Today I wanna talk about the guy in prison who was at his 16 parole hearing, and then again denied parole on the 16th.
I worked with him in the prison canteen. Like all inmates we lived in barracks based on our “prison occupation”. I lived in the “kitchen barracks”. So we all knew each other.
I lived in various other barracks from time to time. There was, of course, the “hoe squad” (hard labor) barracks. Ugh! And the “maintenance barracks”, the “construction barracks”, the “laundry barracks”, the “jail assistant” barracks and so on and so forth.
Anyways, I met this guy and he seemed like a good enough fella. But the thing is that his crime was pretty horrific. He had made a van with a bed with handcuffs and other things. He would drive around, seize a girl, and chain her to the back and repeatedly rape her on top of his kidnapping, and then release her days later.
I don’t know for sure that he ever killed or tortured anyone.
But what does that matter. In prison he was nice enough to me. I met a lot of really bad folk in prison and befriended many of them. On our one-on-ones they were ok dudes. I have to say. So I really must say that no matter how confined you are, you never really know a person for they could very well have a particularly evil past.
Surprised me.
Anyways, that’s my experience. Every few years or so he would be up for parole, but would be denied. The women that he kidnapped, raped and released won’t ever allow him out, and the judge put the stipulation that they had to be at his parole hearing.
So he’s boned.
I’m glad I’m not him. It’s all that I can say.
And as an aside, I’m also glad that I was not one of his victims either.
Prison threw a lot of people together that I would never meet or get to know back in the “real world”. Is it good or bad? I don’t know. But it leads evidence to the idea that our reincarnation within this reality is to acquire experiences.
And so I move on. Ever moving forward.
Today…
What is an experience you had at a buffet that you’ll never forget?
It was at a chain buffet in a big city mixed neighborhood..
This enormous lady, easily 400+ pounds, barely fit through the entrance door, somehow would manage to arrange and balance an entire large pan of shrimp onto one of those small salad plates.
She must have figured out a way to interlock the shrimp into this Christmas tree shape and get the whole pan onto one tiny salad plate.
As soon as the next pan was out she would bully her way in and no one could get within three feet of the pan. No one else was getting any fried shrimp that night.
So we are watching this with a weird mix of amusement and disgust for our whole meal. She ate at least 4 pans of shrimp while we watched, and she was there before us.
On the way back from her 5th bushel of shrimp she spots a manager and bee lines toward him. She proceeds to cuss him out for about 5 minutes about how there is no shrimp on the buffet, she paid for this and that, and the whole time she is balancing a 10″ diameter salad plate of shrimp stacked 14″ high.
By this time at least half of the dining room was roaring with laughter. They too had been cheated out of even a little shrimp by this enormous sow.
Finally the manager snapped. He says.. lady there is no shrimp on the buffet because you have eaten it all. There is not one piece of shrimp left in my kitchen. All of these nice people paid for a dinner just like you and because of your gluttony they got cheated out of having shrimp with their meal. Now go finish your shrimp and leave. You are not welcome here any more.
The dining room burst into applause.
You Are Witnessing the Death of American Capitalism
How does China’s National People’s Congress differ from its Central Committee?
National People’s Congress
The NPC is equivalent to the Indian Lok Sabha consisting of 2,986 Elected Deputies who are elected from :-
- 23 Provinces – 2,653
- 5 Autonomous Regions – 143
- 4 Municipalities (Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin and Chonqking) – 105
- HK SAR & Macau SAR – 39
- PLA (People’s Liberation Army) – 26
The Deputies approve the Annual Budget & appoint the Chairman to the Communist Party , Vice Chairman to the Communist Party , Central Committee to the Communist Party every five years
Deputies also recommend suggestions but they are usually done at the TWO SESSIONS
A Deputy to the NPC – need not be a member of the CPC
In the present NPC – 363 Members are not CPC members , the highest ever non members
Of the 143 Members from Autonomous provinces, 96 are not CPC members
Deputies are elected by the grass roots with an Average Deputy in 2022 receiving 26,309 Votes
NPC Deputies are NOT full time employees
They must necessarily be working somewhere else and drawing a minimum salary of between 59,000 Yuan a year to 124,000 Yuan a year to qualify as a NPC Delegate depending on Province
They are paid expenses of 55,000 Yuan a year to 210,000 Yuan a year for maintaining an office and between 0–4 Staff
Central Committee
The Central Committee is the equivalent of many Special Committees in the US Senate
It is a Single Powerful Committee comprising as of now of 202 Full Members and 175 Alternate Members including 18 from Autonomous regions and 11 from PLA
They are chosen by the Delegates of the NPC by secret ballot
They are almost always members of the CPC
They are full time employees receiving Salaries on par with Chinese Civil Service
They maintain Party Discipline, Auditing and set Party Policy
Then you have the Politburo and finally the Standing Committee
Texas Ham Loaf
Ingredients
- 1 pound smoked ham, ground
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3/4 pound ground pork
- 1 cup saltine cracker crumbs
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- Salt, to taste
- 2 tablespoons apple cider
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Warm oil in a small skillet over medium heat.
- Sauté onion until it has softened.
- Combine onion with remaining ingredients except apple cider, dark brown sugar and the 2 teaspoons of prepared yellow mustard. Mix well.
- Place the meat in a loaf pan, and smooth its surface.
- Bake the ham loaf about 1 hour.
- While the loaf bakes, combine the apple cider, brown sugar and 2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard.
- After the ham loaf has baked 45 to 50 minutes, brush it with the glaze, and continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven, and let it sit for at least 10 minutes before cutting the loaf.
- Serve the ham loaf hot (room temperature), or cold.
How is China’s rise as a global power different from previous shifts in world leadership?
This is already established history.
The rise of great powers in Europe were internal wars and colonialism. It destroyed itself in the 2 world wars.
Japan tried it with Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. But the invasion of China done it in. US sealed its fate with 2 atomic bombs.
US rose from the ashes of World War 2 when every other major country suffered destructions and exhaustions. Dominant in all aspects – politics, economics, finance, and social – it wrote the rules and regulations for the world. It sees itself the sole arbiter of right and wrong. On the one hand, it had been helpful, but on the other hand, it is hostile and belligerent, known for its power to shock and awe, which had destroyed many countries, caused mass destructions, and millions of deaths and injuries.
In the latest edition under Trump, it is angry with every other nation in the world.
The one common signature of these rises of Europe, Japan, and US, is the barrel of the gun. They had all been violent by the means of arms and wars. Europe and US had taken hold of foreign lands and had been exploitative.
China is the exception. No violence, no wars. It is all about industrialization and trade and investments.
It has become the No.1 trade partner of 3/4 of the nations in the world, buying and selling huge quantities of all kinds of goods – commodities, natural produce, manufactured goods, and industrial services, like construction and infrastructures. It is the most significant investor in the developing countries.
BRI is the single most significant and largest development project the world has ever seen. It is truly global. It covers the continent of Eurasia, from Asia through Africa, Middle East, and Europe + countries in Latin America and Southeast Asia.
The rise of China has spread manufacturing and technology to the development countries and around the world.
Moon Shattered
Submitted into Contest #288 in response to: Set your story in a place where the weather never changes.… view prompt
Daniel Rogers
“You’re doing enough for both of us.”
The Russian laughed, “Good one.”
A couple of LTF officers walked in. The Russian stared at them and laughed, “What jokes. The entire Lunar Task Force is nothing but a bunch of clowns. I killed two in New London last week.”
I know he’s lying. I would have heard about it, although I don’t doubt he has killed a few.
“You’re boring company. You know that?” He finished off his vodka just as the officers came to our table.
“Everything alright here?”
“You know it,” the Russian moved slowly with his hands in plain sight.
“Good. Make sure it stays that way.” They moved to the bar.
“Just because we’re prospectors,” the Russian shook his head. “Anyway, I don’t like killing a man without knowing his name.”
“Tango.”
“That’s not your real name.”
We locked eyes, measuring each other, killer to killer.
“I guess Tango will have to do. See you in the crater.”
I watched until he left the bar and called my company contact, Jeeves.
“The Russian just paid me a visit.”
“How unfortunate,” the British male voice sounded bored. “I’ll add a high-powered sniper rifle to your gear.”
“And a bullet-proof suit.”
“Those are hard to come by in a wasteland city, but I’ll see what I can do.”
“He took out Spec last month. Make it happen, or MoonCorp might never know if there are diamonds in that crater.”
“Spec? I didn’t know he was dead. That’s very unfortunate. Will you be able to deal with the Russian? Or should we hire another?”
“I’ll handle him. Just get me the suit.”
I took the monorail to the hotel district, watching my back. I wouldn’t put it past the Russian to make an attempt before we get anywhere near the crater. My gaze went to the projected blue sky and white puffy clouds of the city’s dome, reminding me of Earth. I’ve been here too long. I’m tired of fake sky. I know what’s on the other side-a wasteland of darkness and rocks, craters and chasms, hopelessness and death.
A drone flying outside my window shook me out of my ruminations. My instincts warned me to beware. Drones are as common in a lunar city as birds on Earth. However, a drone matching the speed and direction of a monorail doesn’t happen often, if at all.
Suddenly, two miniguns materialized from the drone. I ducked just as it opened fire. Shattered glass fell on me. Passengers screamed. I pulled my pistol, rolled the quad barrel to scattershot, and destroyed the drone. I scanned for more drones before holstering my gun.
After a grueling round of questions from the LTF, I finally made it to my hotel. The rifle and suit lay on my bed. These should give me an advantage in the crater, assuming I make it out of the city.
I grabbed the rifle to feel its weight and peered through the scope. To my horror, I spotted a gun pointed at me from the opposite building. I pulled the trigger. Nothing happened. I hadn’t loaded it. Just then, my window shattered, and a bullet grazed my cheek.
I fell to my knees and crawled to the corner, out of sight of the gunman. How is he always one step ahead of me? It’s like he knows where I’ll be before I do. Then it hit me-my phone. Jeeves gave it to me when I arrived. I almost threw it out the window, but then I had an idea.
I crawled to the edge of my bed, still out of sight of the window, loaded my rifle, and grabbed a drone from my gear bag under the bed. I secured my phone to the drone and entered Jeeves’ hotel coordinates.
If the gunman could track my phone, then he’d think I retreated to my safe house. I carefully used a mirror to see if he had gone. He had. I quickly dressed my wound to avoid questions, threw on my long jacket, and concealed my rifle.
I found a low-rise building whose roof would be perfect for my plan. I positioned myself and waited. An hour passed before the Russian took his shot. Jeeves’ window shattered exactly where the drone landed with my phone.
I saw the gun flash on the fifth floor of a building slightly to my right. I aimed for his head and fired. He instantly fell.
I walked to Jeeves’ place and looked through the shattered window. He lay in a pool of blood. The Russian hit him between the eyes—an instant kill. Jeeves betrayed me. It’s poetic justice that his asset killed him. The company who hired them must know there are diamonds in that crater. Or else, they would have never attempted to take me out in the city.
I hurried to the Russian before the LTF arrived. He lay where I shot him. For the first time in my career, the sight of death made me sick. He was just like me–a prospector. It’s just business. Nothing personal.
I saw myself lying in a pool of blood, like the Russian. I, too, will make a mistake one day and take one between the eyes. Suddenly, it began to feel very personal. I’ve had enough of this rock. The vultures can have it.
I looked back down at the Russian.
“Back at the bar, you asked for my real name. I don’t know why it’s important to you, but I owe you that much. It’s Tom. Nothing fancy. Just Tom.”
I left for the nearest shuttle port.
What’s the bravest thing you have ever done?
I’m hesitant to call this brave but here goes.
It’s May 1975 and I have just graduated from high school. 18 years old and honestly I’ve never been anywhere or done anything worthwhile in my life. For a graduation gift my father bought me a one way ticket to Anchorage Alaska and said see if you can work your way home. Jesus Christ I was terrified, I had never been on a plane and I lived in Dallas Texas. I landed in Anchorage and heard they were hiring at a place called Wakefield Seafood in Seldovia Alaska. I hitched a ride on a Cessna 185 6 seater and was there in a couple hours. I got a job in the cannery and had been there about a week when a guy came up to me and asked my age. Told him I was 18 and he said come with me. They put me out on the dock unloading live crab from the fishing boats.
I did that job for several weeks and then the fisherman said they were going on strike! The Japanese owned the cannery and wouldn’t pay a good price for the King crab so no one would go fishing. I hung around for a while to see if things changed but to no avail. I packed my bags and flew home. While I was on the dock all the guys were Vietnam war veterans. You talk about a boy amongst men. That was me, just some stupid kid killing a summer before college. I’ve never forgotten that experience. Hell yes I was scared but I’ve never been afraid of doing new things since. I survived!
China’s AI Revolution: Robots Teach Kids, Jack Ma’s Vision Unveiled!
What is your US-China military conflict estimation?
Almost zero.
Trump wants more money..full stop. War burns money. Trade wars make money for those who are in the know. His billionaire allies are salivating for a windfall.
Trump wanna focus on the US alone. He believes that the US has overextended its help to Japan, Taiwan, South Korea etc. Rather than spending money and resources to distant countries in the Far East facing both China and Russia, it might be better the US to use that money to improve its ageing infrastructure and half dead manufacturing prowess.
Other than the Americas and the already docile EU, the US have a firm grip over the Arab states. The monarchs and dictators of these Arab states owe their existence to the US where they will do anything the US is telling them to do. All my life the only place where I relatively see more Coca Cola, GM cars and Ivy League graduates than the rest of the world apart from Canada is the Arab states.
King of Jordan parroting whatever Trump is throwing at him. He’s actually one of the direct descendants of the Muslim prophet Muhammad s.a.w. Imagine the great great grandson of the founder of Islam bowing to Trump. The Arabs are basically US 52th state. Trump won’t have any problem getting their money or their market.
In the eyes of Trump advisers India, SEA nations, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan are just too far away. India is just too big and too populous to be given a chance to emulate China’s success. They will be left to fend for themselves dealing with China.
I happen to know some American business owners. They told me that they voted Trump to allow him to crush the current status quo into something more to their liking. They are in a rush and hungry because they are young and are just too rich with time to spend. They can afford to risk for an experimental socio economic reengineering and to wait for a decade or two to see how it will pan out. They believe the US is the most powerful country on the planet where they think that if China can do it why can’t they.
To many Trump may talk and look dumb but he didn’t became a billionaire through pure luck. He became one the hard way before the age of startups. He owns properties and resorts frequented by business players like himself. Trump is way more open minded and understands how the world works a mile away ahead of those decades long full time politicians before they eventually became presidents. Trust me when I say that full time politicians don’t know shit about what’s happening around them other than what their advisers tell them. Biden for example was a mere puppet acting for those around him. They cajoled and appealed to him relentlessly until he agreed to their opinions. Politicians like Biden, Bush etc are too busy pleasing their constituents and fellow party members. In other words they are too busy politicking but Trump to me is a different animal altogether.
Countries as large as continents such as Russia, China and the US which have infinite resources will reign supreme. That’s Trump’s and his billionaire frens are aiming for ie. monopoly. I won’t be surprised at all if the new manufacturing facilities in the US will be spearheaded and financed by his cash flushed friends like Bezos and Elon. They made tonnes of money without doing anything because algorithms do the job for them. Now they are angling for the more traditional and lucrative sectors especially mining, logging, and manufacturing. To secure their investments, Trump will give them a gift of market monopoly. Trade centric countries like Singapore, European nations and South Korea will have to burden most of the brunt
What is your US-China military conflict estimation?
There will be no military conflict; but there is a VERY INTENSE economic and trade war going on right now.
The objective of war is to win; that is why there will be no military war. The US, Russia and China have no clear plan to win DECISIVELY, so there will be no war.
The intense trade and economic war is being fought RIGHT NOW between the US and China. The US, under Trump, realizes it does not have the economic power and might without manufacturing to beat China, so Trump is now destroying all non-US supply chains and trade routes all over the world. This is why he is willing to destroy Canada’s, Mexico’s and Europe’s economies. In the short term, he knows that he will completely destroy the US economy and the US poor and middle class by taking away ALL entitlement programs, but that is a price the conservative right is willing to pay to escape Chinese domination of the US economy.
It will take at least fifty years to rebuild the US economy so that it is strong in manufacturing, and it will take another 25 years to rebuild the middle class. That means we are looking at 2100 before the US can have a decent economy again.
The aim is to completely destroy China’s BRI (Belt and Road Initiative), which Chinese President Xi Jinping has pinned his reputation on, and which was the plan to make China the world’s manufacturing and trade center.
The aim of the US is to force every country to choose sides: Do you want to be on the US side, or the China side? If a government chooses the China side, the US aim is to make them pay a very high price.
The missing flight
In the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines 370, the captain was accused of having a mysterious plan. From shutting down the answering machine to changing the course, all kinds of behaviors are full of doubts. Is there a careful plan or something else behind this? Is it the truth or an unfounded speculation?
This is the best explanation I have ever heard of and very close to the truth.
Are Americans aware of their dependence on products made in China? Could they survive without these products if there was a boycott?
How do you boycott your medications? 80% of all medicine ingredients come from China. How do you boycott China made coffins when you are dead? Almost all coffins in the U.S. are made in China. How can you boycott microwave ovens which are all made in China. How do you boycott $500 65” brand new thin TV from China?
Sir Whiskerton and the Arrival of Super-Squirrel: A Tale of Strength, Chaos, and Feline Ingenuity
Ah, dear reader, prepare yourself for a tale of super-strength, acorns, and one very determined cat. Today’s story is one of a squirrel with extraordinary powers, a farm on the brink of chaos, and the importance of using strength wisely. So, grab your cape and a sense of humor, as we dive into Sir Whiskerton and the Arrival of Super-Squirrel: A Tale of Strength, Chaos, and Feline Ingenuity.
The Arrival of Super-Squirrel
It all began on a quiet morning when Sir Whiskerton was enjoying a peaceful nap on the farmer’s porch. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the farm was its usual serene self—until a loud CRASH shattered the tranquility. Sir Whiskerton bolted upright, his fur standing on end. “What in the name of catnip was that?” he muttered, his ears twitching in irritation.
He leapt down from the porch and made his way to the source of the noise: a squirrel, standing in the middle of the barnyard, holding an uprooted tree over his head. “Behold!” the squirrel declared, his voice booming. “I am Super-Squirrel, the strongest squirrel in the world!”
The farm animals gathered around, their eyes wide with amazement. “That’s not a squirrel—that’s a bulldozer!” Doris the Hen clucked, her feathers ruffled. “And he’s got muscles I’ve never seen before!”
Sir Whiskerton approached the squirrel, his green eyes narrowing. “Super-Squirrel, is it? And what, pray tell, brings you to our farm?”
Super-Squirrel grinned, flexing his impressive muscles. “I’ve come to show the world my strength! And what better place to start than a humble farm?”
The Chaos Begins
Super-Squirrel’s arrival quickly turned the farm upside down. His super-strength, while impressive, was not exactly… controlled. He uprooted trees to build a “super nest,” flipped over hay bales to “test his limits,” and even tried to lift the barn to “see if he could.”
“This is getting out of hand,” Sir Whiskerton said, flicking his tail in irritation. “We need to find a way to help Super-Squirrel control his powers before he destroys the farm.”
The first step was to enlist the help of Nutters the Squirrel, the farm’s resident squirrel and self-proclaimed leader of the Squirrel Gang. “Nutters,” Sir Whiskerton said, “we need your expertise. Super-Squirrel is causing chaos, and we need to help him channel his strength.”
Nutters, who had been watching Super-Squirrel’s antics from a safe distance, nodded. “I’ll see what I can do. But no promises—this guy is strong.”
The Intervention
Nutters approached Super-Squirrel, who was now bench-pressing a boulder. “Hey, big guy,” Nutters said, his tone casual. “Nice muscles. But you know, strength isn’t just about lifting heavy things. It’s about how you use it.”
Super-Squirrel paused mid-lift, his brow furrowing. “What do you mean?”
“I mean,” Nutters said, “you could use your strength to help others instead of just showing off. Like, say, helping us gather acorns for the winter. Or building a better nest for the birds. Stuff like that.”
Super-Squirrel thought for a moment, then nodded. “You’re right. I’ve been so focused on proving how strong I am that I forgot why I have these powers in the first place. I want to help!”
The Training Begins
With Nutters’s guidance, Super-Squirrel began to learn how to use his strength responsibly. They started with small tasks, like gathering acorns and repairing the chicken coop. “See?” Nutters said, as Super-Squirrel carefully placed a beam back in place. “This is what real strength looks like. It’s not about how much you can lift—it’s about how much you can help.”
Super-Squirrel grinned, his muscles flexing as he lifted another beam. “This feels amazing! I’m actually making a difference!”
The farm animals, initially wary of Super-Squirrel’s strength, began to warm up to him. Doris the Hen even offered him a few tips on nest-building. “You’ve got to make it sturdy,” she clucked, “but also cozy. No one wants to sleep in a cold, drafty nest.”
The Moral of the Story
As the sun set over the farm, the animals reflected on the day’s events.
The moral of the story, dear reader, is this: Strength is best used to help others, not to show off. Whether you’re a squirrel with super-strength, a cat with a knack for solving mysteries, or a pig with a love for food, it’s important to use your talents for the greater good. And while it’s fun to show off every now and then, true strength comes from making a positive impact on the world around you.
A Happy Ending
With Super-Squirrel’s strength under control, the farm returned to its usual calm. The uprooted trees were replanted, the hay bales were flipped back over, and the barn was safe once more. Super-Squirrel, now a beloved member of the farm community, continued to use his powers to help others, from building nests to gathering acorns.
As for Nutters, he took pride in his role as Super-Squirrel’s mentor. “Who knew I’d be teaching a superhero?” he said, puffing out his chest. “Guess I’m stronger than I thought.”
And so, dear reader, we leave our heroes with the promise of new adventures, new challenges, and hopefully, no more uprooted trees. Until next time, may your days be filled with laughter, love, and just a little bit of feline genius.
The End.
Why do homeless people commonly sleep on a hard concrete sidewalk when there are grassy areas everywhere?
Been homeless a year and I learned this one really quick. Took a day or so. Not just bites, but you actually run a bigger risk of sickness because of dew. That grass gets wet every morning and you are getting wet with it.
In the same way, you can stay at a shelter, but be forced up at 4am on the dot repeatedly. So better to do it while early (they only allow so many), knowing where your stuff is (stolen items are frequent), and if you aren’t up at 4 you have no shot at the necessities for your morning. Mind you, that’s if you outpace someone else who already knows better than you regarding everything you are just learning and beats you to the shelter repeatedly.
Or (and this is actually the one I did for a while), understand that you need to understand that when an officer is requesting you leave in a way that demeans you that you still have rights. One personal story before I end this off with some advice.
I was waiting for a food source on a Saturday, myself and a close friend were sitting on the side of a parking lot expecting food, only for the local security to come up and ask what we were doing. Mind you, it’s two autistic people just being stupid with impressions and passing the time until we get our meal. As we’re explaining ourselves and why our activities were just joking around between us, in comes in a city police officer on break. My friend immediately clenched up and he later told me that the officer was known for stealing money and making fake tickets. Dude straight up goes to me and tries to throw me against a pillar before backing off once the head of the local area police shows up to talk to us about being grateful for us not starting problems with her officer. We asked for his name and badge number and received it alongside the threat of an arrest for asking for his information to report his actions. Fast forward 5 minutes, we hear the city police officer confirming his body cam was off, local area police and chief are both being kind to us and city police runs off. Needless to say we reported that and later found out he got demoted. He’s just downtown Park Police now.
Why did I say this? Because the normal spot I sleep is under a bridge with a heavy blanket since, while that city officer was a rude and unprofessional person, his coworkers actually cared enough to not report me for my spot.
What did you find while snooping that you wish you had never found?
I found something I wish I’d never found – and I still carry the secret 20 years later.
I was around 13 years old, at my father’s house – he and my mother are divorced. I opened a cabinet in the living room while he was at work, looking for some DVDs, and I caught a glimpse of several sheets of paper with my father’s handwriting on them.
I read them.
My father had written down how he was sexually molested by a priest when he was a child and he lived in a Catholic orphanage. The priest had crushed his thumb with his shoe when my father had tried to resist him for the first time.
It broke my heart.
I had asked him some years earlier why his thumb was bent and deformed and he had told me he accidentally hammered it while doing a DIY project.
Fun pictures
How does China’s treatment of Tibetans and Xinjiang Uighurs compare to their actions towards Hong Kong protesters? What factors contribute to the severity of their actions?
China’s Tibet and Xinjiang are such harmonious places of China as such that they could produce highly phenomenal growth.
China Entraps DeepSeek Employees
If you read the news from the usual anti-China sources, you’d probably have encountered this claim. How dare the Chinese government seize the passports of DS employees, chaining them to their desks so that they work for the glory of the SEE SEE PEE?
Oh wait.
Fake news.
Gee, I wonder who could have possibly tried to spread disinformation about a rival that is destroying their easy rent-seeking business models?
I can’t imagine any sort of intelligence agency that would be so motivated as to print obviously false information about a geopolitical rival in order to disinform public opinion and maintain cohesion against an enemy so as to feed hatred for political gain.
Most assuredly, even if this were hypothetically coming from a democracy, such a democracy surely wouldn’t hate the Chinese people, only the Chinese government. Right?
RIGHT?
What does an expensive and cheap home look like in your country?
In Sweden, the differences between cheap and expensive homes are usually subtle. The price has a lot to do with location, as anywhere, but the actual price spread has amounts attached to it that will seem low to many from other, western countries. Depending on where you are, the same house costing the equivalent of USD 50.000 in one location could be 500.000 in another.
Swedish real estate is not very expensive, compared to, say, the US, Australia, or Switzerland.
Here some cheap homes; in my region, which means they are valued between 50.000 and 90.000 Euros:
And here some expensive homes, priced somewhere between 300.000 and 600.000 Euros, which is considered expensive here:
You can, of course, get an apartment, as well. Their price range is similar to that of houses as above.
They are not really cheaper than freestanding houses in the long run though when you consider that you don’t normally buy the whole thing, but only “the right to live in it” (a thing called Bostadsrätt), with a monthly condo fee that can be as high as rent or a mortgage repayment (personally, I see no point in apartment ownership in Sweden, except for companies who may have courtesy accommodation, but still, many people live in apartments):
What has an employee said that immediately caused you to fire them?
Not fire them, but I ended the interview and refused to hire him.
We were interviewing for a very specialized position, which due to the unique nature of the equipment involved would require significant on the job training. We had interviewed probably 6–8 candidates, when a guy came in for his interview after I had reviewed his resume. He was personable, seemed capable of doing the job, and his salary expectations matched what we were willing to offer. I asked him when he could start, he got quiet, hemmed and hawed a minute and then said “I need to wait until after my court date, I’m in the middle of getting divorced, if I get a new job, they will bump my child support up.”
I stood up, told him to leave, that I wanted nothing to do with anyone trying to avoid providing for their own children. Almost chased him out of the office. Then I called the recruiter who sent him to me, told her what he said and recommended she drop him as a client. Deadbeats boil my blood.
Girlfriend Asks For Open Relationship To Sleep With Ex BF, Throws TANTRUM When She’s Kicked Out!
Can I Have Your Attention Please
Submitted into Contest #289 in response to: Start your story with the lines: “The room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here.”… view prompt
Jan Keifer
“Oh, I’m sorry. Hold on just a second while I reverse the effects.” He pulls a box out and pushes a button and suddenly my memories return.
He pushes another button on the box and the wall opens, revealing an audience people. Spinning me around, he looks at the audience and says, “Can I have your attention, please.” All is quiet. “What do you say, Sam. Are you ready to go for level four? You have a hundred thousand now, do you want to risk all to continue. What do you say? Yes or No?”
I thought about how strange the last three levels were. I saw my parents in the front row nodding their heads. I hear myself say, “Yes!”
The room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here. I don’t remember anything from my past. A bed, table, and chair sit in the middle of the room I sit down in the chair and the chair tilts down ejecting me through the a hole. I land about twenty feet down in another room. I look around and see four doors, one on each wall. I choose the first one I see. The area beyond the door is alive with sounds. It’s a rainforest and I am staring a crouching tiger, ready to pounce. I run. I jump a ravine and fall. I underestimated how far the other side was. I fall into a river at the bottom of the ravine.
I hurry, swimming towards the shoreline. I hear a splash behind me and turn, watching in horror, seeing the tiger swimming towards me. Reaching the shore I pull myself out of the water and take off. I don’t turn to look back. I grab a vine and swing over the next ravine and drop. I stop, panting hard and look back. There’s the tiger glaring at me. I wasn’t sure the tiger could cross the ravine so I run. I find a tree and climb up and look down. The tiger had given up and gone away. I lay my head back on the trunk of the tree and close my eyes.
I open my eyes and I’m back in the unfamiliar room. A man sits by the table. He gets up and holds out his hand.
“I would like to congratulate you on making it to level four. Only a few people have ever made it to level four.”
I push him away and yell, “Who are you? What’s happening to me?”
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a box and pushes a button. “Sorry, I always forget to restore your memories.”
I am getting a sense that I should be remembering something. My brain is still trying to piece everything together when it suddenly freezes up on the scene of a tiger ready to pounce on me. I scream and push the man down and run. I hit the wall and bounce back falling to the floor.
“Sam? Sam, are you okay? The man says.
“Your name is Tom.” I say. My memory starts filling in the blanks.
“Yes it is. Sorry, it’s a side-effect of the process.” He takes my arm and pushes another button on the box. The wall disappears, revealing the audience. They all rise and applaud and I can hear chanting, “More, More.”
“Yes, folks, here his is. Now, will he continue? Sam will you walk away with your winnings or will you triple it by completing level five. A moment of silence ladies and gentlemen while he contemplates the decision. Sam you now have two hundred thousand and if you complete level five you will walk away with six hundred thousand. What will it be? You have fifteen seconds to decide.”
A large display on a screen behind my head started the countdown. You could hear the murmuring in the crowd as they whispered among themselves and placed side bets on my decision. I thought about the last level. It didn’t seem that scary now that I could look at it logically. There was an escape route and all I had to do was escape. I just needed to think, which I was very good at. I heard myself yell, “YES!” The audience roared. I closed my eyes relishing the attention.
The room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here. There is a table, a chair, and a bed. I go over to the bed and sit down and fall through the frame. I continue falling through the floor and falling hard at the bottom of another room. My leg is twisted at a crazy angle and my head is swimming. I see a door. I stand and test my leg. It hurts but I’m able to walk. I walk through the door and fall.
I cradle my head and curl up into a fetal position to try and brace for the impact. I land in front of a herd of strange animals. They ignore me as I look around. I hear a noise. The animals stampede in my direction. I run also. I dive behind a rock and cover my head, coming out once they have passed.
There is a horrific beast staring at me. It growls and I run. I head for the trees. The creature chases me. I grab onto the nearest branch of the first tree and swing myself up on the limb and start climbing up. Hoping that the beast can’t climb trees. To my horror, I see it climbing up.
All the trees are somewhat interconnected and I start racing from tree to tree. I check the progress of my protagonist. It’s not as as fast in the trees. The ground is close now and I jump down.
I hear a thud as the creature jumps to the ground. I start looking for anything that I can use as a weapon. I will have to kill this thing before I can rest. A branch falls and I grab it up. It has a sharpened point where it split from the tree. It seems sturdy enough to use as a spear. I stop and brace myself. The creature runs onto the spear impaling itself, dying. I close my eyes.
I hear clapping and open my eyes. The room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here. A man sits on a chair by the table. He stands up, takes my hand and shakes it.
“I congratulate you on making it to level five. Fewer people have ever made it this far. What you did with that branch was amazing.”
He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a box and pushes a button. “Okay Sam. How was your experience? Are you okay? You’re looking a little pale.”
I am getting a sense that I should be remembering something. I take a deep breath. My head is spinning and my leg is throbbing.
“Where am I?” I ask.
“Come with me, Sam. You will remember everything in just a moment.” He pushes another button and the wall disappears and a roar goes up from the audience.
My brain resets and I look down and see my parents looking up at me solemnly.
“Sam, are you going to make your parents proud and go to the next level. You have only one left. I will tell you now. Only two people have ever made it back from level six. One billion. Will you be the third in our game? I will put five minutes on the clock this time and you can go over and discuss it with whomever you choose this time. While you are deciding we will take a quick break to check in with our sponsors.” He cues the camera crews and then leads Sam over to his parents who are climbing up onto the stage.
“Mom, dad, I don’t know. It’s a lot of money. We could live in a better place.” I thought about what would happen if I didn’t survive the next level. They were holding me and crying.
I finally said, “I have to. I will survive. My survival instincts are good.”
Tom, cued the camera crews and everyone got back to their seats. I walked over and took my place beside Tom.
“Well folks, here he is with his decision. Sam, what will it be. Are you going to risk it all to complete level six the very last level worth one billion dollars? I need your answer, now.”
“Yes!” I say, closing my eyes.
I hear a grating noise and open my eyes. The room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here. There is no furniture and the floors are smooth. I finally get tired of looking for a way out and sit down against a wall and close my eyes listening for a moment.
I open my eyes and flail my arms about to try and stop the fall. My body is plummeting rapidly to the room below. I cradle my head and roll up trying to protect myself from the impact. I hit the bottom and cry out. I didn’t break any bones, but I hurt. A ladder hangs over me. I am hurting too much to attempt climbing the ladder so my only option is the door in the wall.
I go to the door and open it slowly. It leads to a meadow. A river is flowing to the side and there are deer grazing. I walk out head towards the river. I squat down and put my hand in the water. The water is icy. I am trying to remember how I got here.
I hear a growl that stands my hair on ends. I turn and see a large wolf looking at me and snarling. I could never run without the wolf catching me. I do the only thing left I jump into the river. I see the wolf running towards me. I swim. The water is so cold that I am having trouble breathing. The wolf is running beside the river following me and waiting for me to come to shore. I swim faster, trying to get to the other side, but my body is cold and I am having more trouble moving my arms and legs. My teeth are chattering and I know I am not going to make it. I sink to the bottom and realize, I’m in waist-deep water, a hundred yards from where I jumped in. The wolf is there trying to decide if it is worth getting wet to come after me. I stand and struggle to make my legs carry me to the other side so I can pull myself out of the river. I stumble and fall and swim to the other side. The wolf sits down on the other side and howls. The sound hurts my ears and I cringe. I make myself crawl out of the water. I start scooching backwards and come to a stop against a tree. I look up and see my salvation. I pull myself up and grab the side of the tree and start climbing the tree. I get about twenty feet off the ground and look down. A pack of wolves have arrived. Braving the water, they now sit at the base of the tree. They try to climb the tree and fail. Finally they leave. I climb further and find a decent limb to spread out on. I close my eyes.
I hear a noise and open my eyes. The room is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here. A man is coming to me grinning.
“Welcome back. Sam you have done amazingly well. That was incredible how you jumped in the river. That was ingenious thinking on your part. That is the kind of thinking we need in our newest colony. You earned a seat on the next transport. You will have to sign a non disclosure agreement on everything that happened here. All you can say is that you won the money. Do you understand? We only have so many spots available in the new colony. This is how we choose the brightest minds.”
I could hear everything he said and I was reveling in my moment. I was going to the new colony that was all that mattered. Tom pushed a button on his box and the wall disappeared one last time. The audience surged the stage and his parents were up on the stage and grabbing him as he walked forward.
“I did it. Did you see? I made it.” I yelled above the crowd, as my parents joined me. I shook Tom’s hand and smiled for the camera then signed the non-disclosure agreement on the podium.
I hear a coughing noise and open my eyes. The room is unfamiliar. But I know how I got here. I am on the transport ship with my parents heading to our new lives.
Texas Hash
This is a vintage recipe from the 1950s. It has also been called “Spanish Rice” which is, of course, ridiculous!
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 cup diced green bell pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- 1 pound 80/20 ground beef
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup uncooked long grain white rice
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
Instructions
- In a skillet that has a tight fitting cover, heat olive oil over medium-high.
- Add onion, pepper, garlic, ground beef, dry mustard, chili powder, salt and pepper. Sauté until ground beef is no longer pink, breaking up beef as you cook. Drain any excess grease.
- Add rice and cook for two minutes, letting rice absorb the liquid.
- Add tomato paste and cook for one minute.
- Add canned tomatoes with juice, water and Worcestershire sauce. Stir, cover and simmer for 20 minutes covered.
- After 20 minutes, remove lid and fluff the mixture then serve. If the mixture is too wet, cook for another few minutes with lid off.
- If you are using the cheese, sprinkle on top for last few minutes of cooking time with lid on.
Attribution
Photo credit: evening_edge CC BY
What do you think is the most valuable skill a person could have?
I hired a former convict who had just been released from prison a few months earlier.
He came to my office early one morning for a job interview.
He presented himself very formally and in professional clothing. All his body language was full of self-confidence.
I didn’t know it at the time, but he was astonishingly astute and deceptive. I suppose these were essential skills needed to survive in prison.
“Sir, I must be honest,” he started the conversation, “If your company requires a background check to get hired, I will fail.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“I’ve just been released from prison and I’m searching for someone who is willing to take a chance on me to help me reshape my life.”
I stared at him speechless.
He continued, “I’ve learned my lesson and I’m willing to give you everything I’ve got. If you give me this opportunity, you will have a loyal employee for life.”
I was stunned by such statement.
“Well, if you don’t mind me asking, why did you go to prison?” I asked cautiously.
“I killed someone as a teenager. I was drunk. The accident happened. I never intended to kill that man, but I was sentenced to 20 years in prison.” He said.
The conversation continued for a while. My mind and my heart went into a battle, “Stay away,” my mind said. “Changing people’s lives is more important than your business policies,” my heart replied.
Long story short… I gave this man a chance.
I ended up devastated.
So, to answer your question, what is the most valuable skill a person could have?
A heart of gratitude.
When someone helps you, be grateful, not only by saying “thank you,” but prove it with your actions.
I invested in this man’s life, not only with a job, but personally advising and coaching him to increase his value both for the company and to society. I helped him buy a car and offered unique opportunities inside the company.
I was determined to help him turn his life around.
How did he show his gratitude?
- He stole from my business.
- He mistreated my customers.
- He turned employees against me.
- He even tried to seduce my wife to sleep with him!
This man’s life would have been transformed in a few years if he had been grateful instead of trying to “outsmart” me.
Remember this:
There’s nothing you can do to help those who don’t want to help themselves.
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Wasn’t alive during the 70s, but I did grow up in AK right there in Seldovia, and yeah it even scared me sometimes. I remember this one time I saw a younger guy who got in some kind of dock fight. Man he was just covered in bruises and black eyes all over. Pretty violent.