Times change.
You know, and things that were normal to you at one place and time, seem strange in another.
Consider 1962 Connecticut, USA compared to 2024 Zhuhai, China.
Back then, everyone had a set of bongo drums. Pictures of extra big-eyed boys and girls hung on the walls. Men would get their shoes shined on the sidewalk and a “spit shine” was common. My cousins played the accordion, and my father would play the harmonica after dinner. I had a “Red Ryder” wagon that I pulled behind me everywhere, and a cowboy hat and a cowboy pistol that had a cap gun with these round red rolls of noise makers. We would eat wax lip candy and pretend to smoke gum that looked like cigarettes.
Today, everyone carries a cell phone. You pay in QR, and use face scanning to enter buildings and clock in at work. If you are hungry you get some dumplings or some mian (Chinese spaghetti). It’s pretty quiet as many vehicles are electric.
But, you know, some things never change.
Both in the 1960's and today, the world worries about a nuclear war between the USA and Russia.
And somethings stay the same, but change in odd ways.
Cuba broke away from USA influence, and became communist. Taiwan is in the process of breaking away from USA influence and will become communist.
It’s so easy to get caught up in all this. I guess it’s our nature. Let’s not be so darn manipulated that it affects our health. Let’s just get on with our lives and give the finger to the rest of the world. What do you think? Eh?
Today…
Is there a fake Rolex that is so perfectly made that it can’t be spotted?
I really shouldn’t answer this question but, somehow, I can’t stop myself.
When I was a young man I desperately wanted a Rolex Submariner so, through a friend in the military with access to his base duty free store I got one at a price I could afford. He just wore it and walked through the customs’ check at RAF Lyneham: happy days all round.
He brought all the memorabilia with him – posh box, certificate et al.
I nearly exploded with pride.
The Rolex proved to be the biggest load of watch rubbish I have ever owned.
It didn’t so much tell the time as give its best estimate. On a good month, it was three minutes out. Bad months were even worse.
At the end of the year, I went to have it serviced and the bill was extortionate – absolutely daylight robbery.
So, an utterly crap time keeper and Rolex agents simply conning guilible customers that they are getting some super exclusive service.
In my mind, I can’t see any reason to wear a fake Rolex which just advertises the fact that you have been conned into thinking that you are getting something special.
Now, if you really want a special watch – something uttterly incredible, let me introduce you to my Casio.
I paid £65 ($80) six years ago for it. It never leaves my wrist no matter what I am doing – drilling in my workshop, scuba diving, sailing, welding, riding my motorcycle – it goes everywhere.
I could make up some fantasy about its accuracy but this would be a waste of time.
The truth is that I don’t know how accurate it is. Between British summer time and winter time it gains maybe four or five seconds – over six months.
The total “servicing” costs have been one new battery and the back re-sealed to original factory standards.
Note its battered appearance. That’s because it has worked all its life!
If you want a good looking, high quality, reliable and accurate watch just buy a Casio.
Young Americans visit China for the first time and said this!!
Stable Diffusion fun images
Barbecued Brisket with Noodles
Ingredients
- 1 (2 1/2 pound) beef brisket
- 1 cup bottled hickory smoke barbecue sauce
- 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
- 1 teaspoon prepared mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 12 ounces wide noodles
Instructions
- Place brisket in slow cooker.
- In a small bowl, combine barbecue sauce, horseradish, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour over brisket.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or until brisket is tender.
- Cook noodles according to package directions; drain.
- Slice meat. Arrange sliced meat on noodles and top with sauce.
What are the things that wealthy people (millionaires and billionaires) know that ordinary people do not know?
- Life has already begun. There is neither an interlude nor a trial version. There won’t be a second chance to do meaningful things.
- Fancy cars and big houses are not the assets. These are liabilities. They don’t make you richer but rather require additional expenses.
- There is no a perfect moment to take an action. The best time to take a step is now.
- If used properly, time is the asset you can convert into knowledge, skills, and money.
- You are unlikely to get rich working for someone else.
- Overnight success is a myth. Everything worth doing takes years.
- Your weaknesses don’t matter. You should always be focused on your strengths.
- Environment is what defines the level of your success in the long-run. People who surround you can either make you or break you.
- No risk no gain. You cannot get anything unless you invest something.
- Long-term reward is far more valuable than an instant gratification.
- Good enough is shitty. Only excellence can make a difference.
Did you ever see karma hit someone who deserved it so befittingly that it was eerie?
Yes, this was just a week ago. I was coming back from a trip, towing my RV on the freeway doing about 65 in the slow lane went out of nowhere comes to kids apparently in their 20s in a silver Corvette doing easily in excess of 100 miles an hour weaving in and out of traffic and you’ve seen this before barely missing cars as they sweep across two and three lanes to get slightly ahead, but they’re doing well in excess of 100 miles an hour. Four minutes ahead on the freeway pull over on the side by the highway patrol are these two kids outside of their car being handcuffed. That’s what I call Karma very rarely do you get to actually see these jackasses getting handcuffed?
What China just did to the U.S. Military is SHOCKING and Taiwan is in Trouble
China is in a full-fledged financial panic, due to the collapse of the real estate sector, so isn’t it a joke to think that any Chinese would be cashing in their US T Bills, since that is the only real means of savings, that China or its people have?
Full-fledged financial panic?
I was just in Macau for a trade show, and the financial panic must be why I saw all these Mainland Chinese queueing up outside the Chanel boutique in the Four Seasons. I mean, in a financial meltdown, Chanel bags and shoes are the first thing you buy, right?
I can’t quite explain the hordes of Mainland Chinese tourists strolling around and taking photos on the Cotai Strip, though.
Great Hall at the Venetian Macau on 24th May (my photo). Everyone speaking Putonghua and indulging in full-fledged panic eating…
Maybe they decided to delay the financial panic until after their holiday?
So much wrong in one short question.
Man Dies & Learns We Have It Completely Backwards! (Unbelievable Near-Death Experience) 2024
What’s the most offensive Christmas present you’ve ever received?
From my mom. She was mad so when she came down to see my brother and me, she gave me a purse of mine I lent her and some of my middle school clothes back to me, as well as a new pair of socks and a thing of kitchen rags unwrapped. The socks were nice though – I liked them.
She then gave my brother some brand new books he wanted wrapped and a $100 dollar gift card to Amazon lol. I got her some new Sephora make-up, a pretty snow globe, and something else I can’t remember. Barely had time to just put it in her car because she drove off angry and refused to open it.
The worst part is the only other Christmas gift I got was from my brother, but it was sweet and my best one.
Also in case there was confusion we were adults (I think 22 & 20 then?) that live in a city away from her now; our apartments were just down the street from each other and neither of us had cars, – that’s why she drove up.
My mom angrily dropped off some Christmas dinner her BF of a month made for us too before she drove off to his place. Still an awesome Christmas though! Played some of the games I bought my brother, together, and we watched cartoons while we ate and I made hot cocoa. Actually it was one of my favorite Christmases or favorite I’ve probably ever had. Love him. I’m 24 now and he’s turning 23 Sunday.
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What was the most disturbing thing that your seatmate did during a flight?
This happened during boarding. I was running late and was one of the last people to board. I go to my assigned seat to find the guy in the middle seat is huge, like 400 pounds huge. I’m looking at my seat and trying to figure out how I am going to get my 250 pound body into what is in essence 1/3 of a seat. While I am looking the guy says “too bad you’re so fat, I don’t think you’re going to fit here. Maybe you should take the next flight.” Now I am normally the funny guy but this hit me wrong – before I could offer a smart ass remark the flight attendant came and she knew immediately what was going on. She told the guy that since he was really taking up two seats he should pay for two seats, but she would help out this situation and let him slide. He gave me a sickening smile and she said “I’ll get you another seat, let’s get you settled.” She promptly took me to business class and gave me the only open seat there. I did open the curtain during the flight to make sure my former seatmate saw me and when we made eye contact I gave him the biggest wave.
Pizza Porn
Are there fake products which are better in quality than the original product?
When I was living in Beijing in 2010 as a foreign exchange student my dad came to visit. My dad is an avid skier and always buys North Face jackets.
He’s been skiing for over fifty years so knows his North Face jackets well.
It was winter in Beijing and pretty cold and I needed a new jacket.
I decided to take him to one of the “fake” goods markets in Beijing. This one in particular was called the Silk Market.
You bargain for everything in these markets and there were a few vendors selling “fake” North Face jackets.
I decided to try my luck and see how much I could get a North Face jacket for. After about what seemed like an hour of haggling, I finally got the salesman down to 250 rmb from his original ask of over 2000 rmb. (250 rmb is about 35 usd)
While I was bargaining, my Dad, the North Face jacket expert was inspecting their jackets.
He was amazed.
Everything from their labels to the actual tag was exactly as it was back in America.
I bought that jacket and to this day it still holds up.
Now that I’ve started manufacturing a lot in China, I’ve come to realize that large factories almost always produce more than what is ordered from bigger clients.
With the leftover goods, what do you think they do?
They sell them on local markets.
The jacket I bought that day in the Silk Market, might have come from an actual North Face manufacturer.
REAL Parallel Universe Stories That Defy Science
PLA military drills around Taiwan legitimate and necessary — FM spokesperson
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday that the joint military drills surrounding the island of Taiwan are legitimate and necessary.
It’s completely legitimate and necessary for the Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army to conduct joint military drills surrounding the island of Taiwan, safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, strongly punish the separatist forces seeking “Taiwan independence,” and seriously warn against interference and provocation by external forces, said spokesperson Wang Wenbin at a daily press briefing.
He said the drills are fully in line with international law and practice.
Wang said that Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory. This is not only a historical fact, but also a real status quo. It will never change in the future. “Taiwan independence” leads nowhere. The Chinese people will never waver in their resolve to safeguard China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
All “Taiwan independence” separatist acts will be hit head-on by more than 1.4 billion Chinese people, and all “Taiwan independence” separatist forces will be hit hard in the face of the historical trend of China’s complete reunification, he added.
“We urge the U.S. side to stop emboldening and supporting the ‘Taiwan independence’ forces and stop interfering in China’s internal affairs. Any act that endangers China’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity will be resolutely and forcefully counterattacked by China,” the spokesperson said.
In response to another query about whether China plans to conduct more “punishment” drills, Wang said each time “Taiwan independence” separatists make waves, it garners stronger effort from China and the rest of the world to defend the one-China principle.
Figurative Art
Have you ever reported someone to CPS or similar to remove a child from a situation? What about reporting family?
I had to report my best friend at the time…..She had 2 children, a 2-year old and a 1-year-old. I saw it get worse and worse.
It started with her yelling at, calling them stupid, retarded, pulling them around by their hair, slapping them and eventually punching them.
She left a bruise once that literally covered half of the 2 year olds face. I saw her pick him up with both hands around his throat.
I used to go to her house daily to make sure she didn’t hurt them. I tried talking to her and couldn’t get through to her, I even tried talking to other mutual friends to try and get them to talk to her too.
The father (who didn’t live in the home) called the cops one night after she picked the 2 year old up out of the car seat and carried him to the garage by his throat. ( all because she thought he killed her goldfish) I witnessed the whole thing.
When the cops came, initially I lied for her. After they left, she kept going on and on about the goldfish and how her son was still going to be punished more for it.
I tried to leave but I was afraid she would hurt them and I then realized as an adult I was responsible and if I didn’t do some thing then I was an abuser too.
So I called the police parked in my car outside her house and spoke with the same deputy who came out earlier that night, the same deputy that I bold faced lied to. I told them the truth about what happened. They came back immediately and took the children.
I had actually called their father first and told him what I was going to do in hopes he would show up and he could take them. Maybe he didn’t think I’d really do it? Im not sure but for some reason he never showed up. But he did eventually get them from foster care and they are currently with him now.
I hear My friend since gave birth to another baby. My friend hates me and I haven’t spoken to her since that night. I really miss her and her children but I think I did the right thing.
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What is the reason that many Taiwanese people are against selling F-16s to Taiwan?
Since Taiwan Province is part of China, virtually no country in the world would invade Taiwan. Because it means invading the People’s Republic of China. Then, on the premise that ” no external enemy can invade Taiwan “, Taiwan buys a large number of weapons that can only be used against the People’s Republic of China.
The document on the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States points out that ” both sides of the Taiwan Straits belong to One China “. For four decades, it was said to be the basis of American policy toward China. This can be compared to: there is a family called China, the mainland and Taiwan islands are members of this family. They are family, therefore, their contradiction is parent-child contradiction, husband and wife contradiction, brother contradiction. But not between enemies.
But a man thousands of kilometers across the Pacific came up and told Taiwan that you have to carry guns and grenades when dealing with your family. Because your family will kill you. Perhaps an undeclassified historical archive records Taiwan’s intention not to buy weapons. But this good man thousands of kilometers away would threaten and deceive the two families in various ways in order to get one of them to buy weapons.
Only Taiwan’s elite can recognize this fact. However, some of the elite live a drunken life, they do not think about the future of Taiwan and its people. For them, even after his death. This elite is deeply tied to the national interests of the United States.
Other Taiwanese elites are worried. Their proper voice channels have been shut down. Warnings can only be issued through online media. This is why the purchase of American fighter planes is opposed by some Taiwanese.
The people of the Chinese mainland have been told for more than 70 years that Taiwan isle is our family and that we should maintain close relations with our Taiwan compatriots. But, after 2005, After Chinese mainland began popularizing the internet in both urban and rural areas (before the GFW in Mainland China blocked access to some foreign websites), Many Chinese dreams of kinship with Taiwan disappeared when people saw some Taiwanese cursing the Chinese mainland in Taiwan’s online community. They don’t understand why another family member would want to viciously attack a loved one.
Any discussion of Taiwan’s arms purchases will ultimately get around the topic of ” China’s reunification “.
My conclusion is: first, militarily, the Chinese Communist Party does not care about populism, which keeps the island from becoming scorched earth.
Secondly, in public opinion, the existence of GWF makes it impossible for the vast majority of nationalists in Mainland China to express their views on the world internet. This has kept the topic of Taiwan’s popularity at a low level.
Otherwise, if the so-called ” democracies ” rule China, only God knows the outcome. Therefore, CCP and GFW are the saviors of the Taiwanese people. It seems ridiculous, but it is.
Au Jus Beef and Noodles
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds stew beef meat
- 2 (7 ounce) cans sliced mushrooms, undrained
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 (1 ounce) package dry au jus gravy mix
- Worcestershire sauce to taste
- Salt, pepper, garlic salt to taste
- Hot cooked noodles
Instructions
- Place stew meat in slow cooker.
- Add beef broth and mushrooms.
- Add seasonings to taste and sprinkle in au jus gravy mix to taste.
- Cover; cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours.
- Serve over hot cooked noodles.
Notes
Store any leftover gravy mix in a cool, dry place in an airtight container.
The Beijing Municipal Government announced a free online education and tutoring platform available to all Beijing middle school students starting in 2022. The platform’s operating hours will be Monday-Friday at 6–9PM. In addition to teaching classes, students will be able to ask questions. One-on-one tutoring will also be available with each student getting up to 30 minutes per session.
Teachers will be drawn from Beijing’s highest-ranked middle schools. Nine subjects will be covered including mathematics, physics and English.
The program’s purpose is to give equal access to all middle school students regardless of family income. Previously, this service was only provided through private companies such as New Oriental. Costs per student were up to 100,000 yuan per family, restricting it only to well-off families.
Teachers will be ranked by their students and can draw bonuses based on the score given to them by students, and the bonus caps are set at 100,000 yuan per teacher per semester. In order to prevent gaming of the system, real-name registration is required.
The costs of the service will be covered by the Beijing City Education Department, which will also manage the system.
Analysis by China’s Future (Paul Denlinger): This year the Chinese government is making multiple moves to decrease the cost of raising a child, and this is the latest move. I expect this to be a test launch; if it works well, and the initial kinks in the program are worked out, I expect it to be pushed out to other cities in China.
Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Chongqing are all Tier 1 cities. Living costs are especially high in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, which are just as expensive as New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles in the US.
I expect the interest and demand for this program to be especially high in the Tier 2 to Tier 8 cities, because parents in those cities feel that their children do not have access to the same quality education, teachers and tutoring as parents in the Tier 1 cities. They are likely to ask that this program be launched in their cities as soon as possible, and will demand their municipal governments to offer the same progam as Beijing.
All of the programs aimed at cutting education costs have the same purpose: correcting the effects of the one-child policy, which lasted too long, until 2015, and which I have discussed in this answer:
A recent report suggests that China’s population peaked this year (2021); this means that the birthrate will fall below the population replacement rate in 2022. The Chinese government has not released the latest statistics, which suggests that the numbers are not good, and the government does not want to give them broad media coverage.
The most important feature of this policy is that it is a long-term policy. Beijing women cannot start popping out second and third children immediately, and the children will be 9–10 years old before they enter middle school.
For General Secretary Xi Jinping, this is a very tangible policy which he can use to promote his “common prosperity” policy all across China, and now, overseas.
Russian satellite is called a threat to the American spacecraft
The Russian satellite COSMOS 2576 has been identified as a spacecraft designed to destroy other satellites, specifically targeting American ones, according to representatives from the US Space Command. COSMOS 2576 was launched on May 16 from the Plesetsk launch site and is currently in the same orbital plane as the American optical reconnaissance satellite USA 314 (KH-11). Although COSMOS 2576 is currently in a lower orbit, it has the capability to increase its altitude, potentially allowing it to intercept USA 314.
Initially, space monitoring experts classified COSMOS 2576 as an inspection satellite, which are typically used for spying on other satellites. Russia has previously launched similar inspection satellites, such as COSMOS 2558, which targeted USA 326, and COSMOS 2542, which monitored USA 245.
However, the US Space Command has stated that COSMOS 2576 is not merely an inspection satellite but a fully operational anti-satellite weapon. It is presumed to have the capability to attack other satellites in low Earth orbit. American intelligence had anticipated the launch of COSMOS 2576 and has shared its assessment with allied nations.
The emergence of COSMOS 2576 coincides with concerns from the American side about Russia’s intentions to deploy nuclear weapons in space to destroy satellites. While such weapons have not yet been deployed, the Pentagon is taking the situation very seriously and considers it a significant threat to national security.
Which form of alcohol is considered the worst for a human body: liquor, beer or wine?
As a current alcoholic and someone that has heavily drunk for intermittent periods but have varied my drinking substance, I feel it would be only to be able to answer with qualifying my experiences with you.
11 years ago when I became an alcoholic, as a result of coming off a drug addiction and craving a mind-altering mood substance, alcohol felt natural. So I initially went straight to Vodka – I had quite a traumatic couple of months and it made sense. But over the course of a decade now, having had detoxes, rehab, 12 steps, hospital visits – it makes sense explaining each substance and what it did to me. Let’s be honest, they are all bad. Picking between them is like picking between the devil and the deep blue sea but these are my experiences:
Vodka – I used to drink 2 litres a day at my worst and by far this is the worst substance for me (please understand that knowing hundreds of alcoholics everyone has different experiences so I am only speaking for myself). Technically a scientist and anyone in any alcoholic profession would argue that whilst the toxicity because of the concentration is high, it is cleaner alcohol due to the process then standard drinks like beer and wine. I can say that if you drink this (and I always mixed) – it absolutely terrorises your stomach lining and throat. Killed my appetite but my weight drinking 6000 calories a day made my weight go up from 11 stone at 25 to 19 1/2 by 28. I would be sick every morning regardless and at least 3–8 times a day, impossible to drink water with a permanent headache from dehydration. My doctor said before detox I had 8 months left at my rate based on my liver tests which were 400 times abnormal. Withdrawals on the substance used to leave me unable to talk and walk, have seizures, cough blood, hallucinate, have crawling skin. Even drinking I was so drunk I could have been anywhere. Worst period of my life.
Wine – I switched to wine after 3 years of vodka and 6 months clean. I figured it was a middle ground between socially acceptable and as my partner of the same period of time likes a drink, we can be responsible. Worst hangovers ever. It’s so true that the darker the liquid the worse the hangover. If you’re an alcoholic you obviously aren’t getting the benefits that wine in moderation would give you. But the alcoholics that I know that drink wine age so much quicker then those that drink something else. They all end up flush. This lasted 3 months and I got too ill.
Beer – beer as an alcoholic is impossible to drink in large quantities. Too many bubbles. It’s the best of everything on this list but to qualify my answer, it is not possible for me to drink 30 cans of beer a day. But of beer, wine, vodka, whisky, cider, it’s easily the best for you internally. And if you can burp even better. I can’t so I would look pregnant 24/7.
Cider – cider is my current drink and the reason is that it is 4.5%, relatively clean if you buy a well-known brand and the hangovers are middle-ground. However and having stuck to this only for the last 6 years (minus a period I will explain), it is the worst for acid reflux. Every morning I wake up and my stomach is on fire with sickness every sort of 3 days. I drink about 18–20 per day but Gaviscon no longer works to protect against it. I mean it’s not ideal but a morning of 3 minutes of sickness beats the other 2 options with beer ruled out. I like to joke that at least I always get my 5 a day but drinking cider now means I am never drunk (paralytic) on this and i now never deviate from cider or beer. It is extremely high in sugar and I visit the dentist every 6 months to make sure my teeth are cleaned and checked because the acidity is so bad for them and you can’t live in the bathroom.
Whisky – terrible hangovers. There are scientific benefits in moderation.
Vodka again – having not drunk for 3 months before going on holiday in Sept 2019 – within a 2 week period of drinking cocktails on an all-inclusive and a month at home, I had hepatitis of the liver and having had an endoscopy, one of the worst experiences of my life, I was a week from death. I didn’t know that at the time but I couldn’t move. My partner had to put me in nappies, I wet myself, collapsed, dropped 30 pounds in 3 weeks. I was yellow. Thankfully I ended up hospital and having experienced DT’s, believing I was in a church and my doctor was trying to lure me to the basement to kill me, I checked out, went rehab and got clean, vowing never to touch vodka or any spirits again. And since that experience I haven’t.
My answer to you would be none of them. It has changed my life for the worst and I am so thankful I have a girl that has stuck with my for 11 years. If I could actually maintain my sobriety for a sustained period of time that allowed me to work, I would love to go in to school and educate children. Because no one educates people about long term affects and withdrawals and having lost both my father and grandad to alcoholism but having been young and not understood it, there isn’t enough education on the subject or resources. I am thankful I have a family that can afford treatment. I hope everyone could get the same.
TLDR – don’t drink. All the benefits over time go and offer you nothing. So have a cold can of pop or a cup of tea.
The Genetic Arms Race | How CRISPR and AI Destroy the World
"Oh, yeah, oooh, ahhh, that's how it always starts, then later there's running and screaming."
-Jeff Goldblum