Here’s a Quora post that I made…
You are a mouse. A smart, observant, well-fed mouse in a comfortable room. You know where the crumbs are, you have your little nest in the wall, and you’ve mapped every shadow.
Now, an elephant has been let into the room.
This is not a calm, grazing elephant. This is a confused, enraged, and wounded elephant. It is trumpeting, crashing into the walls, swinging its trunk, and stomping its feet. It doesn’t hate you, the mouse. It doesn’t even see you. You are beneath its notice.
But you are in the room.
The elephant’s problem is its own size, its pain, its broken memory. Your problem is that you share the same floor space with 10,000 pounds of rampaging, blind force.
This is not a metaphor for a tough economy or bad politics. This is the allegory for our geopolitical moment.
- The room is the global system—the interconnected web of trade, finance, and diplomacy.
- The elephant is a great power in systemic crisis, lashing out in all directions, driven by internal contradictions it can no longer manage.
- The mouse is everyone else—nations, businesses, families, individuals—trying to live their lives on that same fragile floor.
The elephant’s actions are not rational from your mouse-sized perspective. Seizing tankers, invading neighbors, testing red lines—these aren’t chess moves. They are the walls shaking. The goal isn’t victory in the old game; it is the shattering of the game board itself.
So, what is the single most important piece of advice for the mouse?
Get out of the room.
Not in panic. Not in despair. With the quiet, deliberate urgency of a creature that understands physics.
- Stop watching the elephant. Your fascination with its every snort and stomp is a distraction. The news cycle is the elephant’s soundtrack. Your job is to listen for the sound of splintering wood, not analyze its trumpet.
- Identify the mouse holes. These are your exit routes. They are not grand ideologies. They are tangible, actionable preparations:The Geographic Hole: Is there a physical place less likely to be stomped? This isn’t about patriotism; it’s about structural safety.The Financial Hole: Do you hold assets in a currency or commodity the elephant can’t devalue by sheer weight? Is your wealth tied to the floorboards?The Community Hole: Are you connected to other mice who are also mapping exits, or are you surrounded by mice arguing over which part of the elephant is most magnificent?
- Move now, while the paths are clear. The time to find the hole is not when the wall it’s in collapses. The elephant’s rage is not linear; it is accelerative. What looks like “stable chaos” today can become catastrophic collapse faster than any mouse can react.
This is not fear-mongering. It is the opposite. It is the removal of hope from the wrong place. Hoping the elephant will calm down, or that a zookeeper will arrive, is a luxury for a creature of your size. Your hope must be placed in your own legs, your own map, your own quiet exit.
The elephant will not save you. The room will not protect you. Your safety lies in recognizing that you are in a room with an elephant, and acting on the only piece of logic that matters in that scenario.
Find your hole.
And go.
Today…
Why did the China Air Force (PLAAF) not order more J-10C but more focus on J-35,J-20 and J-16 orders? 10 more answers
People really don’t seem to understand the difference between a light and heavy fighter…
To illustrate this, here’s the two most popular and numerous heavy and light fighters in the world today: the F-15 vs. the F-16
As you can see, the size difference is huge. You can use the human pilot as a reference.
So… why is the heavy fighter so much larger?
Simple explanation: (Beyond Visual Range) BVR combat is the new meta
This means that what matters most in a fighter is not the ability to dogfight, but the ability to carry a huge radar (which requires a big nose cone), lots of big long-range missiles, and lots of fuel. Therefore, the ideal fighter is now the size of a WWII bomber.
All else being equal, a heavy fighter will beat its light fighter counterpart in an air to air engagement.
—
J-10: CHINA’S FIRST AND ONLY LIGHT FIGHTER
The Chinese J-10 is a light fighter, roughly the same size and weight as a F-16. It was developed at a time (1990s) when the PLAAF simply did not have the technical backbone to design a proper heavy fighter to compete with the F-15. Back then, the PLAAF was only just importing a few Flanker variants and trying to figure out how it all worked.
The J-10 entered service back in 2003 and was hailed as the first indigenously designed Chinese fighter (despite the rumors that it was copied from the cancelled Israeli Lavi project). Back then, the J-10A still had an old pulse-Dopplar radar and a single Russian engine. In fact, it was this Russian engine, the AL-31, which was designed for a twin engine heavy fighter, that limited the weight of the J-10.
But by the J-10B model in 2014, the radar had been upgraded to a modern AESA, and the engine was (eventually) upgraded to the domestic WS-10, the first real jet engine China ever designed and produced.
And finally in 2018, the J-10C was introduced with an upgraded AESA radar and the WS-10B (intro 2021). This C variant is considered the “definitive” version of the J-10 program, and no further major upgrades are expected for the platform. Furthemore, no manned light fighters are in the pipeline to replace the J-10 as far as we know.
Yes, there have been rumors floating around for a few years about a possible J-10D, but I don’t find these credible. There’s not much to improve upon the C variant at this point, and the PLAAF is focused on heavy stealth fighters, not 4th gen light fighters.
The J-10C, notice the diverterless intakes that dramatically reduce RCS
This means that the J-10 will be the one and only Chinese light fighter.
It was a product of the limitations of Chinese industry and technology at the time, and subsequent developments in both have made the platform largely obsolete. This is why the J-10C is widely exported, unlike the Chinese Flankers which are kept at home.
At the end of the day, the J-10 was never designed to take on the USAF or USN in any serious capacity. Sure, it can take on the latest F-16s with no problem, but against a proper 4th gen heavy fighter like the F-15E, it will struggle due to its smaller radar. Of course, if it is operating with EW radars, then that’s a different story, which is how it was able to shoot down those Rafales (which is technically a “medium fighter” but intended for heavy fighter roles).
Some have cited its limited operational range as a reason for it not being focused on, but that’s not the answer. The range can be easily extended with drop tanks and mid-air refueling, which is how the F-16 often gets around.
—
J-16, A TRUE HEAVY FIGHTER
The J-16 is an entirely different beast. Unlike the J-10, it was meant to take on the American F-15 even before it became Chinese.
The American F-15 Eagle was the first true BVR heavy fighter. It astonished the Soviets when it was first introduced in 1976. The Soviets rushed to come up with an answer, the Su-27 Flanker. Unfortunately for the USSR, it would not live to see the Flanker come into full maturity. By the time the Flanker was entering service in real numbers in 1990, the USSR was months from collapse.
Even in 1990 the Flanker was behind the latest versions of the F-15 in terms of avionics and radar. The only thing it had going for it was its excellent airframe that gave it extremely good flight characteristics despite being a “heavy” fighter. In a straight dogfight, the Su-27 could give even the F-16 a run for its money. But of course, dogfights were never the point.
The Russians would go on to improve the Flanker into the Su-30 and later Su-35, as well as the ground attack variant, the Su-33. None of these can seriously compete with the likes of the F-15E or EX simply because they lack an AESA radar. In a straight head to head, the F-15 will always look first and shoot first.
In the 1990s, China bought some Flankers from Ukraine Russia and reverse engineered them. There’s a lot of controversy in this story, it’s complicated, but suffice it to say, the PLAAF benefited enormously from taking apart the Flanker and putting it back together with a whole host of indigenous upgrades.
The ultimate product of this reverse engineering is the J-16, a Super Flanker.
It improves upon the Russian Flankers in 3 critical ways:
- AESA radar – this is huge
- Almost entirely composite airframe – making it lighter and giving it a better power to weight ratio as well as operating range, and reducing RCS
- Modern avionics and datalink, allowing it to network with the entire airfleet and missiles. This was how the Pakistani J-10C shot down the Rafales. It wasn’t using its own radar.
Combined with the excellent long-range PL-15 missile, the J-16 is entirely capable of taking on any variant of the F-15. It’s not better than the F-15EX in any substantial way, but it’s also not worse.
If war kicks off with the Americans tomorrow in the Pacific, the J-16 will be backbone of the PLAAF. There are still believed to be more J-16s than J20s, though the latter is closing the gap rapidly.
A good introduction to the J-16. Though it really undersells the importance of the J-16’s GaN AESA radar. That advantage alone puts it ahead of the Su-35 with its PESA radar in a BVR fight
In a White Room
Written in response to: “Imagine a world where exploration is forbidden, and write a story about a character who defies this rule to satisfy their innate curiosity.“
Marisa Billions
The door is locked and I can’t go anywhere. My meals are brought here. My pills are brought to me here.
No one talks to me.
I don’t even have books to read.
I’m not allowed to have anything. All I can do is sit or lay on my bed and watch as the room darkens with the movement of the sun that I’m not even allowed to look out at.
This is torture to me. I don’t even know how long I’ve been here now. Based on the shagginess of my hair, it’s been a while. I used to have a clean undercut. But that has grown out by at least an inch. I can only imagine how scruffy and ragged I must look.
I used to be wild. So wild. I did what I wanted and went where I wanted. But now, I’m confined. A caged bird stuck in a white cell with nothing to even sing about.
The pills they bring me do little to take the edge off. My mind races all the time.
I pace sometimes. I jump and try to see out the window.
I yell. I sing songs I remember hearing on the radio. I talk to myself. I recite passages of books or movies I had seen before being trapped here. It passes the time sometimes, but usually, it just incites my rage because I’m starting to forget. I’m slowly losing the memories of outside. I’m becoming dulled by this lack of stimulation.
And then, just like that, it’s night again. The lights are dim. The nurse I hate most comes in. “Clara, it’s time for your evening pills.”
“Fuck off. I don’t want them.”
“Sorry you feel that way,” She mumbles.
She’s not sorry. I can tell.
“Open up.” She hands me a paper cup with the pills.
“I can’t take all of these at once.”
She rolls her eyes. (I thought nurses were supposed to show compassion.) “Take them however you need to.”
I take one pill at a time, and chug water from the paper cup with it. Before I’m halfway done with the pills, the water is gone.
“I need more water,” I informed the nurse.
She gives an exasperated sigh, and turns to leave. I stealthily follow behind her with my cup of pills.
Before the door snapped closed behind her, I jammed a pill into the lock where no one could sense it. She wouldn’t know I didn’t take all of them. I don’t know which of the eight pills I’m required to take twice a day I was sacrificing, and I didn’t care. I checked the latch, and it held.
I ran back to my bed and sat patiently waiting for the nurse to return.
She came back in with a fresh cup of water. “Thank you Nurse Wretched.”
“I think you mean Ratchett.”
“No. You are worse. You are Wretched. It was intentional.”
She rolled her eyes again, and I swear she probably saw her brain, and I downed the rest of the pills in one swallow. She hastily left.
I sat and waited for lights out.
Once all of the lights dimmed (they never go all the way out) I made my way back to the door and pulled the handle slowly and looked out into the hallway. It was quiet and there was no one present. Just a long hallway of sealed doors.
I padded along the hallway slowly and carefully.
The light overhead flickers and I freeze and stifle a laugh. I can see the nurses’ station at the end of the hallway, circular and surrounded by monitors and charts. One nurse is sitting there, scrolling on her phone absentmindedly.
I crouch low and scurry behind the desk. She is so distracted on her phone she doesn’t notice me at all as I spot a set of keys left haphazardly on the counter. There’s a key card attached to the lanyard, one that is used to go through security doors.
My luck is too good tonight. I make a mental note that if I make it to the street, I need to play the lottery.
My hand snakes up to the counter and I noiselessly get the lanyard into my grasp. The entire time, my breath is held and my eyes are glued to the distracted nurse. She’s giggling at a video that is playing before her eyes.
I pad my way quietly down another hallway. This hallway has the janitor’s closet, laundry, and the meeting room that has crime scene tape blocking it off. That was the meeting room where I killed my court appointed therapist a few days ago. I opened it with the key, the coppery smell of blood hung in the air, and it was still blood spattered. They had yet to clean it up. I’m sure it had been photographed already, more evidence against me.
I giggle to myself looking at the paintings I created in her blood, swirls and flowers that were bright red when I painted them, now dark brown and dry. I close that door and head over to the laundry and let myself in. I should feel bad that I killed the pretty therapist. But I don’t. I don’t regret anything I’ve ever done. The plethora of therapists I’ve seen say I lack empathy. They call me a sociopath and a narcissist and there’s a long list of other diagnoses. I don’t know that I disagree with them, necessarily. But I also don’t care what they think. I guess that makes me textbook. But whatever.
I stripped out of my white inmate pajamas and put on a pair of a dark blue scrubs that the cleaning crew use as a uniform.
There’s no shoes, but how often will someone look at another person’s feet?
I put the lanyard around my neck and head down the hallway. The nurse is still on her phone, and now a security guard is leaning over the counter peering down at her phone with her. They laugh at whatever is on the screen. He makes an excuse to reach over and touch her hair. He obviously likes her. He’s so absorbed in her, and she in her phone, I continue to go unnoticed as I slip into the stairwell.
I open the door to the floor below mine and head to a random room. I use the key card and open the door and look inside.
An inmate is laying on her bed, sleeping soundly in her white pajamas. She’s so drugged it’s almost as if she’s dead. I watch her sleep for a minute, but I’m bored.
I close the door and wander the hall opening doors and looking for someone who is awake. I strike out with each room I peer into, but I do find the room where the pill machine is kept. I look at the ID card and see it is for a nurse. I laugh out loud as I swipe the card over the machine and suddenly all of the uppers and downers they use to ply us patients with is at my disposal.
I unload handfuls of the uppers into my pockets after ingesting a few. I’m not trying to die, I just want to have fun.
I look at the clock on the wall, I know they do bed checks sporadically throughout the night. I wonder how much time I have to get outside. But I don’t want to go alone. I hate being alone. I’m alone all the time in the room.
For a moment, I almost regret killing Dr. Bennet. I would have liked to show up at her house if I make it out of here. But, she was leaving me. I was going to be alone. I didn’t like that.
They still haven’t found another therapist for me. Everyone is afraid of me, I guess. I really don’t mean to hurt anyone. But in the moment, when I’m angry, well, I just can’t control it. Oh well.
I keep going down the hallway opening doors until a nurse comes down the same hallway to do bed checks. There is nowhere for me to go. I smile at her. “Is this the floor that called for the clean up?” I ask thinking she will buy it that I’m a janitor who is hoping to be in the right place.
“Um. No.” She looks at me confused. “Where’s your cart? … And your shoes?” The lightbulb goes on over her head. Her eyes get big.
I just laugh and take off running. My sock feet make it hard to gain traction and I don’t have time to stop and remove them. I scramble past her, but she has shoes with rubber soles and traction. She’s also got a few inches on me and reaches me quickly, tackling me to the hard floor.
I’m still laughing as my head hits the floor. “Ouch!” I’m gasping for air as I’m pinned to the floor by the nurse. She manages to pin my arms under her knees as she sits on my chest. This could be fun if circumstances were different, but suddenly I realize the gravity of the situation. She’s pulled a radio out of her pocket and she’s contacting security.
“C’monnnn.” I beg. “Please don’t do that.” I writhe under her trying to buy some leverage, but it’s to no avail, my sock feet keep sliding against the floor as I try to buck her off of me.
She doesn’t even look at me, and she refuses to speak to me. My anger is mounting, but it goes nowhere. Two security guards have appeared and the bite of the needle is in my hip and my world goes black.
The next thing I’m aware of, is being back in my white cell. Was it worth it? Absolutely. Will I try again? Of course.
Heartland Meatballs and Cabbage
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Dash garlic powder
- 1/2 cup fine cracker crumbs
- 2 eggs
- 1 medium head cabbage
- 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can tomato soup
- 1 can water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 thin slices lemon
Instructions
- Combine ground chuck, salt, pepper, garlic powder, cracker crumbs and eggs, and mix well. Form into 12 balls and set aside.
- Separate cabbage leaves. Place 1/3 of leaves loosely in bottom of casserole dish.
- Put 6 meatballs on cabbage, then another layer of leaves, remainder of meatballs, and top with remaining cabbage.
- Cover all with tomato soup and water.
- Sprinkle top with sugar and lemon slices.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 1/2 hours, adding more water if necessary.
- Remove lemon slices before serving.
Hot Butter – Popcorn – 1972
Col 29-Book 511 – Sir Whiskerton and the Case of the Opinionated Sofa
A Tale of Cushions, Convictions, and the Courage to Be Unapologetically Uncomfortable
It arrived on a Tuesday—not with fanfare, but with a thud, a wheeze, and the distinct odor of peppermints and regret.
Big Red, mid-chase with Rufus (who was still working through the existential implications of his honey-glaze phase), skidded to a halt.
“Ooh! Shiny!”
“Shiny? That’s upholstery, Red. And it smells like… poor life choices.”
The sofa sat upright in the Disneyland of Debris, one leg slightly shorter, left cushion dented like a sigh that had given up halfway through. Crimson velvet, slightly frayed at the seams—not worn out, but well-spoken.
Big Red poked it.
The sofa cleared its throat.
“Ah. Visitors. Let me save you time:
— Your posture is tragic.
— That raccoon smells like a cry for help wrapped in a glitter bomb.
— And you, ma’am? You’d look stunning with a feather boa. Just saying.”
Big Red gasped. Rufus took three steps back and hid behind a rusted wheelbarrow.
Doris, passing by with her clipboard and a thermos of Emergency Calm Tea™, paused. Read the sofa’s label:
“Clyde. Model: ‘The Cassandra.’
Warning: May offer unsolicited life advice. Not liable for spontaneous self-reflection.”
She fainted directly onto the right cushion.
Clyde did not flinch.
“Finally. Someone with spine. And fainting technique. B+.”
Chaos, as it does on the farm, ensued.
- Bessie attempted Downward Cow on his armrest.
→ “The vibes are… confrontational. I like it.” - Genghis tried to nap on him—was gently but firmly rejected.
→ “I admire your ambition, hedgehog. But your spines and my springs have a fundamental disagreement.” - Quack Feng arrived, red armband crisp, clipboard in hand.
→ “Citizen Clyde. Your presence violates Section 7, Subsection D of the Barnyard Aesthetic Accord.”
→ “Ah, Quack Feng. Still mistaking ‘rules’ for ‘wisdom.’ Tell me—does your spreadsheet weep when you delete Column Z?”
Quack Feng blinked. Paused. Whispered: “…Only on Tuesdays.”
By dusk, the farm was divided.
Team Sit argued: He’s not hostile—he’s honest. In a world of “fine,” his “terrible, darling” is a kind of grace.
Team Evict countered: He called my hat “a betrayal of silhouette.” That’s not critique—that’s war.
Sir Whiskerton did not intervene.
He waited.
And when the moon rose, silver and soft over the Lavender Patch, he walked alone into the debris field—monocle gleaming, tail high, heart open.
He sat.
Not on the right cushion (where Doris had fainted).
Not on the firm middle (where Quack Feng had stood, rigid).
But on the left—the sigh-shaped one—where the springs groaned like old friends remembering a shared sorrow.
Silence.
Then—Clyde, softer:
“…You sit like a cat who’s seen too much. Comfortable in the weight of it.”
“It’s a gift,” Whiskerton murmured. “And a burden.”
“Same cushion. Different springs.”
A firefly landed on Clyde’s arm. He did not shoo it. Did not critique its flight pattern. Did not suggest it try landing with more intention.
He held it.
Like a thought worth keeping.
Like a truth too tender for commentary.
The next morning, Big Red returned—this time with a teacup, a feather boa (borrowed from Count Catula), and a question:
“Clyde? What’s your take on rainbows?”
Clyde considered.
The sun caught the dust on his armrest, turning it to gold.
“Overrated,”* he said.
Then, after a pause:
*“…But the way they make you stop and look up?
That part’s perfect.”
And so, Clyde stayed.
Not by permission.
Not by vote.
But by invitation—offered in silence, accepted in a shared sigh.
He became the farm’s unofficial Minister of Unpopular Truths, Therapist to the Over-Enthusiastic, and Style Consultant to the Chronically Misaligned.
His reviews:
- The Scarecrow’s new hat: “Bold. Needs more hat.”
- Chef Chloe’s Cloud Collapse Cake™: “A triumph of controlled failure. Serve with extra napkins and hope.”
- Sir Whiskerton’s monocle: “Dignified. Slightly smudged. Like its owner.”
And on quiet evenings, when the farm hums in C-sharp and the stars blink slowly, you’ll find Whiskerton sitting beside him—not speaking, just being.
Because sometimes—
the most radical act of belonging
is not to agree…
but to sit beside the truth,
and say:
“Tell me more.”
How common is divorce after 30 years of marriage? 44 more answers
I can tell you what I’ve seen with friends and family.
I went to many weddings in my twenties. Watched them travel. Then settle down. Buy a house. Have kids. 20, 30, 40. Then into the 50s.
Here is something I was surprised to hear when they spit.
“We were just waiting for the kids to be grown and out on their own. For our parents to not be around to see this. This marriage has been dead for a long time. We haven’t had sex for over a decade. We’ve got nothing in common anymore. .”
I had no idea they were living like that. Always putting up a good front and happy face in public. Inside the house it was just dead.
Between family, friends, coworkers. I saw a bunch of those.
So they divorced. They weren’t fighting. They didn’t hate each other. Just over.
I saw the ones that stayed together under those conditions. Mostly to keep home equity going. Not screw up pensions and retirement accounts. Some for religious reasons. Basically almost like strangers living together.
Out of the thirty weddings I went to in my twenties? Four of them are still together. Some have remarried. Some are living with someone.
At 62 I decided to try online dating. Lots of the women I met were just getting out of thirty year marriages. Not enemies at all with their exes. Just nothing there for a long time.
Great career. Adult children educated and successsful in their own. Fit, lovely, charming.
Same story. Marriage had been dead for years.
So? Common? Yeah.
SO MUCH FUN!!. | FIRST TIME HEARING Kc & The Sunshine Band – Keep It Comin’ Love REACTION
Funky. Fun.
What would happen if the US Delta Force try to overthrow Chinese President Xi Jingping just like what they’d done to President Maduro of Venezuela? 23 more answers
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No geopolitical expert here but I believe in such scenarios, as with hostile corporate takeovers, there is something called an “Escalation Matrix” to be considered
The key questions
- What reaction will a certain aggressive move in the market cause?
- Would the cost of the impact of the reaction be worth the aggressive move?
- Would the aggressive move actually cause indirect or direct benefit ?
Under the escalation matrix, the States believed that
- Maduros removal would lead to a collapse in Venezuela of the socialist government, allowing possible US controlled regime change
- Maduros kidnapping would not lead to significant escalation beyond Diplomatic noise that the States could absorb quite easily
- Maduros kidnapping could benefit the States by potentially installing a Pro American leader
In short this was a low risk, low escalation scenario, so the matrix allowed a favorable verdict
Kidnapping Maduro would cost long term erosion of credibility but the high possibility of short term gains in President Trumps omnipotent look to his base of voters & a Pro American Venezuelan leader outweighed everything else
Iran is a bit more complicated
- The Ayatollahs removal could lead to a collapse in the Revolutionary government
- However it could harden the entire Shia muslim community against the Christian “Trump” and even other Muslims in the world against the States
- It could lead to anarchy for several years in Iran, possible shift of preliminary nuclear weapons into the hands of warlords
- Toppling the Regime in Iran, could make things worse and the possibility of even greater hostility exists
This is a higher risk, higher escalation scenario but once again, if the regime collapses on its own , the States can then take appropriate actions with the possibility of maximum gains (Iranian Oil)
China is the toughest escalation matrix there is
- Xi Jinpengs removal will not change anything within China. They have very strong institutions, a complete centralized apparatus that governs more than a billion people
- Such a move will harden the entire Chinese population against the States, escalate militarily to an ‘Invasion and Act of War’
- The Communists will see this as a threat to the entire 1949 revolution and the fundamental existence of the Communist Party.
- The States gains virtually nothing in the process
- The possibility that the Communists replace Xi Jinpeng with a aggressive hawkish replacement is extremely high
This now becomes ‘One mans ego’ versus ‘Survival of an entire communist system’
There are no possibility of any gains. There is Zero possibility of a Pro American leader, in fact it is more possible that anyone who even praises the States would be removed from any position they hold
There is possibility of total supply chain freezes, complete halt to key critical materials, militarization of the Straits of Taiwan, South China Sea and a direct military confrontation with a great power, with over 500 nuclear warheads
Every nation in Asia, including US allies would lose rather than gain by such a situation including India, who doesn’t need a hawkish PLA general sitting in Beijing and deciding Xi Jinpeng was too soft to worry about growth and technology.
It is a Zero gain, Maximum Loss scenario under the escalation matrix
Gains are absolutely none and losses could include 50 million Americans in a nuclear conflict and the end of the world as one knows it.
So all of Trump’s generals would refuse to implement such a scenario
Precisely why China does not do anything beyond diplomatic noise for Maduros kidnapping. It is not cowardice or lack of gumption. It is because the escalation matrix is not favorable
- Military conflict with the States in that part of the world (Latin America) is heavily stacked against China and a ‘Military Defeat’ would look catastrophic to Xi Jinpeng who might have to resign. Even a walk back or backing down after commencing military action would be seen as a defeat. Something Trump or Modi can do more easily in a functional democracy.
- Maduros removal alone means very little to China, who have a lot of financial networks, investment networks within Venezuela, all of which could take a long time in being replaced
- The net value of these investments would be in the ball park of 50 Billion Dollars, a sum China would have already assessed as highly possible for seizure, several years earlier. An insignificant sum to a Nation that could generate 2 Billion Dollars every day in trade surpluses
- There would be no loss of face to China, who could simply use the narrative “We uphold International Law” to the Chinese people, who are not directly impacted by Maduro in any way, nor by Venezuela
Military confrontation in Venezuela is a High Risk, Minimum Gain scenario
So China would simply decide “It is not worth it”
They would take the same action for an Iranian regime change
—
The Trade war was when the Escalation Matrix for China changed
When President Trump imposed 145 per cent tariffs, China knew escalation was warranted and immediately imposed a rare earth ban
The States backed down almost completely because in every single scenario, China would survive and grow but the States would face intense economic pressure
The matrix to China was a moderate loss, maximum gains scenario which is why they retaliated with escalation
—
Life isn’t ‘Fast and the Furious’ 😊
In every scenario, major players draw up escalation matrices and make key decisions
One wrong move could mess up everything
Officer Lost His Cool After They Found Her 6yr Old Abandoned On Highway
Have you ever taken a class just for an easy A, and how did that decision change your opportunities in college or beyond? 4 more answers
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Yes. When I thought I had graduated college in 1969, I got a letter from the university stating that I had taken too many hours in my major, so I had to take any one class to graduate. They took no responsibility for their counselor who had approved my schedule.
So I decided to take the easiest summer school class I could find. And there it was, a freshman level course, Linguistics 103. An easy A.
in class we had to learn all sorts of arcane linguistics terminology, such as morpheme and phoneme. I easily memorized all of them for the test and my A. Today I have no recollection of what any of them meant.
Then the second half of the class was even worse. They gave us a fake language with ever increasing grammatical rules and we had to translate into this ersatz language that nobody had ever used. I did that as well and nailed that A.
As a reward, the Army immediately reclassified me as 1A and drafted me. Vietnam was now on my horizon. Probably not an easy A.
But they gave us a battery of tests in Zero Week of Basic to determine our aptitude for Army missions. And to my surprise the DLAT (Defense Language Aptitude Test) was a made up language that started easy and then got more and more complicated. I had been training all summer to take this test!
Unlike my 250 fellow traines, only one of whom had been to college and many were high school dropouts from the Appalachian hills and the inner city. I was the only one to finish, maxed the test (a repeat A), and was offered Vietnamese Language School. That led a a combat tour in 1970–71 as a Vietnamese qualified field interrogator with the First Cav on the Cambodian border.
Vietnam
And inspired me to study Chinese in law school on the GI Bill when I got back. Which also led to several job opportunities as a Chinese speaking international lawyer.
Associate Professor of Law, Chinese Culture University, Taiwan, 1978–79. Taught US law in English and Chinese. There I was the person who got to give out the As. But no easy ones.
Cover of textbook I authored in English and Chinese on Basic Principles of U.S. Law.
So that easy A paid off for both my military and civilian careers.
Routine Welfare Check Uncovers a Massacre And a Disturbing Lie
Bait and switch
Military YouTubers have been farming the Trump-class announcement for prime content, but all the videos are more or less the same: endless mockery… which, to be fair, is exactly what the program deserves.
But Binkov’s video stands apart. He proposes a theory about the true nature of the Trump-class that I think makes a ton of sense.
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TLDR
Binkov thinks that the Trump-class is a Trojan Horse meant to funnel money to the real goal: the DDGX
In case you forgot, this is the DDGX:
It’s the proposed design for the US Navy’s replacement for the Arleigh Burke. It’s a solidly conventional design layout with no crazy ideas or tech overreach. Honestly speaking, if the USN can make a good faith effort, the DDGX could be a decent warship in line with international standards.
The problem is that the DDGX wasn’t getting the funding it needed, and the program is now stalled. So rather than trying to convince Trump to fund a “small” 12K ton warship, the USN and Pete Hegseth hatched the idea to bait Trump with a “big battleship” program which will actually be developing components for the DDGX. This way, when Trump leaves office in 3 years, the groundwork for the DDG will have already been laid, and Trump’s successor can take it over the finish line.
The U.S. Navy’s New DDG(X) Destroyer Is Circling the Drain
This… actually makes sense. And you would be shocked at how often this kind of thing happens.
Oftentimes in military development you will have a political leader who thinks he knows best and enforces poor design decisions. In order to get around these stupid restrictions, the professional military men will trick the political leader into funding a good project by baiting him with a fake project that’s designed to appeal to him.
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The classic example is how the Wehrmacht tricked Hitler into funding the development of the MP44, the world’s first good assault rifle by telling Hitler that it was actually a submachinegun. Even the name, “MP44″ means “Machinepistol 44”.
The MP44, or StG44 was developed only by tricking Hitler into thinking it was an SMG and not a rifle
It was only when Hitler saw glowing reviews from the front about this new “automatic rifle” that he realized he had been duped and accidentally funded a rifle program (which is what he didn’t want to do). Fortunately for the Wehrmacht, Hitler responded quite reasonably and leaned into the idea, authorizing further mass production of the MP44 and even giving a new name: “Sturmgewehr 44”, which translates to: “Assault Rifle 44”.
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CLUES TO THE REAL PURPOSE OF THE TRUMP-CLASS
IMO, there are 2 big clues:
- The proposed radar is much smaller than what you would expect from a ship that size. It’s essentially an upgraded, but not upsized version of the latest Arleigh Burke radar, which is exactly what you would expect to be mounted on the DDGX, and not a 35K ton monstrosity.
- The powerplant is a conventional diesel plus gas turbine combo that’s very popular with modern warships. However, if the Trump class really were to mount a railgun, it would need a nuclear reactor. So the decision to forgo the reactor means that the railgun is purely a way to satisfy Trump’s obsession with big guns, it’s not intended to ever be realized.
Basically, if you were to cut out the various components of the Trump-class, you could easily slot them into a DDGX. In fact, they’d fit much better in a DDGX.
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IT’S ALL MOOT
Unfortunately for the Americans, regardless of how they spin the DDGX program, it is about 15 years too late even if it were to start producing ships tomorrow.
The coming showdown with China will occur long before the first DDGX hull hits the water. Realistically, given the Trump-class detour, the first DDGX won’t finish until around 2040. There is absolutely no way that Beijing would not have moved on Taiwan by then. And even if Beijing really were to wait that long, the PLAN would be so much more powerful by then that any US Navy program will be inconsequential.
After Taiwan, whether or not the US decides to intervene, China will have satisfied its one and only maritime strategic goal. It’s not going to move on the Philippines or Okinawa or any other American “ally” in the region. That’s just not the Chinese way, as demonstrated by the past 4000 years of Chinese history.
Why did Fisker fail as a company? 1 more answer
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The usual reason. Despite a billion dollars in capitalization, it ran out of money before it reached scale.
You can say they were dummies, didn’t have experienced people, or foster nepotism (Henry Fisker’s wife was an executive at the company…), but the reality is that the overwhelming majority of new automotive companies fail. Almost all successful automotive companies were started before the second world war. Honda was the only exception…until Tesla.
Of course Fisker failed. The chances for success were almost negligible.
People forget how close Tesla was to dissolution. Jason Calacanis, one of the hosts of the All-In podcast (and very successful businessman), recounted having dinner with Elon Musk and offering to lend Elon a couple of million dollars. Elon refused, saying Tesla wouldn’t last the week. Calacanis settled for giving Elon an order for the first two Model S Teslas.
Somehow, Elon found some money and Tesla kept moving forward, even though it would be many years until the company was out of the woods. Calacanis eventually took delivery of the two Model S cars, which may be worth quite a bit of money at this point if he still has them.
What it comes down to is that this is the wrong question. A better question is, “Why did Honda and Tesla survive?”
Ultimately, it is a game of inches.
Jensen Huang just announced the intention of developing a rival product to Tesla FSD, Alpamayo which is an identical technology stack to Tesla’s. This is just the latest in such announcements as every automobile manufacturer emulates everything Tesla does.
The problem Nvidia will have won’t be obvious to casual observers, but as Musk commented, “It’s easy to get to 99%.”
As a daily user of FSD, I can attest to this. That last one percent is a very long tail. Each version of FSD is a substantial improvement, but the need for improvement remains obvious. There simply is not short cut through billions of miles of training data, which Tesla continues to accumulate and which continues to allow Tesla to travel down that long tail to an ever-improving autonomous driving experience.
Those inches make a big difference in the final analysis.
Why for example, does the Ford F-150 consistent outsell its rivals (again in 2025)? It’s not significant better than a Chevrolet Silverado, but those minor differences, accumulated over decades, have built a brand loyalty that is hard to overcome. Similarly, once a brand screws up, it’s very hard to recover. I will never buy a Hyundai because several of my friends with Hyundais saw their engines blow-up. That’s a pretty serious deficiency in the engineering of the vehicle and no amount of incentives or amenities makes up for that from my perspective. The irony is, even if Hyundai solves whatever problem caused those failures, I still have that bad taste in my mouth.
Basically, Fisker failed to met expectations, which are higher and higher every year as our engineering and manufacturing gets better across the board. That is all to easy for any startup.
Pictures
Experts Crack How Maya Astronomers Accurately Predicted Solar Eclipses
Revolutionary research has finally unlocked the secrets behind one of ancient astronomy’s greatest achievements. The Maya civilization possessed the remarkable ability to forecast solar eclipses with stunning accuracy for over 700 years, using nothing more than careful observation and mathematical genius. A groundbreaking study published in Science Advances reveals how these Mesoamerican sky-watchers developed and maintained their sophisticated prediction system through the famous Dresden Codex.
The Dresden Codex, the most complete surviving Maya manuscript, contains an intricate eclipse prediction table spanning 405 lunar months. For more than a century, scholars struggled to fully comprehend how this ancient document worked. Previous studies couldn’t explain the table’s underlying structure or the mechanisms Maya astronomers used to keep it updated across generations. But according to Phys.org, the new research fills in these missing details and overturns long-held assumptions.
A Calendar Born from Divine Time
Researchers discovered that the 405-month cycle wasn’t originally designed for eclipse prediction at all. Instead, it emerged from a lunar calendar carefully aligned with the Maya’s sacred 260-day divinatory calendar. Using advanced statistical modeling, the research team demonstrated that the 405-month cycle’s length of 11,960 days aligns far more precisely with the 260-day calendar than with actual eclipse cycles. This sacred calendar, used by Maya priests to divine individual fates based on birth dates, became the foundation for understanding celestial events.
“Mayan calendar specialists anticipated solar eclipses by correlating their occurrences with dates in their 260-day divinatory calendar,” the researchers explained in their paper. The eclipse table evolved directly from this correlation between lunar cycles and sacred time. By tracking patterns where eclipses occurred on similar dates within their religious calendar, Maya astronomers could identify the mathematical relationships governing these celestial events. The 11,960-day period equals exactly 46 cycles of their 260-day calendar, making it far more useful for calendar harmonization than eclipse tracking alone.
Eclipse table pages from the Dresden Codex showing sophisticated astronomical calculations spanning 405 lunar months. (Public Domain)
The Secret of Seven Centuries
The researchers solved the long-standing mystery of how the Maya maintained prediction accuracy for over 700 years. Previously, scholars assumed that once a 405-month table was complete, astronomers would simply start a new one from the end date. However, mathematical modeling against a historical database of actual solar eclipses visible to the Maya between 350 and 1150 AD revealed a far more sophisticated approach. The Maya used a system of overlapping tables, resetting new cycles at precise intervals of either 223 or 358 months before the previous table ended.
This clever system corrected for small astronomical errors that accumulated over time. Without these adjustments, the predictions would gradually drift away from actual eclipse dates. The research team found that by restarting tables at these optimal intervals, maintaining a ratio of four resets at 358 months for each reset at 223 months, Maya astronomers could predict every observable solar eclipse for centuries. This level of mathematical precision rivals modern computational methods, achieved without telescopes, computers, or even metal tools.
The study also revealed how Maya astronomers recognized eclipse “families” – groups of eclipses occurring at 88-month intervals. All 55 intended prediction stations in the Dresden Codex belong to one of three distinct families, each following this pattern. This organizational principle, combined with their understanding of the 520-day near-recurrence of eclipses in their sacred calendar, formed the backbone of their predictive system. According to the researchers, observations made over roughly three passes through a 405-month cycle would have provided sufficient data to develop this framework, suggesting functional eclipse tables existed by approximately 550 AD.
The Mayan Calendar and the Yugas from the Ancient Origins Store.
Mathematical Genius Without Modern Tools
The achievement becomes even more remarkable when considering the constraints Maya astronomers worked under. As far as is evidenced, they had no concept of the heliocentric solar system, no understanding of gravitational mechanics, and no optical instruments to magnify distant objects. Their tools consisted of careful naked-eye observation, meticulous record-keeping, and extraordinary mathematical sophistication. The Maya mathematical system, including their use of zero and vigesimal (base-20) counting, enabled calculations spanning centuries.
The researchers note that Maya astronomers used a ratio of 1,447 days to 49 months as their computational model for lunar cycles. This ratio, accurate to within seconds of modern measurements, allowed them to project lunar phases far into the future. The choice of 405 months as a cycle length reflects deep understanding of numerical relationships – it’s the first month span in their counting system that equals exactly a multiple of 260 days when calculated using their 1,447-day ratio. This mathematical elegance suggests the table emerged naturally from their broader calendrical studies rather than from eclipse observation alone.
Analysis of intervals between historically observed eclipses in Maya territory shows remarkable agreement with the Dresden Codex stations. The most frequent interval between observable eclipses was 669 months – exactly three “saros cycles” of 223 months. This triple-saros pattern became especially reliable for predicting not just when eclipses would occur anywhere, but when they would be visible from the same geographic location. Maya astronomers in the Classic Period would have witnessed this pattern repeatedly, reinforcing their mathematical models with empirical verification.
Top image: Maya eclipse table pages from the Dresden Codex showing sophisticated astronomical calculations spanning 405 lunar months. Source: Public Domain
By Gary Manners
What are the shocking things you found out as a foreigner in Greenland? 1 more answer
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Greenland is technically part of Denmark, but it is a whole different world and so far away from Denmark that I consider it an autonomous country. And the one most shocking thing that I discovered about Greenland is that it has the highest suicide rate in the entire world. By far.
There are posters scattered across Nuuk and other parts of Greenland that warn against suicide, and how permanent it is and about how much anyone committing suicide would be missed. There is also a hotline that depressed people can call. But it doesn’t seem to be helping.
The reasons for all the suicides are elusive. The darkness is frequently given as a reason but the other Nordic nations have widely different suicide rates that don’t direct corelate to their latitudes. And the suicide rate in Greenland actually increases in the summer months.
The isolation is a possibility, or perhaps the sense of helplessness and feeling of being trapped without much hope of advancement. Maybe it’s dysfunctional family life, or perhaps the rampant alcoholism. Who knows.
The majority of the suicides are young men, usually by hanging or guns, but that’s not necessarily uncommon, because Iceland also has a much higher suicide rate among men than women. Other countries have a similar rate and others have more suicides among women.
Greenland is a unique place that is difficult to understand. It’s cold, dark, isolated and harsh. I found it to be one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to. But I suspect visiting Greenland is a whole lot different from actually living there. 🙁
There aren’t many flowers in Greenland, but that makes the ones that are there seem more beautiful. Photo by Anna Kristian.
How does public transportation in the USA compare to China? What would you do to improve it in the US? 18 more answers
I lived in New York for few years, and then moved to Shanghai for two years because of a job transfer. This experience gave me a very intuitive understanding of the public transportation systems in China and the United States, and also rethought the reality and future of our public transportation in the United States.
Let me first talk about my first impression: When I lived in China, I hardly needed to own a car. This is a subversive experience for an American. The subway in Shanghai is well-connected, and you can find an entrance almost every two or three hundred meters. It is punctual, high-frequency, clean, and cheap. When I took the subway at Hongqiao Railway Station in 2019, the App showed that a train would arrive in 2 minutes, and that train came almost to the second. In contrast, I often have to wait for more than ten or twenty minutes when taking the subway in New York, and I am not sure whether the bus will come as scheduled.
If New York is one of the cities with the most developed public transportation in the United States, the situation in the Midwest is even worse. My hometown is in St. Louis, Missouri. Except for the sparse bus lines in the city center, you basically have to drive everywhere. The bus runs once an hour, and if you miss it, you can only wait. When I was in high school, I wanted to take the bus to work, but because there were too few buses and they were often late, my boss finally said directly, “Why don’t you just drive your dad’s car?” Over time, young people here have accepted that it is difficult to move without a car.
China is completely the opposite. In cities such as Chengdu, Xi’an, and Guangzhou where I have been on business trips, the subway network is as dense as a spider web. According to data at the end of 2023, more than 50 cities in China have subway systems, with a total operating mileage of more than 10,000 kilometers, far exceeding the total subway mileage in the United States. More importantly, these lines not only serve the city center, but also extend to the city’s edge and satellite cities, truly achieving equal transportation.
Some people say that China’s high population density is suitable for subways, but I think this is an excuse. Los Angeles has a population of more than 13 million, but lacks a decent subway system. The reason is that we have lacked strategic investment in public transportation systems for decades. The political cycle is too short, and leaders prefer to engage in visible image projects rather than time-consuming and slow-acting subway construction. At the same time, the layout of American cities relies heavily on private cars, and highways cut cities into pieces, making people lose confidence in public transportation.
What’s worse is that many Americans have never experienced truly efficient, comfortable, and modern public transportation, and mistakenly believe that public transportation = cars for the poor. I still remember that when I took the subway in China, the office workers in suits, college students wearing headphones, and mothers pushing strollers around me all took the subway quietly and orderly, and there were even WiFi and charging ports. At that moment, I realized that public transportation is not a last resort, but an advanced, environmentally friendly, and decent way of traveling.
If you want to improve public transportation in the United States, I would suggest starting from the following aspects:
First, build a regionalized and networked transportation plan from point to surface. We can no longer rely on the scattered routes designed decades ago, but to establish a high-speed rail or rapid commuter network between metropolitan areas. For example, the Boston-New York-Washington Corridor is fully capable of building a high-frequency and punctual intercity express line in imitation of China’s Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway.
Second, use technology to optimize operations. Almost all cities in China have implemented bus and subway code scanning, accurate positioning, and real-time arrival reminders. We still rely on the 20th century system in this regard. When I went back to Chicago last year, the subway card could not be bound to the mobile phone, and the car information had to rely on a third-party app, which was a very poor experience.
Finally, and most importantly, Americans need to see and experience the public transportation systems of other countries in person. Only by experiencing it in person can you know that we are not the best in the world in some aspects. This is not shameful, but it just shows that we have huge room for improvement.
I am not saying that the United States should copy the Chinese model, but China does provide us with a non-Western success story. It shows that if the government is determined and the society has a consensus, public transportation can quickly improve the efficiency and fairness of the entire country.
How wide does a river have to be in order for cargo ships to navigate it? 8 more answers
The below picture is from the Manchester Ship Canal with the ship «Kristin Knutsen» where I was 2nd mate. We did a voyage to Stanlowe Refinery in 2007.
To enter the canal, we had to pass through a lock that was 24m wide. The ship was 23m wide.
The «transit» part of the canal gave us abt. 10m of clearance on either side of the ship, which is really nothing at all. But some fascinating hydrodynamic effects assisted in keeping the ship in the middle.
Quite amazingly, we did half ahead on the engine, and 8 knots through the water. But only 2–3 knots over ground.
You can see the extreme water flow along the river bank when the ship pushes through the water.
I need to say that the Pilots of the Canal are of the most professional and skilled people I have ever met.
30-Minute Cauliflower Chicken Soup | Easy Anti-Inflammatory Recipe
Today I’m sharing a super easy anti-inflammatory recipe for a delicious cauliflower chicken soup! This homemade soup recipe is light, flavorful, healthy and loaded with anti-inflammatory foods. Perfect healthy dinner idea for busy weeknights as it’s ready in around 30 minutes, this clean eating recipe is also low carb, gluten free, dairy free and paleo.
How This Soup Happened
So, this month I’m working on an exciting new project: an ebook with anti-inflammatory recipes. I’ve been wanting to do this for such a long time, we’re talking since pretty much the beginning of my blog and I’ve been putting it off and putting it off like there’s always a tomorrow. Finally doing something you’ve procrastinated for such a long time just feels empowering and I’m done with the motivation for today. We don’t wanna get too preachy here. I definitely go through phases, you know? Sometimes I’m like give me all the motivation you can and tell me about personal development, focus, self discipline and, oh, yeah, throw some voodoo, law of attraction and vision boards in there, because the world isn’t complete without them. And then there are times when I’m just like: “Shut up.” I’m definitely in the “shut up” stage now. And it’s a pretty good one. If you want something done, stop consuming motivational podcasts and books and videos and quotes for a while. How this chicken soup recipe turn into eternal self help talk is a mystery to me.
So, yesterday I was doing my round of recipes and my photo shooting exercises to make sure my lower and upper back don’t get too comfortable without being in pain, and I made this delicious soup. I honestly did not want to share it here, because, well, I’m kinda stingy and want to keep all the recipes I’m making for the book. I’m like a little squirrel holding tight onto a nut. No this one, not this one, not this one…But then, I just can’t. I can’t keep too many recipes away for too long. Listen, or read, I made this with the chicken I cooked 2 days ago and it was comforting, light and delicious and super healthy and it’s perfect for this season, so I decided I’ll share it right here right now. Hopefully, some of you will make and like it.
Ingredients
Let’s see what’s inside:
- cooked chicken, shredded
- cauliflower
- ginger
- turmeric
- mint
- onion
- garlic
- carrot
- black pepper
I didn’t have any fresh cilantro or lime leaves, but if I did, I’d definitely throw those in too! It would be really delicious.
How To Make This Cauliflower Chicken Soup
Pre-Step: The first thing you do is to go back in time and cook your chicken and keep the broth. I cooked 2 chicken breasts and used one for a recipe the other day and one for this soup. How to cook it? Add the chicken breast to a cooking pot, a pinch of salt, cover with filtered water and boil. Seriously. You can season later. After the chicken breast is cooked, keep it in the fridge until you need it.
Step 1: And we need it right now, it’s time to take two forks and shred the chicken. I never got how people shred chicken with a food processor or a mixer. Can’t do that. 2 forks and patience will get you very far in life.
Step 2. Wash and prepare your vegetables. Get ready because you’ll have to practice some important life skills, but your hands will also go through some spa treatments. First, you’ freshen up your fingers with some onions and garlic. Then you’ll practice your ability to not cover your floor and counter with cauliflower while you’re chopping it in small pieces. Then you’ll deep massage your fingers while grating some fresh ginger. Finally, you’ll have to face the facts that every soup has victims and you’ll peel a carrot and chop it into million pieces.
Step 3. Heat up some olive oil and add garlic, onion, turmeric and black pepper. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Then add in the cauliflower, a pinch of salt and 2 cups of the chicken broth you saved earlier, cover and cook for about 5-7 minutes.
Step 4: Add some more vegetables – the carrots, mint and ginger and cook until they soften. This took around 3-4 minutes. Then take out a hand blender, which I’m sure you have at home, but probably never use. Use it more. You can do so many things with it – dips, smoothies, soups like this one. Use it, mkay? So take that tool out and blend the soup halfway through. This will make it thicken without making it too smooth.
Step 5: Add in the chicken, some more chicken broth and cook for 5-6 more minutes, so that the flavors combine. Add more stock, salt and pepper if you feel the recipe needs.
And that is it.
This soup is super easy to make, great for busy days, loaded with anti-inflammatory foods, low in carbs, light and delicious. I hope you enjoy it.
Here’s the recipe.
Yield: 2
At what point did armies stop using armor (plate, chain mail, etc.), and what was the reason they stopped?
It never really fully stopped, it declined in wide use and full-body coverage but otherwise it just changed form. Somewhere around the 1600s (though it changes a lot depending on place) you see armor becoming thicker but less full cover.
We can look att the cuirassier as an example since they existed from the mid 1500s all the way up to WW1.
In the early 1600s we have armor like this:
The legs aren’t as fully covered any longer but otherwise it is still well covering. Note the bullet proof in the chest from it being tested with a pistol at point-blanc range.
In the late 1600s it’s more like this:
The breastplate is still thick enough to take a shot but most of the other armor has been exchanged for a buff coat. A thick piece of leather armor that is mainly used against bladed weaponry and some shrapnel. Up here we like to use Elk leather for the fancy ones.
Pop over to the napoleonic wars and we have this armor for the cuirassiers:
A Breastplate and an open helmet, which btw hadn’t really changed by WW1:
The only change is the colour of the pants really.
Then we get a big change in what we count as cavalry, you see now the mobile shock troops isn’t horsemen, it’s these guys:
A bunch of these are after all called an “Armored” division and it is definitely plated armor with people in it.
So in that regard we haven’t really stopped. And even for the individual soldiers we still use plates in armor today
The Modular Tactical Vest with inserts is in a way just a modern era Coat of Plates.
Use has diminished and we don’t really wear armor on our entire body anymore though. The reason for that is that battle priorities have changed. Guns, artillery etc has made it so that armor needs to be much heavier to be effective, in the meanwhile battles kept becoming larger and larger meaning armor got unreasonably expensive if you wanted most of your troops to have it, add to that the increased mobility of battles, the increased dependency on the ability to see and hear stuff and even the diminishing line between what counts as in and out of battle for a soldier. Armor tires you and if it isn’t even guaranteed to stop almost all attacks anymore it starts becoming more trouble than its worth.
30-Minute Anti-Inflammatory Cauliflower Chicken Soup Recipe
This is a super easy anti-inflammatory recipe for a delicious cauliflower chicken soup! This homemade soup recipe is light, flavorful, healthy and loaded with anti-inflammatory foods. Perfect healthy dinner idea for busy weeknights as it’s ready in around 30 minutes, this clean eating recipe is low carb, gluten free, dairy free and paleo.
Ingredients
- 8 oz/ 250g chicken breast, cooked
- 2 1/2 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 1/2 tbsp ginger, grated
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried mint
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt and more black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp olive oil, onion, garlic, turmeric, black pepper and saute for 2-3 minutes in a small cooking pot.
- Add the cauliflower and 2 cups of chicken broth (or water and some salt). Cover and cook at medium-high for around 7 minutes.
- Add the ginger, mint and carrot and cook for another 5 minutes or until all the carrot has softened. Then, blend the soup halfway using an immersion blender. This will make the soup thicken, but won’t make it too creamy
- Add in the chicken, salt and pepper if needed and about 1 more cup of broth (or water). Cook for 5-6 more minutes allowing the flavors to combine, add a tbsp of olive oil and serve. *
Notes
* You can adjust the thickness of your soup by adding less or more of the broth.
Why is algebra still taught in schools in 2025 when you never need to use it in real life? 133 more answers
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This kind of mentality explains why I was so astounded to learn that a huge number of GRE (graduate SAT/”entrance exam”, if you will) prep students were impressed by simple algebra, commenting that they “would never have figured that one out” themselves. Or why parents get stumped when they look at their children’s math homework even though most of it are so basic. “Oh, I don’t use it, so I don’t care and I’ll forget it once school is over!”
First of all, algebra is a stepping stone to more advanced math that some people with very high-paying jobs will need to master. These people make your cars, airplanes, electronics, work in banks, do science research, and many other things that make the modern world what it is today. So if nothing else, there’s the use.
Sure, I doubt there’s any job in the world in which your boss will literally yell, “Solve x^2 – 50 = 14 to get your paycheck!” because that’s not how the world works.
On the other hand, if you see a discount sign at a store saying “3 for $5.50” and comparing it to the individual price of $2, you’re already doing algebra in figuring out if the package deal is worth it. Same thing if you’re looking at a burger + fries + drink meal of $12 vs $8 burger, $3 fries, and $2 drink. Or if you’d get a monthly vs yearly streaming subscription. Or figuring out the best way to finance your car and your house.
So, if you want to be a dummy who gets cheated of their money at every turn and made to look stupid in front of 5th graders because you can’t do simple math while people who are glad to have learned algebra like me prosper, be my guest.
And if you’re going to retort, “oh, I have AI and smartphone apps to do all that!” They can be wrong too, you know, especially AI.
The Endless Horizon
Written in response to: “Imagine a world where exploration is forbidden, and write a story about a character who defies this rule to satisfy their innate curiosity.“
Julia Zhipa Philippova
Luna startled. She looked at the woman.
– Oh dear, you are so pale. Do you think you are feeling alright? I think we need to get you to the doctor.
Luna crumpled, lowered to her knees, and started to throw up. The woman helped her by holding her shoulders tightly. She whispered to her:
– You are OK. Just breathe.
Luna was exhausted when her mom brought her to the doctor. They checked her blood pressure, temperature, did some regular tests, and imaging this time. Luna wasn’t scared at all. She was reading a book, then the next one, and the next. The woman was sitting near her bed and looking at her. She was silent. Her eyes were full of tears, but she didn’t say any words. Luna was pretending that she didn’t see what was going on with her mom. She was calm.
– You know, mom, this book is my favorite.
– Why? – the woman moved closer to the bed and peeked inside the book.
– Because this little bee was free. She made her way go anywhere she liked. She found some good friends, then she lost them. But she kept moving forward, towards her dream. – she suddenly stopped.
– What was her dream?
– She wanted to see the world even if it was impossible for such a little insect. She wanted to learn more about herself, to find her purpose.
The woman hugged the girl. She kissed her head and lay down with her.
– Have you ever thought about traveling anywhere? – the girl’s body felt weak. She looked into the woman’s eyes and rested her head on her hand. – There must be something amazing in this world, like that swirling sand out there. I don’t believe what they are saying, our teachers. Have you ever been there?
– No, darling. I have not.
The woman hugged her tighter and tucked in the throw to make her a bit more comfortable. Her hands and feet started warming up.
– Have you ever wanted to go there?
– No, darling. I have lived here my whole life, learning that our survival depends on what we do. We can only survive by staying together. But if somebody decides to leave the flock, they will not be able to make it.
– Who said that? Do you really believe in it?
The woman closed her eyes, sliding under the throw. Luna felt warm and toasty. It was a good sign that the situation was under control now. They were silent for a few minutes. Luna turned to her mom and closed her eyes too.
– I feel trapped here. I do not belong in this place. You know that.
– No, darling. I think we are all here because we have to be here. We have a purpose.
– We don’t have a purpose. We live, we die. We do nothing while we are alive.
– That’s not true.
Luna has always been a bit skeptical. She was smart, the smartest girl in her class. She liked sitting in front of the window, staring into the distance and thinking about something for hours. Sometimes it seemed she was a statue. She didn’t blink, she didn’t move, she didn’t even say anything. She was traveling in her head. She pretended that the stories from her book were alive and she was the main character traveling through the pages of these books. She was a great scientist today, and an explorer tomorrow. Luna was very creative and she started writing her own book. She didn’t show it to her mom, not because she didn’t want to, but because she wasn’t sure her mom would approve. They were just different but she loved her.
– You know, you are a terrible liar. Our daddy was a traveler. I know that. And they punished him for it. That’s why you pretend that you are just nothing in this world. You live your simple life without him because… because you are afraid. Afraid to lose me.
– Luna, please stop.- The woman stood up. She burst into tears, covering her face with her hands. Luna didn’t make a move. She was still, with her eyes closed.
The woman was surprised by this dialogue with her daughter. It was something that came up unexpectedly. She lost her husband many years ago when Luna was 2 years old. It’s been 5 years since they lived without him.
– You will lose me anyway, so why lose your dream. Do you think they can dictate what you can do and what not? Who are they?
– You’re too smart, girl.
Luna didn’t answer. She took a deep breath and her heart rate dropped. The doctors came into the room quickly, made an injection. Luna started breathing a bit faster but heavily.
– It’s happening. Sorry. Unfortunately, we can’t do anything. She is dying.
Luna was lying on the bed in a star pose, giving a good look at her almost transparent skin through which you could see the ribs.
– Thank you, doctor.
The woman asked him to leave and give them some time together. He nodded, agreeing to return in ten minutes, and left the room quietly.
– Luna, stand up. Can you hear me? Stand up. We don’t have time.
She held her under the arm, another hand hugged her waist. The woman was trying to pull her to the outside of the room.
– We have just 10 minutes, Luna. That should be enough.
– Enough for what? – the girl couldn’t speak clearly. She opened her eyes and closed them again. Her legs were very weak and she hung on her mother like a bag. They were rushing through the corridors to the stairs, moving as fast as the woman could.
– To set you free like that little bee. You are free, my girl. In your mind, in your soul, in your thoughts. You can travel as far as you want. You can be whatever you dream about. And you are right, nobody can tell you what to do. I was scared. I am scared now. But I love you. Love you so much.
The woman was struggling. Her hands were tired but she kept pulling Luna. They hastened through the corridor. Stairs loomed ahead. Ten minutes. Only ten minutes left. They made it up two staircases already, one more left.
They were standing in front of the door. Just one move and they are outside. The door is unlocked because if you leave, you leave. You can’t come back anymore. You are just out of the flock. You are on your own.
Her husband is somewhere there. Maybe he found a better life, maybe he died. Maybe he is waiting for them.
The woman took a small step forward and placed her hand on the handle.
– Do not do this, mom. I am dying but you are not. Your life is here.
– No darling. My life is with you. I want to set you free because you want this. And I want to be by your side until the very end. And then…
– What then?
The woman paused:
– Then, I don’t know. But I will find out, right? I will join you when my time comes.
– I love you, mom.
The women unlocked the door, knowing once opened, there’s no return. The air was dense and stuffy. Sand made it impossible to see where they were going. Luna was weak. She was moving slowly, mostly pulled by her mom. Luna’s legs trembled with each step, her breaths short and sharp against the stuffy, sand-filled air, making each moment outside seem surreal and distant. They both were tired. But they kept moving. Luna was a little brave girl and the woman tried to be like her.
– I love you, darling.
The darkness ended. The wind disappeared. They were sitting somewhere in the middle of the desert. Luna was lying in the woman’s arms with her eyes closed. She didn’t breathe.
– We are free, Luna. We made it. This sunrise is amazing. I can tell. You were absolutely right.
She started crying, patting Luna on the head.
– I am here with you, my little brave girl. Love you, sweetheart.
What is the maximum legal temperature that coffee can be served in the United States?
This is a misunderstanding of what is probably the most misunderstood lawsuit in American history, Liebeck v. McDonald’s Restaurants.
First, you need to know that old-style McDonald’s coffee cups looked like this:
If you ordered coffee with cream or sugar, you’d get a fragile, easily-folded cup like this with a thin plastic lid, and containers of sugar and cream. You had to add them yourself.
You also need to look at the interior of a 1989 Ford Probe. Notice anything missing? Yeah, no cupholders. I have no idea why it took car manufacturers decades to figure out the value of cupholders. You could buy plastic trays that sat poorly over the console…
So 79-year-old Sheila Liebeck was in the passenger seat of her son’s 1989 Ford Specul… uh, Probe, and they went through the drive-thru at McDonald’s. Sheila’s son pulled over so that she could put cream and sugar in her coffee. Sheila held the coffee cup between her legs (because that’s all you could do), opened the cup, and accidentally tipped and squeezed the cup, spilling the coffee over her groin. She received significant third-degree burns and went into shock.
She asked McDonald’s to help offset some of the medical bills and lost income. They refused, offering a token amount. So she sued and was awarded $160,000 in compensatory damages and an initially very high punitive award that was later reduced to about 1/5 the initial amount.
McDonald’s lost because their employees made them seem callous, and their internal reports made them seem reckless. They even lied on stand about why the coffee was served so hot, and were called out by their own materials that the plaintiff got through discovery.
But the real issue and the thing that changed was not the temperature, but the cup. Notice the lip of the cup above? It’s barely there. Holding that cup between your legs without squeezing it so hard that it spills is very difficult. Cups today have strong, rolled lips and stronger bases. You can still crush them, but it takes effort; it wouldn’t happen by accident.
It isn’t practically possible to serve coffee at 212F (100C), nor would anyone want to. An espresso in a cup will be no hotter than 180F (82C), but you probably won’t actually try to drink it before it gets down to ~150F (65C). Typical black coffee (or an Americano) is served at 160–180F (71–82C). A latte would be served closer to 150F (65C).
Lawsuits against companies for product liabilities are routine in the US. It’s common for companies to engender some risk in producing/selling products and services, knowing that they will have some legal exposure. McDonald’s could serve their coffee at 120F (50C), but then people wouldn’t buy it.
McDonald’s lost an unknown amount of money in eventually settling the suit, but let’s call it $500,000. That year (1994), McDonald’s profit was about $1.1 billion. Had they not lost the lawsuit, their profit would have been about $1.1 billion.
And (edited to add; I forgot this fact), McDonald’s did not change the temperature of their coffee.
Footnotes
Why the Chinese Defence Plan is Unbeatable
