The trucker pulled down his zipper and said, “Buddy, this just ain’t your day.”
They couldn’t help laughing. Debbie and Wu looked at each other and said in unison, “Not rude, not crude, just nasty.”
“Debbie, you’re up.” Said Jim.
“I have two. A photon walks into a hotel. The desk clerk says, do you need help with your luggage? The photon says, No thanks, I’m traveling light.” They all chuckled as she went into the next one. “A neutron walks into a bar and asks, How much for a beer? The bartender says, For you, no charge.”
Jimmy and David E. laughed, but Shewuma said, “Don’t you have a joke that’s not nerdy?”
“Sure Wu. A Buddhist walks up to a hot dog vendor and says, Make me one with everything.”
Wu laughed, but David E. looked stumped. “I don’t get it.”
“Think about it David E.,” said Debbie.
Jimmy said, “What’s your favorite song Debs?”
Debbie responded, “I’m torn between, Led Zeppelin, Ramble On and The Immigrant Song ?”
“I’m not surprised, you and your Classic Rock. But you have to pick one.”
“No I don’t.”
“No she doesn’t,” echoed Wu.
“Alright then. The Comista of Earth has spoken. How about yours David E.? I’m guessing a little Frank.” Asked Jimmy.
Without hesitation David E. picked, “The Waters of March by Eliane Elias.”
“Ahh. Eliane Elias. I should have known.”
Debbie went to Wu. “What yours Sweety?”
“I have a tie. Two By Ella Fitzgerald. Love for Sale and Miss Otis Regrets.”
“Another double. Jim your next. And I think I know what it is,” Said Debbie.
“Allman Brothers, In Memory of Elizabeth Reed.”
Wu piped up, “That doesn’t have any lyrics. How can your favorite song not have lyrics?”
“Are you kidding. Your two songs are about a hooker and a woman who murders her husband.”
David E. began to laugh out loud. “What the hell is so funny about my song picks, David E.?”
“No, I just got Debbie’s joke about the Buddhist.”
Leaning over the front seat, Wu went into full tickle mode on Jimmy’s ribs. Trying to fend her off, he turned to face David E. and could barely get out the words, “Explain it to me David E.”
The road had opened up so Debbie down shifted and punched it, throwing Wu over and into Jimmy’s lap. Jimmy and Shewuma’s tickle fest was interrupted by the intensity of Debbie’s voice. “Guys. I think we have trouble. All 4 peered through the windshield at the northern sky as a dot heading toward them grew larger.
“It’s just a chopper Debs.” Said Jimmy.
Shewuma went for her bow and quiver. “What’s up Dibs? Trouble?”
Debbie pulled the van over. “They’re hailing me on an emergency government frequency. I’m checking their computer. No missiles are armed.”
Wu opened the side door and jumped out nocking an arrow. Jimmy followed her saying, “There are two in the front. I don’t see anyone manning the 50 cal.” Then put one in the chamber of his .45.
Debbie came around the front of the truck. “Guys. They’re from the USSF. Here to see David E.” The three stood protectively in front of David E. as the passing traffic slowed down to ogle the odd scene of a chopper landing in a whirlwind next to the freeway.
Two Black-Ops soldiers approached them warily, hands on their holstered weapons. “Were here to see the Command Sergeant Major.” He held out a piece of folded paper. David E. went for it but Jimmy’s hand to his chest stopped him.
“I’ll take that,” said Debbie. She read the hand written note and handed it to David E. Telepathically she said to all three. “This seems on the up-and-up. It’s a message from Wisty. But stay frosty. I don’t trust them or her.”
Wu responded silently, “You getting any bad vibes?”
“No. Nothing.”
“I got this,” said Jim. With blurred precision he immobilized the pilot with a full nelson. The partner was pulling his pistol when Debbie put him down with a purposely gentle but effective spinning kick to the head. She took his gun and put one foot on the back of his neck telling him, “Now you be still.”
Jimmy tightened up, eliciting a groan from his captive. “I’m going to ask you a question and this beautiful young lady is an empath. If you lie, she will know. Understand?” The man nodded yes frantically. Wu touched his neck while Jimmy asked, “What’s your mission here?”
“We were to deliver this message to David E. Major and bring him back to the Cave if he were amenable.”
“The Cave?” Jim asked.
David E. explained. “It’s what we call the underground facility outside of Philly.”
“What’s the word Wu?”
“He’s not lying Jim. And he’s scared shitless.”
Debbie backed up and the soldier got up gingerly. Jimmy released his man and disarmed him as he pushed him away. They both unloaded the service revolvers and returned them. “What’s the note say David E.?”
“Wisty. She says she may lose the baby. Wants me to come right away. I need to go. What do you guys think?”
Jim said, “You got to go man.”
“Bullshit!” Interrupted Wu. “This stinks to high heaven. You can’t trust her and we don’t even know if it’s her note.”
He looked at Debbie. “David E., you have to do what you feel is right. That is her handwriting.”
“Yeah,” David E. whispered pensively. Then repeated, “Yeah, it’s hers.” What else could he do? “I’m going.” Wu reacted heavily. “I have no choice Wu.”
Debbie told him telepathically, “I’m going to stay locked on to you for a while. Anything smells fishy, just holler and we’ll come running.”
“Thanks Deb.” He kissed her cheek and gave a reassuring hug to Shewuma.
Shewuma pointed her finger at the soldiers and spoke harshly. “Anything happens to this man and I will hunt you two down. Understand?”
“Yes Ma’am,” they both answered.
From the back of the chopper, David E. watched as his three companions grew smaller and then disappeared in the distance. The copilot answered his headset. “10-4. We have The Command Sergeant Major and we’re enroute.” After a pause he said. “Repeat that?… Copy.” David E. saw the man turning in his seat and heard the words, “Sorry buddy,” before blacking out.
He Pretended to Be a Taxi Driver ,women Mock him ,Then He Revealed He’s a Billionaire
https://youtu.be/Y1oBoDwaUVg
What could explain China’s slower retail sales growth in April, given that industrial output grew by 6.1%?
Total retail sales of consumer goods in China rose by 5.1 per cent year-on-year to RMB 3,717.4 billion (S$668.7 billion) in April, down from 5.9 per cent in March, according to data from China’s statistics bureau.
This is the same pattern as in previous years.
This is because people are trying to save money in April in anticipation of their travel plans for the 5.1 – 5.7 holiday season.
Non-Americans: Lots of us in the USA hear from some political groups that Trump has made us an international laughing stock and alienated most or all of our allies, do you perceive this to be true from the outside of our bubble of the world?
New Zealander here – and the answer is no.
The first time you elected Trump, everyone laughed at you, because it showed how stupid or ignorant American voters were.
The second time you elected Trump, our emotions were different – a mix of pity for the Americans who were so deluded they couldn’t understand how much damage Trump had done to their country the first time he was President, and fear for the world overall, given that a monomaniacal moron was now spreading his wings to threaten all the alliances and goodwill that had been built up by organisations worldwide.
The latter feeling is now our chief concern. Trump has rolled back all the goodwill and friendship that had been built up with Europe over the last 80 years. Its relationship with the UK and Canada is at its lowest point since 1812. His policies towards Russia have put the rest of the western world onto a war footing. His policies towards international trade are such that he is pushing the entire planet, and most particularly the United States, towards a nearly unprecedented recession (the last time intrest rates were falling during a tariff war was 1929–1932 – and we all know what that era was called).
The man is an egotistical megalomaniac who cannot comprehend of anything he does as being wrong, and who is in the pocket of despotic rulers and plutocratic billionaires. He is a danger to civilisation.
How is it technically possible for an inferior plane like JC10 to shoot down a superior Rafale?
That’s how you screw your brain.
You have a conclusion before having the question.
Such a logic is typically found among religions.
“God loves people”
>then why I am suffering?
“God loves you in his unique and mysterious way.”
>then why the kid next door is so happy?
“God loves people, in different ways.”
See?
God loves you anyways, your pain and joy of the kid next door are both the way god loveing people.
You just need to find excuses the patch the leaks in reality.
Much like how you already have the conclusion about J-10CE being inferior.
What you need is not someone to tell you whether J-10CE being inferior, but why such an inferior fighter could win.
If the answer doesn’t match with your conclusion, then this answer must be a Chinese propaganda.
It’s called the Indian Winology.
It’s a series of theory which describes why India should, can, and will always win.
Even when you lost, you still won.
When you cannot exceed China on other critical index, having more population is a indication of win.
>Your Rafale got shot down
>”It cannot be! It’s a lie!”
>You released the photos of Rafale’s debris.
>”It’s not J-10C! It’s F-16!”
>The US said no loss of F-16 in Pakistan.
>”Our great government must planned this ahead to gain advantage from Dassault!”
You can not lose.
You should not lose.
You will never lose.
Pictures
Why do we see lots of Chinese have a flat nose?
Hi, Fred. Thanks for the interesting question.
There are many facial traits non-Chinese people usually associate with Chinese faces.
Off the top of my head, some of the most common facial features that non-Chinese folks always associate with Chinese folks are:
-tiny eyes
-flat faces
-flat noses
I remember when I was studying in Australia, I was working at this DVD rental store (yes, yes, they were still a thing back then, even though the death knell for such stores had already rung loud and clear…) and I overheard one of the part-time local boys – I’m calling him D – that Chinese people are blinded when you put dental floss over our eyes (this was a pretty popular joke back then, not sure whether it’s still alive and kicking now) and that we Chinese have faces and noses that are as flat as walls.
He also added the same thing for Chinese girls, just that he didn’t apply the flat as a wall analogy to their faces but instead applied it to another part of the female human anatomy.
So, I’m guessing that’s a pretty common, and popular, observation for non-Chinese folks such as yourself, Fred.
There are a LOT of Chinese peeps in the world, and yes, a not-small number of us do have tiny eyes that make us look as if we might get blinded when you put dental floss over our eyes, and yes, a not-small number of us do have faces and noses that are as flat as your walls.
The fact that there are so many of us in the world does make it very likely that yes, you will come across a significant number of us who have tiny eyes, flat faces, flat noses. Probabilities and all that.
But I guess the difference between myself and D is that D’s tone of voice when making those remarks and some of his later remarks (he was the one who thought 刘亦菲 is ugly) is that he thought all these facial features make the Chinese very physically ugly – whereas, as a heterosexual Chinese man, I find many Chinese girls with such features very attractive.
Based on my life experiences, I think that when non-Chinese are harping on how we have tiny eyes, flat faces, and flat noses, they aren’t making a completely 100% neutral observation – their tone of voice, body language, and the context of their statements always leads me to conclude they are saying that these facial features make us look ugly relative to people from their own ethnicities.
If only I could place dental floss over my eyes to blind myself to such folks, but alas, their numbers are legion and the dental-floss-over-my-eyes thing really doesn’t work! 😀
What did you do when you saw someone stealing while on the job?
I was the storeman on a building site in Dundee, and when the guys needed power tools etc they had to sign for the item.
One fine morning a lad signed out a stonecutting saw:
He came to me about lunch-time, and told me he had been moved to help in another area, leaving the saw behind.
When he came back for it, it was gone. He was a decent guy, and I believed him.
I locked up the store, and climbed up the structure to have a look for it while the squad were having lunch.
In the area where we parked our vehicles there was a strip of long grass and I could see something orange so went to investigate.
It was the Stihlsaw so I grabbed it and put it back into the store. At finishing time myself and the site manager waited out of sight until a guy called ASBO* went hunting in the long grass for his prize.
He was furious, kicking the grass and shouting obscenities, and Frazer, the manager went over and took him by the arm, walked him over to the locker room and told him to get his stuff together.
Now in normal circumstances I am not a snitch, but the guy who signed the tool out in the morning would have either been sacked, or have the cost deducted from his wages and I wasn’t having any of that.
*Antisocial Behaviour Order*
At Our Family BBQ, My Wife’s Sister Made a Joke: ‘If You Disappeared Tomorrow, No One Would Even…
Barbecue Bacon Cheeseburgers with Sautéed Onions
Yield: 6 cheeseburgers
Ingredients
- 2 cups julienned onions
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 6 slices pepper jack cheese (or other cheese desired)
- 6 hamburger buns, split and toasted
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
- 6 cooked bacon strips
Instructions
- Sauté onions in butter or oil and set aside.
- in a large bowl, combine beef, garlic salt and pepper; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into six 3/4 inch thick patties.
- In a large nonstick skillet, cook burgers over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 160 degrees F, adding cheese during the last minute of cooking.
- Serve on buns with barbecue sauce, bacon, sautéed onions and other toppings as desired.
My Wife Said “Intimacy Isn’t Everything” — So I Said “Neither is Paying Your Bills”
Actually, this is a balance view of the give-and-take that occurs in a marriage. Hum.
The Housekeeper
Written in response to: “Write a story in which a character discovers that a truth they’ve believed their whole life is either false or not the whole story.“
Arpita Roy
Is it disrespectful to eat spaghetti with chopsticks?
It’s not considered disrespectful here.
Yes, you’re free to eat spaghetti – and any non-Chinese food – with chopsticks without anyone here caring about whether it’s disrespectful or not.
At the end of the day, we’re a pragmatic people – whichever eating utensil that’s easiest, most convenient for you, you go with that.
Whatever works for you!
It’s the same when it comes to eating Chinese food at Chinese restaurants.
You don’t want to use chopsticks?
No worries!
Here’s a fork, knife, and Western spoon.
Enjoy your meal, folks!
Plenty of people in other parts of the world eat Chinese food without ever touching a pair of chopsticks.
Just tell the wait staff at the Chinese restaurant, and they’ll be happy to give you a fork, knife, and Western spoon to start tucking in with gusto.
Eating spaghetti with chopsticks is too… mundane.
It’s too common here.
Again, whatever works best for everyone.
We can use chopsticks with penne and bolognese.
Chopsticks with lasagna sheets thingy….
Chopsticks with baked beans:
Chopsticks with tiramisu:
Chopsticks with ice-cream:
Conclusion:
Here, you’re free to eat spaghetti – and any non-Chinese food – with chopsticks without worrying about anyone thinking it’s disrespectful.
Whatever works best for you!
What’s the truth behind the idea that trade imbalances mean unfair trade for the U.S.?
Complete ignorance, misinformation, and general stupidity are behind the erroneous belief that trade imbalances are somehow unfair.
If a country has the wealth to buy goods from other countries, there is nothing wrong with that. The only problem would come if the country could no longer generate enough new wealth to buy those goods. Then the buying country’s currency would collapse. It is what is called “a self-limiting problem.”
If I buy something worth $100 from you and you buy something from me for $60, what is wrong with that? It can easily be seen that in trade both sides win.
But much of the far-right lives in a zero-sum fallacy world. In that world, for someone to win, someone else has to lose. For one country to get ahead, another country must fall behind. Most trade transactions are of mutual benefit, therefore outside of the zero-sum nuttiness.
Sir Whiskerton and the Great Fence Fiasco: A Tale of Claws, Chaos, and a Very Gnome-y Hat
Ah, dear reader, prepare yourself for a tale so scratchy, so utterly unvarnished, that even the barn’s splintered wood might blush. Today’s adventure begins with a kitten’s claws, a gnome’s grudge, and a fence so pristine it practically screamed “scratch me.” So, grab your sandpaper and join me for Sir Whiskerton and the Great Fence Fiasco: A Tale of Claws, Chaos, and a Very Gnome-y Hat.
The Crime Scene
It was a glorious morning on the farm. The sun shone, the birds sang, and the farmer’s brand-new fence gleamed like a beacon of untapped scratching potential. Enter Ditto, Sir Whiskerton’s ever-echoing apprentice, who took one look at the fence and gasped.
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“So… shiny… must… SCRATCH!” Ditto declared, launching himself at the wood with the enthusiasm of a squirrel discovering espresso.
SCRITCH. SCRATCH. SPLINTER.
By the time Sir Whiskerton arrived—monocle askew—the fence resembled a modern art piece titled “Regret in Pine.” Nearby, Gnomeo the garden gnome clutched his hat in horror.
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“You scratched my hat!” Gnomeo wailed, pointing to the fresh claw marks on his pointy red cap.
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“Consider it a fashion upgrade,” Sir Whiskerton quipped, nudging Ditto away from the fence. “Though perhaps not your best work, apprentice.”
Ditto blinked. “But… the world is my scratching post!”
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“Ah,” Sir Whiskerton sighed. “A noble philosophy, tragically misunderstood.”
The Farm Freakout
Word of the fence’s defacement spread faster than Doris the Hen at a gossip convention.
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“It’s anarchy!” Doris squawked, flapping her wings at the splinters. “First fences, next… OUR FEED BAGS!”
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“I think it’s avant-garde,” Bessie the Tie-Dye Cow mused, adjusting her rose-tinted glasses. “Like, woah, man. Textured.”
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“I’ll sell tickets!” Porkchop the Pig announced, setting up a booth. “Five acorns to poke the holes!”
Even the farmer paused mid-conversation with his scarecrow to squint at the damage. “Huh,” he muttered. “Guess I’ll call it… ‘rustic.’”
The Lesson
Sir Whiskerton corralled Ditto atop the now-not-so-pristine fence. “Apprentice,” he began, “the world is your scratching post—but only if you treat it with respect.”
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“But… scratching is fun,” Ditto protested.
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“Fun, yes. But fun at others’ expense? That’s just rude.” Sir Whiskerton gestured to Gnomeo, who was now gluing sequins to his hat in a futile attempt to hide the claw marks. “Every scratch has a consequence. Every fence… a feeling.”
Ditto’s ears drooped. “Even… fences?”
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“Especially fences.”
The Resolution
Ditto, chastened, spent the afternoon sanding the fence (poorly) and apologizing to Gnomeo (who demanded royalties in glitter). The farmer, bemused, nailed a sign to the repaired section:
“SCRATCH HERE →” (with an arrow pointing to a designated log).
Moral of the Story? The world is your scratching post—treat it accordingly.
The End.
Post-Credit Scene:
Gnomeo “accidentally” glues Ditto’s tail to a tree stump. “Whoops,” he lies, waddling away.
Best Lines:
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“The world is my scratching post!” – Ditto, pre-regret
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“Avant-garde? It’s splinters!” – Doris, art critic
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“Five acorns to poke the holes!” – Porkchop, entrepreneur
Starring:
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Sir Whiskerton (Philosopher of Fences)
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Ditto (Scratch Prodigy & Remorseful Apprentice)
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Gnomeo (Fashion Victim & Glitter Enthusiast)
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The Fence (RIP)
Key Jokes:
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Gnomeo’s hat becomes a “bedazzled crime scene.”
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Porkchop auctions fence-poking rights like a carnival game.
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Bessie mistakes splinters for “deep, like, textural vibes.”
P.S.
Remember: If you must scratch, aim for something that won’t sue you. Like a tree. Or your dignity.
Is relying on tariffs to boost domestic manufacturing just an oversimplification of a complex issue?
Trump said it himself: tariff is a means (my wording) to force nations to negotiate with USA.
Thru negotiation, USA will use mafia-like ways to force others to open their market to let US capitalists to flock in to economically colonise other.
Or to ask nations to, in name of reducing their trade surplus with USA, buy more from USA esp weapons & Boeing.
Or to change their current US bonds to 100-year non-tradable bonds with 0% interest. (In Miran’s words, just write a cheque to (pirate) USA).
Or make others to appreciate their currency so as to make their goods more expensive. So that US exported goods will look cheaper & compete in world market.
Tariff is just a means.
Why can’t the Chinese produce good quality defence equipment, especially air defence system which got exposed in the India-Pakistan escalation?
This is a beautiful strategy played by Xi Jinping
Defense equipment used by China for its own needs is meant to deter wars. It is meant to frighten others from even thinking of attacking China
Defense equipment sold to others is meant to be used, replaced, upgraded and expanded constantly so that China can sell more
China keeps its best fighter planes and missiles at home. These are not sold even to client-states like Pakistan. These are meant to be used when China needs to fight
Or, to avoid a fight by letting others know it is impossible to win against China
What is sold to Pakistan are systems that are 2–4 generations behind the curve
Even these are turning out to be good enough to go head-to-head with western equipment, thanks to India foolishly giving the opportunity for a live demo at their own cost
India has been the best salesman for Chinese defense equipment via Operation Sindoor. Enquiries for Chinese arms are pouring in from 14 countries. Minimum $100–120 billion new sales happening in the next 12 months
But the real beauty of this is to ask who is paying for China’s defense budget
It is simple
Not Pakistan. Pakistan doesn’t pay a penny to buy Chinese jets
The money that Pakistan pays China comes from IMF, America, World Bank, Saudi Arabia and many others. Not a penny comes directly from Pakistan
It’s a beautiful strategy that only the Chinese could have come up with