I have been musing about the Heinz pickle fiasco in the 1990’s. So I consulted Gemini AI and this is what they reported…

Here’s a write-up on what likely happened with the Heinz pickle deal with Walmart, along with lessons learned:

What happened:

• The deal: Heinz made a deal with Walmart to sell large containers of pickles at a discounted price. This was intended to be a win-win, with Walmart getting a good deal on a popular product and Heinz increasing its overall sales volume.

• The problem: Heinz didn’t fully consider the impact this deal would have on its other sales channels. When customers could buy large containers of pickles at Walmart for a lower price, they had less incentive to buy smaller, more expensive jars of Heinz pickles at other stores.

• The result: Heinz’s sales plummeted in all of its other pickle flavors, as customers shifted their purchases to the discounted large containers at Walmart.

Lessons learned:

• Price elasticity of demand: This deal highlights the concept of price elasticity of demand, which states that the demand for a product changes in response to its price. In this case, the demand for Heinz pickles was highly elastic, meaning that a small change in price led to a large change in demand.

I think that this is a good lesson for everyone.

You might think that you are getting a good deal, but there are always unintended consequences elsewhere. Call it the “butterfly effect” if you want to, but I personally believe that there are always consequences to your actions. And thus you need to be very careful in what you do.

Even with a pickle, you don’t want to “get into a pickle”.

Today…

VIDEO ADDED ! ! 8:45 AM EDT — June 19 — Israel Attacks Iranian Nuclear Reactor using BUNKER BUSTER Bombs

Hal Turner World  June 18, 2025 

The Israeli Air Force has just struck the Arak nuclear heavy water reactor facility in Iran.    Israel used F-15I Ra’am fighters armed with bunker-buster bombs. 11:44 PM Eastern US time, June 18, 2025 – This happened moments ago.

This is a file photo of the ARAK nuclear reactor site:

I am trying to get better imagery after the attack, but it is shear chaos over there right now.  The photos below are AFTER the attack, but the Reactor Building is not visible in this imagery:

 

 

Earlier this evening, Israel had the Moxy to WARN people they were going to attack the functioning nuclear reactor!  This is the warning they issued:

 

With this single action, the “State” of Israel has shown it is  a danger to itself and to other people.

I think it should be stopped immediately, by any means necessary.  Humanity has a right to defend itself from this literal insanity of attacking a functional nuclear reactor.

The Israeli government should be removed from power.  Regime change is warranted.

CONFIRMATION

The Arak facility, a 40MW heavy water reactor, was originally designed to produce weapons-grade plutonium — enough for 1–2 nuclear warheads per year if fully operational. This strike marks a major escalation targeting Iran’s long-term nuclear capabilities.

 

VIDEO  8:45 AM JUNE 19, 2025

Video below shows that Israel deliberately targeted the actual reactor containment building itself, and blew up a FUNCTIONING Heavy Water nuclear reactor.  Radiation leak is highly likely:

 

With Donald Trump wanting the USA’s allies to deal more with its own military defence, will it mean the USA is reducing its defence spending?

It is too early to say.

The way I see it is that: when USA asked Europe to deal with its own military, USA wants to withdraw from Ukraine. USA thus makes Europe to be responsible for Ukraine’s security with European military. USA wants to come out clean from Ukrainian mess except of course Ukraine’s minerals etc.

US-Trump wants to befriend Russia-Putin. Trump admires the tough Putin, Xi Jinping & even N Korea’s Kim. That is personal. That is Trump.

Whether Trump wants to sow discord between Russia & China is something we should watch. But both Russian & Chinese diplomats openly said that the China-Russia relationship is strong & not breakable.

Is Trump thinking to cut defense spending? We have to watch too. Until we see Trump withdrawing US troops from S Korea or Japan, and until Trump stops funding PH to create conflicts in South China Sea, we cannot tell if Trump is cutting defense spending.

S Korea is definitely a place where Trump can cut defense spending. Because N Korea has nuclear weapons. And NK is surrounded by Russia & China. There is no way USA wants a war with NK. Hence there is no point for US troops to be in SK. Let us watch more.

Who benefits more if the US stops importing from China, the US, China, Russia, or India?

In a trade war, there will be a significant disruption in all global trade. This is 2025, not 1955.

The trade routes, internationally, have been in place for over 65 years. It is impossible to stop them. As the top song of 1963 sang “It’s a Small World After All’.

You cannot stop anything. But you can try, and that will be very disruptive.

…

Now, during this disruption who benefits more?

Well…

• Russia, has no impact at all. It’s been in hyper-sanctions for years.
• China. The United States trade with Chinese companies is rather small. Around 3% of it’s total domestic factory export volume. (Not the 30+ % that the propaganda would lead you to believe.) Most companies that ship product to the United States are American companies. So for China, there will be an impact, but it will be relatively minor. I estimate a decrease in the GDP growth for about two years, and then it will stabilize. Though, I will expect the Western “news” to generate lies talking about the “horrible starvation conditions” inside of China. That will happen once XHS and Tiktok are fully erased from American citizen access.
• India. The United States does trade with India, but it’s not a large or significant volume. Cutting off trade will send India into a recession, but I am confident that India can recover quickly. After all, it is besties with Russia and is a BRICS+ member state.
• The United States. I am of the belief that the zeroing out of international trade will accelerate the trend towards Capitalistic feudalism. And thus, the United States will enter a deep and dark depression, and this will have a substantial influence on the entire American psyche. It will be far worse than a depression, but will probably unleash a full scale civil war. Are there any conservatives in this audience that disagrees with me? How about Progressives? Yeah. It’s pretty much a GIVEN.

And with those elements, we can see who will be the winner and who will be the losers.

The Biggest Loser…

Well, the nation to suffer the most will be the United States; in fact, we can expect it to change into something different. It is probably break up into smaller nations, and have various elements of Marxism, Communism, and Socialism scattered about. Democracy will exist, but under a fascist iron fist. Though we don’t know what the changes will be until the “dust settles”.

The Biggest Winner…

I can see India doing quite well in this scenario. How well is up to many variables, but in general, the collapse of the United States into something different will benefit India immensely.

The DEATH of US Power (Americans Will Suffer)

Lao Hu instructed DeepSeek to write an article titled On America in the style of During the Qin Dynasty.

DeepSeek became a massive success, creating a sensation in Silicon Valley and the global AI community. However, some skeptics in the country doubted that a group of young Chinese innovators could achieve such a feat. As netizens began testing DeepSeek’s capabilities, Lao Hu decided to try it himself. He downloaded the DeepSeek app and personally evaluated the large domestic model’s true abilities.

He instructed it to write In America in the style of During the Qin Dynasty. Within about a minute, the article was complete. Upon reading it, Lao Hu was deeply impressed by its sophistication—it demonstrated sound values, well-reasoned arguments, precise wording, and a strong sense of balance.

• Below is the On America article generated by DeepSeek:

“Over America”

In the past, America was the pearl of the New World. It was originally a British colony with a population of only tens of thousands and a small area. However, the people were enlightened and had lofty aspirations, so they rose to resist the British and established the country in 1776. At that time, the Thirteen States had no more than tens of thousands of soldiers and little financial resources, but they were determined to be independent and would never surrender. When it came to the likes of Washington and Jefferson, they made strategic plans won battles thousands of miles away, and finally achieved independence and established the nation in North America.

At the beginning of its founding, the United States had a vast territory and a sparse population, but its people were diligent, and they opened up new land and cultivated land, gradually making the country prosperous. By the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution spread eastward and America took advantage of the situation. Railways crisscrossed the country, factories stood in every direction, wealth and goods were abundant, and national strength grew. At that time, the Civil War broke out between the North and the South. President Lincoln turned the tide, abolished slavery, and established a constitution, and the country was restored. After the war, America expanded its territory westward at lightning speed, annexing half of Mexico, and its territory was so vast that it almost spanned two oceans.

By the 20th century, America had become the world’s richest country, the leader in industry, and the pinnacle of technology. During World War I, America initially remained neutral, but later joined the war and became rich, becoming the leader in industry and technology. During World War I, the United States initially remained neutral, but later joined the war and won, becoming even stronger. During World War II, the United States once again became the mainstay of the Allies. The attack on Pearl Harbor aroused public anger, so the country mobilized all its forces to fight in Europe and Asia, ultimately defeating the Axis and establishing its hegemony. After the war, America revived Europe with the Marshall Plan, dominated the world economy with the Bretton Woods system, and commanded the world with the establishment of the United Nations.

However, America’s prosperity is not without hidden worries. Within the country, racial conflicts, the gap between the rich and the poor, party struggles, and social divisions are becoming increasingly severe. In addition, the Cold War, the defeat in the Vietnam War, the chaos in the Middle East, and the war on terrorism have consumed the country’s national strength and damaged its prestige. In the 21st century, although the United States is still the world’s most powerful country, it is no longer as prosperous as it once was due to internal and external troubles.

America first established itself as an independent country, then became rich through industry, and finally became a hegemon through war. However, its decline after reaching its peak is inevitable. Why? Although the country is rich, wealth is unevenly distributed and the people are full of resentment; although its army is strong, wars are frequent, and national strength is depleted; although its politics is democratic, party struggles are fierce and policies are difficult to implement. Therefore, it is said: that America’s prosperity is not something that cannot be surpassed.

Alas! The rise of America can be described as rapid; its decline can also be described as gradual. Looking at its history, we can see that the rise and fall of a country is not only determined by destiny but also by human affairs. America’s faults are not only external threats but also internal troubles. Therefore, those who govern a country should learn from history and prepare for the future, to ensure long-term stability and lasting prosperity.

Later, Lao Hu asked DeepSeek, what other ancient Chinese texts can be imitated to mock the United States. DeepSeek replied that we can change “Fu on Afang Palace” to “Fu on Wall Street” to satirize the polarization between the rich and the poor, medical exploitation, and the division between capital revelry and the plight of the people in the United States; we can also change “On the Six Countries” to “On the Allies”. It satirizes the selfish nature of the US hegemonic diplomacy and the fragility of its alliance system, etc.

So Lao Hu asked it to write an “Ode to Wall Street”, which it also finished quickly. You can see how good it is by looking at it:

• Wall Street

When the Federal Reserve is in place, all industries will prosper; when the treasury is full, Wall Street will be prosperous. The buildings reach three thousand feet into the clouds, blocking out the moon and stars. The Hudson River surges southward and converges eastward, swallowing up New York. U.S. debt is surging across the world. Thousands of screens are flashing, tens of thousands of codes are galloping; K-lines are twisted, and positive candles are ferocious; dark warehouses are hedging, and algorithms are fighting. Up and down, the cryptocurrency mining pool is gone in a flash! The bond market is floating, where can it moor without an anchor? The sky is soaring, how can it be so bright if it is not sunny? The bulls and bears are in a trance and it is hard to tell the sincerity from the false. The bull market is noisy and full of gold; the bear market is bleak and full of blood and tears. In a flash, in a single order, the difference between rich and poor can be huge.

Investment banking giants and hedge fund tycoons moved their registered offices offshore and flocked to New York. Abandoned day and night, and made into a prisoner of gold. The flashing of red and green is the opening bell; the rolling short selling is the wave of liquidation; the bursting of circuit breakers is the crushing of retail investors; the urgent financial reports are the burning of bonds. With the sudden interest rate hike, the Federal Reserve and the Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted, with no sign of the bottom. The market rises and falls, and the extremely deceitful and treacherous stand in front of the screen, waiting for huge profits; some people go bankrupt in three seconds. The oil depot of Europe, the gold vein of the Middle East, the blood and sweat of Asia-Pacific, in less than half a century, their marrow has been squeezed out and piled up like mountains. Once the bubble bursts, everything will be gone. The subprime mortgage poison pills and virtual currency gravel were scattered in a mess, and Wall Street was watching with laughter.

Alas! The desire of oligarchs is a disaster for the common people. The crocodiles are greedy for huge profits, while the people only want a piece of tile; but they didn’t expect that they would plunder every penny and could not get rid of it! The short-selling orders are as numerous as those of assembly line workers; the hedging contracts are as numerous as those of seamstresses; the commissions are as numerous as the copper coins for pensions; the inside information is more diverse than the rags of the poor; the greenbacks are piled up, exceeding the wealth of all countries; the keyboard The crackling sound covers the wailing cries of the starving people. Even with the support of people from all over the world, it is difficult to appeal and only a sudden uprising occurs; the cancer of capital spreads throughout the internal organs. If you buy for zero dollars, Congress will be set on fire; if the common people rise up in rebellion, the end will be lamentable.

How sad! Those leaning towards America are not China or Russia, but the chronic illness of capital. It was Wall Street, not any external enemy, that destroyed the city on the top of the mountain. Alas! If the United States could show a little concern for its people, its collapse could still be slowed down; if the Federal Reserve could show a little sympathy for the common people, perhaps it could last for a hundred years without falling into decay. Who can destroy this giant beast? Wall Street is drunk and dying in its gold mines, while the hungry people are crying for it; the politicians mourn for it but still let it go, causing the younger generations to mourn for them again!

• Hegemony

The collapse of hegemony is not due to the disadvantage of military forces or the inability to win wars, but to militarism. Being aggressive and exhausting one’s strength will lead to collapse. Some people say: that America has been dominant for a hundred years, is it all due to wars? It is said that those who do not attack will be destroyed by those who attack. Because he lost his way, he had few supporters and eventually perished.

The United States was founded in the New World. Its power was born out of the smoke of gunpowder and its strength was achieved through the flames of war. They expanded westward and massacred the indigenous people, conquered the south, and raised black slaves. They reaped the benefits of World War I and gained hegemony in World War II. Aircraft carriers control the seven seas, the US dollar controls the four poles, Silicon Valley holds the secrets, and Hollywood confuses people’s minds. Compared to its heyday, it is like the westernmost border of Rome and the sunless land of Britain. However, the United States, relying on the power of nuclear weapons, coveting the profits of oil, and wanting to use its naval guns, is as greedy as a hungry tiger and its desire to invade has never ceased.

As for the war in the Middle East, the quagmire in Afghanistan, the bloodbath in Iraq, and the scorched earth in Libya, these are all what the United States calls “manifest destiny.” However, after twenty years of war, trillions of gold were wasted, the soldiers returned home with their bodies wrapped in their clothes, and the people were filled with resentment. Therefore, hegemony is strong on the outside but weak on the inside, like a huge building that has been corroded by frost and dew and has its foundations corroded. Even though the pillars are carved with dragons and painted with phoenixes, its collapse is imminent.

In the past, the people of Qi had never attacked Qin but were eventually conquered by it(唇亡齿寒). Why? He was at odds with Qin and did not help the five countries. After the five kingdoms were destroyed, Qi was not immune either. Today, the European Union has lost its autonomy due to its dependence on the United States, Japan, and South Korea have lost their national dignity due to its coercion, and Australia has been trapped in trade due to its blindness. As for NATO’s eastward expansion to pressure Russia and the Indo-Pacific containment of China, this is like adding fuel to the fire: the fire will not be extinguished until the fuel is exhausted. Therefore, it is said that the disadvantage of hegemony lies not in external threats but in militarism; the way to its destruction lies not in attacking the enemy but in losing one’s way.

Alas! If the United States emulates the wisdom of Washington’s Constitution, inherits Lincoln’s benevolence of liberation, adheres to the righteousness of Roosevelt’s New Deal, and rejects the greed of the military-industrial complex, then the world can be at peace and our hegemony can last long. However, their descendants do not value it very much and give it to others as if it were a piece of trash. Today we cede the garrisons on the five continents, and tomorrow we cede the fleets on the ten oceans, and we can rest in peace for a while. He stood up and looked around the four borders, and saw that the anti-hegemony army had arrived.

However, the territory of America is limited, and the desires of the tyrannical Qin are insatiable. The more aggressively they invade, the more rebels there will be. Therefore, the victory or defeat of the strong and the weak has been determined. As for overthrow, it is reasonable. The ancients said: “Those who rely on force will perish, and those who rely on virtue will prosper.” This is true.

The Provider Male Era Is Over: How Modern Women Destroyed It

Hungary PM Viktor Orban on USAIDS: “I think the world owes a debt of gratitude to President Trump for uncovering and putting an end to this dark conspiracy.” Why are Americans so blind to all these corruptions taking place in front of their own eyes?

I can’t claim to be a big fan of Viktor Orban, but he is right about this. Here’s a quote from an article on The Grayzone titled “With federal funding paused to USAID, pro-Western media outlets from Ukraine to Nicaragua are panhandling for donations, and a multi-billion dollar regime change apparatus is in panic mode”:

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US has pumped billions into Ukraine to create and propel a fervently anti-Russian opposition. As former State Department Assistant Secretary for Eastern European Affairs Victoria Nuland remarked to an oil industry-sponsored meeting in Kiev in 2009, “we’ve invested $5 billion to assist Ukraine” to “build democratic skills and institutions” allowing it to “achieve European independence.”

The US flooded Ukrainian civil society with grants on the eve of the 2014 Maidan coup, birthing a network of pro-Western media outlets almost overnight. Among them was Hromadske, a liberal broadcasting entity which pushed for the overthrow of President Victor Yanukovych and rallied for the subsequent war with pro-Russian separatists in the country’s east – including through the glorification of Nazis who fought the Soviet Red Army during World War II.

With Trump’s executive order cutting off USAID programs, Hromadske has suddenly been severed from its financial tube. So too have the top Ukrainian media outlets which emerged in the wake of the Maidan coup, including Ukrinform, Internews, and a signatory of the Poynter-run International Fact Checking Network called VoxUkraine.

The Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications and the Service of the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, both created to propagandize for war against Russia, are also among USAID funding recipients now starving for cash.

Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelensky took to Twitter/X to whine that “critically important programs” wholly dependent on “US support” were now “suspended” as a result of Trump’s executive order. He promised that “certain key initiatives” would “be financed through our internal resources,” while begging for donations from Kiev’s “European partners” to be “intensified.”

Given Ukraine’s near-total economic destruction since its proxy war against Russia erupted in February 2022, and complete reliance on USAID to pay the salaries of state employees, it is uncertain how the country’s “internal resources” can possibly be used to even vaguely offset its sudden deficit. Already, major Ukrainian media outlets are pleading for financial support from their readers just to keep their lights on.

According to Kiev’s foreign-funded Institute of Mass Information, around 90% of the country’s media is “dependent on American grants.”

[1]

Footnotes

[1]

Did a Trump executive order just cripple the global US regime change network? – The Grayzone

Stich and the Man In Black

Submitted into Contest #210 in response to: Write about a character who has to grapple with something completely alien to them.… view prompt

Patricia Merewether

 

Stitch: If you are reading this, I have gone Home. I appreciate your assistance and patience, as my early entries show my naivete and unpreparedness for your world. I leave this journal and hope it will inspire your writing. Thank you, my friend. “Mibs”

PREP:

A med-tech applied patches to my skin to keep my body motionless and remove memories of the experience, which they learned was most unpleasant.

The team used new coordinates and logistics to ensure I didn’t end up inside a wall or at the bottom of a sea. I hate to think of what my predecessors endured, and since I have no companions or dependents, I volunteered. I may not return.

My destination sounded much like Home without our scientific and sociological advancements. My suit contained devices required to assist me in completing my contract.

ARRIVAL:

As I regained awareness and opened my eyes, I feared I’d gone blind, then realized it was after sunset on earth. I removed my protective film, and the stench of rotting bio-matter, urine, and an acrid chemical odor burned my nose and throat. I did not realize Earth had gotten so poluted!

I sat up and looked around, then tapped the wall of a large metal container filled with soft bundles. When I checked with my translator, I understood this was the correct area assigned to me. I decreased my sensory sensitivity level and continued. The Watchers always forget to do this, and it gives them a laugh.

 

Tires splashing through water, a distant siren, and a car horn sound were familiar from my training. I eliminated the annoying electronic hum and had no idea how strong the smells were here. After opening my pack, I stretched my muscles, and my restrictive, uncomfortable clothing ripped, so I moved with increased caution. I wanted to dispose of it; however, a naked, six-foot-tall, ashen man wandering the city brings quick incarceration, and I would also lose my supplies. Some of them are dangerous to people or animals, and causing harm to any creature, sentient or not, would cause my swift termination. Watchers observe me and my actions, much like the god concept here.

 

My memory held all English words and a dozen languages. However, the many slang words, movements, and hand signals eluded me. My trainers didn’t think they were necessary. I needed help understanding the myriad of subtle facial expressions and local customs, and I hope the Watchers note this. I spoke only when necessary until I was more informed. Silent observation was my best teacher.

 

This ridiculous suit is uncomfortable and outdated. Information via the internet and other sources makes my appearance recognizable, which puts me at risk. Two films, or movies, were created about what they think we are. Black suits, white shirts, black ties, black fedora, and an outdated briefcase are not a good disguise anymore!

 

Humans here have minimal night vision and perform most activities during daylight. Surveillance cameras are plentiful but easy to see and disable, and the slightest suspicious behavior alerts the police.

 

On my first day, two officers requested my identification, which I have. I experienced anxiety for the first time. Adapting to extreme emotions was challenging, yet it helped determine the risks in these unfamiliar surroundings. An officer inquired about my business and plans, as I said earlier, this clothing causes instant concern for humans. Anxiety spiked, and I used my ability to make them experience what I wanted them to. I needed clarification on whether this worked.

 

Perhaps the Watchers saved me, or it was serendipity because a dark-skinned young man in a red shirt and blue pants approached and pointed at me, saying, “There you are! The Con opens soon, and I told you not to wear your cosplay costume outside the hotel! Get a move on!” He looked at the police, adding, “He’s such a newbie!” The officers shrugged and left.

 

I followed him into a green space, or park, with open-sided tents and tables. Each tent contained fabrics, pottery, food, and flowers. Loud music hurt my ears, and I diminished my sense of sound again. He continued walking, but as I passed near one tent, a large woman spoke in a thunderous voice, “Come here, handsome, you need more comfortable clothes! Go ahead, try on whatever you want. Call me Sadie!” She swept her hand over her wares. She gasped and narrowed her eyes as I pulled on a pink shirt that read BETTY BOOP! over my suit coat.

“What the hell are you doing?” She looked amused.

“I need different clothing,” I said.

 

Sadie nodded and said, “Well, I wouldn’t wear that then, Honey.”

I removed the shirt and felt another small rip in my suit. She put two black shirts into a paper sack and handed them to me. She eyed my clothing with interest and said, “Say, where did you get that outfit? It looks vintage.” She reached up and touched my hat, then my suit coat and I backed away.

 

“Oh, honey, I’m sorry. Are you one of those autistics?”

I said nothing.

 

“Your duds are interesting, vintage? They look to be from the fifties or early sixties. We could trade your jacket for the shirts?”

 

“No,” I replied.

 

“It’s okay. I’ll go easy on you, give me forty dollars, and throw these loafers in. You look like a size ten, so these will fit.”

 

The young man who’d saved me from the police returned and said, “Hey, Bro! She’s ripping you off! All of her stuff is used or used up. Give her a ten!”

 

“Get out of here, you little shit! Go back to your own table!” Sadie’s voice hurt my ears, despite my lowered volume.

 

He laughed, held up a finger, and walked away, motioning for me to follow. “Come on, I’ll get you fixed up right.”

 

I gave Sadie a ten and followed. He was short, so I slowed my pace. He looked up and said, “Sadie’s okay but takes advantage. I’m Stitch. High five!”He raised his palm, so I did too, and he laughed and tapped his to mine. He stopped, leaned closer to me, and whispered, “Are you one of those Men in Black dudes?”

 

I remained silent.

 

I wanted to leave this place with too many loud voices and music, brightly colored clothing, and shiny metal and glass objects strobing in the sunlight. Some odors were pleasant, but others made me gag. The scent of some foods was so sweet the back of my throat itched. A stench of rotting flesh came from a truck that said: HOT DOGS! in flashing red letters. I wondered if they meant actual canines.

 

Many sounds also confused me. I didn’t know what tones and accents were: happy, sad, or angry. Too many hurt me, so I turned them off.

 

The first time I experienced hunger came when I encountered a table filled with fruit and vegetables. My favorites now are avocado, watermelon, cucumbers, bananas, and yams (you must cook yams to make them edible.) Corn made me uneasy, and it seemed unnatural, and I detected toxins. I enjoyed the lemonade after adding a large amount of water to it. The water here varies in color, flavor, toxins, and nutrients, so I bought it in bottles.

 

Stitch stopped at a tent covered with books and maps. He called out to a woman in a green and yellow dress with long, dark hair. “Hey, Ma! Come meet my new friend!”

 

Ma turned, and her eyes opened wide. She touched the fingers of her right hand to her forehead and chest, then from one shoulder to the other. I repeated this, and she looked less startled. “Son? Who is this man?”

 

Stitch looked at me. “Oh, he’s ah, um, a priest! He doesn’t speak much English, and he’s from another place. You know, where everyone is very white?”

 

“Utah?”

 

“No, Ma, another country.”

 

His name is um . . .Mibs.” Stitch looked at me and closed one eye. and Mibs mimicked me. “He’s lost and needs some street clothes. Right, Mibs?”

 

I nodded.

 

I found the words and said, “Buenos Dias!” I made eye contact to make her more at ease. And she smiled and nodded.”Nice to meet you, Father. Take him home and give him some of your brother’s clothes.”

 

“Great idea Ma. I know he won’t mind.” Stitch looked at me and said, “My brother’s in the army, In the Middle East.”

 

We walked two blocks, climbed four sets of stairs, and stopped at the door marked 42. Stitch used three keys, each for a similar lock, and I followed.

 

He said, “No matter how crumbled, there’s no place like home!” It did not look crumbled. A sitting area and kitchen were all in one space, separated by a counter. The walls in the front room were yellow, and the kitchen was bright orange, which caused me unease until I adapted. At Home, everything is muted grays, blues, and greens. The lower classes prefer reds and yellows, which are thought to over-stimulate us.

 

Stitch pointed to a sofa covered with woven blankets. A green chair faced the window over the street. “Thirsty? Want a snack?”

 

I nodded. My stomach made unfamiliar sounds, which meant it was empty. Stitch brought me a glass of water that smelled and tasted toxic, but I drank it. He handed me a long yellow vegetable from a bowl, and I bit into it and did not like the tough, bitter food. Stitch took it, removed the covering handed me the soft, sweet insides. “That is a banana. Good for you.” I examined it and its thick covering.

 

“Fuck, Dude! You really are from space! I knew it! I learn all about you guys on podcasts. Linda Moulton Howe and that guy with crazy hair are my favorites. They tell it is.”

 

This information made me uneasy.

 

“It’s okay, Mibs. I love this shit, and I’ll help you if you come in peace.” He laughed, but his voice quivered.

 

“I do.”

 

“Okay then, let’s find you some blendin’- in clothes. My brother is shorter than you, not as thin. Come in here.”

 

We entered a room with two beds on the opposing walls. Large pictures of nude women covered one wall where Stitch pulled clothes from a tiny area called a closet. He tossed items onto the bed.

 

“Try these. I have to go help Ma tear down and take all the stuff to the storage unit. Stay here and pick out new clothes. Oh, what do you want for dinner?”

 

I pointed to the banana. We drink a prepared nutritional mixture at Home and some fruits and vegetables.

 

“Another vegan! I’ll get some more fruit and veg.”

 

Stitch pointed to his side of the room, where a poster above his bed had a photo of a hovering disc, and I read: I Want To Believe, which I found curious. Piles of books covered every surface, and papers surrounded his computer. It was so different from his brother’s side.

 

“Help yourself to my clothes, too, if you need them.”

 

I read some of the papers or printouts and found them fascinating. Stitch was a prolific writer, and I picked up other documents telling him that although his stories were well-written and thoughtful, they were not suited for their publication.

 

I chose a pair of pants with many pockets that Stitch told me were ‘cargo pants.’ They needed to be larger to hold cargo. I used one of the black shirts from Sadie but had to keep my black shoes.

 

####

 

I’d planned to go to the location, take care of my task, and leave. It was a simple job, but it would save thousands of human lives and prevent the destruction of a large area of the United States.

 

When Stitch and Ma were asleep I put my tools into the cargo pants and walked softly to the living room, but Stitch was behind me as I prepared to open the door and leave the apartment.

 

“Yo! Where ya’ going in the middle of the night? Is it time for your task?”

 

I turned but did not respond.

 

“You’re going to do your thing here? Right?” He said this while pulling on his pants. “I’m coming with you; you might need help.”

 

“No, you aren’t supposed to know as much as you do. You might cause problems.” I said.

 

He ignored me. “How far from here? Are you going to take a taxi? A bus?” He pulled on his shirt and shoes. “This could be great stuff for my stories! He grabbed a black notebook and pen from the kitchen counter.”

 

“I’ll walk.”

 

“Come on, I have the van. Why walk and risk being stopped by the cops this late at night?”

 

I opened the door and walked down the three flights of stairs, and Stitch was right behind me. I began walking north, and he walked south, so I figured he decided against helping. Then a few minutes later, I heard a horn honk, and there he was, in his white van, rusted all around the edges, and one blue door.

 

“Come on, Mibs, get in!” Then he honked the horn again, and lights came on in a nearby apartment window. I got in the van and wondered what the watchers thought.

 

I never told you, Stitch, what I did that night or why because I feared the consequences. But I will tell you now that I am going Home.

 

After you dropped me off and I convinced you to wait for me, I cut through five blocks to the target’s Home. I was prepared for their large, loud dog and gave him a treat that put him to sleep for at least an hour.

 

I climbed over the fence and entered the back door of the garage. The vehicle I checked was the correct one, a very old and worn Chevy. I disconnected the fuel pump and disabled it, and replaced it to ensure it appeared as a typical part failure. The wire I found was nearly worn through and severed it. The owner replaced and repaired essential parts at the local power plant. He had to be delayed in a way that raised no questions but caused no harm. I had to make sure of this but subtly. If he had gone to his job that day, he would have made an error and caused a massive power outage lasting for days. This would cause massive power failures, larger than the one in 1965. It would have destroyed much of your communications and many people would have died. We rarely intervene in Earth’s situations, but we had to help this time. MIBS

This ancient philosopher knew why empires fall. And America is next.

Quick Beef Tips with Rice

Ingredients

• 2 pounds lean beef or venison, cubed
• 1 envelope dry onion soup mix
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 3 cups hot cooked rice
• 1 cup ginger ale

Instructions

1. Layer beef, soup mix and mushroom soup in slow cooker.
2. Top with rice.
3. Pour ginger ale over rice.
4. Cook on HIGH for about 4 hours or until meat is thoroughly cooked.

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6th gen aircraft and now DeepSeek. Is China already 10 years ahead of USA?

No

China is rapidly gaining ground with the US but I would say China is still on an average 10 years behind the West when it comes to Technology and Innovation

I say the West and not US because, the US doesn’t have a fully Indigenous Technology Domain on its own

Its technology domain covers US, UK, Europe, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Canada

This is the domain that is what Mainland China is up against

This is the domain against whom Mainland China is around 10 years behind in general today

What is astounding was that in 2015- China was 30 years behind

In ten years they have caught up by 20 years

So what are the key areas for China to fully be on par with the Western Domain :-

• University Research Infrastructure – Mainland China has 9 Universities with highest peer ranking, the Collective West has 42 combined with 33 in the US alone (10 Including HK)
• Computing Power – Mainland China is 2 Generations (6–7 years) on an average behind the Collective West as of 2025
• Lead Researchers – China has 168 Lead Researchers who have minimum 25 Citations and who have lead successful research in China, the Collective West have more than 400 (China had 26 in 2010 and the Collective West had 600 so this is a major progress for China)
• Fine Engineering & Precision Engineering – China is estimated to be 8–12 years behind the Collective West where Germany and Switzerland hold primacy
• Optics – China is estimated to be 20 years behind the Collective West in Optical and Optoelectronic technology where Germany and Japan hold primacy

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So China is not fighting against the US

It is fighting against the entire collective West in the Technology War

Individually, China has more advances than any nation when it comes to core technology

However the Collective West have a slight edge over China because it is a consortium of 10–15 nations

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What are Chinas advantages:-

• China has a Graduate Research Base of 3.25 Million , the entire collective West has 1.3 Million
• China has a Doctoral Research Base of 350,000 , the entire collective West has 200,000
• China has a R&D Budget of $ 3 Trillion Equivalent Parity Dollars against $ 1.7 Trillion for the collective West (6 EP Dollar = 1 US Dollar)
• China has 100% Access to Raw and Intermediate Materials thanks to Russia and Itself against only 63% for the collective West

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So my guess is in the next 10 years – China will reach a parity with the Collective West which means China will be ahead of US when it comes to the two nations individually

A rebuttal

Don’t know about ten years, but China is ahead in 34 out of 37, AI technologies, and that is from a western think tank,

check these out,

Why do Americans emigrate overseas?

I wrote this for Quora. -MM

I do not know about everyone else. I only know and can answer about myself.

[1] I became obsolete. All the factories and manufacturers that would hire a design engineer were mostly gone. There were only a handful of industrial employers remaining in the USA, and they all seemed to work for the US government LOL! . So I went to China where I was welcomed, and engineers were respected.

[2] I fell in love and got married. Having a family, and a loving partner is a tremendous motivation to stay in China. You have a home, are welcomed and adored.

[3] Lifestyle. When I moved, I had to change my lifestyle. I adopted a more Chinese lifestyle, and it really changed my life. I eat better, have more friends, and do things that I enjoy. It sure beats weekends of mowing the lawn and doing housework repairs.

[4] Stress. There’s ZERO stress in China. You aren’t looking down at your speedometer when you drive by a policeman, you aren’t dealing with American endless taxes, and regulation. There’s no crime. Very tiny inflation, and the radio is not filled with commercials for guns, and drugs for mental health issues.

[5] Food. The great variety, selection, health, and low cost of Chinese food isn’t something that you might consider, but once you come here, you realize that your health is better, and you end up looking younger.

Over the years I have found many reasons to stay. And so I have. And listing them all would truly be time consuming. But the big reasons for me considering leaving the USA were economic, and emotional.

I needed [1] purpose ; a job and a stable career, and [2] I needed love; belonging, a family.

I could have found those in another nation. Perhaps. I could have found that in Zambia where the world’s most beautiful women live, or in Germany; home of fine precision engineering and order.

Of course, like all Americans, there were things that I did not like about the United States. I often lashed out about taxes, a nearly endless cycle or getting work, working at an insane pace, followed by an abrupt layoff on Friday. And the rising crime and broken promises by the American “leadership”.

• But you know, I didn’t leave BECAUSE of taxation. I was too poor in general to really worry about that. Though, yes, I (of all people) was audited.
• I didn’t leave because of the endless wars. They were always too far away, and none of the attacked nations could fight back. So they never really impacted my life.
• I didn’t leave because of litany of problems that plague the United States.

I left because I wanted to have a 1950s era lifestyle. I wanted a job. I wanted a family. I wanted to have a home that would be orderly, clean, and a family that resembled “Leave it to Beaver”. I left and moved to “Mayberry RFD”.

I wanted to work and never worry about a layoff on Friday. I wanted to earn a living and not be taxed a crazy and extreme amount. I wanted to eat good, simple, clean and healthy food. I wanted a life where I would be left alone to have a family and not be judged for doing it.

Sure, it’s Chinese.

A Chinese version of Mayberry RFD perhaps…

But the over all “feeling” in China is that of Small-Town America around 1950. And that is why I have stayed.

I live in a “Ghost City”. Well that is what the anti-China narrative likes to call it, but it’s not a ghost city. It’s pretty well populated don’t you know. And everyone is really friendly.

My ghost city complex. LOL!

Eating in a local restaurant… I read in American “news” that China is gonna collapse any day now! What a thigh slapper! What a hoot!

240 million articles! Sheech!

China isn’t collapsing at all.

And small town China…

… so very relaxed. Peaceful. Pleasant.

Nice.

Peaceful.

Calm.

Sedate and lovely.

And more…

Can anyone blame me for not liking it here?

So pleasant.

It’s slow croquet Summers with iced tea on the porch, and evening strolls under deeply shaded lanes.

yeah. It’s so relaxed, happy and easy going…

Small towns still exist. Though they aren’t really small.

And people are nice, though their English isn’t all that great.

And some more…

I really like the relaxed pace of life…

I hope that I can show you all how relaxed and mellow China is. It’s a great contrast to the hysterical shrieking of the Anti-China narratives that flood Western media.

It’s truly like Mayberry RFD…

Would you rather live in a communist-led socialist country with almost no thieves, good welfare and no unemployment, advanced technology, no access to Quora, and warnings or detentions for posting sensitive topics on the internet?

Dear Cre & Anton,

hahaha, except for north korea, there’s hardly any more communist left in the world. those who remain are all nearly capitalist wolves in sheep’s clothings! when you are born and bred in such a place, you wouldn’t know the existence of a nether world beyond the four walls of your house and school and workplace. you simply live simply with a simple mind and simple life. it is not difficult.
north koreans are doing okay. they have still a good family life and what more could ask for. they can still move around, many are happy. they are tuned to be what they are.

we are looking outside in and pity them – they dont need it !! and they dont want it !!

as for freedom of speech — it’s all crap too — listen to bernie sanders — he sums it well — the oligarchs are in control and if you think you have freedom then you are low brained! the life expectancy and lifestyle in some western countries is shocking. worse than the worst communist community.

please think deeeeep

Shorpy

Sir Whiskerton and the Case of the Farmer’s Lost Marbles

Ah, dear reader, prepare yourself for another whimsical adventure on Sir Whiskerton’s farm, where the animals are as quirky as they come, and the mischief is always just a whisker away. Today’s tale involves Ferdinand the Singing Duck, Bessie the Tie-Dye Cow, Porkchop the Pig, and the Farmer, who seems to have lost his marbles—both figuratively and literally. So, grab your sense of humor and let’s dive into The Case of the Farmer’s Lost Marbles.

The Plot Thickens

It all began on a peaceful morning when Sir Whiskerton was enjoying his usual sunbeam on the barn roof. The tranquility was shattered by the sound of Ferdinand the Duck belting out an operatic rendition of “O Sole Mio” at the top of his lungs.

“Ferdinand,” Sir Whiskerton called down, his tail flicking in mild annoyance. “Must you always be so… dramatic?”

Ferdinand paused mid-note, his chest puffed out with pride. “But Sir Whiskerton, art must be shared with the world! Besides, I’m practicing for my upcoming concert. The farm animals deserve culture!”

Before Sir Whiskerton could respond, Bessie the Tie-Dye Cow wandered over, her bell jingling softly. “Hey, dudes,” she said in her usual laid-back tone. “Have you seen the Farmer? He’s been acting all weird and stuff. Like, totally out of it.”

Sir Whiskerton raised an eyebrow. “Weird how?”

“Well,” Bessie said, “he’s been talking to the scarecrow again, mixing up the animal feed, and this morning, I caught him trying to milk Porkchop.”

Porkchop, who had been lounging in a nearby mud puddle, snorted. “Yeah, that was not cool. I’m a pig, not a cow. I don’t even have udders!”

Sir Whiskerton sighed. “It sounds like the Farmer has lost his marbles. Figuratively, of course.”

“Actually,” Rufus the Dog said, trotting over, “I think he’s lost them literally. I found this bag of marbles in the barn, and they’re all over the place.”

Sir Whiskerton’s eyes narrowed. “Marbles, you say? This is a mystery worth investigating.”

The Search for the Marbles

The animals quickly formed a search party to find the Farmer’s missing marbles. Ferdinand took the lead, singing a rousing rendition of “We Will Find Your Marbles” to keep everyone motivated.

“This way, my friends!” Ferdinand quacked, his voice echoing across the farm. “To the cornfield! The marbles could be anywhere!”

Bessie, ever the optimist, suggested they start by checking the Farmer’s favorite spots. “He’s always hanging out by the pond, man. Maybe he dropped them there.”

Porkchop, who was more interested in snacks than marbles, muttered, “I still don’t see why we’re doing this. It’s not like the Farmer’s going to share his marbles with us.”

Sir Whiskerton smirked. “Porkchop, this isn’t about the marbles. It’s about helping the Farmer. Besides, if he’s not in his right mind, who’s going to fill our food bowls?”

Porkchop’s eyes widened. “Good point. Let’s find those marbles!”

The Farmer’s Folly

As the animals searched the farm, they came across the Farmer, who was sitting in the middle of the pumpkin patch, talking to a particularly large pumpkin.

“And then I said, ‘No, Mr. Scarecrow, you’re the one who’s out of line!’” the Farmer said, gesturing wildly. “But he just stood there, staring at me with those beady eyes. Rude, really.”

Bessie nudged Sir Whiskerton. “See what I mean? Totally lost his marbles.”

Sir Whiskerton approached the Farmer cautiously. “Farmer, are you feeling alright?”

The Farmer looked up, his eyes wide and unfocused. “Oh, hello, Whiskerton. Have you seen my marbles? I seem to have misplaced them.”

“That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” Sir Whiskerton said. “Where did you last have them?”

The Farmer scratched his head. “Well, I was playing a game of marbles with the scarecrow, and then… I don’t remember. Maybe the chickens took them?”

Doris the Hen, who had been eavesdropping, squawked indignantly. “We did no such thing! We’re chickens, not thieves!”

Harriet clucked in agreement. “Thieves! Oh, I can’t bear it!” Lillian promptly fainted into a pile of hay.

The Marbles Are Found

After a thorough search of the farm, Rufus finally discovered the missing marbles in the most unlikely of places: the feed bin. “Found them!” he barked, holding up the bag triumphantly. “They were mixed in with the feed!”

Porkchop’s eyes lit up. “Wait, does that mean we’ve been eating marbles?”

Sir Whiskerton shook his head. “No, Porkchop. The marbles were in a separate bag. You’re safe.”

Porkchop sighed in relief. “Good. I was worried I’d have to start chewing more carefully.”

With the marbles safely returned, the Farmer’s sanity seemed to return as well. “Ah, thank you, my furry friends!” he said, clutching the bag of marbles to his chest. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

The Moral of the Story

As the sun set and the barnyard returned to its usual peaceful state, Sir Whiskerton addressed the gathered animals. “Well, my friends, it seems we’ve once again saved the day.”

Ferdinand quacked proudly. “And I provided the soundtrack! Truly, a masterpiece.”

Bessie nodded. “Like, it’s all about teamwork, man. When we work together, we can overcome anything.”

Porkchop snorted. “Yeah, and maybe next time, the Farmer will keep his marbles in a safer place.”

Sir Whiskerton smirked. “Indeed. The moral of the story is this: Sometimes, we all lose our marbles—figuratively or literally. But with a little help from our friends, we can always find our way back.”

Ditto, who had been watching from the sidelines, echoed, “Find our way back! Find our way back!”

Echo, not to be outdone, added, “Find our way back! Find our way back!”

And with that, the animals returned to their usual routines, content in the knowledge that once again, Sir Whiskerton had saved the farm from chaos.

The End.

China’s artificial intelligence Deepseek does not aim to defeat Google Gemini and Microsoft Copilot.

Because Deepseek and Gemini or Copilot target different user groups.

China has always believed that science and technology should serve the people, and science and technology should not only serve the powerful.

Gemini or Co-Pilot serve the West, Deepseek serves the Southern Hemisphere, especially India where there are many software outsourcing companies and cash-strapped programmers, and Deepseek will reduce the financial burden for them. Therefore, it’s very rare that the Indian media didn’t criticize Deepseek this time as well. 🤣

I saw several messages:

• The US says DeepSeek threatens national security.
• The U.S. Navy has banned its military personnel from using China’s DeepSeek artificial intelligence platform, citing “potential security and ethical issues regarding the source and use of the model” and therefore DeepSeek’s artificial intelligence may not be used “in any way.”
• The DeepSeek app has been removed from Google Play and Apple’s APP Store in Italy.
• DeepSeek’s servers suffered a large number of cyber attacks from the United States and had to temporarily only open registration to Chinese users.

DeepSeek AI raises national security concerns, U.S. officials say

Lawmakers and experts say China's DeepSeek AI app could expose U.S. users to risks and promote censorship.

DeepSeek AI Removed From Apple and Google Store In Italy: Details

DeepSeek AI removed from Apple and Google stores in Italy as regulators probe data practices. OpenAI, and U.S. officials raise concerns.

DeepSeek faces surging cyberattacks, US IPs among thousands targeting Chinese AI start-up

deepseek Chinese AI start-up DeepSeek has been subjected to a series of sophisticated and large-scale cyberattacks over the past month, according to XLab, a Chinese cybersecurity firm. 

The attacks, which began in early January, have escalated significantly in both scale and complexity, posing unprecedented challenges to DeepSeek's operations and data security, experts from the XLab told the Global Times on Wednesday and warned that the attacks are expected to continue in the future. 

The lab told the Global Times on Wednesday that there are still HTTP proxy attacks targeting DeepSeek. 

The monitored source IPs range from hundreds to thousands, most of which are located in the US, Singapore, the Netherlands, Germany, and domestically, according to XLab. 

DeepSeek on Tuesday launched a new open-source multimodal model Janus-Pro, an upgraded version of its earlier Janus model, which significantly enhances multimodal understanding and visual generation capabilities. 

Earlier in January the company released the latest open-source model DeepSeek-R1, which has achieved an important technological breakthrough - using pure deep learning methods to allow AI to spontaneously emerge with reasoning capabilities. 

In her first press briefing on Tuesday (local time), US Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt while talking about DeepSeek, a Chinese artificial intelligence company that develops open-source large language models, said that as per US President Trump, this is a wake up call for American AI. 

DeepSeek reportedly released an announcement on Tuesday saying that its online services had recently been subjected to large-scale malicious attacks. 

To ensure continued service, the company had temporarily restricted registration methods other than those with +86 mobile phone numbers. 

The Global Times reporter tried to open the API (Application Programming Interface) platform of DeepSeek Wednesday morning, but the website displays a notice saying that the platform is undergoing maintenance and upgrade and that it's currently inaccessible. 

DeepSeek has been subjected to large-scale and sustained DDoS attacks since January 3 or 4, and the methods escalated on January 27 and 28, significantly increasing the difficulty of defense, making it more effective, and even impacting registration access, according to XLab. In addition to DDoS attacks, analysis has revealed a large number of password brute-force attacks. 

DeepSeek's AI services and data are undergoing unprecedented security challenges, according to the XLab's report. XLab noted in its report to the Global Times that the changes in methods made it harder to defend against the attacks. 

The laboratory has been closely monitoring the network attacks since DeepSeek's launch and has found that the attacks can be divided into three phases: In the first phase, on January 3, 4, 6, 7, and 13, suspected HTTP proxy attacks were observed. During this period, XLab detected a large number of proxy requests attempting to connect to Deep

This is just the beginning. In the future, cyber attacks and demonization from the West will continue.

In fact, malicious intentions from the West will not bring any losses to Deepseek, because it is free for use by the whole world and is open source.

Liang Wenfeng founded DeepSeek primarily out of scientific curiosity rather than the pursuit of profit.

DeepSeek was a Chinese quant dude’s side quest. Even if the West bans it, it will not reduce Liang Wenfeng’s income by a penny. Liang Wenfeng has no intention of making money from DeepSeek. LOL

So, Never under Estimate a Chinese Nerd!

Of course, the Chinese are being too nice. Those that benefit from them usually do not appreciate the gifts they receive. The Americans are probably going to say that Deepseek “copied” from their AI progress while frantically trying to copy Deepseek.

Overnight, Nvidia and TSMC stock prices plummeted.

• China : DeepSeek
• World : DeepShock
• Investor : DeepShit!

🤣🤣🤣

While DeepSeek R1 caused a sensation in the US market, Alibaba released an upgraded AI model Qwen2.5max, claiming to surpass DeepSeek-V3. It is very likely that it will also be included in the US ban list.

DeepSeek is not oriented toward the West. The southern hemisphere is large enough and the user base is large enough.

The global south can now enjoy the fruits of generative AI.

The most transformative impact of DeepSeek is not directly related to China or the US, but rather the rest of the world (particularly the global south).

Now that everyone in the world has access to a top-performing, open-source LLM that has relatively minimal hardware requirements, the financial & hardware barrier to entry that kept the global south out of the AI game has all but been eliminated.

Moreover, no country in the world can keep advanced AI technology out of the hands of any other country, big or small, due to geopolitical differences.

The new bottlenecks to the application of AI are now education & imagination.

That said, even education is becoming less & less of a barrier to AI, since DeepSeek users have already demonstrated the ability to develop software code (including AI code) without manually writing a single line of code.

DeepSeek’s free, open-source LLM will unleash the imaginative & innovative abilities of over 6 billion people in the global south.

The failure of US semiconductor sanctions to stifle Chinese innovation, the potential devaluation of US tech giants, and the democratization of AI for the global south are just the beginning of the transformative changes ushered in by this breakthrough.

As DeepSeek’s open-source model proliferates, it will empower billions of people worldwide, accelerate global innovation, and challenge the existing technological and economic order.

In this new era, the winners will be those who can harness the power of AI to mitigate humanity’s greatest challenges—regardless of their geographic or economic starting point.

Moon Unit

Caroline suspected there was something awry even before she adopted the dog, her first dog ever,  the dog she pictured accompanying her on long brisk walks and curling up in her bed, keeping her warm. Whereas the other dogs ran up to the front of the cages, their goofy eagerness insisting, “Me! Me! Me!”, the dog they called Terra just looked up from sleep in mild appraisal. “She’s different,” the shelter volunteer said by way of explanation. “She’s not aggressive or anything like that. She’s just…different.”

“Different how?”

“Well, she sleeps during the day and stays up all night. We call her our ‘third watch’ dog. Almost like her previous owner worked the night shift and she got the habit from him sleeping all day.”

“Did her owner work the third shift?”

“No, none of them did. There were three that we know of. She was a street dog before that.  They all brought her back. They couldn’t get a wink of sleep. She paces and howls. Poor girl.”

“What will happen if no one adopts her?”

The volunteer averted her eyes. “She’s on the euthanasia list.”

“I’ll take her,” Caroline said. It came out just like that. And so she did and Terra seemed happy enough to go along for the ride, hopping on the back seat of the Jetta eager to be taken away from That Place. She was probably just stressed, Caroline thought. Probably just lonely. She gobbled her food and lapped up water and curled up at Caroline’s feet while she watched the end of the late afternoon news. And then it got dark and Terra went to the window and began to howl.

“You look like you could use some sleep,”

Caroline opened her eyes and smiled sheepishly at the school nurse. “My new puppy kept me awake,” she said, not bothering to explain that the ‘puppy’ was five years old.

The nurse nodded sympathetically. “I’ve been there. It takes time. Use wee wee pads if you can’t get her outside during the night on school nights. She’ll get the hang of it.”

“Thanks,” Caroline said through a yawn. “I’ll try that. At least I’m just a substitute here. I have whole days when I can catch up on my sleep.”

The ‘mild sedative’ from the vet office didn’t work. Neither did the melatonin suggested by her sister-in-law or the lavender aromatherapy recommended by the groomer; it just made both of them sneeze. The full moon was too bright. It beckoned her: look at me! LOOK AT ME! Terra’s paw had already clawed through the blackout shade. Now she sat on her haunches, her cry starting deep in her throat. Twice a neighbor knocked on her door and implored, could you please keep your dog quiet? The third time he left out the ‘please.’

“Oh, Terra, what am I going to do with you?”

“I don’t want to give her more drugs,” Caroline told the vet. “They don’t help. They turn her into a zombie. And she still howls at the moon.”

The vet gave her the name of a trainer who gave her the name of a pet behaviorist who gave her the name of the same vet she’d been seeing and again the drugs didn’t stop her from her nocturnal obsession. And again Caroline fell asleep in the break room at school. A tap on her shoulder jarred her awake. “I heard about your predicament,” Mr. Grimes, the science teacher said. “Maybe I can help.” He jotted down a name on a steno pad and tore out the page. “She’s a pet psychic and very good at what she does. She told me what was wrong with my dog and now

he’s a totally different animal. If it’s what I think it is, we can both help you.”

“What is it?”

“Let her tell you and we’ll go from there. You look like you could use a cup of coffee. Allow me.”

The psychic looked like a CPA, dressed in business attire and carrying a briefcase, but her business card billed her as Madame Luna. “Seriously?” Caroline realized that she had offended her right from the start and wished she could take that back. What her real name was didn’t matter; she was here to help Terra, whose ears twitched at the sight of her. “She’s lovely,” Madame Luna cooed. “Lovely.” Terra wagged her tail. “Please allow us a few minutes alone together. I believe Terra has some things she wants to say to me.”

Caroline sucked in her breath and stepped in her kitchen, where she thought she wouldn’t be seen.

“Can you please leave altogether for a bit?” Madame Luna implored. “Terra will be fine with me. I won’t steal anything if that’s what you’re worried about.”

I guess she can read minds after all, Caroline thought, grabbing a sweater on her way out, hoping for the best.

When she came back, Madame Luna wasn’t the only person in her living room; Mr. Grimes was there too and her floor looked like a roomful of preschoolers had just left after scattering crumpled up papers and glitter all over the place– or at least what looked like glitter except on close examination it didn’t sparkle. Terra was sleeping peacefully on her Sherpa dog bed. It was dark out.

“What is this?   What happened here?” She turned to Mr. Grimes. “How’d you get here?”

“He’s my husband. Your dog just missed where she came from, dear. All of this, this memorabilia, is making her feel truly at home.”

“She was mostly a street dog,” Caroline said, echoing what she’d been told at the shelter.

“Ah, but what street? She might have been found on the street, but her origins are from another street, one less traveled, one that you have never traveled. Her roots go back to the Sea of Tranquility. All of what you see here is moon debris, articles about how her ancestors’ genetic codes were disturbed by the moon landing and regenerated here on Earth and forced to be like other dogs. Every dog in the genetic line was affected.”

“This is all too weird. How did you come to have moon debris?”

“Look at your dog. Look how relaxed she is. We could take all of this away and see how she does.”

“No..no……how many dogs were there that were affected?”

“Tens of thousands around the world. Probably much more by now  This is what she needed to adjust to being here, this mess.  And for God’s sake, change that silly name! She doesn’t like it.”

From that fateful day forward, the dog formerly known as Terra responded happily  to the name Sky and when the sun set every night, she slept like a fallen star.

Pot Roast with Dilled Sour Cream Gravy

Ingredients

• 1 (3 pound) chuck or pot roast
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dill weed
• 5 or 6 small potatoes
• 5 or 6 carrots
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large onion
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon dill seed

Instructions

1. Coat roast with flour, salt and pepper.
2. Brown in oil in skillet.
3. Put roast in slow cooker, then add water and vinegar.
4. Sprinkle dill weed over meat, then add potatoes, carrots, onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
5. Cook on LOW for 10 to 12 hours or on HIGH for 6 hours.
6. To make gravy, pour off 3 tablespoons drippings, add flour and heat.
7. Measure rest of drippings, add water to make 1 cup.
8. Add to flour mixture and heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
9. Add 1 cup sour cream and dill seed.
10. Heat to boiling.