Remember: If life gives you unexpected sounds, just shout “¡MÚSICA NATURAL!” and cha-cha away.

When I used to visit my grandparents on Sundays (back when I was young) it always went something like this; [1] go to church, [2] have a Sunday meal, [3] a 1.5 hour trip to visit relatives. [4] have a final Supper with them, [5] arrive home late. [6] go to school the next day.

I’ve done it hundreds of times.

My paternal grandparents (from my fathers side = paternal) would have a nice spread of fresh rolls from the nearby bakery, lots of nice butter. Soda pop for us kids to drink, beer for my parents, and maybe a spread of cold cuts. sometimes a chicken meal. Or, maybe a Polish dish or some other ethnic food.

My maternal grandmother was similar, minus the rolls and butter. But the soda was the norm. The cold cut spread was always present, and occasionally we might have some kind of 1960’s era supper involving various casseroles, or jello dishes of one time or the other.

Ah I do remember those days. I think that if you are an American you probably remember them as well.

So today, here’s some family dinners from the 1970s. Enjoy…

Weekday Chicken Cacciatore EXPS THEDSCODR19 72870 C02 28 1b
Weekday Chicken Cacciatore EXPS THEDSCODR19 72870 C02 28 1b
Chicken Paprikash EXPS TOHD24 205280 KristinaVanni 7
Chicken Paprikash EXPS TOHD24 205280 KristinaVanni 7
Grilled Ribeye with Garlic Blue Cheese Mustard Sauce EXPS THJJ17 200968 B02 07 2b
Grilled Ribeye with Garlic Blue Cheese Mustard Sauce EXPS THJJ17 200968 B02 07 2b
EXPS TOHD24 130541 JuliaHartbeck
EXPS TOHD24 130541 JuliaHartbeck
Frito Pie EXPS FT24 116189 EC 021424 3
Frito Pie EXPS FT24 116189 EC 021424 3
Best Salisbury Steak EXPS FT24 4404 EC 072324 1
Best Salisbury Steak EXPS FT24 4404 EC 072324 1
Slow Cooker Pork and Sauerkraut EXPS TOHD24 113809 KristinaVanni 7
Slow Cooker Pork and Sauerkraut EXPS TOHD24 113809 KristinaVanni 7
Tangy Tropical Chicken EXPS SSCBZ18 133534 C08 29 2b
Tangy Tropical Chicken EXPS SSCBZ18 133534 C08 29 2b
Chicken Caesar Florentine exps120190 TH2236622B08 4bC RMS
Chicken Caesar Florentine exps120190 TH2236622B08 4bC RMS
Cassoulet for Today EXPS SDFM17 48033 D10 04 4b
Cassoulet for Today EXPS SDFM17 48033 D10 04 4b
Santa Fe Skillet EXPS OPBZ18 23272 C06 29 4b
Santa Fe Skillet EXPS OPBZ18 23272 C06 29 4b
exps41486 SD153208A08 08 5b
exps41486 SD153208A08 08 5b
exps40645 SD153322A04 03 2b
exps40645 SD153322A04 03 2b
Easy Beef Stroganoff EXPS TOHD24 39897 LeticiaAlmeida 06
Easy Beef Stroganoff EXPS TOHD24 39897 LeticiaAlmeida 06
Stuffed Peppers for Four EXPS SDJJ17 39426 D02 10 5b
Stuffed Peppers for Four EXPS SDJJ17 39426 D02 10 5b
Hawaiian Pork Chops EXPS TOHD24 25004 EricKleinberg 7
Hawaiian Pork Chops EXPS TOHD24 25004 EricKleinberg 7
Tender Steak Fajitas EXPS SSCBZ18 30701 E08 30 2b
Tender Steak Fajitas EXPS SSCBZ18 30701 E08 30 2b
Creamy Scallop Crepes EXPS THD18 32033 E08 03 7b 6
Creamy Scallop Crepes EXPS THD18 32033 E08 03 7b 6
Easy Pepper Steak EXPS FT24 5797 JR 0726 2
Easy Pepper Steak EXPS FT24 5797 JR 0726 2
Chuck Wagon Tortilla Stack exps11546 GB143373B01 16 6bC RMS
Chuck Wagon Tortilla Stack exps11546 GB143373B01 16 6bC RMS
Easy Chow Mein EXPS TOHD24 13389 AlejandroMonfort 5
Easy Chow Mein EXPS TOHD24 13389 AlejandroMonfort 5
Creamy Pasta Primavera EXPS TOHD24 44217 AlejandroMonfort 56
Creamy Pasta Primavera EXPS TOHD24 44217 AlejandroMonfort 56
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7b755fc87604ea6c85ae791de090558b

China’s Sky Jammers Just Shocked Experts! 7.3 Million Americans at Risk!

Golden Continental Chicken

Golden Continental Chicken is good with hot, buttered mashed potatoes.

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9e9311ca36594f2eee736e93ed065157

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 (2 pound) fryer, cut up
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • Dash of pepper
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 can cream of chicken soup
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/8 teaspoon poultry seasoning

Instructions

  1. Dust chicken with flour and a dash of pepper.
  2. In a large skillet, brown chicken well in butter.
  3. Mix cream of chicken soup, water and poultry seasoning, and pour over chicken. Cover; cook over low heat about 45 minutes or until chicken is tender.

The Reason why Men are Walking Away from Dating (Ep. 636)

https://youtu.be/0OS7MFKbYQc

It’s Hal Turner’s birthday today

Well, I didn’t realize that I was so much older than him until I read today’s post. He’s following the standard-life package. It doesn’t end well. You need to eat well. You need to exercise. You need to de-stress, and you need to stay active.

64 Today

64 Today
Today, Sunday, March 15, 2026, is my 64th Birthday.   What a ride this life has been.

For those of you who may be unaware, folks my age use different codes for text messages.  Below are the ones we use.  

Not all of them apply to me (yet) but some of them actually do!

Was going pretty good for the first 57 years, then things . . .  changed.

2019 - Myocardial Infarction Heart attack

-- Open heart surgery, four bypasses.

17 months later, in October 2020 --  SECOND Myocardial Infarction heart attack; two of the four bypasses clogged with Blood Clots.   

That second one was WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY worse than the first.

Never really got over that one; physical deterioration set in.  Muscle loss; especially in my thighs.   I used to have strong legs.  Strong like a bull.   No more.

Weight gain.

Arthritis in the hips, the knees. 

Easily winded by even walking short distances.  

Vision is going straight to hell.  

Hearing is worsening, noticeably.

Completely intolerant of fools, the ignorant, the stupid, and bullshit artists.

Thankfully, the older I get, the faster I can make those determinations!

By the time I'm dead, I'll be really smart!

The Earth Initiative

Written in response to: Set your story after aliens have officially arrived on Earth.

Sherri Moorer

“I can’t believe we gave these idiots the Internet,” Ugleck said as he shuffled through the streets of the crowded city, sweating in the uncomfortable human suit.“You should have used it to research modern dress codes,” Malook said, breezing through the street in her shorts and T-shirt. “People don’t wear suits anymore unless they’re in high-power occupations. We’re supposed to be civilians. You look funny.”“Everybody looks funny,” Ugleck said as a man with green dreadlocks bumped against him on the sidewalk. “Our climate research is also out of date. Did this rock get closer to the sun, or is global warming real?”“It’s real,” dreadlocks said.They turned to stare at the man.The man stared back, his pupils dilated. “It’s real, man. We’re all going burn.”“Shut it, hippie,” a man in a light-colored suit said, sloshing coffee as he juggled the paper cup and a cell phone where a voice droned on about – something. “That’s a conspiracy theory. It’s hot because it’s August. Summer is always hot. You kids think it’s something new, but it isn’t.”“Hey, man, that hurt. I’m offended!”The man tried to shuffle his coffee cup to his left hand to give dreadlocks an obscene gesture, but he dropped the coffee, which was promptly smashed into the sizzling pavement by a truck honking his horn and sticking his own hand out of the window in the same gesture.“How rude!” Ugleck said. “What’s happened to this society?”

“They suffered a pandemic three years ago that has resulted in widespread post-traumatic stress,” Malook said. “Our analysis shows a sharp decrease in intelligence and social skills.”

“And noise,” Ugleck said as they jostled against more people. “How much of a population reduction did the pandemic cause?”

“Nearly seven million to date.”

“How are there all of these people if that many perished?”

“The world population is nearly eight billion,” Malook said as she pushed open the doors to the small building discretely positioned between two high rises.

Ugleck took a deep breath through the small respirator in his human suit. “Finally, a beneficial invention. Air conditioning!”

They walked up a narrow case of stairs to a small office, where a dusty table and an old computer sat in the center of the room. Dust motes swirled in the sunlight filtering through the window behind the desk. Ugleck took a seat at the desk and booted up the computer as Malook pulled a rolling chair from the corner.

“Perhaps their social skills have declined because they’re using the technology we gave them at Area 51 to sustain the planet and the higher population.” Uglek hummed a low tone that vibrated in the air, clearing the dust motes and establishing the neural connection to the antique computer on the desk. It flashed to life, showing futuristic graphics across the screen. He tapped a key to project his search results on screens forming a circle around the desk.

Malook frowned as she studied the screens. “They haven’t advanced anywhere near our projections. There have been great strides in communications, but their Artificial Intelligence development is at least fifty years behind the projections we established for this race.”

“It looks like they’re using the Internet more for entertainment than evolution. Look at this.” Ugleck poked at a screen of a scantly clad woman screaming and pointing at a well-dressed man behind a counter at a restaurant. “And this,” he said, watching a woman bending over a laundry basket preparing to fill it at a gasoline pump. “Or this,” he poked at a screen of kids in cars swerving along an abandoned road. One car slammed into a building on the side of the street. A boy and girl jumped out of the car while it was still idling against the building. The girl buried her head in her hands and cried, screaming about wrecking her father’s car while the boy laughed like a maniac. “And how can waffles cause such disruption?” he asked as another screen showed a fight in a diner.

“They are not using our technology to evolve,” Malook said. “It’s having the opposite effect. They’re regressing.”

“This is an unintended consequence,” Ugleck said. “We thought they’d better themselves! They had such promise. What happened?”

“Different times,” Malook said.

“Earth is my project,” Ugleck said, waving his hand in the air to clear the screens. “If these people use our technology to destroy themselves, then the Grand Council will execute me. They tasked me with helping this species reach peak evolution so they could enter the Intergalactic Pact.” He leaned back, his human form deflating. “I’d annihilate them myself, but I hate to waste a good particle beam on this frying rock. And why bother when they’re doing it to themselves? Every other species evolves quickly. What’s wrong with this one?”

“Humans didn’t use advanced technology until the twentieth century, and then they experienced a boom. Their brains can’t keep up with what we’ve given them. Think about it, Ugleck. Every other planet we’ve discovered advanced on a smooth arc. The supreme beings evolved with their technology. This one made no advancements for thousands of years and then had a spike when we gave it to them. It isn’t normal. We should have known that this would fail.”

“Is there any hope to save ‘The Earth Initiative?’” Ugleck asked.

Malook emitted a high-tone hum to reboot the computer. More screens projected in a circle around the desk. “There are segments of this population working on Artificial Intelligence. Humans are increasing use of it in homes and all industries, even though it isn’t as evolved as it should be. They have some concerns about it outpacing them and causing their demise, but that seems to be widely regarded as a ‘conspiracy theory.’ There is hope for evolution.”

“Not for another century at least,” Ugleck said. “It’s moving too slow. If they don’t make greater strides soon, then they die either my their own hand or by our enemies roaming the galaxy. We were hoping they were the ones who could tip the balance of the galaxy in our favor. Instead, they’re dragging themselves down. How can we protect a race that ignores us?”

“Perhaps we need to rethink first contact,” Malook said.

“What do you mean? We already had first contact!”

“We had first contact with a former generation, who kept it secret,” Malook said. “Perhaps we need to start again, but do it a different way this time.” She studied the computer screens around the desk. “Can you access these AI networks?”

Ugleck’s human form inflated. “Easily. They’re still using binary code.”

“Shameful,” Malook said, “and they call this their twenty-first century. Quantum computing is still experimental too!”

“Maybe we can fix that,” Ugleck said. “If they won’t design the machines, then maybe the machines need to design them.” He emitted his hum again, causing the air to vibrate. The room splintered into fragments, and then further into pixels that swirled around them, absorbing the two aliens, the computer, and the entire building. An empty alleyway shimmered in the noon sunlight outside, the glitters falling to the pavement unnoticed by passersby with their heads bent to their phones.

“Did it work?” Ugleck’s voice asked, staring at the flashing lights around them.

“It worked,” Malook said as her human form fell away. “We’re in their Internet.”

“Let’s save ‘The Earth Initiative,’” Ugleck said as he shed his human suit and bound with an AI line of code to ride the wave into the system.

The Sheepman (1958) | REMASTERED WESTERN | full movie

Actually this is a WONDERFUL movie, and well worth your time to watch. Ah they don’t make em like they used to.

My shorts post on YouTube

Hopefully this will not be blocked like my others. Who knows who I will offend?

Sir Whiskerton and The Final Bow-wow: A Tale of Moonlit Melodies, Reluctant Waltzes, and Three Mice Who Dance to Nature’s Symphony


Act I: The Howl That Started It All

On a quiet evening at the farm, Rufus the Dog tilted his head to the moon and unleashed his signature soulful howl—a sound somewhere between a blues singer and a teakettle.

Tito Tango, leader of the Three Blind Mice, snapped his tiny fingers.
“¡MÚSICA NATURAL!”

Suddenly:

  • Paco Cha-Cha clutched his fake rose to his chest, swaying dramatically.

  • Carlos Conga spun his sombrero-tailed congas like a deranged maraca.

  • Even Gertrude the Goose, mid-complaint, found her webbed feet tapping.

Sir Whiskerton: “This is either beautiful or a public health concern.”


Act II: The Unlikely Orchestra

The mice transformed farm sounds into rhythm:

  • Porkchop’s mud squelch? A bassline.

  • Doris the Hen’s gossipy clucks? Scat singing.

  • An actual fart? A jazz solo. (“¡CLÁSICO!”)

Gertrude, despite herself, was pulled into a slow waltz by Paco.
“If you tell anyone…” she hissed, even as her wings fluttered gracefully.
“¡CALLADITA, MI GANSITO!” he chirped. (“Hush, my little goose!”)


Act III: The Moonlight Serenade

By midnight, the entire farm had joined:

  • Rufus howled the melody.

  • The mice tap-danced on a pumpkin.

  • Bessie the Cow provided “mood lighting” by glowing faintly (thanks to Chef Remy’s “experimental” feed).

Even the farmer, watching from the porch, shed a single tear. “Is this… art ?”
Sir Whiskerton: “No. It’s a biodigester explosion with better choreography.”


Act IV: The Final Bow-wow

As dawn broke, the mice took their final bow—right as Carlos Conga stepped on a rake.

BONK!

“¡AY, QUÉ DOLOR!”

The spell broke. Gertrude pretended nothing happened (but kept the rose). Rufus howled off-key just to annoy everyone. And the mice?

They were already composing their next hit: “Ode to a Suspiciously Warm Hay Bale.”


The Moral of the Story

Moral: Even unlikely things can harmonize—especially if one of them is a dog who thinks he’s Adele.


Post-Credit Scene

The mice launch a farmyard talent show. First act: A tumbleweed duet with Paco.

Best Lines:

  • “In Spain, we call this ‘flamenco meets flatulence.’” – Tito, adjusting his sunglasses

  • “I hate this… why is it fun?*” – Gertrude, mid-dip

  • “Nature’s rhythm is my rhythm!” – Carlos, sombrero spinning

Starring:

  • The Three Blind Mice (Tito, Paco, Carlos – Latin Fury)

  • Rufus (Howling Heartthrob)

  • Gertrude (Reluctant Diva)

  • Sir Whiskerton (Unimpressed Critic)

Key Jokes:

  • Paco serenading a wheelbarrow (“She understands my soul!”)

  • Tito’s “bullfighting” story changing nightly (“And then Picasso painted me!”)

  • Carlos using his sombrero as a portable toilet during dances (“¡PRÁCTICO!”)

P.S.

Remember: If life gives you unexpected sounds, just shout “¡MÚSICA NATURAL!” and cha-cha away.

The End.


Keep dancing (and dodging rakes),
The Sir Whiskerton Team 💃🐭

The Great Reset

Written in response to: Set your story after aliens have officially arrived on Earth.

Cecilia Englishby

Calli sat quietly, at least for the moment, within the four black-foamed walls of her recording studio. She was annotating some tabs with her right hand whilst she carefully held her precious Taylor guitar by the neck with the left, its body cradling in her lap.The visitors had arrived five days earlier, and she had found herself flushed with inspiration ever since. She and Snaggletooth, her little black Burmese feline companion, had spent the most of their time within the soundproof walls since Their arrival. He yawned at her, licking his lips as he blinked affectionately.“I suppose we must.” She sighed at him. She placed her Taylor in its stand, stood and stretched. He bowed low at her side, extending the base of his spine and tail skywards. She fished the small key from her pocket and unlocked the door; it took another minute before she actually opened it. Her anxiety had found her. Snaggletooth reminded her of the task at hand, providing a plaintive Meep just as he brushed up against her left calf.“You need to go, don’t you?” She grabbed the handle and opened the door. He trotted off in the direction of his litter tray. She followed, only just noticing her need to void her own bladder, and made a hurried dash for relief as well.As she washed her hands she heard Snaggletooth’s frantic scratches in his litter tray, he was covering his business with aggression. He had such a sweet and gentle temperament that the pure hatred he had for his messes always made her laugh.She turned on the news as she prepared dinner, but left it on mute. She needed neither the noise nor the information, she’d already had enough.Snaggletooth had been fed and was once more asleep in the recording studio, blending perfectly into the walls with his sable camouflage.Five days prior, six Spaceships had been spotted through the telescope of an amateur astronomer who posted pictures on every available platform. Within minutes, thousands more had joined them.The morning after, the first Official day… Those images were all over every news channel, and stayed there 24/7. They set a specific order for their display and maintained it the entire time.First – The Saucer: The most familiar looking, with amber and turquoise lights flashing beneath.

Second – The Scorpion: Complete with pincers and stinger, but no legs.

Third – The Beetle: It was the image of a colossal Mint beetle.

Fourth – The Architects: A large dish with a frame connected below housed an elaborate propulsion system.

Fifth – The Hexagon: All they could say for sure was that it was the biggest in the entire fleet.

Sixth – The Uber-Claw: A mass of forward facing spikes rested on a looming cycle-shaped vessel.

The second day saw reports and sightings on what they considered scout ships. They flew with impossible flight patterns that defied physics. Calli watched in fascination as terrifying information blazed a trail on her brain.

It was on the third day she turned the volume down, already tired of the bombardment… of the unknown and speculation. She did it after breakfast; the entire London Philharmonic Orchestra had disappeared. They had been practicing one moment, and were gone the next.

The executives engaged in a meeting regarding funding implored the government to take action.

On the fourth, humans did what humans do; they attacked. Nuclear missiles and bright atom-splitting flashes dotted their observations briefly, followed by decadent auroras that traveled for thousands of miles over the atmosphere. For hours, all electronics stopped working and the world waited. As the auroras dissipated and the planet reconnected, telescopes spotted six ships, sitting where they had been, completely unscathed.

On day five, Calli had written some of her best music yet. She’d happily allowed the distraction to spend her day for her.

She ate her dinner, but found she had little appetite. Hating to waste anything, she finished it laboriously… one ashen bite at a time. To help distract her, she played a recording of her earlier work. She had every intention of getting a few more bars down before she would go to bed.

She heard Snaggletooth’s distinctive Chirrup of hello. She looked back as he trotted over to be closer to the music….at least that was how it appeared to Calli. He lay down next to her phone, chirped again and blinked at her… purring in full force as he watched her finish dinner.

It was as she lengthily chewed on her final bite, reducing the matter into tiny fragments that might want to slide down her throat, that everything went sideways.

She had reached over to scratch Snaggletooth’s forehead. He responded in the cutest way possible by lifting his chin and pushing into her affections… then they both sort of… dematerialised.

She watched it happen to her Beloved, as well as her hand. It didn’t hurt; they just broke apart into their molecular components, essentially pixelating as matter expanded outwards from their centers. Light filled the spaces between and within the room equally… and somehow contained them.

Snaggletooth re-solidified before her eyes, as did her hand and forearm. She stroked his fur for a while, inciting lavish purrs as her fingers mussed his muzzle. It calmed her, as much as she could be calmed, and reaffirmed her of their shared existence.

She was in an empty room with cream tones. She had a bed, a toilet, shower, basin, three walls and a dark glass panel to act as the fourth. She was in a cage, one with a display panel.

Her breathing felt a bit rapid, but scratching Snaggletooth’s ears helped her keep her cool.

If this is a dream, then there is nothing to worry about. If it is not, then I am here and that’s just what I need to be dealing with now.

She repeated the words over and over, stroking whiskers, ears and shoulders absentmindedly.

“Well that wasn’t supposed to happen.” The voice sounded worried and came from behind her. She turned around and saw a small green Alien; like the type you saw on retro lunch-boxes; with the large heads, thin necks and glassy black eyes. The Dark glass was now transparent and Calli noticed many others in cages like hers, most of their panes dark.

The Alien drew her attention. “If you could just step away from the feline, I shall return it.”

Calli stepped in front of Snaggletooth, blocking him from the Alien’s view, not removing her hand from his shoulders. She was too overwhelmed, to full of words and ideas and complete terror to speak.

“Look.” It said, sounding official. “Pets and comforts will be decided later. From what I hear, it will be an improvement, so let’s get on with it.”

“Snaggletooth is perfect!“ Her voice croaked, finally having pulled enough intelligible words together to come out in sentences. “Where he goes, I go.”

“Leave it Deso.” A gruff and clicking voice came from Calli’s right. She tried to get a better look, but the owner was out of sight. “Orders from Aspect One are to keep our guests happy. I removed a canine from one the other day and he didn’t stop crying till I returned it.”

A moment passed between them in silence, then Deso nodded.

“That’s fine then.” He looked Calli up and down; then took a long look at Snaggletooth. He made some notes on a pad in front of him. “Your nutrition and information pack will arrive shortly. I have made suitable arrangements for your companion.” And with that, he hit an invisible button and the window went dark once more.

Within minutes, a small light she hadn’t known was there was flashing on the wall ahead of her. She stepped up and examined it. She stepped back, looking for lines in the walls but saw none. She pressed against the wall beside the light switch and found the desired result on the left hand side. A small panel, not much larger than her hand depressed into the wall, and with a click a large cupboard swung open. Within she found a litter tray and the best wooden litter. On the right sat a large binder and two identical silver platters, complete with domed lids.

She knew she had no right to be hungry but heard her stomach groan for sustenance. She lifted the lid and was greeted by the perfect creamy mushroom Tagliatelle.

She set it down and sorted out Snaggletooth’s litter tray first; then uncovered his platter to reveal fresh fish flakes covered lavishly in gravy. He sniffed the air once then meowed loudly. By the time she had set it down he was practically rumbling in anticipation.

He had devoured his meal by the time she had washed her hands and sat down to her own. Calli inhaled her dinner with similar gusto. Each swallowed bite felt like nutrients were flooding her body, restoring energy she was unaware of having lacked.

Snaggletooth had groomed himself at length; then settled on the bed, curling his tail around his face. Calli yawned as she set their dishes aside and settled next to him with the Information Pack.

It contained very little, like the file had been used for something else, and had just been copied and updated with a couple of anecdotes…. The only upside was that her anxiety had been quelled by bafflement and a full stomach. Each vessel had their own file and she quickly sorted them into the order she had become used to.

The Saucer:

Vessel Name: Kovai 315 – Housing Capacity: 5 Million.

Species: Dov’Lesian. The picture was that of the short green Alien with the large head.

Turns out that it was their scout-ship that crashed in Roswell in the 1947; Earth’s media had been drip feeding their image to the general public via films and such ever since so possible encounters at least provided some familiarity.

Ha! The movie Paul actually said the same thing!

The Scorpion:

Vessel Name: Crit-Shil Hefto – Housing Capacity: 7 Million.

Species: The Shias Mari. The picture showed a creature that looked vaguely like a praying mantis. She shuddered at the sight of its mandibles and moved on to the next file.

The Beetle:

Vessel Name: Falci: Densiari Class – Housing Capacity: 13 Million.

Species: Raftaisee. Their appearance was a little easier to take in. They looked like large bears with antlers; they wore sashes as far as she could tell, and had rich fur.

The Architects:

Vessel Name: Broad Nea 114 – Housing Capacity: 19 Million.

Species: Hapor. They were the closest to human yet. Their eyes were bigger, further apart and their brows heavier. Their skulls sloped backwards over their necks, supporting large brains. They reminded Calli of Neanderthals.

The Hexagon:

Vessel Name: Hexo-118.4.56 – Housing Capacity: 31 Million.

Species: Doh’Shixt. Calli felt her skin crawl and her spine twist as she stared at what appeared to be an over-sized hornet. She moved on from their file as well.

The Uber-Claw:

Vessel Name: Falcon Alpha – Warship – Housing Capacity: 23 Million.

Species: Human. She hastily pulled out the picture and there they were… Human! Her mind raced with the possibilities and she highly doubted her ability to sleep.

She put the folder down, got herself comfortable and yawned with no grace at all. Within minutes she had drifted off into a deep and dreamless sleep.

Snaggletooth’s incessant and aggressive covering of his scat woke her. She groggily took care of her own ablutions as he meowed at her to get rid of his mess.

“I don’t see a scoop buddy… It will have to wait till I can ask for one.”

They sat together for a few moments, feeling their restlessness grow within them. It was just as Snaggletooth was singing the most impressive Maaaaow that the light on the wall started flashing.

One quick push on the wall popped the cupboard open. Within she found two breakfast platters, a scoop and litter bags, some fresh clothes and a note to please put all used items back in the cupboard once done.

They must at least be listening!

They were halfway through breakfast, eggs on toast for Calli and a meaty bowl of broth for Snaggletooth, when the dark window activated. The same Alien from the night before stood before her.

“Morning.” He said monotonously.

“Morning Deso.” Calli replied, hoping she had recognized him correctly, and that they didn’t just all look alike to her.

“You know my name? ”He appeared to be wiggling in delight. “Thank you. Is there anything you need.”

“Um… No thank you.” Calli regretted her words instantly. “Um… wait. Ah…Why am I here? What’s happening? Can I have a guitar please? Why was ship capacity important? Are we all going somewhere?”

“Hmmm.” He said, narrowing his eyes rather impressively in his large head. “I can only answer the third question. Yes. As for the rest, you will find out.”

Before Calli could ask anything else, he deactivated her window.

A few moments later a guitar arrived. It was nice, but it wasn’t her Taylor.

The next nine days ran the same for Calli. Deso was kind but reticent; he gave her no new information. She occasionally saw others in similar boxes talking to their own Aliens. She had noticed and keenly observed the other species represented in the fleet.

The Hornets and Praying Mantises creeped her out… she studied them, but gagged whenever she looked at them too long.

Deso and his Dov’Lesian compatriots were the most plentiful, and they did sort of all look alike… only Deso appeared different to her.

She enjoyed watching the Bears run. It was so ungainly on two feet. When she asked why they didn’t just run on all fours, as she was told that it was forbidden when working in conjunction with bipedal species. The Neanderthals were among the rarest, and Calli only ever saw them from a distance.

As for Humans? She only ever saw them in cages similar to her own.

The morning of day eleven dawned and commenced as normal. Calli was midway through the best riff of her life when her window cleared…

She’d noticed the shift within her periphery, but had been so engrossed she ignored it for half a bar… then action and perception clicked into gear, completely out of sync. Her guitar screamed at her as she ran into the wrong note and ruined the entire thing.

She was actually angry as she looked at the window, then stopped short and held her breath.

A Human Being stood before her. Black hair, tawny eyes and skin, young and elegantly dressed in a navy uniform, emblazoned with two chevrons on either shoulder.

“That was rather beautiful.” He said casually. “Except for the end there, but that’s my fault.” Calli let her breath out in an explosive sigh. He just laughed at her. “Can we talk for a minute?”

She nodded in reply.

“Let’s start with your name?” He asked, not unkindly.

“Calli” She replied. “It’s short for Calliope. My mother loved Greek mythology.” She shrugged.

He didn’t respond. Calli stood there for a moment; then found her voice.

“Why am I here? Where am I? When can I go home? What’s happening?” It all rattled out of her like a mudslide. He held his hands up, smiling as he tried to stop her.

“Right… I think I can do this in order. First; you are here because you are a musician.” He put a hand back up as Calli had taken an interrupting breath. She stilled, but felt the energy of her words bubbling below her tongue. “Second; you are on the Dov’Lesian ship along with other Artists. Painters, musicians, authors, so forth. Third; you can go home in a few weeks’ time, perhaps a bit longer. It will depend on how quickly we get our task completed, but things are going well, so sooner rather than later.”

Calli remained silent, and wondered if he had forgotten the fourth question. He had looked at her with a pensive expression on his face.

“The last question is harder to answer. If I am to put it down for what it truly is, and I think I should, it will be harsh… Essentially, we’ve already exterminated 60% of your species. When that’s done, we’ll fix a few things… then return you.”

Calli’s mouth fell open in pure shock. She felt feint.

“You are a seed planet; one specifically engineered and maintained for our amusement.”

“Amusement?” Calli’s head tolled with his words as they reverberated in her skull.

“Think of yourselves as Our Streaming platform. Earth 13.11” he was smiling again, just as kindly as he did before. If he knew of the devastation he wrought, he simply didn’t care. “We use Jupiter’s magnetic field to actually bounce your footage back to us.”

“That’s disgusting.” Was all she could manage; her intellect had been replaced by the sure knowledge that 60% of the remaining population was already dead, and there was nothing she could do to save the other 40%.

“Not really. What’s been Disgusting is the quality of Earth’s content of late. Careers end as jokes are told, your films lack variety; we tire of politics, superheroes and dystopian endings. And let’s not get started on how you’ve ruined your internet… the entire planet’s collective knowledge at your fingertips… now flooded with misinformation. I am sorry, but if we leave you to proceed as you are, we will have another Dark Age. Then we…”

He droned on, but she had stopped listening completely.

Calli sat back down, and reached to scratch Snaggletooth behind the ears. She felt numb and distant.

“Well, I’ll get going then. Have a good day!” He said cheerily. The window had been left clear. She stared out numbly and saw everyone else’s windows also left open.

They’re faces only served to expose her own tumultuous emotions…

Pictures

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Honey Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry

Honey Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry

Prep: 10 min | Cook: 25 min | Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 cup College Inn® Light & Fat Free Chicken Broth 50% Less Sodium
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes
  • Garlic powder (to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons low-salt soy sauce (light)
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon ginger, finely chopped
  • 1 cup rice
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil
  • 4 cups baby spinach, washed

Instructions

  1. Season chicken with garlic powder, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, salt and pepper if desired.
  2. Combine remaining soy sauce with broth, cornstarch, honey and ginger; set aside.
  3. Prepare rice according to package directions, using College Inn Chicken broth for the water.
  4. When rice is almost ready, cook chicken in oil over medium-high heat in large skillet, 5 minutes.
  5. Stir in baby spinach. Cook for 1 minute.
  6. Stir broth/cornstarch mixture, and add to skillet. Cook, stirring constantly until sauce is thickened and translucent.
  7. Serve chicken and spinach over rice.

Nutrition

Per serving: Calories: 378 Calories from Fat: 0 Grams Total Fat: 5g Saturated Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 66mg Sodium: 510mg Total Carbohydrates:49g Fiber: 1g Sugars: 9g Protein: 31g

Iran Just Sank a U.S. Destroyer — First American Warship Lost Since WWII

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