When I lived in Massachusetts, we (my wife and I) took a day trip to visit a “butterfly conservatory” in the North side of Massachusetts.
I had never been to one before, and it was well worth the time.
It was this enormous walled and domed building with all sorts of branch-outward structures. And, inside were zillions of butterflies of all types, and species. And they flew everywhere. It was fun, because it was full of flowering plants, and beautiful butterflies were everywhere.
We went on a beautiful blue-sky Spring day, and it was actually really glorious. If you ever get the chance, please look one up on Google and visit it. It is worth your time. I’ll tell you what.
We loved to go out and explore. And, I will tell you all; Massachusetts has so much to explore and to experience. It is just great. Once, we went South into Connecticut, and visited the oldest plant nursery in America, and it two was amazing. There were all sorts of plants that I have never seen… and that was because most of them went extinct during the suburb boom in the 1960s.
Theses were often 300 year old plants, and they were amazing.
Afterwards we stopped at an old diner. AH a great cup of coffee and a blue plate special. It was truly a fine day.
The next fine day you come across, please take the time off from work and enjoy it. You are not a cog in a machine. Enjoy the day and the life that you are gifted.
Today…
What is your most embarrassing nurse story?
Decade ago, I was about to get married and during one late night mobile talk with my about-to-be Wife, we were discussing contraceptive pills. Till she was telling me how bad its for a woman’s body while I had other notions.
So to douse my curiosity and enacting a future responsible husband, I decided to ask the best in trade, a gynaecologist.
Bad Idea !
Confidently, I visited this superspeciality hospital and booked an appoinment with the lady doctor. Upon reaching the section and handed the duty nurse my appointment copy.
She looked at me like someone who is clearly mistaken about the type of doctor you want to meet.
And not being my lucky day, room was full of ladies looking at the ‘clown’ who has appointment to meet a lady’s doctor..Alone !
After confirming thrice if I was meeting the right doctor, she blurted why do I want to meet her ? Holding my embaressment and not clearly working mind, all I could come up with is “I can only tell her..”
Her eyebrows reached the ceiling !
Determined to prove her point she started explaining me the meaning of Gynaecology, while ladies around had a gala day at my expense.
Cursing the moment I chose to meet a gynaec, I started acting like got a phone call and sat afar. All the while with dagger looks from the nurse.
Luckily I was called soon and when I exited the room with a victory smile, she gave the worst look possible.
My would-be Wife had a laughing hysteria hearing this.
How do you think the incoming US President will react to China’s increase in military activity near Taiwan?
Stop the hype about China against Taiwan. You have been fooled by politicians. Read on.
What is the biggest LIE in Taiwan in the 20-21st century? Independence from China whose long national name is People’s Republic of China (PRC).
1, Constitution
Taiwan represents Republic of China (ROC that was defeated by PRC in 1949).
ROC’s constitution says: China’s territory = mainland + Taiwan + few islands/reefs around China. (PRC constitution also says the same thing.)
Taiwan is part of China’s territory, declares ROC-Taiwan constitution. Taiwan is a province inside China’s territory.
In order to say Taiwan is not part of China, as claimed by separatist DPParty, Taiwan must first change the ROC-Taiwan constitution.
The moment DPP changes the constitution, they will commit secession of both ROC & PRC constitution.
Secession is a crime, resulting in life if not death sentence.
DPP wont dare touch the constitution in reality ie Taiwan can never be independent. Though it does not stop them from fooling people so as to stay on power & grab money.
2, According to UN resolution 2758, under the ONE CHINA policy, PRC is the only legitimate gov to represent the country called China. That is, the ROC gov is illegitimate.
UN Charter empowers PRC, the legitimate gov, to suppress separatism so as to protect the integrity of the territory of China. It is PRC’s duty. In such case, PRC can use military to suppress secession.
In DPP’s mouth, yes, they will militarily fight with PRC. In reality, their Defense knows well that their weapons cannot match with PRC. They also propagates that USA will rescue Taiwan. Yeah, right, in the dream.
3, Taiwan cannot call for referendum either. Because the constitution requires all Chinese to vote. That is 1.4 billion mainlanders vs 23 million Taiwanese.
This is Taiwan’s unsolvable dilemma. You have been fooled by DPP who never told you that they are bound by its own constitution. They only sell you the “aggression” of PRC, don’t they?
Blunt and true
Why Western tariffs can’t stop China’s EV rise?
My friend runs a car review channel in china. He went to a brand name school in the UK and used to haunt YouTube for the latest and greatest in car tech, which invariably debuted on English channels.
Often he had to wait for months before these cars appeared in the Chinese market.
But in the last few years, he lost interest in foreign marques, including top tier consumer brands like Mercedes, lexus and BMW. He found them lacking in technical merit, not too different from coveting a birkin for its “groundbreaking technology”.
What took their place?
Chinese EVs. And they came fast and furious, covering the entire price spectrum, a complete galaxy of choice, each with strong/unique selling points.
He found them intellectually more stimulating than the staid ICE offerings of the competition.
In his words, luxury features like automatic doors and massaging/ventilating seats found on premium German cars were now offered as baseline trim in Chinese EVs. Four-wheel steer, fast charging, powerful and efficient motors, autonomous driving and much more could be found in various packages in an explosive, growing market.
He has never had so much fun pursuing his hobby as the past few years, and the market shows no signs of slowing.
Guess what?
He no longer haunts YouTube channels for car reviews, because they don’t excite him anymore.
Why?
Even a brand new model line like the recent bmw 5/i5 series were being discounted 30–40% post-launch, just to get them off mainland showrooms.
For example, compare the zeekr mix with the vw ID Buzz gtx.
Almost all foreign marques, including rolls royce and Porsche, are offering discounts on their portfolio, some on the quiet to select clientele, others publicly offering steep discounts and sweetheart packages. Quite a few are in freefall, including Ford, GM, Nissan.
The only foreign marque standing tall (beyond exotic supercars) is Tesla, but they are keeping up through the use of Chinese components, especially the all-important battery, and assembly in Shanghai. Tesla is still competitive in terms of battery efficiency, but they may not be able to keep up with innovation in the relentless Chinese market.
Both Europe and America have yet to recover pre-covid unit car sale, charging way more for the same models to pad the loss in revenue from millions of units in shortfall per annum. Meanwhile, the Chinese market has already beaten pre-covid peaks in 2023, and is on course for another record year.
The EV transition is well and truly underway in china, while it is stuttering in most of the first world.
The tariffs are only going to slow down the adoption of EVs ex-china, and force the retreat of foreign marques from China, until they can compete on the same technical and cost footing.
Unfortunately, market protectionism is anticompetitive, and I doubt many cloistered brands can stand tall in the world’s largest and most dynamic car market.
Those who fall by the wayside of the Chinese market are doomed to massive shrink in their international footprint, because they have been found wanting.
Do you understand?
What work secret did you accidentally find out that changed everything?
I learned to NOT be a whistle blower unless the problem was so severe it had to be fixed. I blew the whistle on the sheriff I worked for on two separate occasions. Each time was a criminal offense. The end result was he had to pay back the money he took and in the other one he had to stop displaying illegal weapons in his personal office. No charges were filed. So, I put my neck out for nothing. Now this sheriff, for whatever reason except he could, would grow a marijuana plant in his office every year. He said it was to show people what marijuana looks like, which was a bull crap reason, and it was still illegal. I mean this is really illegal. A state trooper saw that and was irate about it. I don’t know what happened behind the scenes but ultimately the sheriff got a plastic marijuana plant and never grew another one.
The other thing I learned as a deputy was to stop doing work I did not have to do. I was proactive, doing traffic stops, serving warrants, investigating minor offenses. Each time I did I was called into the sheriff’s office (the actual Sheriff) and was asked why I did such and such. Right there in the Sheriff’s office was someone that was mad that I pulled them over. I would explain exactly what happened, to wit the sheriff would dig around in the paperwork and pull out the ticket I wrote and tear it up. This even happened when I wrote a warning! The sheriff gave me a direct order to go to a small town and write a citation to every 4-wheeler that was on the road. The first one I pulled over was the son of the mayor of said small town. The next day I was called into the office where the mayor and his son sat. The sheriff asks why I did that. I told him because he ordered me to. That ticket was also torn up. First this is very embarrassing. Second, being called into the boss’s office is bad enough but when your boss is the highest law enforcement officer in the county it ups the adrenaline a lot more. So, I removed the radar gun from the squad car and gave it to a deputy that did not have one. I told him to keep it until I ask for it back. I never asked for it. The job stress reduced immensely. All I did was drive around and be seen, stop into a gas station for a potty and soda break and drive around some more. I would answer calls I was sent to or calls that sounded interesting, but I never initiated anything.
Tom Cruse
Have you ever tried to fire someone and it backfired?
I had the honor of knowing Gary Burrell he was the owner a little company called Garmin. Ever hear of it? Well anyways back to the your question. Before being the CEO of Garmin, Gary worked for a company called King Radio in Olathe Kansas. He was an Egineer there. One night he came up a great product called a GPS. He drew up the plans and along with a idea to present to his Supervisor. At this company you had to share all ideas first. He got an appointment with his Supervisor. He gave his best presentation and told of great things could happen if they followed his plans. Unfortunately the Supervisor did not understand what the product could do. He politely declined and told him no. Gary was devastated but wouldn’t give up. He wanted to talk to his Supervisor one more time and this time he was not nice at all. He told Gary Burrell if you think it is such a terrific idea, why don’t you start your own #ucking business. The second partner of Garmin Min Koa worked with Gary he overheard the whole conversation. He understood what Gary said. The two Egineers a couple of days later quit and started a small company and named it Gar – Min. The rest is history.
I read that the US artillery in Vietnam used “Beehive” shells (APERS-T) that were so effective that the Vietcong was not willing to attack forward positions directly. Why were these not used in the frontline if they were so effective?
The Beehive round was first used effectively in the early morning hours of Dec. 27th, 1966 at LZ Bird. It had only been used at most twice before by in Vietnam and the results were inconclusive as to their effectiveness in stopping the advance of the enemy.
LZ Bird was located in a bend of a river and surrounded by three hills. There were two artillery batteries and one infantry platoon guarding the perimeter. All three units were at approximately half strength. Less than 150 men vs at least 500 NVA. Due to the fact that the infantry platoon was at half strength they could not adequately defend the perimeter. By the time the battle was over all three units were down to about a quarter strength. What ended the fight was the use of two Beehive rounds out of only three the 105mm artillery battery had. After the word got out about their effectiveness there a was surge in requests for those rounds throughout South Vietnam. As the war dragged on the Beehive round became less effective because the enemy realized all they had to do was hit the dirt and and most of the flechettes would fly overhead. The Beehive was supplanted by the Killer Junior and Senior later in the war which had the advantage of spraying down shrapnel on those lying on the ground.
Peanuts the animal that shook America
How advanced and capable are Russia and China’s cruise missiles?
Logically they must be among the best missiles on the planet right?
I mean they both have access to brilliant engineers, physicists and technicians
Both have a penetration rate of 88% and 74% respectively in STEM fields
They have excellent University access
They both have a lot of money for research and development
Russia has all that Oil money and China has all that Trade Surplus
They both have a supply chain that is completely Independent of Western dependence
They both have access to all the raw materials necessary for making Missiles and Rockets
So logic alone dictates they must be making the best missiles in the world
Plus their entire strategy is Ground Based Launches & Air Defense – both of which need the best missile offense and defense system
So Logically and without Bias – Russia and China must have the best missiles in the world
I don’t buy the US narrative of how everything Russia and China makes is Junk and how only Western Weapons are superior
Peanut’s Elections (“Neither is qualified, both deserve to lose.”):
- For Peanut (thread)
- Updated info on the wrongfully euthanized squirrel Peanut, & raccoon Fred …
- Elon Musk, RFK Jr rally for Peanut the squirrel after authorities euthanize popular social media pet: ‘Government overreach executed him’
- It’s a bit nuts that the outcome of the US presidential election may hinge on a dead squirrel …
China Tightens Policies on Antimony – Causing Hardship for the US and the West
Have you ever met a dangerous person and not known it at the time?
There used to be quiet, wiry chap who drank in my local.
Never gave him a lot of thought, he was pleasant but reserved.
Until some football hooligans came in, being rowdy.
He quietly asked them to pipe down, and stop harassing the female customers and staff.
Of course, they took exception to this, and eventually one of them swung a punch at him.
Which he ducked, and then warned the man not to do it again.
And then he said some words that should have given any thinking person some pause: “I am obliged by law to warn you not to continue.”
Of course, the lout wasn’t a thinking person — his beer was doing his thinking for him.
So he swung another punch.
And then he fell down, as if he’d been hit with an axe.
At this point, Quiet Man still hadn’t got off his bar stool.
A couple of the other louts took exception to this outcome, and stepped up and started throwing hands.
And they fell down too.
At this point, the rest of the pack were starting to realise that their understanding of the order of things was not quite right.
Then Quiet Man stood up.
The louts gathered up their dozing casualties and made a strategic (if wobbly) retreat.
Someone told me later that Quiet Man had “spent a lot of time around Hereford” and that he’d been an instructor in unarmed combat.
Probably the most dangerous man I’ve ever encountered in real life.
Inspirations
What did the world do wrong that China seems to be very hostile to the rest of the world except to themselves?
This question is invalid. China is not hostile to the world at all.
China is, in fact, very benevolent to the world. It is the world’s greatest trading nation. It is the largest trading partner to over 120 countries. Trading with China has helped these countries immensely.
China is helping over 150 countries through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). These countries are very grateful for China’s assistance.
China is leading organizations, such as BRICS and SCO, which aim to unify the world in peace and common prosperity.
China respects all nations and does not violate their sovereignty the way the US has.
The US and its allies or vassals regard China as hostile because China’s rise threatens the United States’ global hegemony.
What are some of the most demoralizing weapons in military history? Why?
The humble, old pump-action shotgun.
On July 21, 1918, German soldiers captured a U.S. soldier from the 307th Infantry Regiment, 77th Division, near Baccarat, France. He was carrying a weapon they had never seen: a Winchester Model 97. Fighting ended with Germany’s surrender on November 11, 1918—four months to the day after it discovered that Americans had brought shotguns into combat.
The weapon was designed to give American troops an important edge in close combat, and it did just that. With a 20-inch barrel, sling swivels, and a bayonet lug, the 12-gauge shotgun also had a perforated metal heat shield that allowed soldiers to use the bayonet even when the barrel was too hot to hold. The shotgun accommodated six shells—one chambered (“in the spout”) and five in its magazine—each containing nine 00 buckshot pellets.
When fired the new American gun sprays the contents of each shell over an area measuring nine feet horizontally and about three feet vertically, so that it is almost impossible not to hit a large number of enemy infantrymen coming to the attack in the typical mass formation of the Germans. As for the penetrating power of the buckshot, it is reported that during a recent test the hail of lead went through a two-inch plank with plenty of energy left for further damage, at 150 yards from the muzzle.
A trained soldier using the Model 97 trench gun in slamfire mode—holding down the trigger while pumping—could unleash six blasts in a matter of seconds. Imagine 54 8.4mm buckshot pellets spraying laterally, with an effective range of up to 50 yards, and it’s easy to see why the guns also became known as “trench brooms” or “trench sweepers.”
Germany filed a diplomatic complaint about how it violated the Geneva Conventions of Warfare due to causing “unnecessary suffering”. The complaint had some merit until you realize that Germans had Fritz Haber – the father of chemical warfare. It was never accepted though.
Davy Knowles – What In The World – 11/25/16 World Cafe Live – Philadelphia
China is so backward. Why don’t they accept a large number of Indians to lead their development?
Firstly, I am Chinese, and I visited India a few years ago on a business trip. To be honest, I had never paid much attention to India before this trip. I was traveling with a group of Americans I had worked with for years, and they provided me with various travel tips (actually warnings), mostly about the water, food, handshake and the how dirty it is. We jumped 3 cities in one week, New Delhi, Bombay and Bangalore…
To keep it brief, I have never shed so many tears while traveling to another country. I had never seen such poverty as I did in India, where people live on the streets and children lack access to proper education. It’s heartbreaking to think that their next generation will likely face the same fate, with no opportunity or hope for a better life. I found it difficult to leave the hotel because it saddened me to witness the situation there.
I’m not sharing this to boast about my life in China. In many ways, I’m not a strong supporter of our government. However, our education system taught us to open our eyes and minds to see the world as it truly is.
One thing that really confuses me about Indians is that, despite living in such dire conditions, they often seem unaware of it. When they compete with other countries, especially China, it feels like they are living in a fairy tale created by the government or themselves. Even when they see the same harsh realities that I do every day, I can’t help but wonder why this is the case.
Gun owners who have defensively shot someone; what happened and what was the aftermath of the situation?
I was at home in TX and heard someone in my detached 4 car garage at roughly zero dark thirty. I armed myself with the finest Single Action Semi Auto ever designed (M1911A2) and investigated. When I opened the garage door, there was some crackhead with a .38 snubnose in one hand and the other hand attempting to start my 2019 Mahindra Roxor.
I magdumped into him from behind with zero warning, and kept my weapon trained on him as I approached while reloading.
I called 911. They sent the Sheriff Department and a coroner’s wagon. I was cleared of all wrongdoing in 15 minutes (thanks to my paranoid use of overlapping angle security cameras). I never got handcuffed and my weapon was never taken from me.
They hauled off the corpse and i thought it was over.
Then the family (attempted to) sue me in civil court. Thankfully, the judge tossed the suit before I had to go to court.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it lol
Apple Fudge Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 (1 ounce) square unsweetened chocolate
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup nuts, chopped
- Confectioners’ sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Melt chocolate and shortening in large saucepan.
- Add sugar, eggs, applesauce and vanilla extract. Mix well.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Add to first mixture.
- Mix and stir in nuts.
- Spread mixture in a greased 13 x 9 inch baking pan, and bake at 350 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes.
- When cooled, sprinkle top with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.
Where was the Advanced Ice Age civilization located? | Graham Hancock and Lex Fridman
We Try Again
Submitted into Contest #196 in response to: Write a story involving a portal into a parallel universe.… view prompt
Ben Battles
Number eleven moves on and the thronging huddle desperately follows, leaving behind two hooded figures.
Kevin turns to his companion, “Well… so she’s competitive Jash, so what? That’s a good sign too, right? I mean this won’t be easy she’ll need a lot of drive to-”
“It can’t be her,” he growls. “This one won’t do.”
The two figures stand like a pair of mismatched obelisks in the center of the field. Jashobeam pulls back his hood revealing scruffy pointed ears, and the small tusks of his troglodyte jaw. He scratches at his thick orange beard, then looks up at the full moon beaming down through the roof of the stadium.
“But, it’s not like we have all the time in the world, I think this one’s better than the last one, unless you want to try the first again. You said we could always go back-”
“This one won’t do,” he shakes his head.
“Then what?” Kevin pulls back his hood revealing his normal human face, his black tousled hair and blue eyes.
“Let’s find something to eat, and on the next full moon… we try again.”
No one notices the downtrodden pair as they march back through the crowds and out onto the street.
* * *
“I’m glad you came,” She says.
“I’m happy for you Abbey, you’re gonna do great,” Kevin says, standing on the doorstep. He takes off his novelty party hat and steps backwards into the night.
“Is that all though… you’re just… happy?” She closes the screen door behind her, hushing the sound of the party.
His eyes turn downward, “What do you want me to say? I think you’re doing a great thing, it’s so selfless. You’re always so-”
“Tell me not to go,” she says, stepping towards him.
“Abbey… we’ve- we’re just friends,” he winces, hoping his reluctant expression might relieve the sting. It doesn’t. “… Maybe in another life,” he says after a pause, “… I don’t know why I said that. I’m sorry. I wish you the best on your trip, but I think it’s time for me to go.” He steps off the porch, stopping for a second, “for what it’s worth, I really am proud of you… I’ll see you around.” Then he walks into the night, down the driveway past the line of cars and into the street.
Abbey thinks about the party inside, the party specifically for her that her loving friends so generously put on. She tries not to cry, not to let one person keep her from a great time with all her favorite people, but the tears come anyway. She holds her face in her hand and tries to regain composure to go back inside, when suddenly she hears a sound. The sharp crack of a snapping twig, mother nature’s essential alarm system, draws her attention to a tall figure standing a short distance away in her yard, wearing an ominous hood.
“Who’s there,” she insists, suddenly alert.
“You can see me?” The figure mutters surprised, caught with one foot on the sidewalk, and one still in the grass.
She squints, and in the ample light of the full moon peers into the shadow of the hood and makes out a face. “Kevin? What the hell are you doing? Is this a joke?”
“Oh you can like- see me, see me?” he says sheepishly. “Wait, you recognize me?”
“Was this supposed to be a disguise? I just- look, did Lisa put you up to this? If there’s some kind of surprise you could have just told me,” she steps off the porch. “I was trying to have a serious conversation, I’m sorry if real honesty makes you so uncomfortable, but you can’t tell me you don’t see how this is worse.”
“I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else, I’ll just go-” the figure starts slinking away.
“No, seriously Kevin, just wait a second,” she grabs at the cloak as he steps away and it pulls open revealing an antiquated red tunic and a brown denim pant in a style she’s never seen, like some kind of half-hearted renaissance fair costume. “Wow, you changed fast, what is this even supposed to be?”
“Hey kid, I think we should try the back-” a gruff voice says in a raspy whisper, as a small hooded figure comes around the corner of the house. “Oh no,” he says, seeing the scene.
“Seriously what is this?”
Panicked, Kevin snatches the edge of his cloak from her hand and tosses it behind his shoulder with a flourish. “This is your destiny Abbey Nester! And I am not who you think!” He waves his hand trailing yellow sparks and his eyes begin to glow.
Abbey gasps and steps back.
The diminutive Jashobeam rushes in with surprising quickness, slapping aside Kevin’s hand. “No, don’t do that,” gently pushing him back away from the girl.
“What is this!? You’re being super weird right now,” says Abbey. “And who is this!?” She snatches at the loose end of Jasohobeam’s hood pulling it back revealing the scruffy fur of his head and his creaturesque face. “Ah!” She shrieks, stepping back again and covering her mouth.
“Now you done it. Why do they always scream?” the little man asks mostly to himself. “Listen we can explain-”
“Mod-de-willa-her” Kevin says, suddenly clapping his hands and sending out a shockwave that billows his cloak and rustles through Abbey’s tied up black braids. “Ok that time I’m pretty sure it worked,” he says looking down at Jashobeam.
“How are you doing that!?” Abbey shouts, pointing.
“You dummy,” Jashobeam says, reaching up and yanking the collar of Kevin’s cloak. “You cast the ward on all three of us!”
“Well… yeah,” Kevin utters defensively, “I assumed we’re about to have a private conversation. We wouldn’t want anyone to see us, anyone else that is.”
“This- This is crazy,” Abbey says, and she turns and scrambles back up the steps and through the front door.
“Abbey wait-”
“No,” Jashobeam interjects before Kevin can go after her, “you might’ve played this one right kid. This might work in our favor.”
Inside, Abbey is panicking moving through the house. “Lisa!” She screams.
In the living room, one of her friends turns up the volume on the speaker, “I love this song!” She starts dancing with the guy she brought to the party. Nobody even looks as Abbey rushes in.
“Where is Lisa?” she asks, but no one answers. She storms into the kitchen where her best friend is pouring herself a drink in a red solo cup. “What is going on? Did you put Kevin up to some kind of prank?”
Lisa just hums to the music as she takes a sip from the drink. She turns to walk back to the living room.
“Hey! Listen to me, what’s going on?” Abbey shouts, and grabs at Lisa’s shoulder.
She stumbles, slipping out of Abbey’s grasp and nearly drops her cup. “Whoa,” she mumbles, trying to keep from spilling. “I might need to slow down,” she giggles and keeps walking.
Before Abbey can go after her, the back door cracks open and a hooded head pokes inside.
“They can’t see you,” says Kevin.
The door opens wider and Jashobeam pushes in front. “So best not to interact too much, don’t want to freak anyone out.”
“What about me?” Abbey pleads, backing away from the pair. “I’m freaking out!”
“Don’t worry,” Kevin assures. “It’s not permanent, in a couple hours they’ll see you just like normal.”
“None of this is normal. What’s going on? Who are you?”
“Refugees,” Jashobeam says.
“Beggars,” Kevin says.
“…Revolutionaries.”
“What?” Abbey asks, her heart races, head spinning with confusion.
“You don’t know us,” Jashobeam begins.
“I know him,” she points at Kevin.
“Well… You know a version of me,” says Kevin.
“And we,” Jashobeam continues, “Know a version of you.”
“Knew” Kevin corrects.
Abbey’s hand scrambles across the kitchen counter and she pulls a cleaver from the knife block. “I’m listening,” she points the blade at her two intruders, “keep talking.”
* * *
“So you are wizards, from another dimension?” Abbey asks skeptically. Sitting on the floor of her bedroom closet, a kitchen knife across her lap. The three of them sit crammed in together; it would be total darkness if Kevin had not conjured a small yellow sphere of light.
“Cooperomancers,” says Jashobeam.
“From a parallel reality,” Kevin adds.
“Which is why you look like Kevin?”
“Well I am Kevin, just not your Kevin.”
“Sure… but what about you then, is there a ‘Jashobeam’ in my world?”
“No,” the scruffy little creature says, scratching his chin. “Likely not. Likely nobody like me in this world.”
“Why?”
“What do you know about your ancestors? As in your ancient ancestors, homo neanderthalensis, homo erectus, homo hovelenius?”
“Not much apparently, I’ve never even heard that last one.”
“That’s because in your reality they likely went extinct, long before recorded history.”
“But in our reality,” Kevin cuts in. He gestures vaguely to Jashobeam, waving his hands around his furry head. “We’ve got loads of ‘em.”
“Here you just got humans doing the whole civilization bit,” says Jashobeam, “but in our world we got humans and trogyls,” he points a hairy thumb at his chest.
“And… ‘trogyls’ taught humans to do magic?”
“Sort of,” says Kevin.
“We don’t have endless time here,” Jashobeam says, “so I’m gonna cut to the highlights. We trogyls are the source of magic. The trogyls of old were mighty sorcerers with overwhelming power! But when the Sorcerer King saw the way his people used their abilities to oppress humans, he believed there would never be peace between us. So, the king, most powerful of ancient trogyl sorcerers, set a curse on his own people, that they could never again cast their own spells, never again change the world to their whims.”
“But,” Kevin says, “There’s a catch.”
“Right, see trogyls can’t cast their own spells no more, but we can lend our power to humans who can!”
“Cooperomancy!”
“So…” Abbey says, connecting the dots. “Humans have no magic, but can cast spells; trogyls have magic, but can’t. So they have to work together?”
“Bingo.”
“What does this have to do with me?”
The two men look at each other somberly.
“Well,” Jashobeam begins, “you’re Abbey Nester. Our world also had an Abbey, and we knew her. She was my partner.”
“A great magical champion who protected our world. No duo was more powerful than Abbey and Jashobeam!”
“You keep saying knew,” Abbey says, “past tense. What happened to her?”
“She was defeated,” Jashobeam says hastily. “There was… a trogyl cooperomancer who believed he had figured out a spell to reverse the Sorcerer King’s curse, to grant innate casting once again. They taught it to their human partner, who rather than testing it on a trogyl, used it for themselves. Becoming a human with their own magic, and their own casting ability, and no need for trogyl cooperomancers.”
“The Corrupted, we call them.”
“Yes, and the Corrupted has been terrorizing our world ever since. Ruthlessly hunting down coopermancing partners, separating, imprisoning… and killing them.”
“But I still don’t…” Abbey rubs her shoulder, “what am I supposed to do about any of this?”
“My people sit in captivity. We need a hero. We need you.”
“Why can’t Kevin do it!”
“I’m honestly not very good at magic,” he says sheepishly.
“Well me neither, I’ve never done any magic at all!”
“But you have the potential!” Jashobeam insists. “Abbey had a raw and natural potential like no one before. And as her partner, my magic is strongest when she acts as my conduit. What I can do with Kevin is peanuts to what Abbey and I could do! What we could do.”
“… none taken,” says Kevin quietly.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“I… can’t. I have a life here, I can’t just leave this all behind,” says Abbey.
“Correct me if I’m wrong but this is a going away party isn’t it?” Kevin asks. “You’re traveling abroad to help underprivileged kids or something like that?”
“Yeah, sports camps in-”
“Noble, to be sure,” Jashobeam cuts in, “you’re giving your time to help children who need it. Not everyone would, but we’re talking about something much much bigger. We’re talking about helping an entire world!”
“It’s no small thing,” adds Kevin, “this might not be just your time, we could be asking you to give your life. We understand if it’s too much. All we ask is that you consider it. Consider-”
“When would we leave?” Abbey asks, determination in her eyes.
“The next full moon,” Jashobeam whispers.
* * *
Deep in the forest Jashobeam raises his arms overhead, he mutters the incantation, but this time his hands wave over Abbey, and her eyes begin to glow with a purple light. Slowly she turns her hand in a big circle, just like he had taught her. Then palm extended she casts a glow onto the hole in the ground and it lights up.
“After you,” Jashobeam says and motions to the open portal.
Abbey steps into the glowing chasm, and disappears.
“Are you sure,” asks Kevin, “that this Abbey will be different? How do we know she won’t be corrupted too?”
“Well…” Jashobeam scratches his chin. “We didn’t even have to mention the reward money. I helped a greedy Abbey Nester tear our world apart, maybe we can help a selfless one put it back together.”
“Good enough for me.”
With that, the short hairy creature jumps into the portal.
“And this Abbey Nester thinks I’m cute, so there’s that,” Kevin steps into the glowing doorway and the light fades away.
MOLDOVA and the EU Geopolitical Project
What are the advantages of having China’s currency, the RMB, used internationally instead of just the USD, EUR, JPY, and GBP?
The RMB is already a recognized reserve currency by the IMF. Of the 5 recognized currencies, the most important is the dollar. This has persisted since the end of WW2. Most international trade and investments are done in dollar. It is the kingpin of international finance.
This gives the US tremendous privileges, like seigniorage, low borrowing cost, no forex risk, unlimited current account deficit, information of the supply and demand conditions of currencies, the oil market, the commodities and metals exchanges, and more.
The world accepted this because the dollar was seen as a currency of the commons, a grease for international transactions.
This changes when the US weaponized the currency in its foreign policy and made it a sinister currency of sanction. Its huge and growing national debt also causes disquiet. The Fed’s unilateral actions are truly America First. The world must look to diversify.
Look at what the US did to Iran, and even worse to Afghanistan. It froze its money, a mere $10 billion, and denied it the use when the country suffered hungers and starvations.
Countries suffer losses in their holdings of US Treasuries when the Fed hiked interest rates. Poor countries have to fork out large sums of their national currencies to service their dollar debt when the interest hikes made the dollar more expensive.
Look at how the US tried to collapse the Russian economy, froze its money and kicked it out of SWIFT. This time it kicked a rock. Russia is strong enough to fight back. Other countries are on its side, and dedollarisation took off.
China could see the arrogance and viciousness of the US. It was converted from being reticent about dedollarisation to a key player, and the RMB becomes a key currency in the process. China is not any country. It is the world’s top trader. It has almost halved the use of the dollar in its foreign trade to less than 40%, and cuts down its holdings of US Treasuries from $1.3 trillion 3 years ago to $750 billion. Other countries have surely taken note.
Then there is BRICS. At the just concluded summit in Kazan, the organisation admitted 13 new members into the new partner category, to raise the total membership to 23. It established BRICS Clear, an option to the dollar in cross-border settlements. Over 150 countries are set to use it.
BRICS members agree to use the national currencies in their trade. They are leading players in international trade in oil & gas and other commodities, gold and other metals, and manufactured goods. The trend is the continual fall in the international use of the dollar.
Russia and China have shown the advantages to diversify out of dollar.
Russia is practically fully dedollarised. It was not affected by the Fed interest hikes which caused havocs in the exchange market.
China was affected but it has diversified enough and is strong enough to pursue its own monetary policy, and not forced to adjust the the Fed’s interest hikes.
IMF officials have urged countries to devise policies that suit their own conditions and not follow the US policy. This is easier said than done.
Forex values of the currencies of the EU, UK, Japan, and South Korea sank when the Fed hiked the interest rates. They had to spend heavily to prevent them falling into the precipice.
Japan faced the threat of inflation. It needed a higher yen. South Korea needed to lower its interest rate to inflate the economy, but dared not do so because of pressures on the won. Their Finance Ministers flew to DC to seek Yellen’s help, but received a lecture instead.
What was your best moment when negotiating a salary?
When I was 25, I was working in Loss Prevention for a chain of gas stations. I was making $28,000 per year. It was one of those jobs one gets until they find something better. In the role, I often had to work undercover to catch the thieves in a store.
One undercover assignment had me working at a station right next to the interstate. A gentleman came in every morning on his commute to work. He got a cup of coffee and bought a pack of cigarettes. He was eccentric and very odd acting.
I would make it a point to grab his cigarettes when I saw him enter the store. He noticed me being proactive and asked if I would like to come work for him as a waiter in the restaurant he owned. I declined.
Over the next few weeks our conversations grew friendlier and he insisted I come work for him. I finally took him aside, explained that I was college educated and only working as a service station attendant to catch a thief that was stealing beer and cigarettes.
He seemed excited and said, “Come manage the place for me.”
Now, I was interested. I had been a manager of a service station before getting promoted to Loss Prevention. I agreed to come visit his business.
What I found was a resort with eight hotel rooms, a restaurant, chapel for weddings and two other homes all replicas of buildings in Colonial Williamsburg nestled in the North Georgia Mountains.
I wanted the job, but at the same time was skeptical about the endeavor. I realized it would take a huge commitment. When we sat down to talk about me coming to work for him he said, “Name your salary.”
I told him $100,000 and he agreed to pay it. Shocked, I accepted and went to work making more money than I ever dreamed I could.
American Reacts to How America Got so Stupid
Get the best potato rolls with just 15 minutes of prep
Ingredients
How to
- In a small glass bowl or measuring cup, whisk to combine the yeast, 1/3 cup of the warm water and 2 teaspoons of the sugar Set aside for 3-5 minutes, until foamy.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the remaining ingredients, mixing just until a smooth dough forms.
- Shape the dough into a ball, and place it in a bowl sprayed with cooking spray or vegetable oil. Cover with plastic wrap, and set in a warm place to rise for one hour.
- Punch down the dough, and divide into handful-sized pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a ball, and place them close together but not quite touching on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Preheat the oven to 375 F.
- Cover the rolls with plastic wrap lightly sprayed with cooking spray, and set them in a warm place to rise for an additional 30-40 minutes.
- Lightly brush the rolls with milk, then bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack, and allow to cool completely before serving.
Why is China Building a $50 Billion Railway in the Himalayas?
What is the best comeback you used on someone?
I had this nasty teacher in the six grade who used to always target me for whatever reprimands she could dish out and all the girls who would bully me would suck up to the teacher so long before I knew about gender discrimination I suspsect it was because I was a boy student from a single parent family.
One day I had saw a nice ball point pen sitting on the ground next to my desk so I picked it up to use for a spelling test or some other paper handout the teacher passed to us. One fellow student, a girl who would taunt me and call me ‘Burke the Jerk’ (because Burke is my middle name) noticed that I was using a pen that she claimed was hers even though she had a pencil case stuffed with pens, pencils, highlighers etc. She yelled at me calling me a thief and then the teacher walked over and screamed at me calling me a thief screaming, ‘how dare you take things that don’t belong to you – “GO STRAIGHT TO THE OFFICE”!!
I was traumatized and tried to explain ‘that the pen was on the floor near my desk and I didn’t know who it belonged to’ an the teacher just screamed; “YOU’RE A LIAR AND YOU BELONG IN JAIL”!! As I left the classroom in tears I heard her remark to the class about how ‘that’s how kids from broken homes start out and then they all go to prison as adults’.
As it was the principal just told me to sit out of class and not take anything that wasn’t mine and I got a detention for the week, which meant no recess and lunch was in the detention room with extra homework added.
Amazingly enough, there was some community charity that the school was involved with and the nasty teacher being one of the fundraising chairs along with some parents, inclduing those of the girl in class who accused me of stealing her pen. I read in one of the local community newspapers that the charity had been investigated during a forensic tax audit and along with the nasty teacher and three of the parents, they had managed to all swindle over $100,00 from the charity which raised funds for the school, a seniors home and other causes within our small Jewish comunity. The teacher and the parents named who were part of the fundraising committee had applied for and were given government grants and spent some of the money on a trip to Las Vegas, some personal expensives and one parent even furnished her home and bought a new car (new to her, I think it was a resale one).
Well, within a month everyone was talking about the incident and it was even reported on local community television news and by the end of the school year when we had an assembly where top students were given awards for grades and community service with the school (I won an award with two other students for our volunteer bake sales for the local SPCA and we even arranged an ‘adoption day’ where pets were brought to the school on a Sunday and find a fur-ever home). The nasty teacher gave some speech announcing her retirement and gratitude for her years of teaching (she was still under investigation for fraud and theft at the time) and one parent in the assembly yelled ‘Liar, you’re resigning because you’re a liar and a thief’ and I found the courage to yell, ‘Don’t take things that don’t belong to you’. The assembly members gasped while the MC, who was the school principal come up to the front telling people’ not to shout out and those comments were unacceptable’. A few other parents shouted agreeded while another yelled, ‘send her to jail’.
The teacher fighting back tears cut her speach short and left the assmebly room.
Months later after we started a new school year with a different teacher we read in the local and city newspaper that the teacher and three of the parents were sentenced to some kind of house arrest and a few years of probation (which could result in prison if they had just one infraction) and they were fined a huge amount of money and had to pay back every dime that they stole. Their names were tarnished forever aside from their sentence being on record and the nasty teacher could never show her face anywhere in the Jewish community when everyone talked and she even got a few taunts of ‘liar, thief, you belong in jail’.
To this day I don’t know the long term affects of what happened to that teacher or the parents since I left that city I lived in as a teen to Vancouver where I now live but I’m sure that the teacher had to live with that shame of getting caught as well as the parents (one of them was divorced by her husband and had to sell her house and go back to work at the fabric store her parents owned) for the rest of their lives.
Karma is a bitch ain’t it.
WTF are you talking about?
Is the USA more evil than China and Russia?
Absolutely
Ideology makes someone EVIL
The US Ideology is EVIL
The Ideology is very similar to the Nazis and in fact is an extension of Nazi Doctrine which says
A. The Anglo Saxon race must always rule the world and dictate what everyone else must do, for the world to benefit
B. The cost of killing thousands including Children and Women is worth it to save the World in its present form with the Anglo Saxon race dictating what everyone must do
This Ideology presents themselves as the MASTER RACE and everyone else as a SUBSERVIENT GROUP OF PEOPLE meant to take orders and follow orders
It’s why they don’t care what they do to ensure others don’t develop technology or grow rich enough or independent enough or develop advanced weaponry or energy independence
What makes it Evil?
This can be termed as Ambitious or even Power Hungry but not Evil
However the minute the US allows Women and Children to die in Gaza and ignores the plight of the Middle Eastern Palestinians who are dying of disease and bombs paid for by the US
The decision to nuke civilians
The decision to unleash Agent Orange on unsuspecting Vietnamese who only wanted to run their own country according to their wishes
That makes them Evil
China isn’t EVIL at all
China isn’t even Ambitious or wanting to rule the world
China wants it’s people to prosper, have enough food, enough energy & enough water to prosper and grow and do their best to develop themselves
And defend themselves
They don’t want to achieve Taiwanese domination by all means like the US or they would have bombed Taiwan to rubble citing military threats , fifty times by now
It’s behind their entire geopolitical strategy
A. Securing Oil Deals, Gas Deals, Food Deals, Raw Material Deals through the BRI & FTAs
B. Securing Trade Bases across the Globe to not depend on select routes which could be used against them
C. Building up a Navy primarily to defend against US Aggression or US supported Aggression in the South China Sea
D. Building up a Military force mainly to defend themselves against US Base attacks
Russians are also NOT EVIL
The fact that they still follow code with Ukraine is proof of that
They too have no desire to rule the world
They just want to be Independent and protect their system and their way of life from the American Evil
Nobody else truly is Evil today
None of them have an Ideology that calls for submission of other people
Not even Islamic Fundamentalism
Everything We Know About China’s New H-20 Stealth Bomber
Shorpy
Former bullied kids, what did your bullies do when they met you as an adult?
I entered a competition once, a few years ago now, and won a seat in a top level racing car for some hot laps on the track during practice.
The big day came, and I brought my old motorcycle helmet as requested and got into my assigned car next to the driver. Imagine our shared surprise when the driver turned out to be the asshole that used to punch me, keep punching me until I stopped crying, push my head into the urinals, flick me with a wet towel in the change rooms, and all the other shit his friends subjected me to when I was in high school.
To call the ensuing silence ‘stony’ would be an understatement.
“I know you, don’t I”, he said, eventually.
“Yes” I solemnly replied, looking him in the eye. I thought of all the times during over a decade of martial arts training that this guy had been the face on the punching bag.
“Ahhh”, he said. “I guess I was a dickhead at school. Did I use to bully you?”
“Yes you did” I said, still looking at him rather hard.
“Mmmm. Well, I’m sorry about that.” He said. He paused getting himself strapped into the car for a bit, then said “No excuses for it, I shouldn’t have done it. I’m sorry for everything I did”, then he paused again. “You don’t have to accept my apology, but there it is”. He finished quietly.
I had absolutely no idea what to say, so I said nothing.
He looked at me for a bit, then said “Do you still want a ride in the car? It’s a lot of fun, and you did win the ride…”
I had a think, and realised that I had actually let go of all the rage years ago, there was just a shell left, and there was nothing either of us could do to undo what happened when we were kids.
“Sure”, I said, “Can you show me how to do this seat belt up?”
And so we had a blast for the next half hour; the acceleration was savage, the noise was phenomenal and both of us got out of the car with huge grins on our faces.
I went around to his side of the car and shook his hand and said “Thanks”.
He didn’t meet my gaze for long, but said “No, thank you”.
And we parted. Definitely not as friends, but certainly as adults.
As a police officer, what was your most memorable traffic stop?
I stopped this beautiful Asian lady for speeding.
She said her husband was a military pilot and would kill her if she got a ticket. I was walking back to my car to run her.
I wasn’t gonna write the ticket, cause she didn’t deny what she did.
That’s how i rolled. Just gonna make sure she had no warrants.
She jumped out of the car, I met her right behind her car. She dropped to her knees and was trying to unzip my pants. Saying she’ll do anything to get out of it.
I admit I first looked around but then my big brain started working again.
I backed away as she tried to follow on her knees. I said ma’am get up, I’m not writing you a ticket.
Took a second for it to register what I said.
She then got up and now wanted to hug me.
I just said, ma’am you can leave.
Funniest thing about a month later I stopped her husband for going like 85 in a 40. Dorky white pilot who was a Captain.
He was a cockasauraus.
So I cited him. He went to court and lost. He pissed the judge off too.
Jeffrey Sachs: Official! It’s finally over for the West?
A Simple Life
Submitted into Contest #196 in response to: Write a story involving a portal into a parallel universe.… view prompt
John Weyermuller
“What? How!?”
Herron does not answer immediately, contemplating. “About 5 years after we marry and move here the White Fleet is defeated at a battle near Obsidian Port. Within a year of that defeat, the Cloud Islands had fallen completely, and your parents were captured and executed. The Isthmian Confederation rules the Cloud Islands now.”
“No… we… we win the Battle of Obsidian port. I win it.” Sarah says.
“Not here you don’t my love. Here we labor under the Isthmians because the White Fleet loses. The other Sarahs also had similar reactions to this news.” Herron continues to stroke her hair soothingly, in the same way, Gabriella does. Gabriella… “My love, our lives are the sum of the decisions we make in life. We do what we think is best, it’s all any of us can do, and we live with those choices. I don’t know why the Aether gives you a choice to come to stay here, I don’t know why you make the various choices you do in life, but I know here. Here, you are happy, you are loved, you are content.”
Sarah pulls away, “Even under the yoke of the Isthmians?”
“We are not warriors or politicians Sarah, we farm, we provide for our friends and neighbors.”
Sarah looks around at all the beauty in the valley. She listens to the sound of her children playing in the pool near their farmhouse. She breathes in Herron and the world around her. Memories of what has become of her home under Isthmian rule, people subjugated, beaten, jailed. Homes burned, cities sacked. All because here she did nothing, she chose to leave a life she had been built for, a hard life, but a necessary one. She takes another step back from Herron. He frowns slightly. “You will leave too,” he says.
“Oh Herron, if I go what happens to your Sarah?”
“Nothing, she won’t remember you. This is about you, not… her, if that makes sense to you,” He reaches out and grabs her hand again. “Sarah, you don’t have to go back. You don’t have to be that other person. You can unburden yourself here. With me. Forget the Isthmians and your destiny to wage war and rule the seas as the Empress one day. Be here, with me. Be here with us.”
The temptation is acute but something still tugs at her. Another memory from a life on the seas, something pulling her back. She could live her life out here, content. Tanned in the sun, with clear skies, unburdened, picking peaches and chasing her children. She could lay with Herron every night. Season after season, a simple happy life. But that life is a dream, it is not her reality. That destiny was not made for her. Sarah Dux III, future Empress of the Cloud Islands’ fate was a life of duty and responsibility. A fate to protect her people, to lead them, a fate very different from an honest farmer on the inner islands. “No.” Sarah looks deep into Herron’s eyes and sees sadness but also understanding there.
“I understand my love. I hope you will find happiness and peace one day.”
Sarah turns from him, from her children, from her home. She turns her back on all of it and walks back towards the portal. Each step strengthens the memories from her life at sea. Her real life. With each step the life of Sarah Dux the farmer fades in her mind. Through the portal, she can see the darkness. A balcony on the stern of a ship, barely illuminated by the moons. With the confidence bred into her, with the fearlessness of an Admiral of the White Fleet, with the unbreakable iron will of a future Empress, she steps through the portal again, back to the darkness of her other, her real, life.
Her right foot touches the top railing and she springs down onto her left with the deftness of the hard-bitten sailor she is. Sarah looks over her shoulder, she can just make out Herron in the field, with… her… by his side, as the portal blinks shut. She stands at the railing again, the cool air against her, and the smell of the salty Aether Sea fills her nostrils. She remembers the portal, and what she left behind, but it is fading fast, as if it were a dream. A dream she knows wasn’t a dream, but also a dream that isn’t her reality. Sarah turns back to her quarters, Gabriella snores softly on their bed, the sheets pulled down to her waist. Exactly where they had been when Sarah had risen from her place at Gabriellas’ side earlier. The light of the moons through the balcony door and several round porthole windows illuminates her dark skin and face, her dark curly hair falls slightly across her face, all of it framing her beautifully. Sarah shakes her head, “How could I have ever considered a life with you.”
While they have not been together long, Sarah knows one thing now for certain she had not before. While the Sarah of her not-dream had a deep, abiding love of Herron, this Sarah. Her. She has Gabriella, and maybe, that is enough.
America Compared: Why Other Countries Treat Their People So Much Better Reaction!
Bailey’s Irish Cream Brownies
Ingredients
Brownies
- 3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 6 tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream, divided
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- Dash of salt
- 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Frosting
- 3 tablespoons softened butter
- 4 tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
Brownies
- Melt unsweetened chocolate with butter in microwave and mix well. Cool.
- Beat sugar and eggs together in mixing bowl.
- Add Bailey’s Irish Cream and cooled chocolate mixture. Mix well.
- Stir in flour, salt and chocolate chips.
- Pour into greased and floured 8 inch square baking pan.
- Bake at 325 degrees F for approximately 20 minutes (test with wooden pick).
- Cool completely (about 1 1/2 hours).
- Pierce brownies with a wooden pick randomly. Drizzle remaining 3 tablespoons Bailey’s Irish Cream over brownies, then frost.
Frosting
- In mixing bowl, combine liqueurs and butter. Mix well.
- Gradually add confectioners’ sugar and beat until spreading consistency.
- Frost cooled brownies.