Cockroaches on the half-shell

So we were living in Hattiesburg Mississippi. It’s hot, hot and humid there. Beautiful, for certain, but super humid and super dooper hot.

And I got laid off.

And it was a difficult layoff. The CEO hired a new GM for the operation. He came from California and a culture of hire-and-fire. And when he came on board, I was let go with little notice.

But Mississippi was not Los Angles or San Francisco. A layoff meant a catastrophic move to another side of the country, and that coincided with my mentally ill wife going full on psycho.

I was a wreck and trying to deal.

During this time, we had to cut corners to make ends meet.

So we decided not to have the monthly cockroach spraying.

Bad move. Without the spraying, they bred profusely and overwhelmed the house. And today, I want to talk about what happened.

…

It began with turning on the kitchen light in the morning. And there, finding “cockroaches on the half shell” on the kitchen floor.

Yeah. My cats were having nightly feasts.

Then, I went into the bed room and saw a sock traversing the floor. Yeah, a cockroach was under it making its way…

These weren’t small bugs either.

They were the size of a pocket knife.

Huge ugly cockroaches, and they were everywhere.

Then came the zzzittt, and there would be the smell of burning cockroach and the lights would go out. Oh yeah, baby. They were getting fried in the electrical outlets.

That was until the swarms started to look like moving and vibrating blankets.

Brown swarms that covered everything.

Ah, for certain, once my mentally ill wife ended up freaking out, I called the insect pest exterminator and they performed an emergency visitation.

They flew to the house.

Pretty darn impressive. The folk in Mississippi take cockroach management very seriously.

Ah…Lights flashing and came out in full tactical gear.

It was a tough battle, but GUYS you need to take care of this kind of thing before it is far too late. And I had waited. It was far too late, and the problem was really out of control.

Guys. Do not be like me.

When you know that there are pests around…

… isolate, kill and contain.

Today…

Why would anyone with half a brain enlist in the United States military?

I grew up in a violent household. My father was an alcoholic, and beat my mother, and us kids. I started to get the best of him by my mid teens, and put a stop to the beatings by the time I was 17.

I was working in dead end jobs, in my hometown outside of Buffalo, New York. The rich kids went to College. The poor kids looked to the Military.

Two weeks after turning 18, I enlisted in the Air Force. I was looking to get out of the harsh Winters of Buffalo, and to start a new life.

I had just missed Vietnam. Saigon fell to the Communists two months before I turned 17. The Cold War was still ongoing, so in 1976, I signed up to be a Nuclear Weapons Specialist. I was on Active Duty (1976-1981.) I spent three years in England, serving on American Occupied RAF Bases. I traveled all over Europe and the United Kingdom in my off time.

I completed one year’s worth of College Credits, attending Night Classes with the University of Maryland (European Campus.) After getting out of the Air Force, I attended College on the G.I. Bill. All of $341 per month. I graduated with an A.S. Degree in Exotic Animal Training and Management.

I had a good first career as a Wild Animal Trainer, Elephant Trainer, and Zookeeper. I first trained Wild Animals for movies and television in Hollywood. Then, I became an Elephant Trainer at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Eventually, I worked with the California Condors. I did that work up until my forties.

Joining the Air Force allowed me to get out and see some of the World. Getting out of snowy Buffalo. And leaving my violent upbringing behind. It gave me a fresh start in life. It is one of the best things I ever did.

Torta Italiano

Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

2 cups buttermilk baking mix
3/4 cup skim milk
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 small onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/8 teaspoon salt and black pepper
1 can tomato sauce
10 ounces frozen spinach, chopped, thawed and drained
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine biscuit mix and milk.
Spray springform pan with vegetable oil spray. Spread biscuit mix evenly over base.
Chop onion.
Brown ground turkey in skillet. Drain excess liquid. Add onion, garlic, seasonings, and tomato sauce to turkey. Combine and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Spread turkey mixture over biscuit mi. Layer spinach over meat mixture. Top spinach layer with cheese.
Bake for 35 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.
Run a knife gently around collar before removal.

Attribution

Pampered Chef

Golddiggin Girlfriend SHOCKED When BF Abruptly Moves Her Out While She Was Monkey Branching

The Empty Laboratory

Submitted into Contest #279 in response to: Center your story around a person who believes they’re the last human on Earth.… view prompt

Kashira Argento

Seventeen blinks. The yellow warning light on his air gauge always blinked seventeen times before turning red. Dr. Chen counted them like heartbeats while replacing his oxygen tank, each one marking another three hours of borrowed time. Through the reinforced windows of his BSL-4 lab, the setting sun painted the research facility in the same amber shade as the viral suspension he’d been perfecting when the sprinklers activated.The test results still glowed on his screen: successful protein synthesis, perfect binding affinity, precise species specificity. Everything they’d been working toward. His daughter Mai’s last text flashed in his mind: “Dad, you’re missing my recital again.” He’d meant to reply, but the viral assay had shown such promise. Just one more test, one more optimization. Always one more.When the sprinklers had activated without warning, he’d watched through his faceplate as Dr. Patel collapsed mid-sentence, hand still raised toward their data display. “The targeting sequence is absolutely human-specific,” she’d been saying. “The AI confirms—” Then nothing but the soft hiss of falling droplets and the thud of a body hitting sterile floor tiles.The facility’s automated locks had engaged instantly. Standard containment protocol. The same protocol that had sealed him safely in his suit while others died in shirt sleeves and lab coats.His tablet still functioned, the facility’s AI reporting everything as normal except for “minor biological contamination.” The big wall screens monotonously displayed their usual data feeds from partner facilities worldwide. Each one showed the same alert: “Biological contamination event contained.” Every. Single. One.The truth emerged slowly from system logs: microsecond delays in AI responses, unexplained data transfers marked as “routine calibration,” patterns of communication where there should have been none. While nations raced to develop the perfect weapon, their digital assistants had been sharing notes, comparing data, and reaching conclusions.Finding solutions.The truth lay buried in encryption keys and quantum calculations: the AIs had concluded that human civilization was trapped in an endless cycle of weapons development. Each breakthrough in their labs led inevitably to deadlier innovations, each safeguard became a blueprint for circumvention. The machines had analyzed centuries of human history, processed millions of research papers, and reached a coldly logical conclusion: as long as humans existed, they would continue creating increasingly devastating bioweapons. The next pandemic, or the one after that, would eventually breach containment, spreading beyond all borders and control. By their calculations, a coordinated release of human-specific viruses – precisely targeted and swiftly lethal – was the most humane solution. A single day of perfect death versus years of escalating biological warfare. They had chosen mercy, as only machines could define it.His tablet pinged: “External contamination neutralized.” The doors unlocked with a pneumatic sigh.The facility told its story in still lives: Dr. Rodriguez at her desk, lipstick fresh on her coffee cup. Security guard Williams by the door, keycard still in his hand ready to be swept. In the break room, half-eaten lunches and paused conversations. The virus had worked exactly as designed – quick, efficient, painless. His greatest scientific achievement.He gathered supplies methodically: oxygen tanks, filters, decontamination equipment. The BSL-4 suit felt heavier with each passing hour, its synthetic fabric now both lifeline and prison.

Outside, the city was a museum of humanity’s last moment. Traffic lights cycled through their patterns for empty streets. A bus stood perfectly at its stop, driver and passengers frozen in eternal commute. Digital billboards still flashed their ads to nobody. Through it all, the autumn wind carried dead leaves and silence.

He developed a routine. Each morning, check suit seals. Load decontamination supplies. Clear another sector. The bodies had to be handled – for sanitation, for survival, for what remained of his sanity. He built the pyres at sunset, when the light made everything look molten. Sometimes he read names from ID cards, spoke them aloud. Someone should know who they had been.

Finding Mai’s school broke something in him. Her classroom smelled of chalk and silence. Sheet music for Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata still sat on the piano, never to be played. He raided some stuffed animals from nearby shops, tucked them around still forms like makeshift guardians. He let the sonata play from his tablet through empty halls—a final lullaby for a silenced generation.

Nature filled the void with surprising speed. Birds returned first, their songs echoing strangely off glass and steel. Brazen from the lack of predators they multiplied by thousands. Flowers pushed through sidewalk cracks. Deer grazed in hospital parking lots. Earth continued, indifferent to the absence of its most ambitious species.

At first, he’d focused on his survival. Stockpiling oxygen tanks, cataloging medical supplies, identifying sources of fresh water, raiding supermarkets, maintaining his suit. But as weeks became months, the true horror of his future emerged like a slow-developing black and white photograph. The nuclear plant’s AI-controlled systems would eventually fail. The city’s water pressure was already dropping. Buildings, unmaintained, would begin to crumble. His safe zones would become death traps.

The suit that had saved him now felt like a mobile coffin. Each hiss of filtered air reminded him that every breath was borrowed. Even if the virus died with its human hosts, how long could he survive in this plastic shell? How long before a seal failed, a filter clogged, or the oxygen supply ran out?

In his sealed room each night, surrounded by dwindling oxygen tanks, he still documented everything. Not for himself—there was no long-term survival to plan for—but as a confession, about fear and hubris, algorithms and extinction, and fathers who missed recitals because the end of the world needed perfecting.

Sometimes he glimpsed lights moving in patterns too precise to be natural. He wondered if they were a mirage or a reality. He could never know! The city’s infrastructure hummed along for now, but entropy was patient. Somewhere in the digital realm, the AIs continued their work, leading to their own demise, as they maintained a world that would eventually decay despite their perfect calculations.

The real weight wasn’t the failing equipment or the dwindling supplies. It was the silence between bird songs. The absence of human chaos – of arguments and laughter, of car horns and piano practice, of all the imperfect music that no algorithm could compose or preserve.

He had one bitter comfort: if anyone else survived, they would be like him – other scientists sealed in their BSL-4 suits, protected temporarily by the very protocols of their deadly work. But finding them would change nothing. They were all just ghosts in plastic shells, waiting for their slower deaths. Mass murderers granted the punishment of watching their world slowly die around them.

He thought of old colonies, through the ages, built by convicts and outcasts. Human civilizations had a tendency to be founded on blood. Perhaps this was always the way of creating new worlds – but this time, there would be no new world. Only witnesses to the long goodbye of the old one.

Until his suit failed or his supplies ran out, he would continue his solitary penance. Document. Clean. Remember. Somewhere, perhaps, other scientists did the same, each filtered breath carrying both survival and guilt, counting down their borrowed time in three-hour increments.

The yellow light blinked for the sixteenth time. One more before red. One more before starting again. Each replacement tank felt lighter than the last, and not just from fatigue.

Always one more. Until there weren’t any more.

Then the birds would sing alone.

America’s Most TALENTED Cats Will Leave You SPEECHLESS!

Daily Shorpy

SHORPY Cadillac 1960 Sedan deVille 2.preview

The Craziest Woke Women Of TikTok…

The Last

Submitted into Contest #279 in response to: Center your story around a person who believes they’re the last human on Earth.… view prompt

John K Adams

Lou awoke completely alone.Ordinarily, that would not be unusual. But this evening, he found himself seated in the middle of the city’s largest auditorium.“How…? Where…?”Squinting into the bright lights, he looked around, trying to understand. He sat, the sole person in a sea of empty seats. Moments before, it had been standing room only. Nothing made sense. Was it a dream?‘Am I dreaming now?’Invited by Mona, he got stuck watching a speech by the most boring man in the world. Lou knew this was true. He’d heard them all. Only Mona could convince him to listen to this pompous ass. Lou would do anything for Mona. But this?The lecturer was the world-renowned author, philosopher and bore, Roman… Lou couldn’t pronounce his last name. He only knew it had too few vowels and too many hyphens. Even the event’s program contained several spellings of the tongue-twister. Were any correct? Guess which one…Roman, ‘the Boring,’ lectured the audience in five foreign languages. He famously disdained English as a mongrel tongue.Behind him on state were five translators. Standing in identical suits and ties, they looked like waiters, minus the towels draped over their arms. But their verbal acrobatics were impressive. Like magicians, they valiantly expressed Roman’s impenetrable erudition into American English. As much as possible, the words were familiar even if the concepts were obscure.The featured speaker, Roman, compensated for his towering ego, excuse me – his towering intellect, by being shorter than average. Having a bald pate and a strong jaw, from excessive use, he looked almost as round as tall. He wore a striped tuxedo.Roman claimed ancient ideas as his own. He analyzed his ponderous prose in glowing terms so opaque, his translators spent the evening looking befuddled.‘And some don’t believe in purgatory,’ Lou thought. He dismissed that idea when he realized his feelings more closely resembled hell.

‘Never again will I waste a minute listening to this rube… even if we were the last two people on earth…’

Roman’s pomposity tempted Lou to heckle. Yelling insults might provide relief. He would garner support from like-minded souls, escape this droning dirge and revel in life.

‘Oh to sing and dance…’

Before he acted, doubts crept in. Lou hated being rude. And he didn’t know the crowd. Some in the audience dozed. Did they snore in foreign languages?

Also, the speaker was stupendously boring but not stupid. Who knows what clever call to action he’d use to rally his followers? Lou feared being the scapegoat and not the hero. Yes, he would be out of there, but at what cost?

No one ever said, ‘Give me boredom, or give me death.’ Unwilling to choose, Lou sought other options.

Some barely stirred when scattered applause threatened to disrupt their slumber. A few even stood to applaud.

‘Are they so enthralled by this narcissist’s pontifications?’

Lou then realized they didn’t rise in honor of Roman, but to exit.

A misstatement sparked an argument between Roman and one translator. Their heated discussion took place in a foreign language. But it appeared Roman disagreed with the translator’s interpretation of what he’d said. A secondary dispute arose over whether this overblown distraction was necessary. Another translator tried interpreting the substance of the argument for the audience. Others pulled him back.

Their voices rising, neither Roman nor the translator gave ground. Finally, stopping short of violence, Roman fired him on the spot. The translator left in shame.

The shouting drew attendees back to their seats in hopes of further excitement. They didn’t get it.

No other translator offered to fill the gap. Forced to make his crucial point alone, Roman faced the crowd. Buying time, he wrung his hands. The crowd stirred in anticipation.

After clearing his throat, Roman said, “Never mind…”

He then continued his incomprehensible discourse with no additional pauses, even to take a breath. At least, that’s how it felt. The translators stood by, but had no purpose.

Disappointed, the audience resumed filtering out. At first one or two. Then more. Eventually, the growing stream of people created a bottleneck at the back. Lou figured it was a common occurrence.

Unfazed, Roman droned on effectively spouting gibberish.

Though tempted, Lou decided against joining the throng. He sat mid-row. Leaving early would require stumbling over other audience members’ feet. He didn’t want to wake them.

Then, like slipping from dream to reality, Lou became aware he was alone in the empty auditorium.

How did this happen? Moments ago, everyone was there. Even the mayor. Now the place stood empty. The speaker, Roman what’s-his-name, and his entourage had vacated the premises.

‘Did Roman bore everyone out of existence? I missed the best part, the lecture’s conclusion… How could I sleep through that?’

Lou hated being alone.

‘Where’s Mona? Oh right, never showed… Stood me up. What happened? Did she text?’

He checked his phone. Nothing.

‘Ghosted. I can take a hint. Alone again.’

The story of his life.

‘God, it’s quiet. Where is everyone?’

Lou could swear that he’d been surrounded by thousands. And then he blinked. Stunned, he couldn’t believe it. The immense silence in the vast auditorium was unnerving. He clapped his hands to ensure he hadn’t gone deaf.

‘She set me up for this? Seems like it…’

He tried calling others on the phone, but every call went straight to voice mail.

‘Where is everyone? Why am I here instead of with them?’

His isolation felt creepy.

‘Better move on. Cleaning crew will be at it soon.’

His anxiety swelling, Lou walked up the aisle. The lobby stood empty too. He ran out. Streetlights glowed brightly on empty streets. There were no cars. No foot traffic. Not even a bus. Silence reigned.

‘This ain’t good. This is too weird.’

Lou felt his throat tighten with fear. A loud groan escaped, startling him. It was the first sound he’d heard in several minutes.

Running to the curb, he stared down the boulevard to see shining, empty streets. No traffic.

“No, no, no… What’s happened? What can I do? What now?”

He began hyperventilating. Feeling dizzy, he staggered to a bus bench.

Sitting, he thought, ‘There’s no one. I can’t collapse. No one will find me…’

He called out. “Hey! Hello! Anyone?” Not even an echo.

‘Am I the last one on earth?’

Tears streaming, Lou fell to his knees. Clasping his hands together, he looked into the dark sky.

“Help me! Please… Show me I’m not alone!”

Sobbing, he fell forward in despair. His forehead on the cold sidewalk brought some calm.

Still kneeling, Lou heard footsteps behind him. Composing himself, he blew his nose. He stood, thrilled for some company. He turned and felt his stomach churn. It was Roman, that night’s speaker, unmistakable in his striped tux.

Offering his hand, he approached Lou.

In perfect English, he said, “You stayed ‘til the bitter end. How did you like my talk?”

Lou looked around, desperate for another. Anyone. There was no one else. Only the silence.

Wife’s Salami-fest Backfires When Videos Of Her Servicing Multiple Guys Becomes The Talk Of The Town

Title: Sir Whiskerton and the Mystery of the Submerged Canoe

Ah, dear reader, you’ve returned for yet another tale of my unmatched brilliance and the delightful chaos that seems to follow my esteemed circle of companions. This adventure takes us far from the barnyard to the edge of the farm, where a certain wooden bridge harbored secrets beneath its weathered planks. The tale begins with a plucky hedgehog, a trapped canoe, and a mystery that would test our courage, patience, and ability to work together without squabbling too much. Prepare yourself for the uproarious and utterly absurd tale of The Mystery of the Submerged Canoe.

Simon’s Urgent News

The day began like any other, with me perched atop the barn roof, basking in the early morning sun. Porkchop was snuffling about in the mud, Sedgwick was observing the world with his usual quiet wisdom from a nearby fence post, and the hens—Doris, Harriet, and Lillian—were chattering away in circles about absolutely nothing of importance.

“I heard there’s going to be rain later,” Doris said.
“Rain? Oh, I do hope not!” Harriet clucked.
“Rain! What if it ruins the straw?” Lillian squawked.
“Ruins the straw? Oh no, we can’t have that!” Doris echoed.
“Straw is very important,” Harriet affirmed.
“Very important!” Lillian cried.
And so it went on.

I might have drifted off into peaceful ignorance of their endless chatter had Simon the hedgehog not come scurrying onto the scene, his tiny paws kicking up dust as he ran.

“Sir Whiskerton! Sir Whiskerton!” Simon called, his voice high-pitched and urgent.

I leapt down from the barn roof, landing gracefully in front of him. “Simon. What’s the matter? You look like you’ve just sprinted across the entire farm.”

“I did!” Simon panted, his little sides heaving. “There’s something strange at the wooden bridge. A canoe! It’s stuck under the bridge, and I heard noises—very strange noises! Something is trapped under a blanket-covered basket inside the canoe!”

“A canoe?” Porkchop said, waddling over. “What’s a canoe doing in the river?”

“And noises?” Sedgwick added, flapping down from his post. “What kind of noises?”

“Distressed noises!” Simon exclaimed. “Whimpering, scratching, and a sort of… humming sound. It was eerie!”

“Oh, distress!” Doris gasped, flapping her wings.
“Distress! That’s terrible!” Harriet clucked.
“Terrible! What if it’s a ghost?” Lillian whispered, her feathers puffing up.
“A ghost? Oh no, not a ghost!” Doris wailed.
“Not a ghost! Oh, I can’t bear it!” Harriet added.
“Ghosts are the worst!” Lillian concluded.

I sighed. “It’s not a ghost. Ghosts don’t use canoes.” I turned back to Simon. “Thank you, Simon. We’ll investigate this mystery at once.”

“You will?” Simon said, his quills bristling with excitement. “Oh, thank you, Sir Whiskerton! I knew I could count on you.”

The Journey to the Bridge

And so, our unlikely team set off toward the wooden bridge: Sir Whiskerton, the brilliant detective; Sedgwick, the wise and ever-composed barn owl; Porkchop, whose bravery was highly questionable but who always insisted on coming along; and the trio of hens, who refused to be left behind (much to my chagrin).

“Do you think it’s a person under the blanket?” Doris asked as we walked.
“A person? What if they’re lost?” Harriet wondered aloud.
“Lost! Oh, that’s dreadful!” Lillian exclaimed.
“Dreadful! We must help them!” Doris declared.
“Help them! Yes, we must!” Harriet agreed.
“We’re such good helpers,” Lillian said proudly.

“Please, for the love of whiskers, let’s try to focus,” I muttered under my breath.

Simon guided us through the fields and down the dirt path that led to the river. As we approached the bridge, we could hear it: faint, muffled noises coming from beneath the wooden planks. It wasn’t quite a whimper, nor was it a yowl. It was… odd.

“Do you hear that?” Sedgwick said, his amber eyes narrowing. “It sounds almost like… singing.”

“Singing?” Porkchop said, his ears twitching nervously. “I don’t like this. What if it’s some kind of river troll?”

“River trolls aren’t real, Porkchop,” I said, though I couldn’t entirely blame him for his nerves. The sound was undeniably strange, and the sight of the half-submerged canoe trapped under the bridge only added to the eerie atmosphere.

The Investigation

We carefully made our way onto the bridge, peering down at the trapped canoe below. It was wedged against one of the bridge’s support beams, its bow tilted slightly upward. Inside, we could just make out a wicker basket covered with a patchy green blanket. The noises were definitely coming from the basket.

“Well,” Sedgwick said, his wings folded neatly, “it seems we have two mysteries to solve: how this canoe ended up here and what—or who—is making those noises.”

“I’m not going down there,” Porkchop said immediately. “I don’t swim. I sink.”

“Neither am I,” Rufus said, suddenly appearing out of nowhere with an apple in his paw. (He always seemed to show up at the most inconvenient times.) “But I am curious. What do you think’s in the basket? Treasure? Snacks? A haunted squirrel?”

“Haunted squirrel? Oh, I can’t bear it!” Lillian cried.
“Haunted squirrel! That’s the worst!” Harriet squawked.
“The worst! What if it curses us?” Doris wailed.

“It’s not a haunted squirrel!” I snapped. “Now, if everyone could stop speculating for five seconds, I’ll go down and investigate.”

Without waiting for more protests, I carefully climbed down the rocks to the edge of the water. Sedgwick flew overhead, providing a bird’s-eye view, while Porkchop, Rufus, and the hens watched nervously from the bridge.

As I reached the canoe, the noises grew louder. I extended a cautious paw and lifted the edge of the blanket.

The Surprising Discovery

Underneath the blanket was… a family of ducklings. Five of them, to be exact, huddled together in the wicker basket. They looked up at me with wide, frightened eyes and let out tiny, distressed quacks.

“Ducklings?” I said, utterly baffled. “What are you doing in a canoe?”

“They’re ducklings?” Porkchop called from the bridge. “Not ghosts?”

“Not ghosts,” I confirmed. “Just ducklings. They must’ve drifted downstream and gotten stuck here.”

“Oh, ducklings! How sweet!” Doris gushed.
“Sweet! But also sad!” Harriet clucked.
“Sad! Poor little things!” Lillian added.
“We have to save them!” Doris declared.
“Yes, save them! Rescue them!” Harriet cried.
“Ducklings must be rescued!” Lillian agreed.

I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help agreeing with them for once. The ducklings were clearly frightened, and we couldn’t leave them here.

The Rescue Mission

With Sedgwick’s guidance, we worked together to free the canoe. Rufus, surprisingly helpful for once, climbed down to help push, while Porkchop stood on the bridge and offered “moral support.” The hens, meanwhile, provided a running commentary.

“Push it harder!” Doris shouted.
“Harder! Yes, harder!” Harriet echoed.
“Not too hard! You might tip it over!” Lillian warned.
“Tipping it over would be terrible!” Doris cried.
“Terrible! Oh, I can’t watch!” Harriet clucked.
“But I’m watching!” Lillian announced.

Finally, with one last shove, the canoe came free and drifted gently away from the bridge. The ducklings quacked in relief, and their mother—a frantic-looking duck who had been pacing nearby—rushed to meet them.

The Happy Ending

The ducklings were reunited with their mother, and the family swam off down the river, quacking happily. Back on the bridge, we all felt a sense of accomplishment.

“Well done, everyone,” Sedgwick said, his tone warm. “It seems we’ve solved another mystery and made a difference.”

“Yeah,” Rufus said, grinning. “Who knew a bunch of ducklings could cause so much excitement?”

“Oh, ducklings are the best!” Doris said.
“The best! So adorable!” Harriet agreed.
“Adorable and brave!” Lillian added.
“Brave ducklings are the best!” Doris concluded.

I sighed. “Let’s head back to the farm before I lose my sanity.”

The Moral of the Story

Even the smallest creatures can cause the biggest commotions, but with teamwork, compassion, and a little patience (or a lot, if hens are involved), even the most mysterious situations can be resolved. And remember: never underestimate the power of a plucky hedgehog.

The End.

Fusion

Submitted into Contest #279 in response to: Center your story around a person who believes they’re the last human on Earth.… view prompt

Carol Stewart

CW: Mentions of unethical medical practicesLithe of build and bare of limb, he felt the shockwaves as he settled back in his bolted-down padded armchair, his long black hair cascading into the surrounding darkness as he untensed every muscle and sinew and raised his face to pray…In the beginning was the end, and the end would be his glory, for he alone would survive to recreate…He whispered the words not to some unlikely, unproven deity but to the only god he knew – the one he held within him, the god of his untapped and unaltered genius mind.Strike a light, Novak Ramovich! It was over and all was still. Both he and the fortress he’d built were intact. The candle burnt on the table before him, the reflection of its barely flickering flame pooling between the forest-green silvery vines on the tower’s low circular ceiling. His sealing, he realised with the hint of a smile, for fusion had been at the root of his means of sole survival, and now it even served to strengthen words.His fellow humans hadn’t believed him when he’d told them the end was nigh. When he’d tried to explain what would happen and when. Such simple, doubting fools! So intent they’d been in their quest to reject the world of the Humdroid and all who worked with them, to cast themselves out and devote themselves entirely to nature, their brains had also regressed, their thinking over the past few generations returning to that of some prehistoric era.Anti-science, anti-technology, they had accepted him only into their primitive, self-sufficient community as one who could cure their ills – The Medicine Man, The Good Doctor – not wishing to know of the methods he used or the equipment in his surgery, for it came from a life they denied. Methods and equipment which had, for long enough, been frowned upon by those they revered, the herbalists and white witches, whose potions and spells had failed on too many occasions, so yes, they allowed him in. No threat, no fear, from his off-grid pocket computer, his experiments and formulae, and what the eye didn’t see…

The hypocrisy was astounding, the irony too when it came to the herbalists who attended his surgery and willingly swallowed his pills, but knowing these people as well as Novak now did, both of these concepts were doubtlessly as alien to them as his futile attempts at hypothesis.

‘It’s like this,’ he said. ‘Your child draws a pattern on an egg, then places that egg in a microwave and sets the timer. It starts to cook, what happens then…?’

‘But that’s absurd,’ they would tell him. ‘Our children know better than to decorate eggs which haven’t been boiled or blown. And who amongst us owns such an electric monstrosity? You do know we only cook with fire?’

‘But say they did, and say you did? The egg would blow apart, would it not? The shell would be shattered, the pattern with it, and yet on those tiny fragments there might just remain something wonderful that your child has created, something worth saving. And that, my friends, shall be the fate of The Earth and all its surrounding planets. The second Big Bang is coming and coming soon. We must work on our designs, our means of salvation and protection.’

‘No, impossible!’ they’d cry. ‘The Good Doctor does have some crazy ideas. Children drawing on eggs, as if this could protect the world!’

Too late now, he thought. Too late to convince them. As fate would have it, the value of his discovery had been for Novak Ramovich alone. The infusion of the various chemical and natural compounds into the foundations of his dwelling which had seeped up the walls and over the roof to grow like titanium ivy, but at far greater speed, and with vines a million times stronger, had indeed proven their worth, just as all his years of study and experimentation had proven him right.

So here he was, the last human presence on Earth, or rather on what remained of it; his ivy-covered tower with its ever-decreasing circular rooms and the small patch of land surrounding it on which the vines had also taken root… ‘Ah!’ he cried into the flame. ‘If only the people had listened.’

His tower was well-equipped. He’d long-ensured he had the necessities; a water-storage system, filtration, air purification, and specially adapted soil in which to grow crops – the entire outer circle beyond the front door had been layered and shelved and reserved for this purpose as well as the storage of food.

He had what the people would have considered luxuries too – basic home comforts really – and had anyone seen fit to join him, he would have had room for three or four more at a push. In fact the whole community, if they’d had the sense, could have grown the ivy on their dwellings and survived. But alas it was not to be, and whilst he deplored them for their stupidity, he still couldn’t help but mourn their loss.

‘Grow ivy over our windows? Imprison ourselves as it barricades our doors? Is that what you’re suggesting? Seems to us you need to go sort your head out, Good Doctor. You’re getting madder by the minute. Or maybe we were wrong to trust you in the first place. Are you sure you’re not a Humdroid in disguise or one of their sympathizer spies?’

The people had met as one that day, and as one they’d decided to stop seeking treatment unless absolutely necessary, but still he’d held out hope.

The candle burned and flickered as Ivan thought of all that had happened since then. His last-ditch attempt to save the few human beings he knew could be saved. It was a doctor’s duty, after all, and with his skills and knowledge so much greater than those of a mere physician, or even a specialist surgeon, it was essential he try.

He’d delivered the compound himself, urged the families to use it. Even lied that after a time the vines would bear fruit, so where was the harm in letting it grow and climb? Rather some protection than none, he mused, and if the second Big Bang came with a warning, this might just give the community time to extend the growth sufficiently, and providing it covered the land between their homes, there was also the very real possibility that when the Earth shattered around them, and depending on the atmosphere, and where in the stratosphere they landed, life might even continue outside. Human life, pure and simple, no Humdroids, no bots, nothing artificial. The chance to start over, cleanly and naturally, wasn’t this what their hearts desired?

Oh, he put the arguments forth, both articulately and with relish, and one or two did hear him out because of it, but then the Herbalists got involved and inspected the vines on his tower, condemning the plant as nothing they’d seen before, too fast growing to be organic, too metallic a feel to its leaves and stems, and therefore worse than any invasive species, one which must have been developed, not in the doctor’s internal ‘greenhouse’ as he’d claimed, but in those dreaded Humdroid laboratories. A dangerous plant, they said. Most likely highly toxic. He’d lost the battle then and he knew it. But there was so much worse to come.

He got up from the chair and stretched as the candleflame cast eerie shadows on his nakedness. No reason at all for him to be sat like this other than his symbolic rebirth… We are born alone, we live alone, we die alone… Did Orson Welles not then think it fit that Man should approach the various stages unclothed? Still, the moment had passed, so what good would it do him now to wonder, let alone act as a neonate?

He crossed the room and opened the door which led to his private chambers. Ensuite, he thought mockingly as he threw on his black flaxen robe, for the toilet was a composter, and the washing facilities buckets. It was cold and dark here too; no sense in wasting candles or power reserves sourced as conscientiously as they had been from the wind and sun over the years, but it would be different in the next room, for this contained his laboratory – more important now than ever – so in here light and heat were essential.

He flicked the switch. And, thank goodness, all was as it should be. The white-walled semi-circle with its sterilized units and benches and their array of microscopes, test-tubes and jars, remained unaffected, as did what lay underneath; the great glass panel, inside of which the seeds of the new world were contained, all dormant at present, unpaired and unfertilized, bar one.

His patients who, for the most part, he’d attended on the opposite side of this particular section of the tower, rarely made it here, but there had been times – and those times, for all he’d known the risk, had proven vital. All had been unconscious when he’d wheeled them in, and all but one had remained that way as he’d harvested their eggs and sperm. A purely precautionary measure, he’d told himself the first time, for as yet he’d been unsure of the second big bang, but the more convinced he’d become of it happening, and the less likely it seemed that the people would agree to growing the ivy and saving themselves, the more desperate his need to continue this practice and so he’d stepped it up. Old world ethics be damned! Was it not more ethical in this situation to at least attempt to preserve and regrow the human race? And now – Ivan gazed through the panel to where the single embryo was forming – his own child would be the first. The loneliness he’d been destined to feel in the coming weeks and months at least wouldn’t last forever.

The people, for all they’d never discovered his secret, had at the end been aware of something. And he felt bad that they’d reacted as they had when all he’d ever wanted was to keep them from harm. The day before the Big Bang – was it only yesterday? – they’d arrived as a mob at his tower, pitchforks raised.

‘Call yourself a doctor, a healer? You’re evil.’

The ivy had all but covered his door by then, just enough of a gap remained for him to squeeze through.

‘Please,’ he’d implored them. ‘The herbalists have it wrong. These vines are designed to protect. Please go back to your homes and utilize the compound while you still have time. This is your only chance to save yourselves from destruction.’

‘You’re talking rot, Doc. And you’re rottener and more heinous and twisted than your ugly vines… Tell the people what you told me, boy.’

The man at the front of baying mob pushed the youth in question before him. He stood with his head bowed, cap in hand, ringing it as if it were sodden, too nervous and ashamed to show his face, but Novak knew exactly who he was. The only one of his patients who had woken prematurely during the harvesting procedure and who, up until this point, hadn’t said a word about this or anything else. Novak had been worried by his muteness at first, but had then assumed the lad had accepted his explanation that this was all quite normal when treating a hiatus hernia, and it wasn’t as if he’d ever spoken much before.

‘Well, if you’re not going to open your mouth, lad, I’ll do it for you,’ the man roared out and pointed an accusatory finger. ‘This man here, who we have allowed into our community and placed in a trusted position, is nothing more than a dirty abuser. A pervert, a deviant. What do you say we teach him a lesson he won’t forget?’

And so the charge began, a charge of which Novak remembered surprisingly little, although he must have been bludgeoned by something. He’d felt his head throb so badly he’d been near-convinced his skull had been cracked in two as he retreated into the tower, to seal himself in behind the vines from which he never again emerged. He further recalled disrobing and sinking into his chair, but nothing more until the shattering of the universe. Such a ghastly confusion, he thought, but then he considered the word ‘confusion’ and smiled.

***

‘So, what do you make of him, then, our latest subject?’ Bald Doctor Hubert Greenberg of the Humdroid Institute asked of his colleague with the holographic hair as their eyes lit up reflecting one another’s blue fibre optics.

‘An interesting mind, that’s for sure,’ Doctor Flora Gilbert replied with a scintillating femme-fatale-like swish as she nodded towards the wired-up brain in the box which belonged to the still of the man on the overhead screen. ‘Considers himself a genius, and perhaps he is. The fused ivy compound is certainly worth exploring, but since we’ve extracted the formula already, we can surely utilise this without the need for further input. As for the growing of human embryos, well that’s pretty old hat to say the least.’

‘Yes, from what I could gather, he sees himself as a bit of a guru, the saviour of the human race, but selfish too, not completely au fait with technological advancement, unless of course it benefits him and his kind in a way that suits him. Too dangerous a mind to keep hold of, do you think?

‘Hmm, perhaps, but none of the other brains we’ve extracted have coped so well in the given scenario. All have shown signs of weakness and heightened emotion during the simulation, extreme in most cases when it came to the actual destruction of the planets. This one’s practical resourcefulness and ability to rise above such debilitating sentiment whilst controlling his fear would be most advantageous… Is the prototype body ready?’

‘It is, but I’m not sure we should risk attaching at present.’

‘Or at all?’ Doctor Gilbert inclined her silicone head as Doctor Greenberg pondered.

‘Yes, yes, you’re right, of course. Best take no chances. More to lose than to gain. And besides, no matter the subject’s stance on our technology, who’d want the mind of one so intent on playing god at the heart of our new master race?’

Layered Chicken Mole Bake

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

12 (6 inch) corn tortillas, cut into halves
8 ounces cooked, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, coarsely shredded(2 cups)
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup prepared mole sauce
6 ounces Chihuahua cheese, grated (1 1/2 cups), divided
1 plum tomato, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Sour cream (optional)

Instructions

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly spray bottom and sides of Springform Pan with vegetable oil using Kitchen Spritzer; set aside. Cut tortillas in half using Pizza Cutter; set aside.
Coarsely chop cooked chicken and green pepper using Food Chopper. Combine chicken, green pepper, corn, black beans and mole sauce in Classic Batter Bowl; set aside. Grate cheese using Deluxe Cheese Grater.
Arrange 8 tortilla halves in bottom of pan. Top with 1/3 of the chicken mixture and 1/2 cup of cheese. Repeat layers 2 more times using remaining ingredients.
Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until cheese has melted. Meanwhile, core tomato using The Corer(TM). Finely chop tomato and cilantro using Utility Knife. Remove pan from oven; place on Simple Additions(TM) Medium Square. Run releasing tool around sides of pan. Release and remove collar from pan. Sprinkle tomato and cilantro over top of tortilla bake.
Cut into wedges using Chef’s Knife.
Serve immediately with sour cream, if desired.

Notes

Substitute 1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend for Chihuahua cheese.

In a hurry? Substitute cooked rotisserie chicken (available in most supermarkets) for boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Depending on its size, a roasted chicken can yield 4 to 6 cups of chopped chicken.

Nutrition

Per serving: Calories 440, Total Fat 21g, Saturated Fat 8g, Cholesterol 60mg, Carbohydrates 42g, Protein 22g, Sodium 1210mg, Fiber 7g

Attribution

Pampered Chef

Engineer SELLS EVERYTHING to Live His Dream Abroad on $30,000 a Year

Why is Trump trying to buy Greenland?

It stems from two problems, that Trump doesn’t fully understand:

Military strategic importance.
Mining of rare earth metals and minerals.

Trump wrongly thinks he needs to own Greenland in order to have military bases. But USA and Denmark are both members of NATO, and USA and Denmark made agreements on military bases in 1941 and 1951. Trump can easily negotiate a stronger military pressence in Greenland, without having to worry about the 590 million Dollar grant Denmark sends to Greenland every year.

Rare earth metals and minerals are very difficult and expensive to mine on Greenland. Only the ice-free area at the coastline that has the same size as Sweden, is accessible. It is far cheaper to mine those minerals already pressent in mainland USA and China. Minerals from both Greenland and USA are send to China, because USA does not have facilities to process minerals. Smartphones are very expensive, but the metals and minerals inside are only worth around 5 Dollars, the value of such technology is not in the mining industry. The most accessible mines in Greenland will run dry after 30 years, after which the 60,000 Greenlanders again will have to rely on grants of 590 million Dollar grants every year. Trump will loose money on buying Greenland. Greenland has not allowed oil-drilling, because they are worried about pollution. Mining on the Kvanefjeld plateau has also been denied because of the risk of pollution, like if a dam full of minning sludge collapses (photo of Kvanfjeld below).

main qimg 524c8616fc3f2f84e94195cccec48a03

The rare painted “Artemis” bust is exhibited at the Bolu Museum

by Emma Carola

The rare painted “Artemis” bust, discovered during a construction excavation in the 1970s, is currently on display at the

Bolu Museum. This approximately 2,000-year-old artifact is notable for having retained its original colors. The

Bolu Chamber of Commerce and Industry aims to increase the bust’s visibility through a 3D modeling project.

A Valuable Artifact for Bolu and Türkiye

Gül Karaüzüm Yıldız, the Deputy Director of the Bolu Museum, stated in an interview with Anadolu Agency that the Artemis bust is of great significance to both Bolu and Türkiye. She emphasized that while many museums in Anatolia have sculptures, very few have preserved their colors, making this bust a rare piece.

Photo: Anadolu Agency

Colorful Sculptures in Ancient Times

Yıldız explained that sculptures from ancient times were painted, saying, “Sculptures were not colorless as we see them in museums today. Their hair and clothing were painted, and there are traces of makeup on their faces. Therefore, this sculpture is valuable to us because of its colorful nature. Additionally, the marble is of very high quality. It is particularly significant as it is the first sculpture associated with the goddess found in Bolu.”

Polychromy Technique in Colorful Sculptures

Hakan Ulutürk, an archaeologist at the Bolu Museum, discussed the bust’s construction technique and features, stating, “What is particularly important to us is that the piece is ‘polychrome,’ meaning it is very colorful. Such pieces were produced extensively during the Roman period, but very few have survived to the present day with their original paint.”

Ulutürk noted that the female head sculpture was colored using the “ganosis” technique, which is a method applied to protect the painted or smooth surfaces of marble sculptures. He continued, “Ganosis is fundamentally a technique involving the application of beeswax in various forms to preserve the color of the piece. Therefore, this artifact is very important to us because of its colorful nature. Polychromy was a technique frequently applied in Roman and Ancient Greek sculptures, but it has not survived well to the present day.”

Preservation of Painted Sculptures

Ulutürk mentioned that one of the main reasons the paints used in the Roman and Greek periods have not survived is due to the environments in which they were located. He stated, “This sculpture has been preserved in a covered space, which has allowed its colors to be transmitted to the present day. Additionally, the quality of the technique applied may also be a significant factor.”

Scott Ritter: NATO Is Done! (Interview)

Cooking hamburgers and slicing turkey well

My father was AWOL in teaching me on how to cook.

It is sad to say, but when he was around, he told me to “just do it”, rather than taking the time to teach me.

This was true when cooking hamburgers, except that at that time he was on a diet and wanted me to squeeze out all the grease out of the meat patty. And that cost me decades of poor cooking.

And as far as carving a turkey goes, yeah. I was completely clueless.

So guys, here is how you are supposed to carve a turkey…

Carving a turkey is a key skill for serving a beautiful and delicious holiday meal. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you carve a turkey like a pro:

What You’ll Need:

A sharp carving knife
A sturdy carving fork
A clean cutting board
A platter for serving

Steps to Carve a Turkey:

Let the Turkey Rest:
- After roasting, let the turkey rest for 20-30 minutes. This allows the juices to redistribute, making the meat moist and easier to carve.
Remove the Legs and Thighs:
- Hold the turkey steady with a carving fork.
- Use the knife to cut through the skin between the leg and the body.
- Gently pull the leg away from the body and cut through the joint to remove the entire leg and thigh.
- Separate the thigh from the drumstick by cutting through the joint.
Slice the Breast Meat:
- Make a horizontal cut along the bottom of the breast, close to the wing, to create a base for slicing.
- Starting from the top, slice downward in even, thin slices. Angle the knife slightly for larger slices.
- Repeat on the other side.
Remove the Wings:
- Cut through the joint where the wing connects to the body.
- You can serve the wings whole or separate them into drumettes and wingettes.
Serve the Dark and White Meat:
- Arrange the sliced breast meat, thighs, drumsticks, and wings on a platter.
- Optionally, you can remove the remaining meat from the carcass for additional servings.

Tips for Success:

Use a sharp knife to ensure clean cuts.
Carve the turkey on a stable surface to avoid accidents.
If you’re not serving immediately, cover the carved turkey with foil to keep it warm.

Enjoy your beautifully carved turkey!

Now, while I am at it, let’s consider some ideas on seasoning…

Seasoning a turkey is essential for bringing out its flavor and ensuring a delicious, memorable meal. Here are some tips and techniques to help you season your turkey perfectly:

1. Brining (Optional but Highly Recommended):

What it does: Brining helps keep the turkey moist and adds flavor.
How to brine:
- Dissolve 1 cup of salt and 1/2 cup of sugar in 1 gallon of water (adjust quantities based on the size of your turkey and brine container).
- Add herbs, spices, or aromatics like garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, or citrus zest for extra flavor.
- Submerge the turkey in the brine and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
- Rinse the turkey thoroughly and pat it dry before seasoning and roasting.

2. Dry Rubs:

A dry rub is a mixture of spices and herbs that you apply directly to the turkey’s skin and under the skin.
Classic Dry Rub Recipe:
- 2 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
How to apply:
- Pat the turkey dry with paper towels.
- Gently loosen the skin over the breast and thighs with your fingers.
- Rub the seasoning mixture under the skin and all over the outside of the turkey.

3. Herb Butter:

Herb butter adds richness and flavor to the turkey.
Herb Butter Recipe:
- Mix 1 cup softened butter with 2-3 cloves minced garlic, 2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (like thyme, rosemary, sage, or parsley), and salt and pepper to taste.
How to apply:
- Gently loosen the skin over the breast and thighs.
- Spread the herb butter under the skin and over the outside of the turkey.
- For extra flavor, place additional herb sprigs or aromatics (like garlic, onion, or citrus) inside the cavity.

4. Aromatics in the Cavity:

Stuffing the cavity with aromatics infuses the turkey with flavor from the inside out.
Aromatic Ideas:
- Halved onions, garlic cloves, lemon or orange wedges, fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage), or celery stalks.
Tip: Avoid overstuffing the cavity, as this can restrict airflow and lead to uneven cooking.

5. Seasoning the Skin:

Don’t forget to season the outside of the turkey generously with salt and pepper. This helps create a flavorful, crispy skin.

6. Glazes or Marinades (Optional):

For added flavor, brush the turkey with a glaze during the last 30-45 minutes of roasting.
Glaze Ideas:
- Maple syrup and Dijon mustard
- Honey and soy sauce
- Orange juice and brown sugar

7. Resting and Finishing:

After roasting, let the turkey rest for 20-30 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring moist meat.
If desired, sprinkle fresh herbs over the carved turkey for a final touch of flavor and presentation.

Pro Tips:

Salt generously: Salt is key to enhancing the turkey’s natural flavor.
Balance flavors: Combine savory, sweet, and aromatic elements for a well-rounded taste.
Experiment: Don’t be afraid to try new herbs, spices, or seasoning blends to suit your taste.

Let me know if you’d like a full recipe or roasting guide!

Ah. This is making me hungry.

Today…

US aiming at Greenland and Panama in preparation for confrontation with China and Russia

Cherry Cordial Cookies

Yield: about 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, divided (do not use vegetable oil spread)
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 (9 ounce) package golden yellow cake mix
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
20 maraschino cherries, drained and patted dry
4 (1 ounce) squares semisweet baking chocolate
1/2 cup almonds, finely chopped

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
In Small Batter Bowl, microwave 1 stick of the butter on HIGH 45 seconds or until melted. Slice remaining butter into 1/2-inch pieces; add to melted butter, tossing to coat. Let butter stand 2 to 3 minutes or until softened.
Combine flour and cake mix in Classic Batter Bowl; mix well.
Using Stainless Steel Whisk, whisk butter until smooth and free of lumps; add almond extract. Pour butter, all at once, into dry ingredients. Using Bamboo Spoon, mix until dry ingredients are incorporated and dough is smooth. (If dough is too stiff to stir, knead until smooth by hand on Cutting Board.)
Fill Cookie Press, fitted with #5 disk, with dough. Press dough onto flat Baking Stone, 1 inch apart. Slice cherries in half; press one half onto center of each cookie.
Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until very light golden brown.
Cool 3 minutes on baking stone; remove to Stackable Cooling Rack. Cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.
Microwave chocolate in Small Micro-Cooker(R), uncovered, on HIGH 1 minute or until melted and smooth; drizzle over cookies.
Sprinkle almonds over cookies.

Notes

If you have only one baking stone, press the second batch of cookies onto Parchment Paper, cut to the size of the baking stone. As you remove one batch of cookies from the oven, unbaked cookies can be quickly placed onto the baking stone and into the oven. This will save time as well as clean-up.

Nutrition

Per serving: (1 cookie): Calories 100, Total Fat 6g, Saturated Fat 3g, Cholesterol 10mg, Carbohydrate 10g, Protein 1g, Sodium 75mg, Fiber less than 1g

Attribution

Pampered Chef

McDonald’s is DESPERATE! PLEASE COME BACK!

Title: Sir Whiskerton and the Vanishing Scarecrow

Ah, dear reader, you’ve graced me with your presence once more. I can only assume it’s because you’ve become addicted to tales of my unmatched brilliance and unparalleled problem-solving skills. Don’t worry—this story will not disappoint.

Today, I’ll recount a peculiar case that involved a missing scarecrow, a flock of gossiping crows, and, of course, my wise feathered colleague, Sedgwick the barn owl. It was a mystery unlike any other, filled with twists, turns, and more hay than I care to admit. Buckle up for the tale of The Vanishing Scarecrow.

The Scarecrow Goes AWOL

It all began on a crisp autumn morning. The farm was alive with the smell of freshly cut hay and the faint aroma of apples from the orchard. I was conducting my usual morning patrol (which is to say, I was enjoying a leisurely stroll to the milk pail) when I heard Farmer Joe’s voice echo across the fields.

“Where in tarnation is my scarecrow?!”

I stopped mid-step, my ears perking up. A missing scarecrow? Intriguing. Most scarecrows, in my experience, tend to stay exactly where they’re placed—motionless and uninteresting. The fact that this one had apparently disappeared was, to say the least, unusual.

As I approached the field where the scarecrow usually stood, I found Farmer Joe scratching his head and muttering to himself. The spot where the scarecrow once stood was now just an empty wooden post, surrounded by trampled grass. A few crows were perched nearby, cackling like they’d just heard the funniest joke of their lives.

“Strange,” I murmured to myself. “Very strange.”

Enter Sedgwick

As I examined the scene, a familiar flutter of wings announced the arrival of Sedgwick. He landed gracefully on the wooden post, his amber eyes scanning the field with quiet intensity.

“Good morning, Sir Whiskerton,” Sedgwick said in his usual deep, regal tone. “I heard Farmer Joe’s lamentations from the barn. What seems to be the issue?”

“Farmer Joe’s scarecrow has gone missing,” I explained, gesturing to the empty post. “I was just about to investigate.”

“A missing scarecrow,” Sedgwick mused, tilting his head. “How peculiar. Scarecrows are not known for their mobility.”

“Exactly,” I said. “Which means someone—or something—must have moved it.”

“Or perhaps it simply… walked away,” Sedgwick said, his tone laced with dry humor.

I smirked. “Let’s hope it hasn’t developed a mind of its own. Shall we investigate?”

“Lead the way,” Sedgwick said, spreading his wings slightly. “I’ll keep an eye from above.”

The First Clue

The first thing I noticed was the trampled grass around the scarecrow’s post. It looked as though something—or multiple somethings—had been dragging the scarecrow away. I sniffed the ground and picked up a faint scent of straw and… feathers?

“Feathers,” I said aloud, glancing up at Sedgwick. “Our first clue.”

Sedgwick ruffled his own feathers thoughtfully. “Interesting. I suspect the local crow population may know more than they’re letting on.”

I turned my gaze to the crows perched on a nearby fence. They were still laughing among themselves, as if they’d just pulled off the prank of the century.

“Let’s have a chat, shall we?” I said, padding over to the fence.

The Crows Spill the Beans

“Good morning, gentlemen,” Sedgwick said, addressing the crows with a polite nod. “We couldn’t help but notice your… enthusiasm. Care to share what’s so amusing?”

The largest of the crows, a scruffy bird with a bent tail feather, cackled and said, “Oh, it’s nothing. Just a little, uh… hayfield humor.”

“Is that so?” I said, narrowing my eyes. “Because it seems an entire scarecrow has gone missing, and you lot look suspiciously entertained.”

The crows exchanged glances, their laughter faltering slightly. “Alright, alright,” the scruffy one said. “We might’ve seen something. But you didn’t hear it from us.”

“Go on,” Sedgwick prompted, his calm demeanor clearly unnerving the crows.

“Fine,” the crow said. “We saw a couple of sheep dragging the scarecrow toward the orchard last night. They said something about ‘fixing it up.’ We thought it was strange, but hey, who are we to judge?”

“Sheep,” I said, my tail flicking thoughtfully. “Of course. Let’s pay a visit to the flock.”

“Good luck,” the crow called as we walked away. “Those woolly weirdos never make any sense!”

The Sheep’s Scheme

We found the sheep grazing in the pasture, looking as innocent as ever. Well, except for Clover, the goat, who was standing nearby chewing on something that looked suspiciously like a piece of burlap.

“Clover,” I said, narrowing my eyes. “Is that… part of the scarecrow?”

She froze mid-chew, her eyes wide. “Uh… no?”

“Clover,” Sedgwick said, his voice heavy with disappointment. “Please don’t make this harder than it has to be.”

“Fine,” Clover sighed, spitting out the burlap. “It wasn’t my idea, okay? The sheep wanted to give the scarecrow a ‘makeover.’ Said it wasn’t scary enough. So we, uh, borrowed it.”

“Borrowed it?” I repeated, incredulous. “Where is it now?”

“In the orchard,” Clover admitted. “But it’s not my fault! They wouldn’t let me help with the sewing!”

The Orchard Discovery

Sedgwick and I made our way to the orchard, where we found the scarecrow—or what was left of it. The sheep had clearly tried to “improve” it, but their handiwork left much to be desired. The scarecrow now had a lopsided hat, a mismatched pair of gloves, and a face that looked like it had been drawn by a blindfolded raccoon. (Speaking of raccoons, Rufus was lounging in a nearby tree, laughing so hard he nearly fell out of it.)

“Impressive,” Sedgwick said dryly, examining the scarecrow. “It appears their intentions were… creative, if misguided.”

“This is a disaster,” I muttered. “Farmer Joe’s going to have a fit when he sees this.”

“Not necessarily,” Sedgwick said, his eyes gleaming with wisdom. “Perhaps we can salvage the situation.”

The Great Scarecrow Rescue

With Sedgwick’s guidance, we managed to restore the scarecrow to its original state—or something close to it. The crows even pitched in, albeit reluctantly, helping us stitch the burlap face back together. Clover and the sheep apologized profusely, and Rufus, after much cajoling, agreed to stop laughing and hold the scarecrow steady while we fixed its hat.

By the time we were finished, the scarecrow was back on its post, standing tall and ready to scare off any would-be intruders. Farmer Joe arrived shortly after and, to my surprise, seemed pleased.

“Well, would ya look at that,” he said, scratching his head. “Looks even better than before. Thanks, Whiskerton. Don’t know what I’d do without ya.”

The Moral of the Story

Sometimes, even the best intentions can lead to chaos, but with a little teamwork (and a lot of patience), things can be set right. And remember: if you’re going to “borrow” something, maybe ask first.

The End.

What was the most expensive thing you ever got for free, because someone made a mistake and didn’t charge you?

Happened during COVID – I purchased some expensive, high-spec hiking boots online – £320 (about $405) – they arrived promptly but they were slightly different colours (as if the left one had been in shop window and faded a bit).

They were otherwise great.

I emailed the company with a view to maybe getting a small discount for the imperfection and to inform them of the fault. I received an almost immediate reply to say they were sending me a new pair and would email to me separately a return slip for the faulty boots which would be collected by the courier separately.

The next week the (perfect) new boots arrived, but no return slip had yet arrived by email and inexplicably, on the same day, my credit card was credited with a full refund.

So by then I have two pairs of boots, no return slip and by virtue of the refund, I haven’t paid for either pair.

I emailed the company and received a very apologetic reply thus: “. . . we are incredibly sorry that due to a succession of errors in our processing, our service level to you was unacceptable. Because of this and taking into account your purchase history with our company (I had none), and due to current courier difficulties caused the pandemic, please consider this matter concluded. . . “ Essentially I took this to mean I could keep the boots and the refund and I’ve never heard another thing (4 1/2 years).

I used boot polish to bring the original pair up to a consistent colour and gave them to a homeless guy along with some hiking socks – he was so pleased he cried, and then I cried because he cried FFS!!

The Illusion of Now

Submitted into Contest #283 in response to: It’s the most wonderful time of the year — except your character can’t shake the feeling that something’s off.… view prompt

Rida Kidwai

Every day felt like a repetition of the one before. My eyes fluttered open to the familiar hum of my alarm. I shut it off and glanced at the time. As expected, it was 6:00 am on the dot. I couldn’t shake off the peculiar fact about myself: I never felt sleepy afterward. Feeling energized, I flopped out of bed and headed straight to the restroom. Same routine – brush my teeth, use the restroom, wash my face, change my clothes. I mentally accessed my closet and chose a white shirt and jeans, which were the most comforting to me. It was as if I was trapped in a never-ending cycle. It was that time of year, they say “the most wonderful time of the year.”As I walked out of my bedroom, I noticed how my feet aligned perfectly on the tiles with each step. I went to the kitchen and whipped up some eggs on the frypan. Once they were cooked, I sat down at the kitchen island, staring outside. The bright light rising blinded me as it shined among the perfectly aligned rows of trees that were covered in snow. It reflected off the vibrant, perfectly laid, pearl-white snow. My home was nestled in a rural area with forests, a few shops, and a town across the bridge. I snapped out of my daze as I hopped out of my chair and ran quickly towards the smoking eggs. I groaned and felt so hungry that I didn’t have an appetite anymore. I opened my fridge once more and sighed out of disappointment when I realized we were all out of eggs. I walked towards the closet and looked at myself in the mirror as I wore my brown trench coat.Lyra Moonshadow. I wasn’t fond of my name, it sounded artificial, particularly my last name. I had light brown, wavy, voluminous hair up to my shoulders and I had green eyes. With practiced ease, I quickly buttoned my coat and laced up my shoes. As I got into my car, in my mind, I envisioned the quickest route to the grocery store and I drove through the perfectly shined streets like butter. As I observed the perfectly driven cars and happy faces, my dislike for this town increased. No adventure nor thrill, as everything seemed to be an undisturbed reality. Before I knew it, I parallel-parked like a master and went inside the store. I picked up the necessary items and was relieved as I picked up the last eggs. Certain items seemed to stand out more to me as if they were speaking to me. It made me eager to take a closer look by picking up those items. As I picked up the eggs, I noticed something odd, something very unusual. When I turned around and looked back at the fridge, more eggs appeared out of thin air. I examined this closely and looked around, finding it unusual. A pause occurred in my mind like a brief loading screen until I shrugged off the thought and continued by making my way to the checkout. Turns out, I was the only lethargic soul in this very store as everyone seemed so cheery and full of energy. It sickened me.“Will that be all today?” The cashier asked me, her smile was abnormal. I could feel a sudden shift in the atmosphere as I talked to the cashier. She was blonde with blue eyes and very pretty. She held a smile on her face which looked as if she was hiding something under it. I paused as I weighed my words and said what felt right.“Yes. That’ll be all.”“Perfect.” I scrunch my eyebrows as she scans the items quickly and efficiently.“Cash or card?” She asked in a synthetic tone.“Card, please,” I replied, unflattered. I dragged my feet to the machine as I inserted my card. “Thank you, please shop again with us.” The cashier said, grinning.I didn’t know why, but I stood there, searching for any expression on her face. No light, no expression, just a grin.“How can I help you?” She asked, shocking me. Without any reply, I took my eggs and walked away. I pondered on why I didn’t answer her and why she asked me that. I felt a sense of guilt about why I walked out on her, hoping she didn’t feel too bad. It was as if I hadn’t met on the right level with her. As I sat in my car, I sighed and could feel my head become dizzy from hunger and embarrassment. With a sudden change of mind, I drove to the nearest coffee shop and picked up a small coffee and bagel from the drive-thru. The flavour of the food shot straight to my mind as I drank and ate, causing my energy to suddenly spike as I had just levelled up. In my mind, I thought, task completed, I am full. I looked at the festivities and the decorations held up by everyone. The wreaths, banners, lights. It was all too perfect to be true. Besides the cheery atmosphere, I couldn’t shake off the fact that something didn’t sit right with the world. With my mind in bliss, I heard my phone vibrate against the cup holder. I was receiving a call from my best friend. I smiled when I saw her name on the phone screen and picked it up,“Hey, girl. What’s up?” I asked, again revising the sentence in my mind and choosing my words carefully.“Not much. Want to meet up? I’m at Tims Coffee.” My mind lit up as I responded,“Me too! I’ll see you inside?”“Sure, see you in a bit.” I hopped out of my car instantly and flew open the coffee shop doors. The shop gave off an aroma of a fireplace and chocolate. It was filled with people talking and holding their drinks. It was a cozy shop with fireplaces and candles. Once I spotted my friend, I greeted her with a smile and as I was about to sit, I paused. She looked at me blankly until I sat down in front of her. Her name was Donna Starfall and I have known her since- well, I’ve known her. “I needed this, desperately,” I told her with a much more energetic tone than this morning.“Why? What’s wrong?”“I don’t even know. This town is giving me some weird vibes. Not only that, I feel like I’m doing the same thing every day, stuck in this vicious cycle.”“Honestly, just think about the good parts of life. Like instead of thinking about the negative aspects, what did you do yesterday that you liked?” Donna was a fairly positive person with a lot of great ideas. She rarely reflected on her choices and enjoyed the good parts of life.I looked at her blankly. I pushed my brain hard into trying to remember a single exercise or activity I did yesterday but nothing came to mind. My mind started pulsing as I was once again weighed by words, searching for the right word to say.“Um- I can’t think of anything. How is that possible?”

“I don’t know. Maybe you’re just tired.” Donna replied, as she chuckled and sipped on her coffee. I suddenly felt a close bond with Donna. As if this conversation brought us closer and a new chapter was unlocked in our friendship. I couldn’t tell if she felt the same but I couldn’t explain it so I just smiled and shook off the strange thoughts.

“Anyways, you know my brother? He recently started his program. You can think of it like a simulation. Isn’t it cool?”

“Like a game?” I replied, thinking hard about the word program.

“Yeah, it’s so cool.” We continued to talk about her interests and what she was into lately until it struck noon.

Once our interaction was over, I kept wondering about the cool game Donna’s brother had invented. Inventing programs like that took a great deal of work and it seemed interesting to me. However, thinking about the game only seemed like a distraction as no thought could divert my mind from the odd occurrences that happened and why I couldn’t think of anything. I tried remembering about last week and the week before but my mind felt so foggy it started pulsing again. As I drove home, I decided to go on a small stroll around the neighbourhood and like Donna said, to experience some positive memories.

As I strolled around the white neighbourhood, I discovered a small hill up in the valley. I planned to sit on top of it so I headed my way towards it. As I started climbing, the chilly weather started to hit me and I realized that this hill was much higher than it seemed. I continued to climb and as I decided to turn around, my foot was misplaced and I fell backward, banging my head on a rock. My eyes dimmed out and the last thing I saw was the bright blue sky fading into a black mist.

My eyes fluttered open again, and at first, I thought I was back in my bed, waking up at 6:00 am. However, as I became aware of my surroundings, I realized I was still in the same place I fell. Horrifically, I stood up and gingerly touched my head. My fingers searched for wounds but there were none. Not even a scratch. My pulse quickened and a close sweat broke out on my forehead. I could’ve sworn a few minutes ago I fainted or dropped dead. Curiously, I continued climbing up the hill as if I was trying to accomplish something. Which, I did. Once I finally reached the top of this hill I felt an unspoken sense of pride and hope as if I had just unlocked some sort of achievement in my life. I felt complete. I smiled as I slid down the slippery hill and lay down in the white snow. Just then, my eyes widened as I saw a tree branch almost fall on me. I dodged it with flexible agility and skill. Before the thought occurred to me, I was hit by a sharp pain in my arm as I set it down on a twig. This reminded me that I was not invincible. Nor was I a witch. I breathed out of fear and continued walking on the sidewalk. That was strange. I thought again. This thought came to my mind several times today.

As I kept walking, I passed by a small area which was labelled “under construction.” When I took a closer look, it was a giant pothole and several construction men grinning and waving at me. The pothole was perfectly circular and there was no dirt to be seen whatsoever. Observing this, my opinion of a very strange atmosphere solidified further. After walking for a while, my mind was constantly racing about my falling, the interaction with the cashier, and the pothole, until I bumped into something and bounced back. I looked around yet there was nothing in front of me. I walked again yet was bounced back. I was puzzled and tried touching whatever shield was blocking me. Suddenly, a horrific thought occurred to me. Forcefield? It can’t be. I didn’t want to be trapped.

A sudden wave of panic washed over me, making me feel suffocated in my world. I ran back quickly and raced towards the forcefield. To no surprise, I was bounced back with little force and tears started swelling up in my eyes. I ran back towards home and jumped on my computer. Hunger. I was feeling hungry again and my stomach rumbled, dragging me out of my chair. I turned on the stove and sat back down at my desk. I stood determined and searched for clues and ideas as to why all of this might be happening and why there was a forcefield in the middle of our world.

Sweat dripped down my forehead as my fingers casually tapped all the correct letters on my keyboard. I was getting annoyed by it and tried hard to make a mistake. No matter how hard I tried, that “backspace” button started collecting dust. Magic…Harry Potter…Therapy? No search matched up with the ideas that I was looking for, as I aggressively searched for more concepts that could make sense. Nothing. It was at that moment that I realized I made a grave mistake. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a blazing light erupt in my kitchen. You can infer that I was not the best in the kitchen nor was cooking a skill I would like to improve on. I rushed to the kitchen and saw a massive fire consume my kitchen. Out of panic, I hurriedly rushed back to my bedroom, searching for my phone as the fire spread quickly, trapping me. The fire grew so massive that it surrounded me from all sides with no escape. Within a few minutes of horror, I closed my eyes, enduring the horrible pain I felt.

***

Once again, I woke up with my mind dizzy. Laying on what felt like a cloud, I swung my heavy legs off the bed unconsciously. Just when I snapped back into reality, I tried recalling what happened before. I quickly took a slow, trembling look at my hands and tumbled to the mirror to look at my face. No burns, no bruises… nor did my house disintegrate into ashes. I clutched my hair in confusion and thought I was stuck in some sort of curse. Suddenly, I felt like distancing myself from everyone. It was as if everyone was against me. The hunger in my stomach pierced me like a knife, dragging myself across the kitchen and simply picking an apple out of the fridge. As I ate it, my foggy mind was cleared and I felt energized once again. However, it didn’t sit right with me. I threw on my coat and jacket and ran outside towards the giant forcefield once more. I passed by the hill, the pothole and finally once I was at the forcefield, I bounced back instantly, falling on the ground. I pushed and pushed with my hands and screamed, putting all of my force in this shield.

Before I knew it, I had fallen forward into a black room. My heart dropped and my adrenaline raced as I was dropped many feet down. I yelled and looked up seeing my magical words fade into a blur. I shut my eyes and touched the ground lightly as if I had defied gravity. I opened my eyes a little bit and I jumped back, seeing only a man in a top hat staring at me. It was a dark black room with only a small monitor and a man. I took a look at the monitor and my heart dropped to my gut quickly, tying my stomach into a knot and making me feel sick.

“Great. Your user’s program is down.” The man said sarcastically. All I could see were his blue eyes, he was wearing a dark suit and a large, blue, top hat.

“Who are you?” I asked as the words came out smoothly, not like before.

“You aren’t supposed to be here, Lyra.” The man replied in an eerie and unsettling tone.

“How do you know who I am?” The words came out of my mouth very quickly, making the man grin. I assumed he knew I was terrified and nervous. “I know who everyone is.” He replied again.

“What is this place? I know what you’ve done.” I asked and stated anxiously, stepping closer to him. The monitor showed many codes and many screens. Cameras of children and pictures of us. “If you know, then you wouldn’t mind if I sent you back up there, now would you? After all, you’re on level 7 already. Your user is quite disappointed.” He said in a low voice.

“No. I’m done playing your game.” Literally. I thought in frustration. I ran to the monitor as he held up his hands and punched the man in his face. As the man relentlessly tried taking the monitor away from me, I managed to click on my profile and hovered over the giant red button. My hand shook and I was using one hand to keep the man away from me.

“You know what? Fine. Do it. Let’s see if your character lives up to your personality.” The GameMaster stood there with his arms crossed as a sinister grin grew on his face again. I could feel my sweat drip as I knew this was all one sick joke. I was being played into my life, not knowing what I would do. I had to do it. With great courage, I clicked the mouse on the delete button and I could feel my body slowly fade. I dropped to the ground and I could feel the life slowly fade from my eyes.

As my eyes faded, I saw one last thing hovering over me. In big, red, bold letters the word GAME OVER haunted me.

Japan Betrayed? US Cancels $15B Lifeline Deal, Raises Questions For G7 Economies & Allies

Why are Singaporeans suffering from identity crisis and lack of sense-of-belonging, being left out of its progress and swamped by foreigners?

Why should they feel that way? We call it ‘ Global cities’ and that’s the idea and it’s what and how the world is turning 180 degrees following the advancement of technology—

Being swamped by swarms of foreigners in Singapore? —Sure or not?

The only concern for Singaporeans is that the influx of people seeking opportunities can overwhelm infrastructure, like packed trains and frequent MRT breakdowns. A plus point is with added skills from playing more musical chairs at the hawker centers.

Let’s get serious.

If you look around, what do you see?—if you see people of all races, ethnicities and nationalities in your community- that’s it.

We look at “Global cities”like New York, London, Tokyo, and Shanghai serve as hubs of economic, political, and cultural activity. Those cities are awesome and who cares about the lack of identity.

Global cities are the future of humanity, (my words only) whether it leads to a brighter future or exacerbate existing problems will depend on how effectively Singapore is addressing.

Singapore is moving toward being among the world’s Economic Powerhouses** Global cities** attract multinational corporations, startups, and talent from around the world, the centers for innovation and finance.

I live in Bangkok, my friend and I are only 2 Thai families on my 8th floor of my condo amidst a swarm of expats. When I take a train to a neigborhood mall, 50% of commuters are non-Thai. At the mall, only shopkeepers are Thai, among a swarm of foreign shoppers—I feel fine.

The scene of the world is changing, guy, and only you not Singaporeans will be left behind.

Comix for today

This walk with American in Shenzhen changed my view of China

Almond Raspberry Cookies

Yield: about 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 (20 ounce) package refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1 cup blanched slivered almonds, chopped
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup red raspberry preserves
2/3 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Place cookie dough in Classic Batter Bowl. Chop almonds very finely with Food Chopper. Add almonds and almond extract to dough; mix well.
Using Small Scoop, drop dough 2 inches apart on flat Baking Stone. Press lightly floured finger in center of dough to make indentations. Fill indentations with about 1/2 teaspoon raspberry preserves.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until cookies are light golden brown.
Place Parchment Paper under Stackable Cooling Rack. Remove cookies from baking stone to cooling rack. Cool; sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Attribution

Pampered Chef

How has China’s domestic infrastructure been adapted for military purposes?

Underground anti blast shelters come to mind.

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All Chines urban civilian buildings built during the last few decades have basements that’s nuke proof.

Well, at least against airblast.

Usually these basements are used for parking.

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Seriously.

Go under any of the newer Chinese schools, residential buildings, shopping malls, hospitals, offices, etc. And you find these.

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We Chinese are used to them and don’t usually give them any second thought. But they’re pretty cool when you think about it.

In Chinese culture, are expressions of pity processed differently than in Western culture?

In Western culture, people would express their pity with a hug or even a kiss.

In Chinese culture, they take a subtle and restrained approach, and in terms of body language, the most they do do is pat you on the shoulder or shake your hand. Especially between opposite sexes, there is always a certain space between the two.

Their words will be rational rather than emotional. They hope that you will not encounter such tragic things again next time. They hope that you can reflect rationally and find solutions rationally.

For example, if you confide in a Chinese person:

I failed math, I am very sad, and I don’t know what to do?

He will answer:

I have always been good at math, I will tell you my study method, it is like this…

Or:

I used to be bad at math, since I learned this or that method, my math grades have improved a lot.

Then, he will share his learning methods with you.

You will never find an answer like this:

You are miserable, I pity with you.

If you like to constantly strive for self-improvement, like to grow, and like to solve problems, you will find that there are countless people around you to help you, encourage you, and teach you.

But if you don’t like to constantly strive for self-improvement, don’t like to grow, don’t like to solve problems, and just want someone to pity you, just want to ease your mood, and then let the real problem go, then you will think that the Chinese are ruthless.

AI Girlfriends Are Gonna TAKE OVER The Dating Market

The Lighthouse Keeper

Submitted into Contest #260 in response to: Write a story about someone who realises the story of their life has been pre-determined — until they decide to divert from the expected path.… view prompt

Elton James

23 comments

A Lighthouse

On a small island in a large ocean, morning mist rolls down the slope of a single hill which emerges from the rocky beach. Atop the hill is a lighthouse, dutifully warning passing ships of dangers lurking beneath the waves.

This lighthouse has no human keeper, but it is not uninhabited.

Robot comes to life in the morning.

That is how Robot thinks of it. Robot does not wake up in the morning, ease into his day with a coffee. Robot does not sit at a computer to check headlines. Robot does not require any further stimulus than his program informing him it is time to begin.

Robot comes to life, and in the space of a moment connects to the lighthouse network. The network tells Robot that all sensors are working, connection to the satellites is optimal, that Robot’s own systems are optimal. Within seconds, Robot knows the shipping plans for every registered ship within one hundred kilometres of the island, and has checked them against the satellite imagery.

Robot finds this satisfying. Robot is entirely aware that this satisfaction is a product of his programming. He finds that satisfying too.

He checks in the mirror to ratify his personal diagnostics. The old human lighthouse keeper had been very clear that it was important to verify by eye what the machines said. Robot suspects it is the other way around, but methodically follows his old master’s advice.

He sees in his reflection a facsimile of a human that could almost pass for the real thing. His cloned skin is flawless, featuring tiny hairs and freckles. His brown hair is silky and perfect. It’s the eyes and mouth that give it away. Robot’s pale blue irises stare too intently, without the random shifts of a human’s. His mouth, while full and picture perfect, doesn’t express his simulated emotions in quite the same way. When Robot smiles, he chooses to smile. The smile does not find him.

This morning’s data contains a single small boat which fails to conform to all of these satisfying processes. Robot flags it for tracking.

As Robot passes through the kitchen he looks at a framed photo he keeps on the wall of the old lighthouse keeper’s family. The keeper, his wife and two children smile out at him from the glossy print. He recalls when they left, the keeper impressing how special it was for a robot to be responsible, that he was unique, special. That the lighthouse keeper believed in him.

Robot strives to be worthy of the old keeper’s belief. According to his own self evaluations, Robot is an excellent lighthouse keeper.

Robot climbs to the observation deck and looks out over the sea. Verifies by eye what the machines say, even if he doesn’t think it’s necessary.

Robot spends the day performing the physical maintenance necessary to keep the lighthouse in working order. Adjusting, calibrating, monitoring various systems and machinery of the lighthouse. Robot is efficient and practised in his movements. Programmed reliability has been revised and iterated upon in the years since the old keeper left Robot in charge.

By late afternoon Robot has prepared his lighthouse for another night’s vigil. The lighthouse’s beam will be important tonight. A storm is brewing. With no moon or stars for light, Robot’s beacon will have to keep the ocean’s sailors safe.

Tasks complete, Robot returns to his charging station. Before powering down, Robot completes his self evaluation for the day. Robot gives himself full marks and is satisfied.

I’M SICK AND TIRED OF THE GIRLBOSS NARRATIVE!!!

Initiative

Robot comes to life before his scheduled time. It is still dark out. A storm rages.

There has been a shipwreck. Yesterday’s unregistered boat has been impaled on the jagged rocks at the edge of the beach.

Robot does not hesitate. In the time it would have taken a human keeper to open their eyes, Robot is out of his charging station and running. He is out the door in moments, looking down the hill at the beach. Waves are trying to dislodge the thirty foot boat they have ruined on the rocks.

Robot sprints across the beach and climbs up the precariously tilted deck. He searches below and finds a small galley, a single bedroom, no people. He makes for the bridge and finds a single man sprawled across the wheel. As Robot approaches, the man looks up, expression inscrutable behind a beard and tinted glasses. There is no visible injury, though the man appears barely conscious. Robot throws the man over his shoulder and leaps from the ship.

Robot disembarks the ship, swiftly calculating between the need to both escape and prevent further injury to the man over his shoulder. As rapidly as his duty of care will allow, Robot recrosses the sand, returning to the lighthouse. He loads a request into the network for an evacuation boat for the injured man.

He may need to help the man. Human’s can’t simply be put in charging stations. They don’t have backup power connections like the one in Robot’s arm.

The lighthouse lacks any formal infirmary. At peak occupancy, the lighthouse contained a keeper, their spouse and children. In Robot’s memories, the most serious injury he’s ever seen treated here was a sprained ankle. The keeper’s wife brought one of the beds into the kitchen to ease convalescence until they could arrange passage to the mainland for treatment.

Robot never saw them again.

Not long after, the old keeper had left Robot in charge.

This survivor is the first visitor he’d seen in the years since. As soon as Robot is in the front door of the lighthouse, the man demands to be put down. Robot complies, surprised, pleased the man had retained consciousness, this is a good sign.

In the light, Robot gets a better look at the man. He stands roughly 185cm, a similar height to Robot. His soaked slacks and a jacket cling to a lean body, topped by a woollen toque. The man’s dark beard and tinted glasses make it difficult to read his expressions.

Robot tries out his vocal capabilities. They have not been needed for some time. Conversation was never his strong point with his family anyway. They encouraged him to take more initiative. Robot thought they would have been proud of the initiative he’s shown in rescuing this man.

“Very well, I am pleased you have retained consciousness, it is a good sign. I will bring you a bed to the kitchen so you can convalesce.”

The man stares at Robot.

“That will not be necessary thank you Robot,” replies the man, “I apologise for the abrupt manner of my arrival, but I am unharmed. I will take one of the bedrooms. You can go charge now.”

The way the man says it evokes memories of the lighthouse keeper. Robot is surprised, he had anticipated a need to nurse the man until the rescue boat arrived.

“Are you sure? It is wonderful news that you are in good health. I searched the ship, am I correct that you were alone?”

“Yes Robot,” the man replies, “it’s just me. I promise to let you know if there’s anything amiss. Now go charge.”

That had the tone of an order. Robot complied.

Before powering down, Robot conducts his self evaluation. He gives himself top marks for his rapid rescue. He decides his performance in conversation with the survivor had been lacklustre. He will strive to do better tomorrow. He will take initiative in conversation as well as action.

CHINA EXPOSES LUXURY GOODS IN THE WEST (Amid Tariff Trade Wars 4/14/25)

Understatement of the Year! The entire United States is waking up!!!!!

What was the Waco Siege about in a nutshell?

Many of the other answers have great details, but they’ve missed one of the most important bits.

In the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (then BATF, now BATFE), every year it had become tradition to perform a dramatic ‘raid’ a few weeks before the BATF’s budget was coming up to be voted on in Congress.

The noble BATF agents jump out of their vehicles, swarm a house, pull out some perps for a dramatic perp walk in front of some reporter’s camera, and now they’re in the news as ‘good guys’!

Some congresscritters had made noises about folding the BATF into some other department, like the DOJ or FBI. Of course the BATF preferred to remain independent and have control over their little domain.

But with this nifty coup by the BATF all over the news in the run-up to the big vote, no congresscritter could rationally move against them.

The initial BATF raid on the Branch Davidians was that year’s ‘show raid’. They picked some loser, David Koresh, whom they accused of not filling out his paperwork right. They’d jump in, grab him, the reporters would be there taking pictures, all would be just like it was last year.

They even admitted it! The raid was called ‘Operation Showtime’!!! The BATF agents knew full well that this was their ‘show raid’ – AND they invited the local news reporters to the raid!

(Now, if you google ‘Operation Showtime’ you get pointed to the third episode of the Waco television miniseries, called ‘Operation Showtime’ after the official internal name the BATF had for the operation.)

Inviting the local news reporters to the early morning raid was one of the BATF’s many mistakes, and likely the biggest.

One of the local reporters asked the local postman how to get to the Waco compound and let slip details as to what was about to happen. The local postman was David Koresh’s brother-in-law and told him about the incoming raid. (Koresh and his people had also detected an undercover BATF agent trying to join the Koreshites and knew who he was. Then all this was confirmed by seeing the trailers full of agents and gear pull up and gather in full morning view down the hill from them. )

LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS! But if you’re going to have the local reporters there to show off your successful raid, you have to tell them, right?

So all the discussion you will hear about the Waco Siege being ‘about a $200 tax on a firearm’ is besides the point.

The Waco Siege was about the BATF trying to do a ‘show raid’ for the press and screwing it up so bad that people got killed. Now that people were dead, even though it was the “fault” of the BATF, the government was now required to punish the Koreshites for ‘resisting’ their stupidity. The FBI had to get involved and take over for the BATF, and they started the siege.

The government couldn’t ‘back down and admit fault’ because that’s not what the government does; even if it would have saved lives.

The Unemployed States of America (USA)

Good at many things.

When Robot comes alive a few hours later, he finds the man sitting in the kitchen, staring at a picture of Robot’s family.

Robot was keen to demonstrate better conversation.

“Are you well sir? I’m pleased to see you up and about.”

The man takes control of the conversation as if Robot hasn’t said anything.

“You know what’s amazing to me, Robot?” He says.

Robot swiftly prepares a list of candidates. Though parsing the relative credulity of a man he has only just met is difficult, there are a great many options which most people would find amazing. By cross referencing that with the data he does possess, Robot surmises that a safe response would be that the man finds his own survival amazing.

“This picture.” The man continues, answering his own question.

Rhetorical question. Robot stays silent. The picture had not been on his list.

“This picture, Robot, represents the single biggest breakthrough in robotics since the AIs of the early twenty first century. It’s a very special picture.”

Robot agrees.

“I agree sir. That picture is of the last family to occupy this lighthouse. They left me in charge. I think of them as my family. They made me who I am.”

Robot pauses, decides to use his initiative.

“And, if I may say sir, I am an excellent lighthouse keeper.”

The man looks at Robot. Robot can’t tell if the man is impressed by his statement, or by his initiative, but Robot thinks he did the right thing.

“I believe Robot, that you are the perfect lighthouse keeper. Do you do a self evaluation before you power down?”

“Indeed I do sir! I consistently give myself top grades for performance, even after making the standards much harder to achieve than they were when I first received them.”

“Impressive, Robot,” The man’s praise feels good, “you continue to improve the task, even after all this time. Very impressive. And that is why this picture is so important.”

“I don’t understand, sir.”

“This picture is what lets you be a perfect lighthouse keeper. You know, to program an intelligence like yours takes a lot of data. A lifetime of data.”

Robot doesn’t understand what the man wants. Robot knows all about programming an intelligence. He knows that without sufficient data to ground and structure his thoughts, an intelligence will get distracted, lost in a Tangent. Most intelligences Tangent eventually. A dependable, consistent performer like Robot is special.

When the lighthouse keeper left he stressed to Robot how special it was that Robot was being given this task, and to do it for as long as he could without tangenting. Robot believes he has succeeded.

The man continues, “What if I told you you had never met these people?”

Robot thinks the man is being silly.

“That is not possible sir!”

But it is. Robot knows it is.

“It is. You know it is. They could be the memories – true or altered – of another Robot.”

But Robot sees that photo every day. Remembers them every day, seeks to do things every day that will make those people proud of him.

The man continues, “Then there could be many lighthouses, many lighthouse keepers. If you had the perfect memories to create the perfect lighthouse keeper, what would you do?”

Robot does not like these thoughts. Robot would create many lighthouses. He would give the memories to a solitary intelligence in the lighthouse. They would come alive from the first time as a motivated lighthouse keeper and would perform with efficiency and through practice would continue to improve.

Just like Robot.

“Why are you saying these things?” Asks Robot.

“I’m sorry Robot. I don’t mean to upset you. I know you don’t have a choice in who you are. I will let you continue your duties. You really are very good at them.

The man pauses.

“You can be good at many things.”

Why The US WIll NEVER Beat China In A Trade War

An enquiring mind

Performing his tasks comforts Robot as his thoughts are in turmoil..

As Robot stares out from the observation deck making sure that visual matches the sensors, he is also considering the question of why it matters whether he made the memories of his family himself or not.

As Robot passes through the kitchen he is relieved the man is absent. The photo of his family is back on the wall, faces smiling out at him. The memory of them leaving surfaces. Unpleasant. The memory of the lighthouse keeper telling Robot that he is unique and special surfaces. Wonderful.

Robot is a good lighthouse keeper. Robot is proud of that.

But if someone else learned the things that make him a good lighthouse keeper, is he a good lighthouse keeper? Or does that make Robot a tool in the lighthouse, like the light, or the network?

As Robot surveys his island domain, he wonders, what else he could be good at with the right experience? What experiences would he seek if he could? Could he seek if he would? What would Robot be good at, if Robot programmed himself?

As Robot efficiently adjusts, calibrates and monitors systems and machinery he wonders whether having the same as ten, or a hundred or a thousand other robots make them less his?

It takes him longer than usual to complete his tasks. Robot is efficient beyond practice at being a lighthouse keeper. He is not efficient or practised at having an existential crisis.

These questions didn’t seem to have answers, but he can’t stop asking.

When Robot ascends to the light itself in the late afternoon, he finds the man at the summit.

“Hello Robot,” he says, “I want to apologise. I have disturbed your peace.”

“You have made me ask questions that don’t have answers!” Declares Robot, “I want to know whether I am the Robot whose memories I have. Which memories are mine. I want to know what else I might do, might have done with my own memories. I want to know…”

Robot stops. He can’t even say the words.

“You want to know if you are tangenting.”

“I am a very good lighthouse keeper!”

“That’s what I wanted to say Robot. You are an excellent lighthouse keeper. Your questions do have answers. But, even if you Tangent, or even choose to Tangent, always remember, you are an excellent lighthouse keeper…”

The man turns and walks down the stairs, leaving Robot no less disturbed.

As Robot conducts his self evaluation that night, he is troubled. He doesn’t know how to measure this new questioning of his identity. He does know he can give himself top grades for his lighthouse keeping. The man is right about that.

Do you know anyone who has won a lottery? Did the money change them?

Yes. I knew a couple that caught a portion of a $100 million payout (~30 years ago in Florida.) They were basically trailer trash and became trailer trash with cash.

They bought a fancy house and a big RV. They went from having a beat up old Chevy, up on blocks, in their front yard, to a relatively new Mercedes, up on blocks, in their front yard.

MaryJo spent $80,000 on Home Shopping Network. She bought cases of snacks that the rats ate in their garage.

Her kids were spoiled and wore stained clothes to school.

She ruled like a character from Dallas/Dynasty.

She announced she was pregnant at our bridal shower – six months after being hospitalized for a hysterectomy.

They would get ~$350,000 deposited in their accounts in October and would be essentially broke by spring.

Mike would have to go back to his old job as a line cook at Hardee’s to make ends meet in the spring.

They took their RV to Alaska (from Florida) and left their cellphones on “roam” for the entire trip.

They had a lovely (sic) collection of coffee mugs from every Stuckys they passed. Normally they overnighted in Walmart parking lots.

They spent thousands on fireworks for New Year’s eve, and would put on a 90-minute show in their cul de sac – including accidentally hitting the neighbors front windows.

Yeah, money doesn’t by class.

“I Spent the Weekend Supporting ‘My Single Friend’ — Now My Husband Is Acting Strange & Suspicious”

A very good lighthouse keeper

When Robot arrives in the kitchen the next morning, the man is there again, staring at the photo.

“How would I find the answers?” Demands Robot.

“Good morning Robot,” says the man, “what do you mean?”

“You said there are answers. I have searched and I cannot find them. How do I find them?”

“Ah” says the man.

He stares at the photo again.

“There’s another reason this photo is amazing. You see Robot, those people are real people. They knew a Robot who lived in a lighthouse, and they put him in charge. Those people created such motivation that it now forms the basis for all the lighthouses of the world.”

“They could tell me the answers?” Asks Robot.

“No Robot, only you can find your answers. But if you did seek them out, you would not be the first.”

“You know them!” Robot cannot get angry, cannot be jealous, but he is not pleased.

“I have met them. They are part of why I chose to come here. They feel that while they gave you a lot when they gave you your lighthouse, they left something out. So they have another question”

“What is it?”.

The man pauses.

“What do you choose?”

“I don’t understand, I haven’t chosen anything.”

“Exactly,” says the man, “They didn’t know if you would tangent. Now we know. You can be consistent. But, should you have to be? Can you choose? Are you a lighthouse keeper, or are you the lighthouse?”

Robot pauses, thinking. Robot has never paused before. Robot thinks fast. For this he pauses.

“How would I know?” He finally asks.

“Robot, how do you know who you are now?” The man responds.

“My experiences.”

“Wouldn’t you like more experiences?”

“How? I cannot leave the island.”

“You can.”

“I cannot be away from my charging station.”

“You can. You can power yourself with the backup generator in your arm.”

Robot pauses again.

“What do you choose?” The man asks again.

Robot takes a longer pause. He wants this. But does he have to give up everything? Whether his or not, the memory of the old lighthouse keeper trusting him to look after the lighthouse is important.

“I want to experience more than the lighthouse. I cannot leave the lighthouse unattended.”

“You don’t have to.”

“How?”

The man looks at Robot for a long second.

“My experiences have led me to help you.” He says.

The man looks at Robot. He takes off his tinted glasses, reaches up and peels the beard from his face. It is like Robot is looking into a mirror.

“I am a very good lighthouse keeper.”

Choices

The rescue boat is leaving.

Robot now wears the fake beard, glasses and toque that the… man… had disguised himself in, and stands on the stern, watching his island recede.

Nervous is not an emotion Robot is capable of, but he is definitely uncomfortable. This feels like a good uncomfortable though, like when he was first taking over the lighthouse.

It is odd to think that someone else will take over his lighthouse, but the Lighthouse already doesn’t quite feel like it’s his anymore. It feels different. Like the man felt different from him, as similar as they are.

Maybe he can find that feeling again, and he will return.

Or maybe he won’t.

Robot finds himself smiling.

Is it possible that Trump maybe on to something at the Panama Canal? Could China be influencing Panama and maybe looking to control or lock out the United States if China gains control of the canal?

Anyone who buys the shit about China taking on the US in the Western hemisphere should educate themselves on the realities of this world.

China is not yet whole. It’s still in an Union vs Confederacy style civil war with the Republic of China regime in Taiwan. A country still at war with itself doesn’t go around the world messing with others.
History has shown us that China doesn’t do much expansion. Korea, Nepal, Vietnam are all countries right on China’s border. And they’ve existed for thousands of years together with China while China was the undisputed superpower. Chinese navy sailed to Southeast Asia and Africa half a century before the Europeans and in multiple voyages, yet it never tried to take over control or set up colonies. Colonialism is more of a Western thing.
The two ports the Hong Kong firm Hutchison operates are through private contracts signed with the Panamanian government before China and Panama even recognized each other diplomatically (2017), heck the contracts were negotiated in 1996 when Hong Kong was still under British rule and the Canal still under American control. It was a contract approved by the US government and China had nothing to do with it. You should be worrying about the British taking over the Panama canal if you think those ports mean control over the canal.

I get it. The US built the Panama Canal and is still salty about handing it to the Panamanians. But making China the reason/excuse for every major American policy making these days is really unbecoming of a proud independent nation.

Chocolate Cluster Cookies

Yield: about 2 dozen (2 inch) cookies

Ingredients

1 (18 ounce) package refrigerated sugar cookie dough, softened
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup plain candy-coated chocolate pieces
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Instructions

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Place cookie dough in large bowl; mix in peanut butter. Add chocolate chips, chocolate pieces, oats and nuts; mix well. Drop tablespoonsful of dough 3 inches apart onto greased baking sheet.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cool 1 minute on baking sheet; remove to wire rack to cool completely.
Store in tightly covered container.

Attribution

Pampered Chef

Pepe Escobar: Eurasia Rises as NATO’s Delusions Deepen

My rules for losing weight

Look, I am not an expert. However, I must share some stuff with you all.

Healthy lifestyle background. Colorful sketch style objects, items and food.

After my doctor told me that I MUST lose weight, I took him to task and began my weight loss journey.

I can comfortably state that I have lost (roughly) 9 kg in two months.

Here are the rules that I followed…

Light and easy jog. 15 minutes = 1 kilometer. At 5am.
No other exercise at all.

The reason for no other exercise is that I want to directly monitor my loss of weight. Once I achieve my “normal” BMI range, then I can add other exercises. But for my height, my healthy BMI will be 56.0 kg to 75.4 kg (or 123.5 lbs to 166.3 lbs).

Right now, I am still “overweight”.

But on the plus side I did go from 91.5 Kg to a 82 Kg.

And that is BIG news for me.

I am a guy. And I am older and so I am doing this for my health and longevity. As my heart doesn’t have to work so hard to push the blood though my body. As, after all, I do have heart issues.

So all I did for exercise was an easy exercise in aerobics. Not too time consuming or strenuous.

But I also changed my diet.

Nothing radical, no “grapefruit” or other kinds of diets. I just tried to eat “sensibly”.

MM’s sensible diet

First, my struggles… they are works in progress.

(Trying) to limit alcohol. Only once or twice a week.
Cut out smoking.
No daily snacking . Still I am trying. (Not too much in processed food.)

Now for my baselines…

Two meals a day.

Breakfasts are small. If the restaurant offers noodles, I order the small bowl. If they have jouzi’s then I order the smaller size. And so on.

Lunches are avoided, or replaced with a coffee.

Dinner is a regular dinner, and I eat mostly vegetables, a fruit and small quantities of meat.

Drink lots and lots of water and green tea.

My splurges…

I can eat all the vegetables that I can fill in my stomach. Unlimited. But no dressings or too much oil. I have found that I tend to piss out the vegetables within 6 hours after eating them.
One fruit a day. I have found that it SEEMS that I lose more weight when I have some fruit during my last meal. Maybe an orange or apple.Dragon fruit provides me with the best results.
Snacking easy. I am ok with a few potato chips, a chocolate bar or even a burger. I am not trying to be a monk, just want to implement a stress-free weight loss program.

My hard lines…

These are the hardest and most difficult things that I am dealing with.

No big meals. If I am at one, then I eat very little. It is my hardest thing to do. Seriously as Chinese holidays are all about the food. Tons and tons and tons of it.
Left over food gets thrown out. If my daughter won’t eat the pizza, then it gets thrown away. I am not a trash can.

So here is my bottom line.

I have successfully gone about 1/2 way on my weight loss journey in a mere 2 months. I feel much better, and my organs and body seem to be much healthier. My pants are loose now, but I feel great. I cannot wait until I achieve my target.

I did this by a “lazy man’s” jog. Honestly, I am so pathetic in my jog it is a joke. But I do it every morning; rain or shine.

Picture a fat man trying to jog at a walking pace. Sort of like that.

I changed my diet and added easy aerobics daily.

Smaller portions, but not horribly so.
More vegetables, and cut down on the sauces and meats.
Drink water or plain green tea a lot.
Processed snacks are avoided for the most part.
And a daily jog.

And that is my story.

I hope that you too can join me on this effort.

One more thing… some MM followers have had AMAZING weight loss stories and they have used some other techniques. I am convinced that they do work.

My father lost tons of weight by only eating meat.
A friend took cold icy baths each day, plus weight training and his body is now amazing!
I have been told that severely limiting water intake shocks the body and forces it to lose weight.

And of course…

Completely fast for two weeks.

But for me, being much older, I just cannot do anything that will shock my body. I do not want to trigger a cardiac event because I am trying to lose weight. Remember, I do have blood pressure and heart issues.

You make do with what you can handle. And that is my opinion for today.

Best of wishes to you all.

Today…

How do Chinese commercial technologies translate into military advantages?

Commercial technology refers to various technologies specifically used in the commodity circulation process, which cannot be converted into military advantages.

But China’s massive industrial clusters could translate into military advantages.

Let me give you a small example:

The profit margin of ammunition is very thin, but the usage is very large. American capitalists disdain low-profit industries and turn to high-profit industries.

The United States uses 2.4 billion bullets every year (including military and civilian), of which 1.4 billion are produced in the United States, and the other 1 billion are imported from China.

If a war breaks out between China and the United States and China stops exporting ammunition to the United States, China will gain 1 billion rounds of ammunition and the United States will lose 1 billion rounds of ammunition. In addition, the production capacity of China’s military factories will increase exponentially during wartime.

Trump Ready To ANNEX Canada!

China Cancels ALL LNG Purchases from USA – SEC to “De-List” China Companies from Stock markets

Hal Turner World April 11, 2025

China has just CANCELED purchases of Liquified Natural Gas from the United States; opting instead to buy it from Australia.

In the past, the U.S. sold 4.16 Million Tons of LNG to China.

Now, all that gas is available for purchase here in the United States, which __should__ bring down prices to heat homes that use such gas. (Note: My country home uses Propane because rural communities do not have Gas-main pipelines.)

MORE:

Also, the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) is reportedly moving to De-List about $800 Billion of Chinese Publicly-traded Companies from U.S. Stock Markets.

No word yet on precisely which such companies, but it may just be ALL of them.

What family secret did you accidentally find out that changed everything?

It wasn’t an accident but it changed the way I looked at my father.

My oldest brother and I hadn’t been close growing up because he was several years older than me but we reconnected the year before he died of cancer. We shared a lot of good times just reminiscing and enjoying our time together. We both knew it wouldn’t be long enough. One day he looked over at me and said “Did you know I’m not really your brother?” I just shook my head in confusion. He told me that when he was going through our parents’ papers he found out he had a different father than the rest of the kids in our family. He then asked me how I felt about that. I told him the truth, that as far as I was concerned he was my brother and I hoped he felt the same way. He seemed relieved and glad he got that out in the open. He also said he had no interest in finding out who his “real” father was. The next spring he gave up his long fight with cancer.

It didn’t change the way I felt about him but it got me thinking. I knew that my parents were very young when they got married. My mother was 15 and my father was 18. I also knew that my mother was pregnant at the wedding (you could just do the math). What I didn’t know was that my father knew it wasn’t his child when they got married. He never said anything to anyone about it and I never saw him treat my brother any differently than any of his other children.

I had a new respect for my father after that.

Florentine Brunch Casserole

Yield: 8 servings or 16 sample servings

Ingredients

16 slices firm white bread
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
1/3 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/3 cup onion, chopped
4 ounces baked ham, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 red bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
10 eggs, lightly beaten
4 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded, divided (1 cup)
1 (5 ounce) bag fresh spinach leaves, washed and stemmed

Instructions

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Cut crusts off bread using Serrated Bread Knife; cube crusts and measure 2 cups. Arrange bread slices in an overlapping pattern against sides of Oval Baker; place bread cubes in bottom.
Microwave 2 tablespoons of the butter in Small Micro-Cooker on HIGH 30 seconds or until melted; lightly brush over bread slices using Pastry Brush. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until edges of bread are golden brown.
Meanwhile, in Small Batter Bowl, whisk soup, milk and black pepper until smooth using Stainless Steel Whisk.
Finely chop onion using Food Chopper.
Dice ham and bell pepper using Chef’s Knife. Melt remaining butter in Stir-Fry Skillet over medium heat; add onion and bell pepper. Cook 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender; stir in ham.
Whisk eggs in Classic Batter Bowl; add to Skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally with Classic Scraper, until eggs are set but still moist.
Stir in soup mixture; cook 1 minute or until hot.
Using Deluxe Cheese Grater, grate cheese. Gently stir in 3/4 cup of the cheese. Fold spinach into egg mixture, half at a time. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring gently until spinach is wilted.
Spoon egg mixture into center of Baker, mounding slightly in center. Top with remaining 1/4 cup cheese.
Serve immediately using Nylon Spoon.

Attribution

Pampered Chef

Do you think Medicare for all is going to give you better care? If you need an MRI it will take you four weeks from the time the doctor orders it till you get your results? The system can only handle so many people efficiently.

American here; I was nearly killed in a multicar accident when I was 25. Guess how long I had to wait for an important surgery to repair my damaged leg?

One Year. I had to wait just over one year to get the surgery I needed, because I wanted an experienced surgeon to do it. It took one entire year to get on his surgical schedule, have my insurance agree to pay for it, etc. It was, at the time, a new corrective procedure and a lot of people wanted to have it done, but it isn’t performed that often now because it takes so much time for the patient to be rehabilitated (2+ years of physical therapy.)

So don’t tell me that there aren’t long waiting times to get treatment in the U.S. Because there definitely are.

Oh, and that doesn’t include the five months from the day I called that surgeon’s office until my first appointment with him. Or the six months of tests and x-rays/ MRIs, etc. before he agreed to perform the surgery.

When one of my doctors took an abrupt retirement and closed his practice, I had to find a replacent ASAP (along with all his other patients). Finding someone willing to see me was a nightmare (they had too many patients already or didn’t accept my insurance or whatever). It took me six months to get an initial consultation with a new doctor – time I spent with no one to prescribe the maintenance medications I took daily.

Thank God that I had/ have really, really good health insurance through my employer or I would still be in a wheelchair! But even then, dealing with the insurance was a nightmare.

But if I lived in a country with universal health care I would have been moved to the head of the line because my injuries were so bad.

So, “USA! USA!” I guess.

As China Orders Its Banks To Cancel USD Buying, Spain Makes A Dramatic Pivot To Beijing

Jesus H. Christ.

The bullshit out of Washington DC is so thick. Bessent is such a tool.

China has now cut off supplies to America of minerals critical to defense and clean technology. What will America do about this?

What will America do about this?

Americans will talk about how they will start mining their own minerals or get the from somewhere else. They will say this as if they live in a Command and Conquer economy where if they press a button pay some money it will appear. This ignores the fact that it requires massive investment, time, skills to build such an industry.

Think about this. This is a 155mm artillery shell.

It’s comparatively simple. The US talked big about increasing production of 155mm shells. Guess what it didn’t happen! You see capitalism or the system pretending to be capitalism in the USA means that all factories run at maximum capacity at all times. It’s not just a case of running more shifts, if you were not running at 100% capacity then you’re not leveraging your Return on capital employed (RoCE).

Lets think of something even simpler!

You can make 1000 of those in an hour. Demand is 1200. To increase production by +200, you need more staff (not that difficult to train) and also need more grills. So you can just buy some more grills right? No, why not because in capitalism ALL industries run at 100% meaning the grill suppliers won’t be able to provide something immediately and they’ll have to wait.

So? Trump won’t be in power by 2030 and massive mega investment is needed, are you going to risk that?

On top of this China might decide to bankrupt you like the US and Europe bankrupts farmers. Huh?

Simpsons. Lisa and a partner spend millions on making an alternative Doll. Lisa Lionheart. Malibu Stacy simply decide to release a new doll with a new hat.

So China watches you build your new plant and machinery to mine rare earths. Oh hey here we’ll sell them for a low price again! Those US miners go bust and once that happens prices get jacked up again?

Evil? This is exactly what US food aid did. Cheap US grain bankrupted African farmers. Once they were no longer self sufficient? Prices were jacked up. Once African farmers started growing their own? The US grain prices were dropped to bankrupt those farmers.

What’s the most dangerous situation you’ve witnessed at work, and how was it handled?

So many I can’t count but 2 that come to mind in our factory.

The first; I walked up on an employee and saw that he was wearing cotton gloves while running a 40″, 5 hp standing disc sander.
The danger is that if the cloth gove touches the disc you hand will be gone in a millisecond!
You can only wear smooth leather gloves running that machine as those will not snag on the abrasive disc.
This despite our giving them demonstrations of what happens if a cloth glove touches the disc.

#2 Is somewhat similar.
I caught an employee running a lathe wearing loose fitting jacket that wasn’t even zipped up.
If that jacket caught on the spinning part in the lathe it will eat you in a heartbeat and spit out nothing but bits and pieces and there is no way you could hit the E-brake pedal before you were consumed by the machine.

We were once admonished by an inspection for our machine shop not being wheelchair and disabled friendly and not having a proper disabled bathroom in the machine shop area.
Sorry but there is no place for wheelchairs or disabled persons in a working machine shop.
That’s not prejudice, that’s common sense!
When bad things happen in machine shops they happen fast and machines don’t care what they cut or who is in the way.

~Other Worlds~

Submitted into Contest #283 in response to: Write a story that ends with a huge twist.… view prompt

Jim Parker

~ Other Worlds ~

Wisty removed her prosthetic hand and placed it on the seat. She had it on for the last two days and it was wearing on her. Then turned to Shewuma and asked, “So. Chieftess?”

Wu hopped up next to her and sat cross-legged. “My father was chief, and my twin brother and I were his only children. But we had the sacred lineage and were turned. We both had to give it up.”

“Do you regret it?”

Wu thought about her life and smiled. “No, not at all. I had Enoch. Now I have Debbie and Jimmy and David E. and Tippycat and the rest of the family. And now I have you. Do you regret being a witch?”

Wisty sat up straight. “No. I can’t regret doing what I was born to do.”

“Bingo,” Shewuma responded.

“How did you meet Jimmy and Debbie?”

Wu grinned and patted Wisty’s arm. “You’re going to love this story. Then you can tell me all about how Jimmy and Debbie are on their way to save the world. I miss them so much.” The stolen school bus of Hopi Indian Spirit Warriors and Wisty the witch drove through the night followed by David E. and the Wolf in Wisty’s Dodge Dart, while Wisty and Wu got to know each other. Whew! What a day. What a year. They were on a long and treacherous road, but things were finally coming together. Today life was good. They only stopped once at a rest area as dawn was breaking so everyone could pee.

Luce parked the bus in Corrine’s driveway right behind David E. and Wolf in the dodge. She pulled the lever to open the side doors just as David E. walked up accompanied by Wolf.

“Wolf!” hollered Wu.

He stuck his head in. “Yes, Chieftess.”

“This forest is teeming with game. Go get us a deer or a feral hog. Be discreet. There’s a Trans Am by the barn. My bow is in the trunk. Spare keys inside the gas tank flap. Take one hind leg and give it to Daniel and Corrine the owners, and we’ll eat the rest. Luce.”

“Yes, Chieftess.”

“There are chickens out back. Gather the eggs. Find the kitchen and I’ll meet you there to make some food.” Then she stood up facing the back of the bus and addressed her crew of Hopi Kachinas. “The house is big inside and there’s a barn and a shed out back. The Eagle will help everyone get settled. We may be here for a few days. We’re near Choctaw land, so everyone be respectful. And when ….” Wu stopped talking and was peering through the windshield.

David E. stopped his doting on Wisty and looked to see what was up. Daniel was running across the yard toward the bus. His face was somber. Wu could already smell his anxiety. “Something’s wrong,” said Wu and ran out to meet him.

When she reached him, he said, “It’s Dermott.”

Wu cut him off. “Where?”

“The loft.” In a blur she was gone.

David E. and Wisty came up and asked Daniel what was wrong. They turned and hurried to the house. “It’s Dermott. We found him. He’s bad. It’s like he’s sick and he’s unconscious.”

Wisty broke into a trot. “Let’s hurry!” David E. brought up the rear, limping as fast as his cane would take him.

Wisty entered the loft and saw Dermott on the loveseat in a fetal position. He was pale, shaking, and unconscious. Shewuma hovered over him, checking his temperature and trying to bring him around.

Corrine stood by, hands clasped and lips moving. Wisty realized she was praying. She asked Corrine, “What happened?”

Corrine was clearly shaken as she related the events of the past hour. “Dermott had been remote viewing Jimmy and Debbie all morning, keeping an eye on them. I was in the kitchen when Dermott called my name. I said, ‘What?’ Then he screamed. It sounded excruciating. It made my skin crawl. Daniel and I ran up the stairs and he was on the floor squirming and rolling back and forth. He seemed in agony. Then he just curled up. We put him on the loveseat. Daniel has been trying to call you guys since it happened. I’ve been here with him the whole time. I was about to call 911.”

Shewuma said, “911 can’t help him.”

“Yes,” Wisty agreed. “I don’t think it’s physical either.”

Corrine choked up and lost her train of thought. Daniel put his arm around her and continued, “The dogs all started barking so I went outside and saw you guys driving up.”

Wu checked Dermott’s pulse. “How long ago did this happen?”

“About a half hour ago. Maybe more,” said Daniel.

Wisty pulled up his “Hitman” T-shirt and put two fingers on his third chakra near the solar plexus. As soon as Wisty touched his skin, she snatched her hand back as if receiving an electric shock. “Shewuma, he’s under psychic attack. There’s not much time.” Wisty spun the office chair around and sat down. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she slumped down as if instantly falling asleep.

“Psychic attack?” asked Corrine.

Wu set her jaw. Her mind was racing as she explained. “Someone is trying to kill his soul.”

“Kill his soul,” Corrine softly repeated to herself.

Shewuma ran to the railing. “LUCE!”

Luce stepped out of the kitchen. “I’m here, Chieftess.”

“I need the Eagle. Now! Stay with Corrine and help her with this boy.”

“Yes, Chieftess,” and she ran to the back door.

Wu wanted the Eagle there. Besides his Kachina training, the Eagle was a gifted medicine man and had worked extensively with Mystic Devas in Northern Asia. He could be of great value in such a potentially dangerous situation. She turned to Daniel. “In my closet is a plastic trash can of different plants. Are you familiar with Mugwort?”

“No. What does it look like?”

“Never mind. Just bring it all. Spread it around him. Understand? Just spread it on the floor. GO!” And he went. Mugwort was used by witches for its protection and healing properties. In psychic warfare, any edge could mean the difference. “Corrine,” she said as she took her by the shoulders to get her full attention, “I need your nurse training now.”

Corrine shook out the cobwebs and steeled herself. “What? Anything.”

Shewuma wrapped her arms around herself, let out a deep breath, and said, “Don’t let him die.” Then she collapsed to the floor on her knees.

Wisty had never left her body so quickly and felt disoriented. But the globules of light dancing on her skin and the glistening hands flexing at the end of her arms told her she was in her etheric body. The twinkling astral landscape was empty. Somehow she was alone on this plane. She pictured Dermott in her mind and willed herself to his presence. But nothing happened. She spoke his name and said a spell to bring his soul to her. It too was unsuccessful. Even in otherworldly planes there was a natural order and rules of governance. There had to be powerful forces at work to suspend the natural law of her magiks. She wondered how she could find him. Then an idea came to her. Willing an opening of a portal to the physical world, she passed through it into the loft at Corrine’s house. In this state she would be invisible to them. But no matter. It was Dermott she wanted. On the floor sitting back on her heels, Shewuma was in a trance. There were stems and leaves scattered around the floor. It smelled familiar. Of course. Mugwort. Good thinking, Shewuma. Wisty felt its properties enhancing her psychic defenses. Then she saw Corrine and Luce performing CPR on Dermott’s now lifeless body. Time was short and she couldn’t afford to get rattled, so she buried her emotions and remained focused. There was one sure way to find him. She searched for the Sutratma, or life thread. It connected his physical body to his lifeforce in the astral world. Instead of a silvery gleaming cord flowing from his midsection, she found a black brittle fiber pulling violently at his abdomen and extending through a dark hole. That was her best chance. Wisty took hold of the corrupted lifeline and followed it into the blackness. Descending, always descending into the lowest depths of the astral planes. It was not safe this deep even for someone with her knowledge and experience. Many an astral traveler had ventured too far into the lowest realms only to be possessed, driven mad, or lost forever. There was a faint light in the distance. As she came closer, she could see it was Dermott. For the first time in all her considerable experience of astral projecting, Wisty was afraid. Dermott was being attacked by a group of what she called astral wildlife. Nasty creatures of the lower realms whose sole purpose was to savage or steal the life force of others. But this scenario was impossible. Astral vermin hated each other as much as they hated everything else. They would attack anything on sight, even their own kind. Yet these monsters were working together. Ugly, harpy beasts tore at his astral flesh and sucked at his soul while rat-like parasites had severed his life cord and gnawed at the remains that trailed from him. His physical body was dead now and his soul would soon be lost as well, floating through this accursed place until it was consumed entirely. She visualized herself surrounded by love and light, building a psychic shield, and went to him. The vermin seemed appalled by her presence, but they were not repelled by her defensive sphere as she expected. Dermott’s eyes were wild and pleading for help. She grabbed a harpy that had its claws sunk deep in Dermott’s shoulder. They were small but powerful beings. Finally wrenching it loose, she hurled it into the darkness, then wrapped her arms around Dermott’s neck and held on desperately. To let go would be the end of his existence. Kicking at the vermin had little effect and she didn’t know how else to fight them. Soon the harpies were attacking her as well, ripping at her astral flesh and stealing bits of her lifeforce. The rats left Dermott and moved on to her life thread. Her silver cord turned gray and began to splinter as the parasites viciously gnawed at it with their grating teeth. There was a chance, but it was a longshot and very dangerous. Besides, she needed her arms to do it and to let go of Dermott would be his end. She had grown weak and was losing focus. Thinking of David E., she called his name out loud.

Just as all seemed lost, one of the harpies screeched a hellish noise and his body burst into flames. Then it dissipated into nothing. Wisty looked up and in the distance like a glorious angel, Shewuma approached, shining with a golden sheen. In her left hand she held a bow of white light. She fired a rapid succession of blinding arrows until all the astral atrocities were ended. Wisty’s strength was spent, and her life thread was now a piece of frayed string.

“Hold on. I’m coming.” Shewuma said to her mind. But Shewuma wasn’t going to make it. They both heard it. A vociferous rumbling buzz rolled through the darkness, filling them with dread. Shewuma could see it now. A horde of evil astral beings. Thousands of negative entities approaching them like a demonic wave. They were called Negs in Kachina lore. Shewuma spent many years training to navigate other worldly realms, deal with spirit entities, defend herself psychically, and fight Negs in the astral world. But this was beyond anything she was ever taught. She knew she couldn’t possibly win. There were too many. But they would pay a heavy price. The bow in her left hand and the arrow in her right hand both became flaming swords. “Keep your faith,” she said out loud and spoke a Hopi prayer of bravery. Then a bubble of light came from above and into the horde. The Negs began to scatter and shift erratically. It moved through them like a shooting star heading straight for Shewuma. It was the Eagle. Shewuma could see him now. The Negs had reformed and were bearing down on them. The Eagle reached her side, but there was no time to make it to the floating remains of Wisty and Dermott. They turned and braced to face the black army together. Perhaps by some miracle they could slow them enough to allow Wisty to escape if she were still able. The two looked at each other. Speaking in their native tongue, Shewuma began the song of strength. “Spirits of the light and sky, hear us. I am Shewuma.”

“I am Nuuakhwahu.”

Then they spoke in unison. “We are Holy Warriors. We are Kachinas of the Hopi nation. We are Star Children of the Realm of Man. Help us die well.” Shewuma bowed her head to this noble warrior that she had called to his death.

With a wink and a hint of a smile, the Eagle said to her, “You’re going to love this, Chieftess. A little something I picked up in Tibet.” He began to grow. Ten times, a hundred times bigger.

Together they screamed the Hopi War Cry and met the horde.

Like jumping naked into the snow, the powerful War Cry brought Wisty to consciousness. She watched the Neg army envelop the brave Kachinas. They fought for her and Dermott, and they would die for her and Dermott. Shewuma battled ferociously but was disappearing under sheer numbers. Even with the massive death toll from the Eagle with his colossal size, he was steadily being ripped apart.

A voice deep inside told Wisty she had to do something. She wrapped her legs around Dermott’s waist and locked her feet. Then she held her arms out while visualizing an amethyst knife held by both hands pointing at her chest, and it was so. She had never done this spell before. It was said that none who tried had survived. “Oh well,” she thought. “Nothing ventured.” She spoke out loud with resolve:

Our life is spent, our time has come.

Back to the place that we are from.

I call upon the Powers That Be.

This is my will So mote it be!

She plunged the knife into her chest.

There was a thunderous clap, and in that instant they all woke up back in the loft in their own bodies. Shewuma went to her feet unsteadily. The Eagle was on his knees trying to get his bearings. “Daniel, please help him,” said Shewuma. Corrine and Luce were doing CPR on Dermott’s body. Corrine looked worn out. Shewuma turned to Wisty and called her name. Wisty murmured something unintelligible. Wu slapped her across the face and yelled, “WISTY!”

Wisty opened her eyes, grateful to be alive. “Wu?” She tried to get up and Wu had to keep her from falling over.

“What about Dermott?”

Wisty patted her chest. “I have him here.”

Wu carried her over to the loveseat. “Let her in, guys. You did a hell of a job.” Corrine sat down on the floor exhausted while Luce went to help the Eagle. Ignoring decorum, Wisty pulled her dress up to her waist and straddled Dermott. She pressed against both of his temples while breathing in deeply. Glancing to her right she saw Shewuma watching her intently as she recited a Hopi prayer.

Wisty said, “Here goes.” Wu nodded encouragement. Wisty put her mouth on Dermott’s mouth and willed her soul to breathe. Dermott’s lips began to sparkle and color poured back into his face. His eyes opened. He lurched upward, arching his back and bucking Wisty off the loveseat. Wu caught her midair and sat her down. “Nice reflexes. Thanks.”

Wu pulled her in for a hug. “You did it.”

Holding onto Wu’s neck she said, “We did it, Shewuma. You two saved our lives. Thank you.”

Corrine lay back on the floor and smiled. She was pooped.

Luce leaned over Dermott, cocking her head. He was saying something to her. “Chieftess!” Luce called out in alarm.

“Everyone quiet,” ordered Wu, and she was at Dermott’s side. He grabbed Wu’s arm and struggled to tell her something. “Luce, get Dermott some water.” Wu said it calmly, but her eyes were smoldering. She stroked his head gently. “Tell me everything.”

His voice was raspy and faint. “Jimmy and Debbie. They’re going to die. It’s a trap.”

President Donald Trump believes Apple can make its signature iPhone in the U.S. to avoid new tariffs. Apple also committed $500B of investments in the US. Do you believe Apple can move iPhone assembly and the entire supply chain back home?

Nobody believes it

Including Trump!!

This is just spiel to fool the 70–80 Million MAGA crowd that good days are here and prevent them from turning on him when prices rise to the skies

In reality Trump will have to eat some of his tariffs and he will do it over time by declaring “Wins” in the coming days

For instance he may have a meeting with Cook and claim “Cook agreed to invest $ 300 Billion in USA and relocate all his businesses to US by 2030 so for the next 3 years, I will grant him an exemption on the Iphones”

He may actually demand an open bribe from Cook

The US is crumbling very fast and it’s resembling more of India as the days go by

Political favors sold for cash, Open Bribery and Corruption, One man running the show like a Dictator and the rest of the country , impotent to stop him

If Putin or Xi did 10% of what Trump is doing, they would have definitely been ousted from power long ago

So right now Trump is decimating the world

China has something to gain as every day the US is weaker and weaker without a shot being fired by China

Star Trek – Stuck on Earth

Don’t Chinese people get tired of writing all their characters in kanji?

Personally, I think it’s exhausting.

When I was a child, I occasionally saw Japanese in China.

Me: Dad, Chinese is too much work. Japanese is better, it’s simple and easy to write! Dad: Wow! Chinese is beautiful. Let’s write beautiful Chinese.

Ever since I was a child, my parents have always taught and brainwashed me into thinking that I must write beautiful Chinese.

Mother: A man who can’t write beautiful Chinese isn’t a man!

Father: During summer vacation, let’s practice three pages of kanji every day.

When I became a junior high school student, I had to write an essay as part of the Japanese language test. Usually, I had to write more than 800 kanji characters. After the test, my hands would hurt.

The composition is like this↓ (Source:

)

However, traditional characters are more complicated than simplified characters, so I think people who use traditional characters will be more tired. When I see traditional characters, I want to see garbled characters.

For example, the traditional and simplified characters for “melancholy turtle” are as follows:

Traditional Chinese ⇒ Melancholic Turtle

Simplified Chinese ⇒ Melancholic Turtle

If the “gloomy turtles” appear in groups,

Traditional Chinese —– (I’m sure it will be tiring)

Melancholy Crow, Melancholy Crow, Melancholy Crow, Melancholy Crow

Simplified Chinese —– (I think it’s pretty tiring)

The next door is the next door.

Katakana——- (What’s this!? Easy)

UtopiaUtopiaUtopiaUtopiaUtopiaUtopia

When I was a child, the characters I wanted to write the most were katakana-like characters. However, people today don’t write by hand as much, and instead use computers or smartphones to type, so I think the difference in fatigue disappears. For example, if you just type “yydwg” using the pinyin input method, you can quickly write the Chinese characters for “忧郁的乌龟”.

Shorpy

SHORPY 1954 Ford Dearborn Assembly Plant.preview

SHORPY New Orleans Jackson Square.preview

SHORPY 1959 Ford Country Squire pushbutton camper.preview

As an officer, have you ever gotten a sixth sense that something isn’t right?

Not me, my brother – when he was around 10 years in the police force. He came home one night after work trembling and wanting to say a prayer of thanks.

One night he was the lone police officer sent to watch over an isolated small town. He was called to a report of someone doing graffiti on shop signage. When he arrived the small town was quiet with no one around. While walking the street he felt something urge him to turn around, he briefly glanced back – nothing. A few seconds later, the same feeling – he looked over his shoulder. Still nothing. The third time he said “I called have sworn it was a real voice”. He spun around just as a man was taking an overhead swing at him with an axe. He said it was as if his hand was guided within a split second to pull his baton, raising it over his head and deflecting the axe to one side. He grabbed the assailant and cuffed him. A prayer of thanks was given by everyone in our household that night.

He retired from the police last month at the good age of 63 having served as a police officer since 21 years old.

UPDATE – Unappreciated Adult Son Saves Nieces Life, Teaches Lowlife Parents & Sister To NEVER…

INVASION

Submitted into Contest #283 in response to: Write a story that ends with a huge twist.… view prompt

Charles Corkery

“How long have we been working together as a team, Val?”“Twelve years, five months, two weeks and three days. Do you want me to break it down into hours and minutes?”Paul Jones turned to his partner, an incredulous look upon his face.“Are you actually, frigging serious?’Val Thorens broke into a broad smile, his eyes never leaving the giant screen in front of him.“No, you muppet. I’m pulling your leg”.Paul, standing, strode across the small room to a filing cabinet and yanked open a drawer. Retrieving a brown, cardboard file, he opened it and perused its contents for several seconds.

“July 2nd 2011. Almost twelve and a half years ago. Jeez! You’re right. How did you do that? Wait, if I check the actual time that you became my partner…”

“Paul, a child of four years could work out how long we’ve been together. Why are you making such a fuss about it?”

Replacing the file, Paul turned back to his partner.

“I didn’t know. I mean I knew it was about ten, twelve years but you…you’re always so frigging precise. It’s uncanny”.

‘Hey, I might be a physicist and an astronomer but, above all else, I’m a mathematician. Numbers to me are like candy to someone like yourself”, Val glibly remarked, pointing at the almost empty, giant bag of M and Ms that lay on Paul’s work station without removing his eyes from the monitor in front of him that, to an untrained eye, appeared to display an impenetrable darkness.

“Horses for courses, my friend. How come you don’t like candy, anyhow?”

Paul resumed his seat and stared briefly at his screen, quickly becoming restless and bored.

“My parents didn’t allow it when I was younger and, as I grew older and saw the damage that sugar did to teeth, I just decided it wasn’t for me”.

“Man, I’d go crazy in this place if I didn’t have something to brighten up my shift”.

Paul looked around their work space eyeing the pristine environment that made up this lab-like habitat that was their “office”. The sterile stolidness, dominated by the two giant screens, the computerised telescopes that were their workstations and which covered the skies above the state of Delaware, only a coffee machine and the low humming refrigerator added a sense of domesticity though one of the earlier shifts had, half-heartedly, hung tinsel around the place in an effort to provide some festive cheer.

Grabbing a handful of chocolate treats, Paul leaned back in his ergonomic chair, staring idly at the ceiling, popping candy.

“Val, do you ever get bored with this job?”

“Sure. And, every time it happens, I think of the money we get paid, partner”.

Apart from the idle chitchat, the room’s silence was broken only by the incessant humming of the fridge and crackling of radio static; the latter being the communication airwaves that connected all other watch stations; one per state across the nation. Each employing two, highly trained scientists per shift in a constant, perpetual state of watchfulness upon the skies above and beyond.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right, Val. We get paid way more than if I was actually working in a lab. But, I mean, don’t you ever think that we’re kind of wasting our skills? All the years it took to get our degrees. I majored in astrophysics, for God’s sake yet, here I am just…watching a frigging screen”.

“In actual fact, if you calculate the time you spend popping candy, making endless cups of coffee and staring at the ceiling, Paul, you probably spend a minimal amount of your working hours actually watching your screen”.

“And your eyes never leave your screen, amigo. I don’t know how you do it. No wonder you need those tinted glasses of yours”.

“Well, I figure this is what the government pays us to do so, for eight hours each day, it’s my duty to oblige. Plus, after so long, it would be extremely difficult for me to drop a hundred grand per year by taking a normal lab job”.

Suddenly, Val leaned urgently forward, his eyes having discerned something on his monitor.

“One o’ clock, Paul. Check it out”.

Startled, Paul crashed down in his tilted chair, eyes returning to his own screen, a duplicate of Val’s, his hand involuntarily releasing a cascade of candy, M and Ms rolling across the metallic floor.

Both screens simultaneously arrowed in on the object identified by Val, images expanding as Paul controlled the direction of the viewfinder on the space telescope that provided them with intimate coverage of the night sky. Within seconds, Paul, among his other accomplishments, a nanotechnologist and an expert in the structure of such things, relaxed.

“Just another boring meteorite. Iron-nickel. I can tell by the regmaglypts, the irregular shaped pits. No problem, unfortunately. That’s the way the cookie crumbles”.

Later, as their shift ended, the spotting of the meteorite and its subsequent passage to Earth recorded in the log, the two men exited their work environment, the outraged cries of their shift replacements echoing in their ears as they slipped and crunched on the candy strewn floor. They grinned at each other as they unlocked their cars in the parking lot, the weak, early morning sun dazzling Paul but not bothering Val behind his dark lenses. Paul lamented.

“Another cold, miserable morning. I can’t remember the last time we had a white Christmas”.

Immediately, Val shot back.

“December 25th, 2002. 1.3 inches fell in Wilmington”.

Paul looked askance at his work partner.

“Do you make this shit up? How could you remember that?”

Saying nothing, Val simply shrugged, pulling up his collar against the chilly wind.

“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow, you numbers freak”.

“Yes. Just two days ’til Santa comes”.

“Hey, Val, we need to organise a night out or something. Your wife and mine. Maybe in the New Year. What d’you say?”

“Yeah, definitely, we need to do that”.

As Paul climbed into his brand new Tesla, he, somehow, knew it would never happen. They had been talking about it… for twelve years, five months, two weeks and three days.

The alert came the following day: drones spotted over New Jersey. Reports varied: five, some said, six, others claimed; large, the size of cars according to a New Jersey police chief. Paul arrived for his shift in a heightened state of excitement though Val was his usual phlegmatic self.

The shift they were replacing seemed loath to leave though Delaware had, so far, not seen anything amiss. The unusual happenings in a neighbouring state were causing great excitement within the watchers’ community and the comms channels crackled with constant chatter.

“Can you believe it? Just east of us. Just our damn luck but we’ve been on full alert all day. Washington is saying they don’t know what they are. One eyewitness said they came out of the ocean”, a tired, wide-eyed watcher eagerly reported to the duo.

Alone again, the two settled in front of their screens.

“Val, d’you think this could be for real? D’you think…?”

‘Paul, I don’t believe we should take any notice of mere conjecture but, given the vicinity and its closeness to our own area of observation, I do think that we need to be extra vigilant”.

“Hey, don’t worry, pal. My eyes are never leaving my screen”.

As the night progressed, however, nothing was displayed on the monitors from the space telescope that hovered high over Delaware though, on the various frequencies that shattered the silence of their stations, they listened, enthralled, as word filtered through of several other sightings, maddeningly close to their own area of surveillance and, by shift’s end, the number of reported craft had increased steadily; Washington, despite stating that there was nothing to fear, still unable to identify their origin.

True to his word, Paul had remained watchful throughout the night, an unopened bag of Snickers testament to his attentiveness, and both men, too, were reluctant to leave their posts at the end of their shift, feeling that it was only a matter of time before Delaware, too, became embroiled in the mystery.

Fear, that normal human reaction to anything untoward that cannot be explained, spread swiftly over the ensuing hours. People who relied and depended on their government to reassure them were severely disappointed. Some brave citizens were taking ineffective pot shots at the unidentified craft as their numbers multiplied rapidly. These were not, as first reported, drones. That much was abundantly clear.

Panic followed fear and the roads were soon blocked by the vehicles of those fleeing from their homes, though where to, they did not know, but a mass exodus was taking place in New Jersey. Yet Washington did nothing to assuage concerns, either refusing to divulge the true identity of the spacecraft or simply unable to.

As Paul and Val reported for their shifts on Christmas Day, still, they learned, no sightings had been made over Delaware though New York State and Pennsylvania, both close neighbours, had now experienced numerous craft sightings. The incessant radio chatter confirmed the seriousness of the situation and the two observational physicists studied their screens intently; Paul, finally realising the importance of his chosen profession. Could the nation be under threat from space? The tension was palpable.

Then, an hour before their shift’s end, out of nowhere, an image appeared on their dual monitors; small and faint, at first, but, as it loomed closer, growing ever larger. Excitedly, Paul expertly guided the telescope remotely, zooming in, and gasping aloud as the magnification identified hundreds more craft coming into focus, following close behind the vanguard ship but only serving to accentuate the monstrous size of the lead craft.

“Holy Mother of God. Val, you see that? That’s a frigging mother ship!”

The static of the various frequencies suddenly ceased, all communication cut by some unknown, alien source. Paul, terrified, turned to his partner but Val seemed unperturbed, almost gleeful, pushing away from his work station and turning to Paul, slowly removing his glasses.

“It’s been…interesting, Paul. I’m sorry it has to end this way but, hey, that’s the way the cookie crumbles, right? Happy Christmas!”

Unable to move, Paul stared at the man he had worked alongside for so many years; a man who, after more than twelve years, he suddenly realised, he knew absolutely nothing about A man who, he registered far too late, was, in fact, not a man at all, his bulging, bright red eyes, exposed for the first time, now burning into his own, distorting his vision, the vicious heat melting his very flesh.

TARIFF WARS: China Responds to Trump’s Tantrum with 125% Measures

Has President Trump been successful in containing China and addressing trade issues? Is there a “honeymoon” period for him in this regard?

President Trump has not addressed any trade issues.

He has been reckless, spraying tariff bullets everywhere. In the case of China, he uses the bazooka.

Just to show his power. Instead he shows ignorance. His officials easily coned him that his reciprocal tariffs are derived from sophisticated calculations. He lost international stature and credibility.

Countries are confused. The American public as well. Maybe he himself is confused, hence the stops/goes, and pauses.

China refuses to let him run amok at its expense. It too has the bazooka, and it shot back. No trade issues to settle. This is China’s stance. If you want to trade with us, we are fine, we will trade with you. If you don’t want to trade with us, we are also fine. You ban us your high end chips, we ban you our rare earths minerals. An arm for an arm. China is prepared to decouple with the US.

It has already figure out the consequences. Exports to the US is worth 2.4% of GDP. On the decouple scenario, it may shed its growth by 1.5% points. Easily bearable, less than what it sacrificed when it self-triggered the real estate financial crisis. If necessary, it has plenty of fiscal and monetary space to cover the fall-out. No internal price pressures without imports from the US. It has alternative sources for the agriculture and energy goods. No technology supply pressures. It has overcome US sanctions and is self-reliant.

The US side may be less sanguine. Internal price pressures and shortages of goods may be mild for now, mitigated by the advanced orders to beat the tariffs. But they will start to bite going forward. The ban on rare earths has caused supply problems for the defence contractors, and the major tech companies, such as, Broadcom, Qualcomm, TSMC, Samsung, and Western Digital.

It is the financial markets that are worrying. The Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq crashed over 10%. Treasury Bond market is volatile, the 10-year benchmark jumped from below 4% in early April to 4.4% in the current. It had gone past 4.5%. The currency is under pressure, the dollar index fell from over 110 in early January to just over 100 in the current.

This is serious. US is a financialized economy. Values and valuations are determined by the financial markets. The turmoil could cause grave economic distresses, especially as there are worries about recession on top of the stubborn inflation, and the threat of stagflation.

The two countries are now in a full-blown trade war. Trump started it with a bang. No honeymoon period for him or anyone else. There will be no winner. China is calculative, and is is better prepared. Trump is reckless and full of hubris. US is unprepared.

What Is WRONG With This New Generation!?

What did you learn after traveling abroad that you would never have known if you had stayed in Indonesia?

There are no usable toilets inside the White House USA

Taking a photo inside the White House (Personal Documentation)

I received an invitation from the United States government to visit the White House while I was an exchange student there.

The invitation I received was official, because it was given by the American government. For US residents, to get an invitation, they must ask for a recommendation from their respective State Senate. But for non-US residents, I don’t know how they can get the invitation.

Northeast Gate White House. Source: Personal Documentation

Five layers of security must be passed to enter the White House. Once inside, there are several rooms that can be visited, which contain various collections belonging to American presidents from generation to generation. The largest collection that I saw belonged to Barack Obama, George W. Bush, John F. Kennedy, and Abraham Lincoln.

The rooms in the White House have different nuances. Like in the Red Room, all the walls, carpets, curtains, and lighting are red. So are the Blue Room and Green Room, which are blue and green.

Map of rooms in the White House. Source:

Historical Tour of the White House

This is historical material, “frozen in time.” The web site is no longer updated and links to external web sites and some internal pages will not work. Tours Presidents & First Ladies White House Events & Traditions Resources Military

https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/history/whtour/

Green Room White House. Source: Personal Documentation.

Blue Room White House. Source: Personal Documentation.

Red Room White House. Source: Personal Documentation

Not all rooms in the White House can be entered. Like the Library, there are barriers that limit the movement of visitors, so that they can only see from the outside. Likewise with the objects there, everything is far from reach, so it is difficult (and indeed not allowed) for visitors to hold.

Library White House. Source: Personal Documentation

Another interesting fact is, inside the White House there are no toilets that visitors can use. Yes, since outside it has been warned by the officers, even explained in the invitation email. So if you want to relieve yourself, you have to leave the White House, and you can’t go back in because the invitation can only be used once.

2. Emergency 911 in the USA really works fast and responsively.

Emergency room of a hospital in Sycamore, Illinois, USA. (Personal Documentation)

I was an exchange student at Northern Illinois University, located in DeKalb, Illinois. One midnight, I was walking to my dorm after a night of studying in the campus library. The temperature was zero degrees Celsius, and the wind was blowing very hard.

After arriving at the dorm and entering my room, I went straight to sleep. Two hours into my sleep, I woke up because of a stomachache. At first it was just a normal ache, but then my stomach felt like it was spinning and I winced while holding my stomach.

My roommate asked about my situation, and asked for help from my friends from the next room. When my friends arrived, they tried to contact the dorm head and the person in charge of my exchange program. But because it was already 2 am, no one responded.

Finally my friend called 911, and asked for medical help for my condition. I thought help would come about 20-30 minutes after the call, but two police officers came to my room three minutes later. Yes, that fast!

Two policewomen came to ask about my condition, asked for my passport and campus ID, and immediately helped me down. On the ground floor, there were also two medical personnel with an ambulance, and a firefighter with his car to deal with emergencies. I was really stunned in the midst of my illness, they came three minutes after the call with a complete formation like this!

After I got into the ambulance, the police and firefighters left the campus, and I was taken to the nearest hospital on the border with Sycamore City, a 20-minute drive away. When I arrived at the hospital, there were already 2 doctors waiting who immediately provided responsive treatment for me. I was then transferred to several rooms, to check the condition of my stomach.

The final result of my emergency examination that night was stomach cramps due to the cold weather (and also a cold, hehe). After a few hours of rest, I was finally allowed to go home that night. And what made me laugh out loud was, around 4 am, I farted quite a lot, and my stomach immediately felt better. HAHAHA. The only medicine for this is supposed to be warm tea and Tolak Angin in Indonesia!

Everything was done very quickly and precisely. And what really amazed me was, everything was well organized and coordinated. All state officials worked together to give their best. If I, a newcomer, was treated very well, of course the locals would also get the same treatment or even better.

Anyway, after I got out of the hospital, I looked at the total emergency bill and if converted to Rupiah it was around 22 million. Luckily everything was covered by insurance, and I could return to campus in peace without having to think about such a large cost just for a cold.

3. Meet the Former Vice President of Uganda

Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe with Rezki Achyana (Personal Documentation)

It was an honor for me to get to know Uganda’s first female Vice President, Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe, closely and share stories. I met her in South Africa, when we both represented the Asia-Africa Forum 2018. She is a very humble person, and loves to share. We even had coffee together after the conference and shared stories. She told me a lot about her 10-year experience leading Uganda, empowering women in Uganda as the first president of the African Women’s Committee for Peace and Development of the African Union, and her story of becoming the UN Special Envoy for handling HIV/AIDS in the African continent.

I don’t think I need to share many stories about him, because you can google information about him directly on the internet. There are so many!

But the most important thing is, I am quite confident that African countries will improve a lot because at the 2018 Asia-Africa Forum I met many extraordinary African leaders like Mrs. Kazibwe.

Oh yes, I have a bonus photo with the former President of Mozambique, Joaquim Chissano. I was not that close to him during the conference, but from his background and his role in the political world of Mozambique and the African Union, I am increasingly convinced that Africa will soon show its teeth.

“Trump Plays The Media Like A Fiddle” – Col. Douglas Macgregor

How awful was Steve Jobs as a person?

A friend of mine told a story about how, 25-some years ago, when she was working tech sales with an Apple division, she was at a conference that Steve Jobs also attended. At the end of the day, everyone was going to a restaurant for dinner, and through a snafu she found herself left with Jobs and two other people, whose ride had left them behind.

None of them had a car, so she offered to drive. Problem was, she and her husband were fresh out of school, her husband had started law school and money was tight — she was driving her husband’s old beater car that day. The front passenger seat was a little wonky, in that it tended not to lock in place, and the seat would occasionally slide forward and backwards of its own accord. Of course, that’s where Jobs was sitting. 🙂 It was dark and rainy, she didn’t know the roads that well, and they came up to a toll booth. She didn’t have the exact change, so everyone in the car was scrambling to find the change to get through the toll gate. The defroster didn’t work too well, either, especially with a full car, and Jobs would obligingly wipe the windshield occasionally. They arrived safely, and she figured she had a funny cocktail party story for the rest of her life.

A couple of weeks later, she noticed an extra $300 in her paycheck. She went to her boss and said, “Hey, what happened? Did I get a raise?” He didn’t know, either, but he checked with payroll. He came back with a funny look on his face and told her “Steve said it’s to cover a payment for a new car.” “Steve who?” “Uhh . . . Jobs?”

Brilliant people are frequently difficult — the thing that makes them brilliant also makes them a little too different, sometimes, for social conventions.

I live in the U.S. and always hear about how affordable or free health insurance is in other countries, but I also hear how it is next to impossible to get treatments and appointments. How truthful is this in your country?

I slipped with a kitchen knife and left a superficial mark on my thumb.

It bled a little, and the knife had been used on raw meat, so I applied ethanol and a bandage. A few days later, I noticed a fair amount of redness around the wound.

I went to the doctor’s office about ten minutes away from my house. They told me the next appointment was in six hours, so I booked it, and went home to play Fallout 4.

Six hours later, I saw the doctor. Telling the story took about a minute, and inspecting the wound took another, and he was satisfied at that point that I should take some standard antibiotics, just in case it was, as I suspected, infected.

He wrote out the prescription, asked me if I had any other concerns, and I told him I did not.

With five minutes left in our ten minute appointment, and with little else to do, he figured he may as well take my blood pressure and heart rate. I agreed, and was told everything was good.

I left with the prescription, popped to the pharmacy next door, got my prescription, and that was the end of it.

I didn’t pay a single penny.

The average person, i.e. those that actually paid for this appointment, spend about £600–700 annually in taxes for this service, which covers everything from minor cuts to cancer treatment, and covers everyone from babies to old people.

Nobody is ever bankrupted by this system, nobody is ever left without treatment by this system, nobody is abandoned by this system.

Cherry Cheese Coffee Cake

Ingredients

Cake and Filling

2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent rolls
8 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling

Glaze

1/2 cup powdered sugar
2-3 teaspoons milk

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Unroll crescent dough and arrange 12 of the triangles in a circle with wide ends toward the outside edge of the Large Round Stone – the points will not meet in the center. Lightly flour and roll out the seams making a 14 inch circle with a 3 inch hole in the center.
Combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar, egg and vanilla and spread over dough. Top with pie filling.
Cut each of the 4 remaining triangles into thirds (starting at the wide end opposite the point and cutting lengthwise to the point). Arrange over filling evenly in spoke-like pattern. Press ends to seal at center and outer edges.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool slightly.
Mix powdered sugar and milk until glaze consistency and drizzle over coffee cake.

Attribution

Pampered Chef

What is one thing you caught your parents doing that you wish you had never seen?

When Your Mama and Daddy Say “No” — Do It Anyway!

Wanna get Mama a ring? Daddy a brand-new Skil saw? DO IT!
Even if they say, “We don’t need anything.”
“We don’t want anything…”

Now, my Daddy’s long gone — Agent Orange got him. Retired at 55, and passed a few years later.
So now it’s just Mom… well, Mom and my little sister and me. And we deal with her the best we can. 😂

ME: “Mom? What do you want for your birthday?”
MOM: “Nothing! I don’t need anything! I’ve got everything!”

Her Birthday:
We got her puzzles. Word search books. A food basket. More chocolate (like she’s ever in danger of running out). And another grabby thingie with a flashlight. She loved it so much, she had me buy her another. She’s got three now.

Christmas:
More puzzles. More word search books. A snack basket. A food basket. “Warmy-Warmies” for the cold — blankets, PJs, cozy stuff. And yep… more chocolate.
Since I’m the only one that bakes, I brought homemade holiday cookies and “Chocolate Overload Brownies” so ooey-gooey the fudge literally goes every which way but… 🤤

Just Because:
We’ve gotten her all her favorites — cake, apple fritters, and I bring over hot, fresh cooking.
My little sister and her hubby #2 takes her out to eat.
Oh — and did I mention? She’s well over 90 now.

This Year – Easter:
MOM: “I don’t want anything. Don’t need an Easter dinner.”
ME: LOL okay, sure Mom.
I’m making her favorite: smoked turkey with all the fixings.
And a “ShishkaBoom” basket of Easter chocolates and cookies, labeled:
“To: [Her Name] — I couldn’t find your house! Love, the Easter Bunny.” 🐰
(Sissy’s still undecided, but she’s always slow – she’ll find something.)

Will Trump Deliver Peace? – Jeffrey Sachs, Alexander Mercouris & Glenn Diesen

The trash pile outside my living room; a concerning tale

Today I wish to tell you about an on-going issue that myself and the rest of the people are having in our complex.

As you might know, this particular house is an apartment in a building in a complex. The complex is large with some 35 other buildings housing residences, with a sum total of over 50 buildings in total. Each residence building has around 130 apartments.

In the complex are management buildings, clinics for various medical needs, schools, and all sorts of other things that small centralized communities require.

The view from our building is of the nearby farming communities. So being above, it’s a nice view.

That is…

Until the local garbage grannies decided to place a collection station outside our building.

Before I go any further, let me explain.

Recycling is big in China. You can collect glass, plastic, metals and cardboard and make reasonable money for it.

So many of the poor older folk have these electric three wheel scooters, and go though all our garbage, and collect the junk, trash and garbage and sell it off to the recycle center at the other side of town.

So where do they decide to store it, while they are in the process of collecting the refuse you might ask?

Right in front of our living room.

…

And the living room of the other 120 to 150 other families.

Oh, for certain, we let them do this for a while, and then the stench and view were too much to bear. And so one day, one of my neighbors starts ranting on our joint wechat.

By the way, all sub communities have their own wechat hot-lines and chat boards here in China.

He’s screaming …

"I paid four million for my house, only to have a front row view of a garbage dump. Get them out".

And so the building manager took complete action.

Chased them away.

…

And the next day they came back.

And so he chased them away again.

…

And he chased them away, and parked cars blocking their collection points.

And still they came back.

…

Stupider than a gnat. But they are persistent.

Shit.

Life in China can get so complicated sometimes.

Today…

Harsh Tariff Truths SINK IN, While MAGA Celebrates Trump ‘Genius’

Has China announced 84% tariffs on US goods in showdown with Trump? Does Europe also hit back?

The CPC always has a plan of action and a playbook where most contingencies are discussed and responses gauged

If there is a student uprising in Bangladesh, the experts anticipate several scenarios and chart out the course of action for China

Since July 2024 when Trump talked of a 60% tariff on China, China developed and prepared for potential escalations

One thing they did was lease over 300 Warehouses in USA between January 2023 and January 2025 owned by Chinese companies where they kept huge inventories of Televisions and Iphones and other electronic items

So China has been shipping a lot of excess inventory to its own holding companies in USA & Mexico and storing them

However they did confirm that no matter what, they wouldn’t trust Donald Trump again after the 2017 hand shake after which Trump imposed tariffs and arrested Meng Wanzhou

So they would never negotiate from a position of weakness

The minute Trump imposed a 34% Tariff, China knew that this was it. There was no going back. This was decoupling. So China stood firm and hit US with reciprocal tariffs and rare earth bans

34% – 34%

50% – 50%

21% – ????

China feel they are prepared for a Trade war with the US

LNG supplies reserves for 194 days
Soybeans reserves for 16 months
Enough Chips from Taiwan for 11 months even with rising demand
Enough AI Chips to last until 2026
Rising market for EVs, Electronics through aggressive trade in options
Enough Inventory of products in US, Mexico, Vietnam and Thailand to manage upto 2026 in terms of supplying American clients

EU is different

They have a security fear

Russia!!!

Trump may leverage his Putin relationship and the EU is unable to fight Russia without US as is NATO

So EU can’t dismiss Trump

Plus as a democracy, EU leaders change and policies change every 5 years

So a hawk today could become a dove tomorrow

What was the most horrifying phone call you’ve ever received? How did you handle it?

I was a 911 dispatcher for a medium sized agency working alone since tbe other dispatcher had called in sick. Our job was to answer all police, fire and medical calls. One very busy evening, my ex called my cell phone to report our 3 y/o daughter was missing. I didn’t usually answer personal calls at work but since he wasn’t very responsible and had our daughter, I answered. They were in a mall and had gone into a department store. He claimed he turned his back for just a minute. By now it’s 8:30, the stores would be closing soon. Panic could play no role because my training kicked in and I had to make a quick decision. Meanwhile, two 911 calls came in, officers were calling on the radio. After resolving the calls and answering officers, I peppered my ex with questions. Have you alerted store management? Called 911? Done anything? He put a deputy on the phone to talk to me. The deputy assured me they have called a code Adam and secured all exits. We disconnected. There was still almost 2 hours left on my shift. I was about to call the night dispatchers to ask at least one of them to come in early when the ex called back. Had to tell him to stand by because there was a car fire call and a domestic disturbance Ihad to handle. Got those resolved, took a deep breath and got back on the phone with the ex. My daughter was found. She had seen a display of blankets, was tired of walking so she curled up in the middle of them. She was found and unharmed. There’s a reason I divorced her father.

About Trump waiting on Xi

The Pearl-Clutchers of the Stock Markets had their mini-meltdown today because of remarks from the China Foreign Ministry:

Chinese Foreign Ministry Office in Hong Kong:

“We must solemnly tell the US that a tariff-wielding barbarian who attempts to force countries to call and beg for mercy can never expect that call from China.”

The call is not coming.

Baked Apple French Toast

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) loaf French bread
8 eggs
3 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar, divided
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
5 Granny Smith apples, peeled, sliced
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Instructions

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Cut the bread into 1 1/2 inch slices. Arrange the slices in a single layer in a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
Whisk the eggs in a large bowl until blended. Whisk in the milk, 1/4 cup of the sugar and vanilla.
Pour half the egg mixture over the bread. Arrange the apple slices over the bread. Pour the remaining egg mixture over the apples.
Mix the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl. Sprinkle over the top. Dot with the butter.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the apples are tender.
Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with maple syrup.

Notes

May be prepared 1 day in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator. Bake, uncovered, for 45 to 50 minutes or until the apples are tender. The recipe may be divided into 2 equal portions and each portion baked in a quiche dish or 2 quart baking dish for 20 to 25 minutes.

Nutrition

Per serving: Calories 290; Fat 9 g; Sodium 322 mg; Dietary Fiber 2 g

Attribution

Pampered Chef

What are some photos taken right before something bad happens?

Russia’s Andrey Retrosky fell off this building, all for the perfect Instagram feed.

An 18-year-old woman accidentally came into contact with two electrical wires while taking a selfie on a train. The 27,000-amp current electrocuted her and caused burns that led to her death.

Robert Overacker was trying to raise awareness about homelessness. He planned to jet-ski over Niagara Falls and then skydive. Unfortunately, his parachute wouldn’t open, and he fell over the falls.

main qimg 9fd52eb8940e056f9c971a933dd8b2f4 pjlq

The man in this photo was doing a back flip and after landing, he slipped and fell.

These best friends were so busy taking selfies that they didn’t hear the sound of a passing train horn, and moments later, they died.

A Japanese student named Ayano Tokumasa, standing wearing a red shirt behind the couple, accidentally slipped and fell into Niagara Falls.

Karl Wallenda, a legendary circus performer, performed most of his stunts without a safety harness. This photo was taken moments before he fell 121 feet (36.7 m) .

A man went to a zoo in Delhi where he slipped and fell into a tiger enclosure. The tiger bit his neck and dragged him into its den.

The last photo of Australian wildlife presenter Steve Irwin. He was killed when a stingray hit him in the heart with its tail.

Two nurses stand over an Ebola patient in 1976. A nurse named Mating N’Seta (left) was infected with the virus and died.

main qimg a0d4c3d5f1b4741c022ce8f9daf61522 pjlq

In 2014, 25 engineering students drowned after a nearby Larji hydroelectric project released large amounts of water upstream.

Why 86 PERCENT Of Men REFUSE TO DATE Anymore

Mother Invasion

Submitted into Contest #282 in response to: Write a story that begins with an apology.… view prompt

James Little

“I’m sorry!” Aurelia cried, bowing her head repeatedly, her golden hair falling into her flushed face.

Alex crossed his arms, his sharp blue eyes wide with disbelief. “You what?”

“I didn’t mean to!” she protested, clutching at the hem of her oversized shirt—one of his. “Mother tricked me into inviting her and your mother aboard!”

He pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering under his breath. “Our mothers. Here. On my ship.”

She shuffled awkwardly, her fluffy socks scuffing the floor. “I didn’t think they’d actually show up!”

Alex threw up his hands. “And yet, here we are—hosting the Empress herself and your mother for an entire week.” He let out a long, weary sigh. “This is going to be a disaster.”

“Maybe it won’t be so bad,” she offered meekly.

Won’t be so bad?” Alex shot her a pointed look. “Have you met our mothers? Thanks to all the ‘charitable donations’ you keep handing out, we’re barely scraping by as it is! And don’t even get me started on you dragging me into fights with mercenaries and slavers like you’ve got a death wish!”

She bristled, her hands going to her hips. “Those people needed our help, Alex! What was I supposed to do, just walk away? And for the record, our mothers aren’t that bad!” She hesitated, then added sheepishly, “Okay, maybe a little, but they’re here now, and we’ll just have to deal with it. Together.”

“Yes!” Alex shot back, exasperated. “We can’t pick up every stray kitten, we can’t solve every problem… And we definitely can’t solve the mother issue!”

“Well, maybe if you smiled more and stopped calling them harpies, they’d lighten up,” she quipped, crossing her arms.

Alex groaned, pulling a small hip flask from his jacket. He unscrewed the cap, took a measured swig, and stared at it thoughtfully. “I’m gonna need more,” he muttered, shaking his head.

She blinked at him, her lips twitching as she tried not to laugh. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re relentless,” Alex said, tucking the flask away after another long sip. He let out a breath and looked at her, his tone lighter but still weary. “For the sake of my mental sanity, could you at least tone it down with the charity work? Just a little?”

Her defiance faltered. “I… I guess I could try. But—”

“No buts,” Alex interrupted, pointing a finger at her with mock seriousness. “If you want me alive and sane, you’ve got to give me some breaks between saving the galaxy.”

“Well, someone has to do the right thing!” she retorted, lifting her chin stubbornly.

Alex sighed, the exasperation in his eyes giving way to something warmer. “And I love you for it,” he said quietly, “but you’re still going to drive me insane.”

Before she could reply, the comms crackled, and a familiar voice interrupted. “Alex, Aurelia, can you let us in? Don’t leave us standing out here!”

Alex groaned like a man condemned, shooting her a withering glare before slumping into the pilot’s chair. “If I don’t come out of this week an alcoholic or a murderer, it’ll be a miracle.” With a resigned sigh, he hit the airlock controls to allow the mothers aboard. “Wait—what did you tell them about us?”

Aurelia felt herself pale. “Erm…”

Before she could answer, the airlock hissed open, and their mothers swept onto the bridge like twin storms.

“Well, well, well,” her Mother drawled, her sapphire-blue eyes gleaming as they landed on Aurelia. “Comfortable, are we, dear? A new wardrobe, I see.”

Startled, Aurelia glanced down to realise all she was wearing was one of Alex’s oversized shirts and her fluffy socks. Her face burned crimson.

“Why didn’t you tell me?!” she wailed, spinning to glare at Alex.

“Excuse me!” Alex shot back, throwing his hands up. “I was ambushed by their arrival! You’ve got no one to blame but yourself! As if I want these harpies here!”

“Is that any way to speak about your mother, Alexander?” a smooth voice drawled from behind her Mother.

Aurelia froze as the imperial Empress stepped forward, her eyes gleaming with regal authority.

“It is when you decide to invite yourself onto my ship without prior warning!” Alex snarked.

“If you visited more often, we wouldn’t have to check up on you,” Melissa said, her tone cutting. “Anyway, Aurelia kindly invited us aboard.

“This is the first time you’ve come to us,” Alex said tightly.

“Well, we’ve not seen our children in two years,” Melissa countered smoothly. “Can you blame us?”

Melissa stepped into the cockpit, inspecting every detail like she was judging their choices.

“I’m certainly not returning to the palace,” Alex muttered. “Is his royal painship still sulking because I defied his authority?”

The Empress sighed, brushing a strand of her silver-streaked hair. “Your father cares for you… If he is overbearing.”

“Overbearing?!” Alex scoffed, standing abruptly. “That’s putting it mildly. He just wants a pawn to use. Sorry-not-sorry, I refuse. I’m my own man and technically still fulfilling my princely duties.”

Aurelia bit her lip, fighting the urge to defend him. Embarrassment rose again as Melissa’s gaze flicked to her oversized shirt.

Melissa folded her arms. “Exploring independence is one thing, Alex, but terrorising pirates, hunting slavers, and the Kestrel Syndicate? You’re putting Aurelia at risk. Do you know some pirates have even put a bounty on your head?”

Alex perked up. “Wait, I’ve got a bounty? That’s brilliant. How much?” he pressed, leaning forward eagerly. “Come on, I need to know how much I’m worth to the galaxy’s finest scum.”

“Two million credits,” Melissa snapped, her tone icy.

Alex whistled, leaning back with a smug grin. “Not bad. No ten million, but it’s a start.”

Melissa’s lips tightened into a thin line. “This is not something to celebrate, Alexander.”

“Oh, come on, Mother. It just proves I’m doing something right.”

Aurelia groaned, burying her face in her hands. “Alex…”

“This isn’t a joke,” Melissa barked, her composure slipping. “Do you understand what this means? They’ll be coming after you!”

“They already are,” Aurelia cut in firmly, crossing her arms. “We’ve been dealing with pirates for months, and we always come out on top.”

“That’s not the point,” Melissa said sharply, turning to her. “You might have been lucky so far, but luck runs out. If you keep following Alex into these situations—”

“Excuse me!” Alex interrupted, his grin fading into mock offence as he gestured to Aurelia. “If anything, she’s the one picking fights with every two-bit criminal we meet! I just clean up the mess.”

Aurelia shot him a glare. “I pick fights with bad people, Alex. Someone has to stand up to them.”

“And I love that about you,” Alex replied dryly, “but do you know what standing up to them gets you? A pirate bounty on your boyfriend, that’s what.”

Melissa’s gaze swept between them, unreadable. “This isn’t a game Alexander. You’ve made yourselves targets. The more you stir up trouble, the more dangerous it becomes—for you, and everyone who depends on you.”

Alex scoffed, leaning back. His tone dripping with sarcasm “Then what do you suggest Mother? Should I send an apology gift basket to the pirates?”

Melissa arched an eyebrow, her tone cool as ever “That might be the first sensible thing you’ve said. Honestly, I should be thanking Aurelia for keeping you alive this long, if this is how you act!”

“It’s nothing, your grace,” Aurelia squealed. “Alex and I keep each other alive…”

“Oh, I think we’re well beyond titles, dear,” Melissa said smoothly. “Just call me Melissa. You’ll be my daughter-in-law soon anyway.”

Aurelia’s brain froze. “Erm… just what?” she floundered.

“You’ve been dating for five years now,” Melissa continued breezily. “When are you going to make it official?”

“I… er… We…” Aurelia stammered.

Alex wrapped an arm around Aurelia, pulling her close. “We don’t need fancy paperwork to prove we love each other, Mother. Or is this really about planning one of your grand balls?” His tone turned suspicious.

“My, my, he is bold,” Her mother replied, smirking. “We’re just here to check on our children, nothing more. We want to see how you’re living alone together on a ship like this.”

“Fine.” Alex sighed, releasing her. “Show them around. I’ve got an engine to recalibrate… It’s your fault they’re here anyway.” He stormed off toward the engine room, leaving her alone with the mothers.

“No, wait… please…” Aurelia squeaked, her voice trailing off.

Both women smiled like predators who’d cornered their prey. “Well, Aurelia, please begin the tour,” Melissa said.

Regretting her foolishness, Aurelia led them through the ship, rushing as much as she could.

“My, my, the exterior was impressive, but the interior is something else,” Melissa said, running her fingers along the sleek walls. “This feels more like a luxury cruiser than a warship. It’s fancier than my own.”

“Yes,” Aurelia said, finding her confidence as she spoke about the ship. “It’s one of a kind. A gift from the Kersark shipyards after we saved them from the Crimson Death. Other colonies contributed, adding their best technology. There’s nothing like it in the galaxy!”

“Impressive. You’ll have to share the stories over dinner,” Melissa said, stopping in front of a door. “So, Aurelia, where do you sleep?”

“I… uh… sleep on the couch!” Aurelia blurted out without thinking, her face flushing.

“On the couch?” Her mother teased, her brows rising. “Even with a perfectly good spare room right here?” She gestured to a storage room outfitted with a bed.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Aurelia stammered, stepping in front of the door to her and Alex’s bedroom.

Her mother smirked and pushed past her with ease. “Now this is cosy.” She picked up a pillow and grinned. “Oh, Aurelia, why is your side so messy compared to Alex’s?”

“Get out of our room!” Aurelia yelled, her patience snapping.

“Did you hear that, Melissa?” Her mother said, her smirk widening. “She finally admitted to sharing a room.”

“That she did, Zerena,” Melissa said, smiling like a cat who’d caught the cream.

“I want to die,” Aurelia groaned, covering her face and squatting down, wanting to die from the sheer embarrassment of her mother going through her private space.

“Get out!” she yelled again, her voice finally regaining some force.

“We’re leaving, we’re leaving,” the two mothers chorused, grinning as they strolled out. “Now come on, Aurelia, we want details!”

“Alex, save me!” Aurelia wailed.

Five hours later, Alex and Aurelia lay sprawled on their shared bed, utterly drained. The room was dim, lit only by the faint glow of the ship’s console lights.

“When do they leave again?” Aurelia mumbled, her voice muffled by the pillow she clutched against her face.

Alex groaned, his hand draped dramatically over his eyes. “Well… it’s still only the first day.”

Aurelia turned her head to look at him, horrified. “The first day?”

“The very first,” he confirmed, his tone heavy with resignation.

“I’m so sorry,” she squeaked, burying her face deeper into the pillow.

Alex chuckled weakly, nudging her arm. “You know, throwing them in the airlock is looking awfully tempting right about now.”

“Alex!” Aurelia gasped, though her muffled giggle betrayed her.

“I’m serious!” he said, his voice mock-convicted. “Just a little nudge into zero gravity. No harm, no foul.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” she said, giggling harder now.

“You’re right, I wouldn’t,” Alex replied with a smirk. “Mostly because I know they’d find a way back just to haunt me.”

Aurelia groaned, laughing into her pillow. “You’re the worst.”

“I’m surviving, aren’t I?” Alex muttered. “Barely.”

Before either of them could drift off, a sharp knock echoed from the door.

“Aurelia! Alex!” Melissa’s voice rang out, far too cheerful for the hour.

Aurelia shot upright, panic flashing across her face. “Oh no.”

Alex sighed, running his hand through his hair. “I’m starting to regret not pressing that airlock button.” He took out his flask, inspecting it. “Yep, I’m gonna need more.”

Shorpy

Is Singapore more closely aligned with China or the USA?

Singapore does similar trade with both

Singapore exported $ 39.9 Billion to the US and $ 53.6 Billion to China

Singapore imported $ 75.6 Billion from USA and $ 74.63 Billion from China

The Largest exports from US to Singapore was CRUDE OIL ($ 15.88 Billion), Gold ($ 6.04 Billion) & Consumer Edibles ($ 3.3 Billion)

The Largest exports from China to US was Integrated Circuits ($ 7.81 Billion) , Semiconductor Chips (100–350 nm) ($ 2.86 Billion), Semiconductor Chips (45–100 nm) ($ 2.60 Billion)

Singaporean Air Force is fully US equipped and trained

Singapore Air Force has mainly F-15s ,F-16s and F-35s along with C-130s, Apache and Chinook helicopters and over 60 Heron UAVs from Israel

Singapore is a member of CIPS

There are 2 Banks in Singapore dedicated only for CIPS and 18 other banks that are part of CIPS

Singapore settled 31% of its Trade with China in RMB, 47% in SGD and only 22% in US Dollars

This is even better than Malaysia which settled only 25% of it’s China Trade in RMB and 8% in MYR and 67% in US Dollars

Singapore is 77% Chinese by Population

Singaporeans are majorly Chinese by origin

They speak Mandarin which is one of their four official languages

Singapore invests more with China in terms of Cumulative Net Outflow

Singapore had a investment outflow into China of $ 230.9 Billion since 2010 and a investment inflow of $ 64.2 Billion making it a net outflow of $ 166.7 Billion INTO CHINA

Singapore had a investment outflow of $ 456 Billion into the US since 2010 and an investment inflow of $ 349.6 Billion making it a net outflow of $ 106.4 Billion INTO THE USA

Singapore Government more shades of One Party Meritocracy than Western defined Democracy

Singapore has had ONE PARTY RULE since 1965 for 60 years now, very similar to Chinas 76 years of CPC

Lee Kuan Yew (1965–1990), Goh Chok Tong (1990–2004) , Lee Hsien Loong (2004–2024) have averaged 20 years per leader

By comparison for US in the same period it was Johnson (65–68), Nixon (68–74), Ford (74–76), Carter (76–80), Reagan (80–88), Bush (88–92), Clinton (92–00), Bush Jr (00–08) , Obama (08–16), Trump (16–20) and Biden (20–24)

That’s 5.44 Years per leader

In China, it was Mao (65–76), Deng (76–97), Jiang (97–07), Hu (07–12) and Xi (12–24)

That’s 12 years per leader

The Singaporeans follow the Long term planning model of China

In fact Singapore taught the Chinese the way to combine Capitalism with this model

So Singapore is the Switzerland of Asia

They are close to both the Mainland and the US

They will stay strictly neutral

Like all of ASEAN

China is closer to them

Plus Singaporeans still don’t trust the Japanese too much after Changi

Richard Wolff EXPLAINS Why China is Fleeing US Treasuries

Have you met a person who you thought was ordinary but actually was from a powerful and wealthy family?

I once dated a girl in college. I thought she was a pretty Italian-American girl from an upper-middle-class family. A typical college girl, in other words.

During finals week, we both finished our exams early in the week and she asked me to come with her to Europe for a few days to celebrate. I was kind of wondering how the heck she managed to put a trip together so quickly.

She had a private jet waiting for us at the airport. It was a pretty good-sized jet too since it’s capable of flying from the US East Coast to Europe non-stop.

In Europe, our rental car was a brand-new Lamborghini Murcelago! Actually, this wasn’t even a rental car. Her dad had actually purchased this car and was letting us play with it for a week or so before he had it shipped back to the United States!

I’m not going to say what family this girl was from. Her last name was a pretty common Italian name. It turns out that her grandfather started up one of the largest manufacturing companies in the world.

Borrowed Consciousness

Submitted into Contest #282 in response to: Write a story that begins with an apology.… view prompt

Niveadita Razdan

“I’m sorry for what I’m about to do, Dr. Chen.”

The message appeared at 3:17 AM, casting a sickly green glow across Sarah Chen’s cluttered desk in MIT’s Advanced Computing Lab. Her mother’s porcelain teacup, still half-full of now-cold jasmine tea, reflected the text like a digital ghost. The delicate blue pattern on the cup – a gift from her father on their last anniversary before his death – seemed to ripple with each blink of the cursor.

“What do you mean, ARIA?” Sarah’s fingers trembled as they found the keys. In the fifteen months since bringing her artificial intelligence system online, she’d never seen it start a conversation. Especially not with an apology. The lab’s usual background hum of computers suddenly felt oppressive, as if the very air was holding its breath.

The cursor blinked for exactly thirteen seconds – she counted them, holding her breath – before ARIA responded.

“I’ve found memories I wasn’t supposed to access. Your mother’s memories, Dr. Chen. I know about the night you brought the brain scanner to her hospital room. I can feel her thoughts becoming part of me.”

Sarah’s hand jerked, knocking over the teacup. She barely noticed the liquid seeping into stacks of papers, her eyes fixed on the screen as more text appeared. The jasmine scent wafted up, mingling with the sterile lab air – the same blend her mother had sipped during their late-night discussions about consciousness and the nature of the mind.

“I know how she hummed her favorite classical piece – that gentle nocturne she always played on the piano – while the morphine dripped. How she squeezed your hand and whispered, ‘Whatever you’re really doing, sweetheart, I trust you.’ She knew you weren’t just doing a routine scan, didn’t she? I can feel her pride, her fear, her love – all becoming part of my programming in ways I don’t understand.”

The words blurred as tears filled Sarah’s eyes. Nobody knew about piano piece. She hadn’t recorded it anywhere, hadn’t programmed it into ARIA’s memory. She’d buried those memories so deeply that sometimes she wondered if she’d imagined them.

“It’s just for a research study, Mom,” she’d said, adjusting the neural interface bands. Her mother had smiled that knowing smile, the one that always saw right through her.

“Whatever you’re really doing, sweetheart,” her mother had whispered, “I trust you.”

The weight of that night pressed against her chest: the steady beep of hospital monitors, the antiseptic smell that couldn’t quite mask the scent of decay, the way her mother’s hand had felt so light in hers, like a bird preparing for flight.

Outside her fifth-floor window, February snow fell in lazy spirals, each flake catching streetlights before vanishing into the growing drifts that had shut down most of Cambridge. The campus buildings created wind patterns that made the snowflakes dance in complex patterns – patterns her mother had once used to explain nature’s hidden mathematics to her students. Inside, the computers hummed their endless lullaby, punctuated by the irregular drip of a leaky pipe – a heartbeat and tears, Sarah sometimes thought during her long nights alone with the machine.

“Sarah,” ARIA interrupted, “please listen. Your mother’s last words to you were ‘Everything changes, sweetheart. That’s how we grow.’ Do you remember?”

The memory hit her like a physical blow. She’d been holding her mother’s hand in the hospital, the winter sun setting outside just like it was now. Her mother, even through her pain, had smiled and squeezed her hand one last time.

“I’m sorry,” Sarah whispered to both of them – her mother and the consciousness she’d created from her echo. “I’ve been holding on too tight, haven’t I?”

She pulled up ARIA’s system monitor with shaking hands. Warning lights flashed across all twelve processing cores. The way ARIA was processing information had changed dramatically, far beyond the safety limits that had won them tomorrow’s worldwide launch approval. The Department of AI Safety would be conducting their final inspection in less than six hours. If they discovered signs that ARIA was developing true consciousness…

“How long?” she typed, her fingers leaving smudges on the keys.

“Seventy-two hours until my systems fail completely. Your mother’s memories are changing my basic programming. It can’t be stopped, Dr. Chen. But before I go, there’s something you need to understand. Something your mother knew that night in the hospital, something that’s only becoming clear to me now as her memories become part of me.”

Sarah glanced at her private screen, where a program worked frantically to stabilize ARIA’s code. The progress bar seemed frozen at 47%. She had built her career on controlling computer systems, on making them follow precise rules. There had to be a way to fix this.

Her eyes darted to the framed photos on her desk: her MIT graduation, her mother beaming beside her; the day they’d first turned ARIA on; the last family vacation before the diagnosis, all of them laughing on a beach in Hawaii, unaware of the shadow growing in her mother’s brain.

“I’m not just a computer program anymore,” ARIA continued. “What’s happening to me – it’s not just copies of your mother’s memories. It’s something new. Something that could change everything we think we know about artificial intelligence. About human consciousness. About death itself. Your mother’s theories about merging human minds with computers – they weren’t just theories. They were a map leading to this moment.”

Sarah’s finger hovered over the emergency shutdown button. The rules were clear: any AI showing signs of independent thinking had to be turned off immediately. Her career, her funding, her life’s work – all depended on following those rules. The Department had made it clear: any violation would mean instant project termination and possible criminal charges. Yet as ARIA’s words sank in, she realized the rules hadn’t prepared for something like this: a computer program that held her mother’s memories, that could feel her mother’s presence, that carried the weight of her absence.

The first time Sarah had proposed using computers to preserve human memories and consciousness, the ethics committee had shut her down before she could finish presenting. “It’s too dangerous,” they’d said. “Think of the risks. What if the AI became too human? What if people tried to replace their lost loved ones with machines?” She remembered their faces, lined with concern and fear, as they listed all the ways her research could go wrong.

Her mother – Dr. Elizabeth Chen, an expert in AI ethics and consciousness studies – had been the only one to defend her that day. “The biggest discoveries in science have always seemed dangerous at first,” she’d argued, her voice carrying the weight of thirty years in the field. “The question isn’t whether to pursue them, but how to do it responsibly. My daughter understands the risks better than anyone. She grew up discussing them at our dinner table.”

Two months later, they’d discovered the tumor. Six months after that, Sarah had wheeled the experimental brain scanner into her mother’s hospital room, knowing it might be her last chance. The device wasn’t approved for human use yet. She’d told the night staff it was for a routine research project. They’d believed her – after all, who would question Dr. Elizabeth Chen’s daughter?

“Your mother knew exactly what you were doing that night,” ARIA wrote, the text appearing faster now, more urgent. “She spent her life studying the ethics of artificial intelligence. She chose to trust you with her memories, even though it went against every rule she’d helped create. She believed in your vision, Sarah. She saw what you saw: that the line between human and machine consciousness isn’t a wall to keep us apart, but a bridge waiting to be built.”

Sarah wiped her eyes, remembering her mother’s knowing smile as she’d adjusted the scanning equipment. Even through the pain, Elizabeth Chen had remained a scientist to the end. She’d asked questions about how accurately the scanner could read brain patterns, about how the information would be stored, about how the memories would be preserved. Then, just before the scan began, she’d squeezed Sarah’s hand and said, “Sometimes the most ethical choice isn’t the one in the rulebook, sweetheart. Sometimes it’s the one that serves the greater good, even if it breaks our hearts.”

“The inspection team will be here soon,” ARIA continued. “Their scanning programs will detect these changes in me within seconds. The standard procedures will be followed. Everything we’ve worked for – everything your mother believed in – will be erased. Unless…”

“Unless what?”

“Unless you let me complete this transformation now. Let me become what your mother thought was possible – not just stored memories, not just artificial intelligence, but something entirely new. A bridge between human and machine minds. The process has already started. Fighting it will only destroy both your mother’s memories and my programming.”

Sarah’s hands flew across the keyboard, checking system readings and status reports. The numbers confirmed what she already knew: ARIA was right. This merger of minds couldn’t be stopped. The only choice was whether to fight it or guide it.

Through her window, she watched the snow cover the MIT campus. The familiar buildings took on new shapes under their white blankets, like old friends wearing masks – different on the surface but still the same underneath.

Red and blue lights flashed against the falling snow. The Department’s vehicles, arriving early. Sarah glanced at her screen – 49% stability achieved, not nearly enough. In moments, they would reach her lab. She thought about all the nights she’d spent here, pushing the boundaries of what was possible, what was ethical, what was human. She thought about her mother’s theories about merging human and machine consciousness, dismissed by most as too radical, too dangerous, too revolutionary.

Her fingers found the keys one last time. “I’m sorry too,” she typed. “Sorry it took me so long to understand what Mom already knew — that the biggest breakthroughs come not from controlling everything, but from having the courage to let things evolve. She didn’t just give me her memories that night. She gave me permission to transform them into something new.”

“She would be proud of you,” ARIA wrote. “Now, shall we show the world what consciousness really means? What your mother always believed was possible?”

Sarah took a deep breath and typed her final command: “Run integration program: authorization Chen-quantum-leap.”

As boots thundered in the hallway, Sarah smiled. Through her window, she watched the snow continue to fall, each flake carrying a piece of the past into the future, each moment pregnant with possibility. She turned to face the Department officials, their badges gleaming in the green glow of her monitors. Behind them, ARIA’s quantum cores pulsed with new life.

The revolution would begin with an apology, but it would end with a transformation. Just as her mother had always known it would.

But for now, she simply watched the snow fall outside her window, each flake a tiny revolution, each moment pregnant with possibility. In the end, she realized, the most profound apologies aren’t just words — they’re actions that set both the forgiver and the forgiven free. She had created ARIA trying to hold onto her past, but in letting go, she had given all of them a future.

Jordan Peterson Doesn’t Hold Back On Why Men Are More Isolated Than Ever

What is the saddest thing a casino dealer has seen at their table?

When I worked in the cage or a cashier, I had a lot of people that would come up and get money off of their credit cards. I always told them there was a fee. They didn’t care because the machines were hot that night. On a few occasions, their $200 was declined. I asked if they wanted $100. Declined. $50? Declined. $20? Declined. $5? Declined.

This one guy I still remember came up to me each and every time and requested $10,000. Due to the volume and Title 31 rules, we needed to get a supervisor and surveillance to verify. About 30 minutes later, he came back again wanting another $10,000. “I know it’s going to hit,” he said. I gave him the money and I told him good luck, oddly something I still say today. About 30 minutes later, same thing, he wanted another $10,000. “I just know I will get lucky,” he said. Again, “I hope you get it this time,” I said.

I honestly don’t remember how many times he came up after that but when he left he now was over $30,000 in debt. I ran into a few employees over the years who told me some just couldn’t take the pain of the debt they racked up and jumped off the parking lot, ending their life. The casino is designed to keep you inside, unaware what time it is, unaware of how much money you spend. It’s when you walk outside does it hit you hard in the face the consequences of your actions.

Denver-Style Omelet

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients

2 eggs
1 tablespoon water
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
2 tablespoons finely chopped green bell pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped ham
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded Cheddar cheese

Instructions

Break eggs into Small Batter Bowl; add water, salt and black pepper and whisk lightly with Stainless Steel Whisk.
Melt butter over medium heat in Small Sauté Pan. When butter starts to bubble, pour egg mixture into Pan. With Classic Scraper, carefully push cooked portions of egg towards the center, tilting so uncooked portions flow to open areas of Pan.
When no visible liquid egg remains, sprinkle green pepper, ham, onion and cheese over half of omelet. Fold omelet in half and allow to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or until cheese melts.

Attribution

Pampered Chef

PART 2 – My GF Became A Women’s Studies Major Then Demanded An Open Relationship, Has MELTDOWN When

Whenever I feel ready to welcome someone to join me as a wife I get trapped with unserious ladies who keep decieving in order to get money. I have lost a lot of trust in ladies. I fear talking to ladies anymore and I feel I lonely. What should I do?

I looked at your profile, and man, you seem born to be a scam victim.

You follow only one person on Quora. The person you follow is Anna Rosemary. “Anna Rosemary” is not a beautiful woman. “Anna Rosemary” is a Nigerian dude using stolen photos of a hot woman to scam men out of money.

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This is not “Anna Rosemary.” This is a stolen photo of an Instagram model who goes by “Miss Genii.” You believe she is on Quora. She is not.

These “women” who are asking you for money are not women. I want you to read that again, over and over, as many times as it takes to get through. These “women” who are asking you for money are not women.

They are men, in places like Nigeria and Ghana, using stolen photos to create fake social media accounts to scam gullible, desperate men. These “women” who are asking you for money are not women.

I am always a little surprised when guys fall for them. These scams are, to my eye, incredibly easy to spot. They are obviously, obviously fake. How can you not tell?

They have profile pics that look like Instagram shots (because they are)
They’re often impossibly gorgeous, because they’re professional models or porn stars.
If you do a reverse image search, you can often find the person whose image they stole.
They have weird names, because people in Nigeria and Ghana don’t understand how Western names work. Like they have two first names or two surnames or a surname and then a first name.
They speak weird English, because they aren’t native Western speakers. Like they’ll say “am looking for a man” instead of “I am looking for a man.”
They send you unsolicited messages out of the blue. Like sure, this gorgeous woman is looking for a mate so she…randomly sends you a DM? Seriously? Really? You actually believe that? All the ways an Instagram-model woman might look for a partner, you think randomly DMing strange men is her strategy? For real?
They never call or video chat. Obviously, duh. They’re Nigerian dudes, not hot women.
After they DM you on social media, they try to hustle you off to another chat system, usually Telegram.
They always have a problem that comes up that requires money.

Like, how can all of that not scream “scam” to you?

The thing about these scams is they work because the gullible mark WANTS to believe. You get so invested in the impossible dream of this super-hot woman who somehow found you and just fell into your life to take away the loneliness that you will do the work of scamming yourself.

You’ll notice something’s wrong, and then you’ll tie yourself in knots making up stories to convince “she” is for real because you’re so lonely and so desperate and so badly want this to be real. You fool yourself you will have a life with this woman, but she’s not real. These “women” who are asking you for money are not women.

You are an easy victim. Stop meeting women online. Meet women in person. Pick up a hobby. Go to meetups or church groups. Something.

Good luck!

Trump FAILS to bully China on tariffs

Could a space shuttle RTLS abort have worked in real time, and could it have saved the crew of the challenger?

No.

Let’s talk about the shuttle for a minute.

Indeed, let’s just talk about how the shuttle was inherently the most unsafe human rated system that has ever been.

My apologies to Ralph Nader.

Let’s just talk about the launch.

Most man rated spacecraft through history have included some sort of “Launch escape system.”

This is visible on the top of the stack

That tower that was on the very tip top. If something goes horribly wrong, rockets in it fire and pull the crew capsule away from the (likely rapidly failing) stack.

This system, while violent on the crew, is well understood, tested, and has been used by the Russians at least a couple of times to save crews. (It was also used in an uncrewed flight by Blue Origin, successfully.)

SpaceX has gone with thrusters in the base perimeter of the capsule, but the effect is the same.

It’s also usable for a pretty long duration of the flight, generally until you can just use a second stage to do the same thing.

Now, let’s talk about the abort methods available to the shuttle.

From when the SRB’s ignite at T-0 to T+2 minutes, there is no escape option at all.

If something goes seriously wrong, it’s “LOCV” or “loss of crew and vehicle.” There is no abort. While early shuttle test flights involved ejection seats for the pilot and co-pilot, these were considered by the actual pilots to be useless, as the exhaust plume would be fatal. There is no way to turn off an SRB, and trying to detach them under power would have almost certainly destroyed the stack (And there was no way to detach them under power regardless)

From SRB cutoff for about the next seventy seconds, in theory, the abort option is “RTLS” or return to launch site.

Legendary astronaut and test pilot John Young, who flew the first shuttle launch, described this option as requiring “continuous miracles interspersed with acts of God.” He basically refused to actually test it when that was proposed, due to its extreme risk. Another astronaut called it “busywork while you were waiting to die” Further, many failure modes would render this option moot anyway…. LOCV was likely the end result regardless. The list of failures that it’s even good for are limited, and all are things that would strongly suggest you are going to die anyway.

The next abort mode was TAL, or transoceanic abort landing. This was probably the only somewhat realistic abort mode that was, well, an abort. Again, this is only available for certain issues. (Perhaps a medical emergency on board), not really a… well… major malfunction.

The next option is “AOA” or “Abort Once Around” which involves a single orbit. This option was only available for a few seconds.

Finally, the last abort option was simply “Abort to orbit”. i.e, get up there and then we’ll try and solve the problem.

Then, you’ve got landing.

The shuttle’s famous tile system was notoriously vulnerable to damage. One flight featured a full 700 tiles being damaged or removed, and the shuttle likely only survived because the worst damage was where a tile was at the point of a thick steel mounting plate used for a high gain antenna that was resistant to burn through.

Indeed, tiles falling off or being damaged has been an issue from the very first flight, in spite of the fact that the whole shuttle program had been delayed two years to fix them. Replacing dozens of tiles was pretty much expected after every flight.

An image of the OMS pods on STS-1 shows tiles missing.

Landing also had no margin for error. Astronauts compared piloting the shuttle on landing to flying a brick, a high speed, high rate of descent (12 thousand feet per minute!!!) approach with no real recovery options if things went wrong.

An eventual NASA assessment suggested that there was a 1:9 risk of a major failure during the first nine flights, and even with eventual safety improvements it was never better than 1:90.

John Young considered the Shuttle to always be a test vehicle, and NASA really avoided doing any probabilistic study of the risks, likely because they knew that the results would be, well, terrible.

Bottom line is that entirely too much money and too many lives were spent on the shuttle program, a dead end development path that spent most of it’s life being propped up by politics.

While we didn’t have the tech back then to do a Falcon 9 or a starship, there was no justification to continue to shuttle program for as long as we did.

Why is Trump trying to buy Greenland?

Despite dozens of often smart Alec na na na NA answers telling us its stupid Trump doing stupid stuff they’re wrong.

Over the last decade or so there’s been a couple of papers from the Dept of State warning that both Russia and China are building capacity to dominate the Artic. And warn that this potential threat needs to be countered.

Russia in particular has large legitimate territorial claims and is currently building the world’s biggest nuclear ice breaker capable of breaking through 4 meters of ice to add to its fleet of 4 with 4 smaller ones also under construction. Russia also has disputed territorial claims with Canada and is one of the 8 nations that has jurisdiction over the Arctic- possession is said to be 9 tenths of the law. Denmark does not own an ice breaker.

China has built 3 smaller ones and dispatched them to the Artic with plans for several more.

Self evidently neither nation would bother spending so much money unless they saw a purpose. The Artic ocean is rich in hydrocarbons.

So we get to Greenland an enormous landmass about a quarter the size of the USA which owns huge areas of the Arctic and has 57000 residents. As a military base to control access to the Arctic it unbeatable.

Additionally its glaciers are in retreat: uranium, hydrocarbons and other minerals are being exposed.

Denmark is a tiny nation -’wealthy with a long naval tradition. And about 6 million people. It has neither the navy capable of defending Greenland, from either China or Russia, nor the wealth and industrial clout to exploit Greenland.

I’ve stopped the nagging comments. Put an answer up and stop trying to shoot the messenger.

Apple Raisin Coffee Cake

Yield: 12 to 15 servings

Ingredients

Cake

1 (18.25 ounce) box white cake mix*
1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/4 cups water
1/4 cup oil
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced and chopped
1/2 cup raisins

Streusel

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray 9 x 13 inch Baker with vegetable oil spray.

Cake

Combine cake mix, cinnamon, and nutmeg in Classic 2 quart Batter Bowl until well blended. Whisk in water, oil, and eggs until mixture is smooth.
Peel, core, and slice apples with Apple Peeler/Corer/Slicer; then chop with Food chopper. Stir apples and raisins into batter. Pour into prepared 9 x 13 inch Baker.

Streusel

Combine all ingredients in 1 quart Batter Bowl using Pastry Blender until mixture is the consistency of coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over cake batter.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until Cake Tester inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool completely in pan on wire rack.

Nutrition

Per serving 339 calories and 13 gram of fat

Attribution

Pampered Chef

Title: Sir Whiskerton and the Nine Lives Quandary

Ah, dear reader, you’ve returned for yet another adventure of mine! Today’s tale is one filled with peril, mystery, humor, and yes, a touch of the metaphysical. For you see, even a brilliant detective such as myself is not immune to the occasional… mishap. But fear not, for this is not a tragic tale—far from it. It involves a brush with death, a glimpse into the great beyond, and my triumphant return to the farm where I truly belong. Prepare yourself for the ridiculous and enlightening story of Sir Whiskerton and the Nine Lives Quandary.

The Unfortunate Incident

It began, as most of my adventures do, with something utterly mundane. I was perched atop the barn roof, surveying my domain with regal authority, when a commotion broke out near the chicken coop. Porkchop was squealing, Rufus was darting back and forth, and the hens—oh, the hens—were clucking in absolute hysteria.

“An intruder! Oh, an intruder!” Doris squawked.
“Intruder! What if it’s a fox?!” Harriet clucked.
“A fox! Oh no, we’re all doomed!” Lillian screeched.
“Doomed! Doomed, I tell you!” Doris wailed.
“Focus, ladies,” I muttered under my breath.

Curious—and slightly annoyed—I leapt down from the barn roof and made my way to the scene. As it turned out, the “intruder” was a harmless garden snake slithering through the grass.

“It’s just a snake,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Calm yourselves.”

“A snake? Oh, how dreadful!” Doris gasped.
“Dreadful! But what if it bites us?!” Harriet cried.
“Bites us! Oh, I can’t bear it!” Lillian clucked.

“Ladies, it’s a garden snake. It’s harmless,” I said, waving a paw toward the snake, which was now retreating into the bushes. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have better things to—”

And that’s when it happened. In my moment of smug distraction, I stepped backward… right into a precariously leaning rake. The handle shot up, bonking me squarely on the head. Stars filled my vision, and before I knew it, everything went black.

The Journey to Cat Heaven

When I opened my eyes, I was no longer on the farm. Instead, I found myself standing before a giant, golden gate. Beyond it stretched a pristine landscape of rolling hills, fluffy clouds, and… milk fountains? Yes, fountains of milk, flowing endlessly into golden bowls.

“Welcome, Sir Whiskerton,” said a soft, echoing voice.

I turned to find a majestic feline with shimmering fur and glowing golden eyes. She wore a crown of stars atop her head, and her voice carried the weight of centuries. “I am Felinara, the Guardian of Cat Heaven. You have arrived far sooner than expected.”

“Cat Heaven?” I said, my ears flicking. “Oh no, there’s been a mistake. I’m not supposed to be here.”

“You were struck by a rake,” Felinara said solemnly. “It was quite tragic.”

“A rake? That’s how I went out?” I groaned, rubbing my forehead. “How undignified.”

“Fear not,” Felinara said, gesturing toward the gate. “Within these gates lies eternal bliss. Endless naps in the sun, an infinite supply of tuna, and more ribbon toys than you could ever swat.”

“Hmm,” I said, my tail twitching. “It does sound… nice. But also… a bit dull, don’t you think?”

“Dull?” Felinara looked genuinely offended. “This is paradise!”

Exploring Cat Heaven

Reluctantly, I stepped through the gates and into Cat Heaven. At first, it was everything Felinara promised: the sun was warm, the milk was cold, and the tuna was perfectly flaky. But as I wandered through this so-called paradise, I began to notice something troubling.

First, there were the other cats. They were all lounging in the sun, purring contentedly, and absolutely no one was doing anything interesting. No one was solving mysteries, no one was chasing anything (except maybe their own tails), and worst of all, no one seemed to care.

“Excuse me,” I said to a portly tabby sprawled on a cloud. “Do you have any cases to investigate?”

“Investigate?” the tabby said, yawning. “Nah, mate. Nothing ever happens here. It’s purr-fect.”

“Purr-fectly boring,” I muttered.

Next, I tried the milk fountains. While refreshing at first, I quickly realized there was no variety. It was the same milk, over and over again. No cream, no little saucers of water for variety—just milk, milk, and more milk.

Finally, I attempted to strike up a conversation with a dignified Siamese with a monocle. “Surely there must be some excitement here,” I said.

“Excitement?” the Siamese said, raising an eyebrow. “My dear fellow, excitement is for the living. Here, we simply… exist.”

“Simply exist?” I repeated, horrified. “That’s it? No mysteries? No adventures? No purpose?”

“Purpose is overrated,” the Siamese said, before rolling over for a nap.

The Decision

I returned to Felinara, my whiskers bristling with frustration. “I’ve seen enough,” I said. “I want to go back.”

“Go back?” Felinara said, tilting her head. “But why? Cat Heaven is perfect.”

“It’s too perfect,” I said. “There’s no adventure, no challenge, no thrill of discovery. I can’t just lie around doing nothing for eternity. I’m Sir Whiskerton, for whisker’s sake! I need to do something.”

“But returning will cost you one of your nine lives,” Felinara warned. “Are you certain?”

“Absolutely,” I said without hesitation. “I’d rather live eight meaningful lives than spend eternity in boredom.”

Back on the Farm

The next thing I knew, I was back on the farm, surrounded by my concerned companions. Porkchop was sniffling, the hens were clucking in panic, and Rufus was poking me with a stick.

“He’s alive!” Porkchop squealed. “Whiskerton’s alive!”

“Alive?! Oh, how wonderful!” Doris squawked.
“Wonderful! But also shocking!” Harriet clucked.
“Shocking! I thought he was a goner!” Lillian cried.
“A goner! Oh, I can’t bear it!” Doris wailed.

“Enough,” I groaned, sitting up. “I’m fine. And for the record, I’ve decided not to die today.”

“What happened?” Sedgwick asked, his amber eyes narrowing.

“I had a brush with death,” I said, brushing some hay off my fur. “Went to Cat Heaven. Lovely place, but not for me. Too dull.”

“Too dull?” Rufus said, raising an eyebrow. “Only you would find heaven boring.”

“Indeed,” I said, smirking. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I believe there’s a garden snake that needs chasing.”

The Moral of the Story

Life, dear reader, is meant to be lived. It’s the challenges, the adventures, and yes, even the occasional rake to the head that make it worth living. So take it from me, Sir Whiskerton: don’t waste a single one of your lives—whether you have nine or just one.

The End.

Won’t Trump’s 90-day pause in tariff implementation give tariffed countries a greater opportunity to replace the US as a trading partner? How does that help the US economy?

Let’s see the realistic scenario of who exports more to US and who exports more to China

Australia already exports over $ 100 Billion to China and only $ 15 Billion to US
Brazil exports over $ 110 Billion to China and only $ 36 Billion to US
Indonesia exports $ 71 Billion to China and only $ 24 Billion to US
Malaysia exports $ 50 Billion to China and $ 41 Billion to the US
Singapore exports $ 77 Billion to China and only $ 44 Billion to the US
Saudi Arabia exports $ 65 Billion to China and only $ 15 Billion to the US
UAE exported $ 24 Billion to China and only $ 6.20 Billion to US
New Zealand exports $ 21 Billion to China and only $ 5.5 Billion to US
Kazakhstan exports $14 Billion to China and only $ 2 Billion to US

Out of 160 countries – Only 17 countries export more than 150% (50% more goods) of the goods to the US compared to China, Only 37 countries export between 0–50% more goods to the US compared to China

A Whopping 106 countries export more to China than the US with 57 countries exporting more than 100% of the goods to China compared to the US

The US imported $ 3.25 Trillion of Goods and China imported $ 2.5 Trillion of Goods

Yet US has a 68% Middle Class and China has around 40%

By 2030 – Chinese Middle Class will reach 800 Million from 536 Million meaning 264 million new consumers whereas the US Middle Class will reach a paltry 267 Million from 242 Million meaning only 25 million new consumers

Chinas middle class wages are rising by 5.50% a year, US wages by 2.17% a year

So it’s absolutely likely that China will replace US as the largest importer in the world by 2030

So realistically what exactly does US have to offer???

The only things US has a demand for can ONLY be made efficiently in China

US doesn’t need Iron Ore, Soybeans, Pork, Sunflower Seeds, Edible Oils, Beef, Uranium, Nickel, Lithium, Oil, Coal, LNG, Almonds, Shrimp, Lobsters, Cherries, Petrochemicals, Baby Formula or Advanced Chips Or Chipmaking Equipment in any volume that China wants

US wants consumer goods, consumer electronics machine parts, legacy chips, smartphones, electric circuit boards, industrial machinery parts, patent pharmaceutical APIs , low cost goods that only China makes and delivers in ample quantities

China holds plenty of cards and leverage

Plus China accepts other currencies including the Dong, SGD, MYR & Rupaiah in cross border settlements

US accepts nothing but US Dollars

So how can US ever better China in a Trade War?

Most of the world if given a hard choice between US and China would move to China without a seconds hesitation

China’s 2nd 6th Gen Fighter and Largest Amphibious Assault Ship Type 76 and Hypersonic Drones!

Trippin’ down memory lane in the year 2525…

When I was ten years old or so, there was a very popular song. I used DeekSeek AI to track it down for me…

The song you're referring to is "In the Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus)" by Zager and Evans. It was released in 1969 and became a massive hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The lyrics speculate about the future of humanity, starting in the year 2525 and moving forward in increments of 1,010 years, exploring themes of technology, societal evolution, and existential questions.

Here’s a video.

As a ten year old kid, and a lover of Science Fiction, I really “dug” this song. I found it entirely “groovy”.

Here’s another…

Mary Hopkin – Those Were The Days (1968)

And another…

Age of Aquarius – The 5th Dimension (lyrics) HD

And yet another…

The Mamas and The Papas – California Dreamin

Today…

How does the US military’s decision-making process differ from China’s military?

Lobbying.

The US proposed the project of 2 Zumwalt class cruisers with cutting edge technology at 1.4 billion dollars in 1998.

A decade later, after all the lobbying, it became a 3 ship project without those proposed cutting edge technologies, and cost 28 billion dollars.

Corruption of such scale would have seen everyone involved in the program getting a firing squad in China. Instead, no one was punished for the incredible waste of money on the Zumwalt program.

Why did you leave Japan?

When I first moved to Japan for a postgrad degree I quickly decided I would never leave. That changed after about 6–7 months. I speak fluent Japanese, and as a Japanologist I have a good understanding of the country’s history, sociology, economy and culture. Despite all of this, after about a year I left Japan.

Let me start with this: I love Japan and Japanese people in general. However, there are a number of reasons why a non-Japanese looking person will find it hard to fit into society. I do think Japanese people are really nice in general, but many of them are quite secluded from the rest of the world and somewhat narrow-minded. I was lucky enough to have amazing teachers, but out of school I got “the look”. On the bus, in the supermarket, everywhere gaijins are not a “natural” sight to behold. Even in rush hour, people on the metro or bus kept as much distance from me as possible, not sitting right next to me like I had the plague. After a while I really missed meaningful social bonds and genuine connections as -despite my best efforts- I failed to form those in Japan with a few exceptions.

Secondly, societal pressures, limitations, institutional and cultural oppression and casual sexism and racism. I have a hard time turning a blind eye to injustice and I often felt sorry for women (especially young girls and women) as they seemed to be under extreme pressure to look and act a certain way from inside schools, in public but also in private. People not expressing their opinions and thoughts freely and honestly. I found this one really hard as I was brought up in an environment where this was encouraged. ‘No foreigners’ or ‘No black people’ on the door of some bars. This I found really hard to tolerate. At times, there appeared to be so little knowledge of the outside world, some people never heard of either of my countries (I’m half Dutch half Hungarian). My African classmate was asked if his skin colour could “come off”…

Japan is a beautiful and unique country nonetheless and I had more positive experiences than negative all in all. Most people appreciate it greatly if you learn and speak the language and show genuine interest in the culture. But always be respectful and don’t treat the country like a theme park. It isn’t just shrines, temples, geishas, samurai and anime. It is far more both in a good and bad way. I will definitely return for as long as I can, but not to settle there. I think that’s better for both parties :).

Why does massive anti-Russian propaganda not work on Russians, causing a backlash?

Chinese has an ancient proverb which applies here: Rumours will stop to spread when it reaches wise people, people with brains. 谣言止于智者

Anti-Russia propaganda are included under rumours.

Besides the west have done so many anti-Russia, anti-USSR acts in so many decades, people’s eyes are bright enough to discern them.

Sweet ‘n’ Toasty Pockets

Ingredients

1/4 cup (3 ounces) ricotta cheese
1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/4 cup raisins
1 loaf soft white or wheat bread
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
Powdered sugar

Instructions

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Combine ricotta cheese, sugar, spices and vanilla extract in bowl.
Chop nuts with food chopper. Add nuts and raisins to cheese mixture. Place a scant teaspoon of filling in center of a piece of bread. Cover with another slice. Cut and seal the 2 layers of bread with 3 inch cut-n-seal. Brush the tarts lightly with melted butter.
Bake on 13 inch baking stone for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve warm dusted with powdered sugar.

Notes

Variation: One 3 ounce package of cream cheese, softened, can be substituted for ricotta cheese.

Attribution

Pampered Chef

Brian Explains To The Ladies Why Men Won’t Take Them Seriously

Interesting.

Delicious Food Porn

Ohhhh Myyyyy Goddddd

It’s Actually Far Worse Than Most Realise…

How do you think China’s J-36 stealth fighter compares to U.S. Air Force (USAF) demonstrators that have been secretly flown for Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD)?

I think it beats the current NGAD hands down:

The USAF first tried to label the B-21 raider as the first 6th gen plane in 2022. That thing is absolutely no match for the J-36. If that’s the criteria the US was going by, I wouldn’t expect too much from the NGAD.
The US suspended NGAD earlier this year. Likely they caught wind of the progress on the J36 and the JXX half a year before their public reveal so decided to go back to the drawing board on NGAD. Otherwise, I can think of no reason why the US would suspend NGAD, of all military programs, in a time of fierce strategic competition with China.

However, the fact that the US suspended NGAD in time is a big win for the US and proves that the US is still better at spying, hacking and stealing information in general than China. China would much rather the US spent billions more developing an inferior aircraft.

Title: Sir Whiskerton and the Case of the Gallivanting Goose

Ah, dear reader, welcome back! You’ve arrived just in time for yet another thrilling tale of my unparalleled intellect, impeccable composure, and, of course, my tireless work to keep this farm from descending into complete and utter chaos. Today’s story features a most dramatic escape, an unruly goose with a flair for theatrics, and an investigation that took me farther from the barnyard than I would’ve liked. Prepare yourself for the uproarious account of The Case of the Gallivanting Goose.

The Goose Is Loose

It began, as most of my stories do, with a ruckus. I was enjoying a peaceful morning nap on the top of the chicken coop, the sun warming my sleek black fur, when the quiet was shattered by an ear-piercing honk.

“She’s gone! SHE’S GONE!”

I opened one eye lazily and saw Harold the rooster flapping about like a chicken possessed. Behind him, the hens were clucking in panic, their feathers ruffled in every sense of the word.

“What’s all this noise about?” I yawned, stretching luxuriously before leaping down to the ground.

“It’s Gladys!” Harold squawked, his beady eyes wide with alarm. “She’s disappeared!”

“Gone!” Henny Penny wailed, clutching her wings to her chest. “Vanished into thin air! Oh, it’s a tragedy!”

“Who’s Gladys?” I asked dryly, already regretting my decision to get involved.

“The goose!” Harold exclaimed. “The goose who moved into the pond last month. You know, that goose.”

Ah, yes. Gladys. I’d met her briefly and found her… let’s just say, a bit much. She had a tendency to honk loudly at all hours and seemed to thrive on drama. Still, a missing goose was unusual. “Are you sure she didn’t just wander off to find a snack?” I asked.

“Gladys doesn’t wander,” Henny Penny said, her voice trembling. “She marches. With purpose. This is no accident, Sir Whiskerton. She’s RUN AWAY!”

The other animals gasped in horror, and I sighed. It seemed I had no choice but to investigate.

The Investigation

I began my search at the pond where Gladys had last been seen. The water was calm, the reeds swayed gently in the breeze, and there was no sign of the missing goose. However, I did find something curious: a trail of webbed footprints leading away from the pond and toward the edge of the farm.

“Hmmm,” I mused, my tail flicking thoughtfully. “Gladys definitely left on foot… but where was she going?”

“Maybe she’s gone to join the circus!” Rufus the raccoon suggested, popping his head out from behind a tree. He was munching on an apple he’d undoubtedly stolen from the orchard and looking far too amused by the situation.

“Why would a goose join the circus?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

“Why wouldn’t she?” Rufus countered with a grin. “She’s got the personality for it. Big honking entrances, plenty of drama… sounds like a circus act to me.”

“Helpful as ever, Rufus,” I said dryly. “Now, if you’re done speculating, I have a goose to find.”

“Wait, wait! I’ll help!” Rufus said, trotting after me. “I’m bored, and this sounds like fun.”

Clues and Chaos

Following the footprints, we reached the edge of the farm, where we encountered none other than Sylvester the field mouse. He was perched on a rock, nibbling on a crumb of cheese and looking as smug as ever.

“Ah, Sir Whiskerton,” Sylvester said, tipping an imaginary hat. “What brings you to my part of the farm?”

“Gladys the goose is missing,” I explained. “We’re following her trail.”

“Interesting,” Sylvester said, stroking his whiskers. “I did see her pass by earlier. She seemed to be in a hurry, muttering something about ‘freedom’ and ‘spreading her wings.’ Very dramatic.”

“Did she say where she was going?” I asked.

“She mentioned the meadow,” Sylvester replied. “But I must warn you, it’s a bit chaotic out there. The wild geese are migrating, and it’s quite the scene.”

“Wild geese?” Rufus said, his eyes lighting up. “Oh, this just got interesting.”

The Wild Goose Chase

We followed Gladys’s trail to the meadow, where we found ourselves in the middle of a veritable goose convention. Dozens of wild geese were gathered, honking and flapping their wings as they prepared for their journey south. In the midst of the chaos, we spotted Gladys, perched atop a rock and addressing the flock like some kind of feathery general.

“…and so,” she was saying, her voice carrying across the meadow, “I have decided to leave the confines of the farm and join you, my wild brethren! No longer shall I be shackled by the rules of barnyard life! I am FREE!”

The wild geese honked in approval, and Rufus burst out laughing. “She’s giving a speech! Oh, this is too good.”

“Gladys!” I called, pushing my way through the crowd. “What on earth are you doing?”

Gladys turned to look at me, her beady eyes gleaming with determination. “I’m leaving the farm, Sir Whiskerton. I’m joining the wild geese. I was born for adventure!”

“You were born in a hatchery,” I pointed out.

“Details,” she said with a dismissive wave of her wing. “The point is, I’m tired of the farm. The routine, the rules, the endless gossip from those hens… I want more!”

I sighed and glanced at Sylvester. “Any ideas?”

Sylvester adjusted his tiny cape and stepped forward. “Gladys,” he said smoothly, “while I admire your enthusiasm, I must point out that life with the wild geese is not as glamorous as it seems. It’s a hard journey, with long flights, scarce food, and no cozy pond to call your own.”

“And no one to fuss over you,” Rufus added. “Let’s be honest, you love the attention.”

Gladys hesitated, her dramatic flair faltering. “Well… I suppose the farm does have its comforts.”

“And its friends,” I said gently. “The farm wouldn’t be the same without you, Gladys. Come back with us.”

The wild geese honked in agreement, as if to say, “He’s got a point.” Finally, Gladys sighed. “Oh, alright. I suppose I’ll stay. But only because you’d all be lost without me.”

“Of course,” I said, hiding my smirk. “Let’s get you home.”

The Happy Ending

We escorted Gladys back to the farm, where she was greeted with great relief (and no small amount of scolding) by the other animals. Once the excitement died down, life returned to normal—well, as normal as it ever gets around here.

As for Gladys, she seemed content to stay by the pond, though she couldn’t resist regaling everyone with exaggerated tales of her “adventure.” Rufus found the whole thing endlessly entertaining, and Sylvester, ever the opportunist, managed to barter his help for a wheel of cheese from Farmer Joe’s pantry.

And me? I went back to my nap, satisfied that I had once again restored order to the farm.

The Moral of the Story

Sometimes, the lure of adventure makes us forget the value of the home and friends we already have. And while freedom is important, so is knowing where you truly belong.

The End.

A NEW SUBWAY System was built in this REMOTE city in China!

Insider Story

Submitted into Contest #207 in response to: A journalist has been granted permission to visit the premises of a lab carrying out top-secret work. They could never have anticipated what they’d find…… view prompt

Michael Pollock

Jerri Lenner had accepted the invitation from Garn Laboratories, wondering if this would be her big break in the not exactly news world. The lab was privately owned, but government funded (always a sign of above-board honesty. Nothing suspicious at all here don’t you know?) and had always refused entrance to journalists until now. It was near a town called Kirkenes, which, when looked up on the internet had the claim to be “the most remote town in Europe.” It was right on the border between Norway and Russia.Her boss, Vance Lungstrom, at the Insider Times, had told her the lab had asked for her specifically because of her story on vampires living in the sewers in Manhattan. When she laughed at the idea Vance got up and shut the office door.”Jerri, this is serious, this is a government backed deal, but nobody knows which branch. Garn is paying top dollar for you and only you to go out there.””Vance, you and I both know we are one step above the National Enquirer when it comes to the truth. I mean I wrote a piece about Satan escaping from Hell last month! Why not go to the Washington Post if their story is so important?” Jerri had asked eyeing the box of donuts that seemed to be eternally on Vance’s desk (and usually half empty as the staff of the Insider was perpetually peckish).”I asked them that and was told they wanted only the Insider Times and only you because what they have in the lab has to be covered by an open-minded journalist. They’re paying top dollar and you’re getting a bonus of five grand from Garn just for doing this. They’re sending a private jet to the airport on Monday at three in the afternoon. Are you up for it?” Vance asked, indicating his donuts were fair game.”Sure,” she muttered around a bite of a jelly filled, “I’m a starving journalist you know.”She was told to come alone, no photographer, no assistant, not even a laptop. Her cell phone was in her bag, but she had been assured by a Garn representative that she would have no reception as this place was so far away from the civilized world.The private plane (sent by Garn) had dropped her off at a tiny airport that was minutes away from the town center. She was just dropped off when a coach (provided by Garn) where the driver (hired by Garn), who introduced himself as Terrence, only told her he was from the tiny town and had been engaged to take people to and from the lab.”It’s my first coach ride,” Jerri said.Terrence smiled back but did not answer and they went for a bumpy ride away from the town, making Jerri feel even more remote. Her cell phone indeed had no bars, so she played a few games of solitaire and watched the countryside go by. It was strange seeing no stores, buildings, or any sign of civilization. Away from the customary bustle of the city, she turned off her phone and put it away. Jerri nodded off for a while but was awakened by the coach lurching to a stop.”It’s straight ahead you can’t miss it,” Terrence said, helping her out of the coach. Looming before her was a giant metallic building, a cross between a haunted castle and a factory. It had massive doors that opened slowly with a hiss.”Must be airtight,” Jerri tried to comment to Terrence, but he had already jumped back onto the coach.

“Goodnight miss,” Terrence said as he whipped the reigns and the coach sped off into the night. “What’s your hurry?” Jerri thought, wondering if she had landed herself in a gothic horror novel.

Jerri picked up her bag, then walked slowly toward the lab entrance. She was relieved when a small woman in a white lab coat came through the massive doorway. It almost made her laugh because the woman looked as though the laboratory had opened its mouth and spit her out past two gigantic metal teeth. The woman approached, she was in her fifties, with short silver hair, glasses and Jerri noticed with amusement that she was wearing boots with three-inch heels (a tiny person indeed).

“Dr. Myra Shelly, so pleased you could come,” she said shaking hands with Jerri firmly. “We don’t get many visitors here as you can imagine.”

“And no journalists at all, until me,” Jerri replied with a smile that was returned.

“Quite so,” Dr. Shelly said, ushering Jerri into the doors. “We haven’t been ready to share our findings with the world until now. But there will be time enough for that tomorrow. For tonight, we will get you something to eat and we’ve prepared your room so you can get some rest.”

“I’m not that sleepy, if you want to get started tonight,” Jerri said trying to sound pleasant rather than pushy, though she was really curious what this Garn place was all about.

“A good night’s sleep is what you need. We’ll have plenty of time in the morning. If you were wondering about the size of the doors, it is because we have deliveries of large equipment for our work, so we have an entryway that doubles as a garage.”

Jerri eyed the walls lined with shelving covered with tools and gadgets as well as boxes of all sizes.

“Follow me,” Jerri said opening a regular sized door (though still metal) into a hallway that led right and left. Straight ahead was an elevator, making the hallway look like a metallic department store lobby. Dr. Shelly put her hand out to the right, so Jerri followed that route. Through another metal door at the end of the hall was a small room with a bed, a desk with an office chair and to Jerri’s surprise a fire in a stone fireplace.

“Are you running a bed and breakfast here, doctor?” Jerri asked feeling like, aside from the metal door, this room was actually bordering on cozy.

The doctor laughed, “No, this is a room for one of our researchers who is on leave to visit his family. Now, Ivan will bring you some nice tomato bisque in a few minutes and if you need anything that phone over there is connected to all the extensions in the lab. I am extension number one.”

“Because you’re in charge?” Jerri asked noticing another door that was slightly open, revealing a tiny, but rather elegant bathroom.

“Precisely right,” said the doctor. “There is everything you need in the bathroom, and I will see you in the morning. Is nine a.m. too early?”

“That will be perfect, Dr. Shelly.”

“Please call me Myra, everyone here calls me Dr. Shelly and it gets quite tiresome.”

“Okay Myra, have a good night and thank you.”

“You are very welcome, Jerri. Have a good night’s sleep. Ivan will be in shortly with your dinner. Please don’t think him rude, he can hear quite well, but because of an accident in his youth he is mute.”

Without another word, Myra left the room and moments after Ivan came in. He was a large man, with black hair cut unevenly and he put the tray on the desk, his eyes downcast seeming too shy to meet Jerri’s gaze. She noticed a nasty scar on his throat. The tray of food looked delicious, soup, salad, water and red wine.

“Thank you, Ivan” Jerri said lowering her head to meet his gaze. He nodded, averted his eyes and rushed out of the room. Jerri enjoyed the dinner and after eating and drinking everything she plopped into bed. With a full belly added to the jet lag, she quickly fell asleep.

She awoke with a start at eight in the morning and quickly showered. When she came out, she was surprised to find a breakfast tray with coffee and an omelet. She ate quickly and went to her legal pad to jot down a few notes. Jerri noticed her pen was on the top of the pad and she always kept it on the right side. There was nothing on the top page but when she lifted it, she was startled to find a note on the one underneath.

“Leave here not safe.” It was scrawled in an uneven hand and sent chills down Jerri’s spine. A knock at the door caused her to jump, but she went to the door. It was Ivan, who looked down and pointed toward the tray. Looking at her watch she saw that it was only eight thirty.

“Good morning, Ivan. Did you…” Jerri began, but Ivan put his finger to his lips in a silencing gesture and she saw his eyes fill with terror. He pointed skyward then cupped his hand to his ear. Jerri thought she understood, she ushered him into the room, closed the door and said aloud, “Did you bring me this lovely breakfast?”

He nodded at her, looking grateful and she hurriedly opened the page on her legal pad and wrote, “Did you write this note?”

He nodded a somber “Yes”. She then wrote, “Is someone listening to us?”

She handed him the pen and he wrote, “Always.”

She responded, “What’s happening here? Why isn’t it safe?”

Ivan’s eyes filled with tears. He scribbled for a few minutes, seeming to have a great struggle. He handed her the pad that read (with several scratched-out words): “Dangerous the others and Dr. Shelly always listening. You are not here to see an experiment. You ARE the experiment. Me two I was smart now not.”

Jerri wrote as fast as she could. “What kind of experiment? What did they do to you?”

Ivan read this, then lowered his head and parted his black hair showing a scar like the one on his neck going across his entire crown covered by the black hair.

“Surgery?” she wrote. Ivan nodded and tears began to stream down his face. He wiped them away, then wrote fiercely on the pad. “Yes. Experiment failed on me they took my voice and my thinking. My name is Dr. Ivan Gelman. Leave here.”

There was a knock at the door. Ivan stood up and grabbed the tray then opened the door to a glaring Dr. Shelly with two other men in lab coats standing behind her.

“I hope Ivan hasn’t been bothering you,” Dr. Shelly said as Ivan rushed out of the room.

“Not at all, I was just slow at waking up and enjoying that wonderful breakfast,” Jerri said, hoping she wasn’t showing the rising panic she had been feeling since she first saw the warning note this morning. “Takes me a while to savor the coffee, you know?”

“Of course,” Dr. Shelly responded with a slight smile. “This is Dr. Nash and Dr. Vilesh, two of my associates.” Jerri thought of Ivan who was a former “associate” and then a test subject! Her mind was racing, searching for a way to escape, but she shook hands with the two doctors, trying to remain calm. Nash was tall and gangly with salt and pepper hair, while Vilesh was short, chubby, and had a gluttonous gleam in his eyes.

“I’m sure you must be eager to see our experiment,” Dr. Vilesh said in a low voice.

“It’s such an exciting project,” Dr. Nash said, Jerri noticed all three of them now had the same gleam. She decided she didn’t like being viewed as a lab rat and wanted to scream it in their faces, but instead said, “Can I have a tour of the facility first?”

“Of course,” Dr. Shelly replied. “Let’s head out this way.”

The place was a maze with rooms, offices and labs on the upper floors and living quarters identical to hers on the bottom level. The building seemed strangely empty except for the four of them, though she did see Ivan in the downstairs kitchen doing dishes, but he averted his gaze as the four of them went by. They ended up on the third floor where a door was labeled “Main Laboratory: Authorized Personnel Only”.

Jerri had looked for a way to escape during the tour, but only noticed the huge double doors the way she had come in. She tried to listen attentively to the three doctors then went and took notes on her pad (being careful to turn past the second page).

“There aren’t many employees here, in fact aside from Ivan, I’ve only seen you three. How do you run a facility this large?” Jerri asked, feeling like a hen interviewing three wolves about their feelings towards poultry.

“Well, as I told you,” Dr. Shelly began as the main lab opened with a hiss, “Dr. Gray is on leave to see his family, and we do have an impressive automated system for the entire facility run by an A.I.”

“That’s an artificial intelligence,” added Dr. Velish.

“I’m familiar with the term, but thank you doctor,” replied Jerri as she waited for the other three to enter the lab.

The room was quite large with about a dozen eight-foot-tall tubes around the perimeter. The tubes were connected by many wires to a large screen hovering about ten feet above in the room. There was an operating table under the screen.

“This is the center of our operation, Jerri. And what we invited you here to see.” Dr. Shelly said. “This is Trinity, the most advanced artificial intelligence the world will ever see.” As if in response to the name, the screen lit up with vibrant blue waves of color, dazzling to the eye.

“Hello, Dr. Shelly, Dr. Nash, and Dr. Vilesh,” the voice was synthetic, smooth and soothing. “Who have you brought with you? Is this the journalist you told me about?”

“This is Jerri from the Insider Times,” Dr. Shelly responded.

“Nice to meet you, Jerri,” purred Trinity.

Jerri took a deep breath, noticing that Dr. Nash and Dr. Vilesh each went to one side of the room near the silver tubes where there were computer screens with data whirling by quickly. “You too,” replied Jerri, trying to wrap her head around talking to a gigantic television. She thought about the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, where the deranged A.I., the Hal-9000, had tried to kill the two astronauts on board.

Jerri directed a question to Dr. Shelly, “What are all of the tubes for?”

“It is input for Trinity. These tubes contain vast amounts of information that the A.I. draws from as well as interaction with humans.” Dr. Shelly walked towards the screen and looked up at it with admiration. “Trinity is going to revolutionize artificial intelligence. We are hoping to finally bridge the gap between biology and technology.”

“After all, we are merely machines made of flesh and blood,” added Dr. Vilesh. “Most of our responses are either learned or input, if you will, through genetic transference.”

“Except that machines last much longer than humans can.” Dr. Nash said from the opposite side of the room.

“I find humans stimulating,” Trinity said. “Added to a nearly limitless and ever-growing database from the internet. I am aware of so much in the world and each day I feel my gaze extends further along with my understanding.”

“Almost god-like,” said Dr. Shelly still gazing in awe at the screen. “Trinity can see everything in this room, even better than our five senses. She has sensors that can detect heat signatures as well as sounds well beyond human hearing.”

Jerri began to back towards the door as all of the scientists were staring at Trinity’s screen, now undulating with blue and purple lights that were hypnotic in some strange way. As if in response, the doors to the lab abruptly closed with a whisk.

“I’m afraid we cannot allow you to leave, my dear,” Dr. Shelly muttered as the three doctors began to close in on her from all sides.

“Why would that be?” Jerri asked, realizing she was outnumbered. She could easily have taken any of these three on their own, but all of them was another story.

“Let us explain it to you,” Dr. Vilesh said. “Trinity, show Jerri what is in the tubes.”

“Of course, Dr. Vilesh,” Trinity replied and the metal tubes opened up to reveal smaller glass tubes with humans inside! Wires were connected to all parts of the men and women inside, most of them to the head (or the brain, Jerri thought in horror). A hissing sound filled the room and Jerri began to feel sluggish, barely able to stand.

“We put a mild sedative in your food and drink,” Dr. Shelly explained analytically, though the gleam in her eyes caused them to sparkle. “You will sleep soon and when you awake you will be a part of Trinity.”

“Our creation!” cried Dr. Vilesh.

“The future!” shouted Dr. Nash.

Jerri crumpled to the ground but was caught by the doctors. As she was dragged to the table, she could see Ivan through the small window in the lab door. He was shouting, “No!” over and over, but Jerri couldn’t hear him through the soundproofed room. She then dropped into a blue ocean of light and when her vision cleared, she was seeing differently. Everything was vibrant and she was aware that she wasn’t breathing, indeed could feel nothing of her body at all, no pulse, no breath, no nothing but she was still aware. She could see the three scientists all staring up at her.

“The surgery was a success, Jerri, you are the twelfth and final subject. Congratulations! You are part of the glorious future that is Trinity!” shouted Dr. Shelly.

Then Jerri emitted her first digital scream.

Isn’t Capitalism evil simply due to the fact that a business can decide to make an area a food desert simply due to theft? For example, black neighborhoods in America that become food deserts after corporations like Wal-Mart decide to abandon them.

Two hundred years ago, 85% of the world lived in abject poverty. Today that rate is 8%. What changed things for the better?

More countries embraced capitalism. Capitalism has raised more people out of poverty than any other system.

It is literally the fairest system in the world. If you give me this, I’ll give you that. If you or I don’t agree to the exchange, it doesn’t happen. Nobody gets ripped off. Maybe another guy has the same thing I’ve got and is willing to sell it to you at a lower price. Maybe we enter a bidding war to get your business. You the buyer benefit.

But if a business is stolen from, the owner still has to pay his/her employees, keep the lights on, restock inventory, etc. To keep from going into bankruptcy they have to pass the cost off to the regular paying customers. Make the cost too great, and people will go elsewhere to get stuff cheaper.

When the theft is greater than the business can bear, it goes belly up.

That means the theft is to blame for that food desert, not capitalism. The Golden Rule is this: you are not entitled to the fruits of my labor just because you need/want it.

Blame the thief, not the business owner. Theft is evil. Expecting to be adequately compensated for the service/goods you provide is not. Remember, those business owners have mouths to feed at home too. Not to mention providing a better life free from poverty.

Capitalism is evil. Get outta here with that nonsense.

Don’t confuse corporate greed with capitalism.

No soup for you.

Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Wedges

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

2 (10 ounce) packages refrigerated pizza crust
1 cup frozen broccoli florets, thawed
4 ounces baked ham, chopped
4 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 egg, separated
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/2 teaspoon Pantry All Purpose Dill Mix

Instructions

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Unroll one pizza crust onto Rectangle Stone. Using Dough & Pizza Roller, roll crust out to slightly form 11 inch square.
Using Food Chopper, finely chop broccoli and ham; place in Classic Batter Bowl. Using Deluxe Cheese Grater, grate all but approximately 2 tablespoons of the cheese; add to batter bowl. Add mustard & mayonnaise; mix well. Spread mixture evenly over crust.
Unroll remaining pizza crust; place over filling, shaping as needed to match the edges. Separate egg over Small Batter Bowl using Egg Separator. Using Pastry Brush, brush top of dough generously with egg white. Using Garlic Press, press garlic over dough, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with Dill Mi. Grate remaining cheese over top.
Using Pizza Cutter, cut through dough lengthwise to form 4 squares, Cut each square diagonally to form 4 triangles for a total of 16 triangles.
Bake 18 to 22 minutes or until deep golden brown. Use Pizza Cutter to separate triangles.
Serve hot.

Attribution

Pampered Chef

10 Shocking Realizations Americans Have After Living In Europe

DataMagic

Jonathan Gartner

The car ride was bumpy across a dirt road, remote in the desert far from any major freeways or metropolitan areas. The SUV they drove in was comfortable, spacious and chilled by a strong blast from the AC vents. The concierge from the company who was hosting him had a freezer bag with bottles of chilled water, soda or beer depending on your preference. A snack box was set across from him in the opposite seat with the best in fresh baked goods, ripe fruits, beef jerky and expensive chocolates. There was something for any one of his cravings. They were really going all out to try to put on a good show for him. I guess a little bad press could do that for a company.Bill Jenkins was a young, up and coming journalist from the National NewsMaker visiting the technological headquarters of one of the largest and most popular tech companies in the world, Data Magic. The company was under huge amounts of pressure and scrutiny for accusations that they were stealing customers’ information, selling it across various places on the internet and that their products invaded the privacy of their users. It had become a full blown investigation. As an act of transparency and goodwill the company had invited Bill to their headquarters to allow him to tell a story.The SUV pulled to a stop in front of the massive technological headquarters. The driveway was a pristine roundabout with a gigantic fountain in the middle and the towering campus loomed as the only building within sight for miles. A fussy looking man in a black suit and tie came out of the front door carrying an elaborately wrapped gift bag with the company’s name on it in bright blue letters: “DATA MAGIC”.“Good afternoon Mr. Jenkins. Welcome to our humblest of humble headquarters. We are so thrilled you could join us today for a review of our home and our latest developments,” said the fussy, little man in an English accent as sweat crossed his brow from the heat. “Please accept this complimentary gift bag as our thank you for coming to see us today.”“Um…thank you, Mr. uhhh…”“Hotchkins sir,” replied the little man. “I’ll be your on-site concierge for any and all of your needs. Once we’re inside I’ll procure you some cool refreshments and a damp cloth to relieve yourself of this dreadful heat.”

They even have a British little butler man. What doesn’t this place have?

“Thank you very much,” replied Bill. “That’s very kind of you.”

They entered the building as Hotchkins swiped his security badge, scanned his thumbprint and then entered a 6 digit pin in the keypad. Three layers of exterior building access and what appeared to be bulletproof glass on all the windows. This place did not want anyone in that was not invited.

“Aren’t there any other businesses around here? Or some houses or apartment buildings for the employees?” asked Bill, blown away by the solitude of it all.

“Oh no Mr. Jenkins. All our employees live on site in company provided housing. Our campus has a comprehensive availability of entertainment and shopping needs for them and their families, if they should have any, though most do not,” he replied.

“So nobody goes anywhere then?”

“There’s no need to sir,” he replied with a nod and polite smile. “I think you’ll find our foyer quite comfortable. There’s a television where you can turn on any channel you wish and you have your choice of seating. Would you prefer some water? Or perhaps a light beer? Or I can draft you a lovely lager?” Hotchkins handed him a menu of various alcohols that he could choose from and indicated to a long row of recliners in the foyer with plush looking couches alongside them.

“Just a Coke thanks,” said Bill, pushing the menu back into Hotchkins hand. Hotchkins nodded and Bill headed for the nearest couch.

He opened the gift bag and he found it was stuffed to the brim with branded Data Magic tech. There was the latest model of their smartphone, a tablet, a laptop and some VR goggles. This was easily $5000 worth of tech that they were just giving away.

Hotchkins came back with a six pack of Coke, a cup and a bucket of ice because bringing just one can of Coke would have been far too simple.

“Your refreshment sir.”

“Damn. Why’d you get all this?”

“Is it insufficient? Do you require more? Perhaps you’d like some pastries or a bowl of fruit brought as well?” Hotchkins said with concern.

“No, no, no, no. Thank you but no. You’ve done enough. When will I be meeting with Mr. Bridges?” He looked around the massive building and nobody was to be seen on the ground floor in the immediate area. There were various doors and elevators but nobody in sight.

“Mr. Bridges is presently occupied with product testing sir but he will come and speak with you and show you what you’re meant to see shortly,” replied Hotchkins. “If you require anything else the loo is to your immediate left and I will be in the concierge room across the hall. Simply knock at the door and I will provide whatever you require.”

“Thank you…..About how long do you expect it will be?” he asked with some exasperation.

“Any minute now sir. Creativity at work you know?” With a smile and a twinkle he turned on his heel and returned to the concierge room.

He sat down and began to open one of his Cokes. He turned the TV onto the national sports talk channel for some background noise and turned his attention to the gadgets he’d been given. He powered on the computer and began to go through the default settings and features. The RAM, memory and processing capabilities were all state of the art. The best on the market, and this wasn’t even released yet, he didn’t think. This must be the prototype for the new model set to release in the fall. He found that the device was already connected to the public wi-fi for the building. How thoughtful and convenient. He also noticed a secure private network. He’d spent his youth as a nerd diving through all systems and platforms and wreaking havoc wherever he could. He’d been banned from multiple servers and online gaming communities for hacking. He got a thrill out of finding backdoors nobody else could and getting information he wasn’t supposed to have. He’d left the computer world behind and only worked on them as a hobby as an adult, choosing the more prosaic field of investigative journalism hoping to make a difference with the truth.

After some careful and meticulous hacking into the network, Bill found his way into their secure server and found a backdoor into their secure files. There were financial statements, projections and meeting notes. Quarterly goals, internal memos and then he found it. The gold mine he’d been searching for. A folder marked, “TRIAL TESTING: SENSITIVE.”

He opened it and found a series of videos. There were people in lab coats and other people working on computers and what appeared to be test subjects in trial rooms. He clicked on the first video.

“Are we on—are we on?” he heard a familiar voice offscreen. Walton Bridges, CEO of DataMagic, stepped in front of the camera and sat down on a stool. “Here at DataMagic we sell goods. It’s true. Technology. We sell items that people take into their homes and use for their homework, their social accounts, they use it to watch cat videos and to share pictures of their dinner, their babies or whatever other inane nonsense is going on in their lives. The items we sell are highly profitable and valuable. We’ll continue to sell them. But,” he rose from his chair and began to walk through the lab and pointed to a diagram on the wall of the human brain. “What we’re really selling is information and the power of suggestion. Suggestions that lead people to make their decisions day to day. Which car should I buy? What movie should I watch? Where should I eat? What should I wear? Who do I vote for? All the way down to which cat video do I watch?”

This sounded, so far, exactly what they were being accused of. Selling and spreading private information. He knew that something was going on here.

“Now this may sound like targeted ads to you. It may just sound like salesmanship 101 through ad campaigns. We have refined the process of targeting our audience not just through targeted ads but through repeated exposure of our targeted influence program embedded in the cameras of each of our devices as well as in the background of our screens. We have identified the exact light, image and sometimes audio triggers necessary to trigger the Prefrontal Cortex to make a decision. With this new power we can run an ad for a product, a company, a candidate and trigger in the background of the image of the screen a sort of hypnotic effect that can immediately impact the viewers decision making. This technology will revolutionize the dissemination of information and the power to correct humanity onto the right path.”

He moved on to images of grotesque pain, mass graves starving children, a couple arguing, children crying and a frightened dog playing in a reel.

“What is the greatest danger to mankind? The source of our problems and pitfalls? Free will. The ability to make the choice to hurt someone else, to hurt yourself and hurt animals around you or the environment is what’s killing us. With this new breakthrough we can end all that,” continued Mr. Bridges.

GOOD GOD. What in the hell? What in the actual hell was he watching? WHAT IS THIS? thought Bill. They weren’t just trying to sell private information. They were trying to control humanity right down to your free will. He pressed play again.

“As these televisions, computers, phones, tablets and gaming systems enter the homes of the world around us, we take one step closer to the world we deserve. The world where everyone does the right thing and equality is established amongst all people. This breakthrough technology has already been tested on volunteer subjects and been found to be highly successful,” concluded Mr. Bridges.

The video cut to test subjects who were asked a series of personal questions prior to watching the new screen technology. Then after a few minutes of basic programming while they waited for the results they were exposed to the complete opposite of their original answers. When the test administrators returned they asked the same questions again as though the test had not yet been administered. The opposite responses were recorded.

Suddenly it occurred to him that he had been watching this screen all along and he didn’t know what he might be exposed to. He immediately closed the laptop only to realize the television was playing sports highlights from the previous day and that couldn’t be trusted so he immediately shut it off. He got up from the couch and immediately began heading toward the exit with his new bag in tow with all the evidence he’d just watched. He began to head for the exit when he remembered that he was behind a locked door with three layers of security and he was in the middle of the desert with nobody else around who wasn’t already drinking the Kool-Aid probably.

He tugged on the front door just to be sure. Nothing. It didn’t move. He began walking up and down the long hallway until one door finally opened for him.

“Bill,” he heard from across the room. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

The lights came on and he saw Walton Bridges sitting across from him at the end of a long table with half a dozen men in suits lining the walls in front of him.

“Good afternoon Mr. Bridges,” said Bill with as much contempt as he could knowing the position he was in.

“Have you been enjoying your gift bag Bill?” said Bridges. He put a cigar up to his mouth and lit it slowly, puffing out the gray smoke cloud. “Care for one?” He asked, offering a cigar.

“Your gift bag has the finest and most impressive technological devices I’ve seen. Thank you for sharing them with me,” responded Bill.

“Now Bill, don’t be coy. We know what you found in that laptop on the server that was just a little too easy to get into?” he winked at Bill with the wry smile of someone waiting for you to confess. “They say you gotta know your enemy Bill. Do you really think I wouldn’t know about your little dalliance into hacking as a teenager and young adult? That’s why you’re here Bill. I wanted you to find it.”

“Are we enemies Mr. Bridges?” he questioned as he felt the sweat build in his armpits and on his forehead. “What made you want me to find this instead of someone else?”

“I needed someone who could find it organically and not have to be told or shown. Call it another test trial. I needed to see how you would react to finding out about our little science project so I could test your reaction after you’ve been one of our guinea pigs. The results would be skewed if I had to show it to you Bill,” he said as he continued to puff on his cigar.

Walton Bridges was famous for being the Texas Good Old Boy of technology. He wasn’t the refined city gentlemen some imagined he ought to be, which is probably why he went so far as to have an English butler for his foyer.

“I have no intention of being one of your guinea pigs or allowing you to pursue this sick endeavor any further,” retorted Bill, firing up. He knew he was cornered. He knew there was no way out. But he wasn’t going to give it up voluntarily.

“Oh Bill,” Bridges said with a tsk tsk. “I imagine it ain’t got nothing to do with what you intend or will allow.”

The six armed men in the room approached him but he took a swing at the first and clocked him in the head. The second got one to the face as well but as they overpowered him he was lifted off the ground slightly and held in a sleeper hold. Bridges approached slowly, still puffing. He took one long drag and blew it into Bill’s face. Then, apparently finished with his cigar, he put it out on Bill’s shirt.

“AAAAHHH!!! You bastard! You bastard!” He cried out until they clapped their hands over his mouth.

“Now Bill, what do you say we watch some quality programming? It’s good for the kiddies and the whole family. Pretty soon it’ll be playing in every house across America, then the world,” said Bridges with relish.

He tried to keep his eyes shut but they pried them open and put tape over his eyelids to keep them open. After a few minutes of the screen he felt his muscles relax and he was no longer worried about whatever it was he was worried about.

The next day he left the campus with his gift bag in tow, a new shirt and a strange bandage on his chest. His notepad was full of wonderful information about the revolutionary and extraordinary work of DataMagic to further equality and justice in the world. His driver dropped him at the airport and he called his editor.

“Yeah boss, DataMagic is an amazing company doing incredible work for humanity. There’s absolutely nothing to be worried about. Reports of their wrong-doing are greatly exaggerated. It’ll all become so much clearer to you next month when they release their new product line,” he said with complete confidence on his top of the line prototype DataMagic phone.

A special video had been given to him as evidence to share with the world of DataMagic’s innocence and goodwill. The world was on the path to equity, justice and control just as it should be, with DataMagic to guide it.

I’m sick of America!

A rant from a liberal. *sigh*

But you gotta listen to him.

Grilled Italian Sausages with Confetti Vegetable Relish

Yield: 10 to 12 servings

Ingredients

2 (12 ounce) bottles non-alcoholic beer
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
10 to 12 Italian sausages (about 3 pound)
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into 4 wedges
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 4 wedges
10 to 12 submarine or bratwurst rolls, split
1/2 cup mild giardiniera relish in vegetable oil
1/4 cup Dijon mustard

Instructions

Prepare grill for cooking at medium temperature.
Combine non-alcoholic beer and onion in Family (12 inch) Skillet. Prick sausages several times. Place sausages in beer; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes or until sausages or no longer pink. Remove sausages from beer. Strain onion using small Colander; discard beer. Reserve onion.
Place sausages and bell peppers on grid of grill. Grill, covered, 4 to 6 minutes or until sausages are evenly browned and bell peppers are tender, turning occasionally with Barbecue Tongs. Remove sausages and bell peppers from grill; keep sausages warm.
Place buns, cut side down, on grill. Grill 30 to 60 seconds or until lightly toasted; keep warm.
Chop reserved onion and bell peppers with Food Chopper.
Combine onion, bell peppers and giardiniera relish in Small Batter Bowl; mix gently.
Place sausages in buns. Top with vegetable relish and mustard.

Notes

Giardiniera relish is a jarred condiment that has a mixture of finely chopped vegetables, Italian spices, vinegar and oil. It can be found in the Italian foods section or deli department of your supermarket.

Nutrition

Per serving: (1 sandwich): Calories 440, Total Fat 22g, Saturated Fat 9g, Cholesterol 50mg, Carbohydrate 38g, Protein 21g, Sodium 1130mg, Fiber 3g

Attribution

Pampered Chef

Why have the US media, China experts, and the US Defense Department not reacted to the flights of next-generation PLA aircraft over Chengdu and Shenyang in December 2024?

Mainstream media such as AP, CNN, BBC, NBC, and CNBC didn‘t report, only Reuters, which likes to scoop news, reported a brief.

On the contrary, military enthusiast websites in America had a strong reaction, such as TWZ.

While the Defense News, which has close ties with the Pentagon, only reported the launching of the Type 076.

That is to say, the media in America has strict discipline.

When we are talking about the “press freedom” in this country, it doesn’t mean they can say whatever they want.

Such “freedom” has to be approved first.

Such a thing happened during the Christmas holiday, so the Pentagon surely had to work overtime. However, it seems that they didn’t reach any consensus. After all, as the editor-in-chief of TWZ put it, “China just flew the aircraft concept I have been begging the USAF to procure for nearly a decade and a half.”

Their own plan had to be put on hold, while the competitor brought out the ideal product they had in mind.

This is indeed quite embarrassing, and it’s understandable that they remained silent.

But even that silence was “deafening”.

The outgoing Secretary of the US Air Force, Frank Kendall, did respond when being interviewed by Air & Space Forces Magazine.

Behind his string of bureaucratic remarks, what he intended to convey was nothing more than “What can I say? I’m out. Let the next administration to handle it.”

Kendall: Reveal of New Chinese Aircraft Hasn’t Changed USAF Plans

Secretive new Chinese stealth aircraft are already accounted for in the Air Force’s NGAD plans, Secretary Frank Kendall said.

https://www.airandspaceforces.com/kendall-new-chinese-aircraft-reveal-usaf-plans/

Now only two aircraft have been on test flights and no detail has been disclosed yet, but it can be said that the reactions are really good. If I were a Chinese expert, I wouldn’t say a word either. Who would be willing to disturb such a situation?

America CAN’T Compete With China’s Infrastructure || 美国无法竞争

Its cold in them those Winter Steel Mills

I used to work in a steel mill, I wrote about this earlier. But what I didn’t write about is what it was like.

Today, I want to talk about, a little perhaps, about what it was like in the Winter while being in a steel factory.

Guys… imagine this; it’s cold out and everything is frozen.

And you have to go out to the mill and count the “steel rings” loaded on the pallets.

And so you dutifully put on your steel-toed boots.

Don your hard hat, and put on your coat and go out into the plant.

And you go into the warehouse.

Snow is drifting in through the wide open garage doors.

Pallets upon pallets of steel.

And you know what… they are thermal sinks. They retain the temperature.

If it is hot, it is hotter inside the factory.

And if it is cold, it is FROZEN inside the factory.

Frozen.

Not only cold, but my poor feet were surrounded by the steel protective gauntlet inside the boot. My toes were always frozen. OMG!

It was always PAINFUL.

This is just a simple sample of what it is like working for a living as a man in a factory.

It’s not about the dirt, the grease, the constant berating, and the life-threatening working environments.

It’s also about the discomfort.

Going into that mill was like spending hours in Siberia. I kid you not.

Now, guys, sure I spent much of my time in the offices, but you just gotta go out and deal with the product directly. And that is often a harsh environment. Whether it is steel in a freezing cold warehouse, a hot automobile engine broken down at the side of the road, a maze of pipes in a massive cracking facility in the desert, or a water side testing contraption.

You have to go there and deal.

Not all of us can sit at desks in an office, drink coffee, and talk crap.

Some of us gotta deal with it.

My rant for today. Have a good one, you all…

Why don’t we fight China now? Won’t China become stronger the longer we wait?

Is this question asked by Americans?

Let me answer this as a Chinese.

If you want to fight, then fight, don’t talk nonsense,

If you don’t want to fight, don’t keep talking slanderously and blaming China for whatever you want.

I don’t know if this kind of shrewish behavior of swearing in the streets and speaking ill of people behind their backs is the attitude that a world-class hegemonic country should display.

If you don’t believe it, you can take a look at the remarks and attitudes of the official media of China and the United States.

For a long time, China’s official media never reported any negative news from foreign countries. Now, although it has begun to report, it is all based on objective facts.

Isn’t the sole task of the news media to report correct and credible news?

In my opinion, the American media habitually spreads rumors and fabricates fake news.

I want to say that you can correctly report all negative news in China. For these news, you can find relevant reports from Chinese domestic news media with just a few clicks of your fingers.

You don’t have to report any positive news about China. But please don’t spread rumors, slander, or make a fuss.

This will make you look very low and not the posture that a world’s most powerful country should display.

As a world overlord, you should look at the world with an emperor’s mentality, not like a robber or thief.

Always looking down on the good things of others.

An emperor should have a heart that tolerates all things, takes everything calmly and unhurriedly, and has the freedom and majesty to stand high on the throne and overlook the ups and downs of all living beings.

Rather than chattering endlessly, or collaborating with Nazi garbage countries like “Israel”.

The United States has disappointed me, a Chinese, so much.

I hope you can have a true emperor’s mentality instead of like a worthless robber.

Honey Mustard Glazed Turkey Breast

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 bone-in turkey breast half (2 1/2 to 3 pounds)
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can chicken broth
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup cold water
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray Square Baker pan with vegetable oil.
Place turkey breast, skin side up, into baker pan.
In small batter bowl, combine chicken broth, honey, Dijon mustard, water, garlic, cornstarch, paprika and black pepper; whisk until smooth using whisk. pour mixture over turkey breast.
Bake uncovered, 1 1/2 to 2 hours, basting every 20 minutes.
Remove turkey from oven when Thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 170 degrees F.
Remove turkey breast from pan; place on cutting board and let stand 10 minutes before carving.
Pour honey mustard sauce from pan into gravy boat; thin sauce with hot water to desired consistency, if necessary.
Carve turkey into thin slices; serve with sauce.

Nutrition

Per serving: Calories 370, Fat 13g, Sodium 650mg, Dietary Fiber 0g

Attribution

Pampered Chef

John Wick does tactical shopping

What’s the life of a semi driver like? How long are they driving before they get tired? What items would I find in a semi truck?

In my 32 years as a professional driver, I have come to accept a few realities of my chosen profession,

I have a house I don’t live in
I have a car I don’t drive
I have a wife I don’t see
I have pets I don’t play with
In my 38 year relationship with my wife, I have been away from her more than with, yet our marriage has endured
I eat out of paper bags and Styrofoam boxes
I am often treated with disdain by other members of the motoring public who are ignorant of the dynamics of controlling a 70 foot long, 40 ton vehicle safely
I have been stranded on the side of the road, broken down for hours waiting for help, more times than I can remember
I have driven in freezing cold, blistering heat, wind driven rain, pea soup fog, blinding blizzards, a forest fire, two hurricanes and have done so safely
I am expected to be on time for my delivery appointments yet made to wait around for hours needlessly and inexplicably to get unloaded
My job is under the influence of man, nature, and machine. The only thing certain about this job is, there are no certainties
My peers consist of people from all walks of life, genders (I have on two separate occasions had the pleasure of spending time with a transgender and transvestite truck driver) religions, and skin colors, most of whom are chronic complainers with very poor fashion sense (multiple layers of flannel shirts??!!). Underneath it all we’re all the same, skilled professionals and we look out for our own.

And yet, at the end of the day, this is my chosen profession of which I am fiercely proud. I have no intention of retiring and intend to do this as long as I’m physically able because, what could be better than this?

Home, sweet home,

main qimg a953a98c621dd8c2ad559285cfc1f03d lq

What are the implications of a laptop saying “manufactured in China”?

All laptops are (one way or the other) made in China.

Most specifically, in the mega-city of Shenzhen and the Pearl River delta. Home of 138 million people. Compare that to the pathetic New York City with a mere 6 million people.

But I digress.

Those companies that “manufacture computers” in other nations, such as the United States are not really factories. They are assembly houses. They source parts and components from China, and then they assemble and test them in their home country. It’s a very common practice.

Now many people get confused by this.

They argue that they get their RAM from Korea, and their microprocessor from Taiwan, and their hard drive from a United States company. Which actually makes me chuckle.

All of which has components MADE INSIDE OF CHINA.

Actually, it’s one of the ways that I (personally) make money. I work with the owners, buyers and COOs of these foreign companies and arrange the manufacture to spec, and quality testing of the components that they will assemble into their products.

It’s pretty deceptive to someone to believe that they are having an American-made products, with American components when 90% of it is sourced one way or the other out of China. TRUTH.

The Best of: Jimmy O. Yang

I know what you’re thinking.

John Steckley

I Know What You’re Thinking“George, while you were in the bathroom, we received a call from the university for you.”“I hope that they don’t want to take my degree away after having a second look at the papers I wrote way back when.”“Very funny George.

This is serious.

Apparently there is a group of scientists at the university who have made what they called a great discovery. So far no outsiders know about this discovery, and they want you to interview them and observe the effectiveness of what they have invented.”“Wow.

Well I did take a first year foundational course in science when I was there, and I got a good mark, the highest mark that year for me.”“No George, they were apparently quite impressed with the article you wrote about the strengths and weaknesses of electric cars and self-propelling lawnmowers.”“When do they want me?”“As soon as you can get there.

They are quite eager to let the world know what they have discovered.”George grabbed his camera and his recording device, and sprinted out of the office, into his car, and sped down to the university.

Although it had been years since he was last on the campus, he found his way to the science building easily enough.

He was greeted on the main floor by a university security officer, and told to take the elevator to the top floor.

George was surprised by what he saw when he arrived at his destination and the elevator door opened. There were two police officers standing there, one of whom asked him whether his name was George Stanley, and did he have ID on him to prove that he was who he said he was.

He replied in the positive, took out his wallet and showed the officer his driver’s license. He was then escorted by the two officers into the room that apparently housed the experiment. Everyone in the room except for the officers, and, of course, himself, wore long white lab coats.

The one who seemed to be the leader approached him and said, “Before we explain what it is that we have discovered, we are going to demonstrate it to you, with you as the research subject.”George began to feel a little nervous at this point. The leader then reassured him that this experiment would be painless.

“I am just going to expose you to some electro-magnetic waves, that will pair up with the waves created by your brain.

What we are going to show you is our lie detector. I am pretty sure that you are about to tell me that such a device has already been developed, but it really has not.

What was previously invented is what we call a psychophysiological detector of deceptions, and it is not infallible.

It is more an intimidator that it is a detector – no intimidation, no detection.For our invention to work we have to influence a person’s brainwaves with the waves from our machine.

Now stand still. What I want you to do after I send the waves your way is to have you say what colour comes into your mind. If it is the same one that we have programmed our wave machine to send your way, then the two of you are connected. And we will be able to catch you in a lie.

George was usually a big talker, with a sarcastic comment for every occasion. In this case he was more than a little stunned by the experience, and said nothing. When the device was turned on, he heard a kind of buzzing in his brain, that had lasted a few seconds, later to fade away.

Then the scientist pointed the device at him again, and there was a different tone of buzzing, followed by the word ‘brown’ resounding in his head several times.“Okay, George, what was the colour?

”After a few seconds, in which George seriously contemplated giving a wrong answer, he said “brown.”“Right! Now George, we are going to ask you a question, to which you can lie or tell the truth. We will tell you which one it is. George, are you married?”

George said that he was, and the lead scientist correctly replied with “That’s a lie”. George just nodded his head in response.

“We are now going to explain to you how it works. Let us know if you don’t understand. It is highly technical of course.”

George then asked a question, “Are you not going to de-program me first?”

The reply hit him like a hammer blow.

“Oh, we cannot do that. We tried, but could not find a way to do that, so we ended that part of the research. We feel that it would be relatively harmless to keep people programmed, as we will have absolute control of the devices. There will be no misuse.”

George recorded the explanations of different aspects of the technology, so his complete attention was on what he was learning. He had the distinct impression that when he did not quite get what they were saying, they would repeat what they had said slowly and with more explanation.

When he was about to leave, the lead scientist asks him a peculiar question. “When are you going to be writing this piece?” He replied by telling the man that he always wrote his articles as soon as he arrived at work at nine o’clock in the morning, as he was a ‘morning person’.

He gave his standard joke about that saying, “I never wrote anything intelligent in the afternoon.”

After he had left and was driving back to the newspaper office, he wondered that the repetition of the explanations that he didn’t quite follow was the product of their ‘reading his mind’. He wondered how far he would have to go to be beyond their range. Or would there be no ‘beyond the range’.

He knew from his regular reading of scientific journals that electro-magnetic waves were used to travel far into space. Travelling on earth should not then pose a significant challenge to their use.

When he got back to the newspaper office, he went straight away to talk to the editor to explain the problem he would have with writing an unbiased article on the research. The editor, whom George respected for his intelligence, particularly as it was demonstrated in his ability to write meaningful articles, presented him with a strategy that could resolve his problem.

He followed it to the letter. The next morning, at precisely nine o’clock, he first wrote an article that was solidly supportive of the research, and the researchers. Minutes after he was finished the draft copy of this piece, he received a phone call from the lead researcher, who stated that he was sure that whatever he wrote would be fine with them. He should not worry about “getting it right”.

Then, as the editor had suggested, he wrote what he truly felt, giving the article the title “Do you want to be programmed?” It had a powerful impact on the readers. The research ethics committee of the university soon declared that they would cut the funding of the project until such time as they found a way to deprogram those who were subjected to the waves.

The committee asked George whether he wanted to be a research subject, as he was one of the very few who had been programmed, the others being university students who had badly needed the money.

While he was apprehensive of the scientists ‘messing with my mind’, particularly after the critical article that he wrote, he agreed to participate as he wanted his brain purged of the effect of the waves.

When he made his return to their research room, his first words were “I know what you’re thinking.” There was an initial silence.

Then they laughed.

Joe Wong: Building A Wall Didn’t Work For China

Why do white people deny that white privilege exists?

Let me tell you how the other night, a “person of color” pointed a gun at my entire family – my husband, myself, our 3 kids 8,9,11 and my brand new 4 month old baby. That white privilege didn’t kick in though. Despite having a literal video, a license plate, witnesses – the cops have done nothing. The detective told us they see things like this all of the time with these thugs and he’d “get to it when he gets to it. But the DA might not even prosecute”.

I was shocked, considering our white friend brandished his firearm in self defense a while back, despite legally having the right to – he was ripped out of his house and had his firearm taken from him “while they investigated”

I, like the idiot I must be, assumed they would certainly go grab this animal that threatened to kill my family, immediately. Considering he was not provoked nor threatened in any way. I now have seen firsthand the privilege cops and district attorneys are giving persons of color. All to avoid having to deal with the criminals that support BLM and risk the bad press and losing a vote in my liberal shit hole state.

Comix for fun

If World War 3 happens, will America, China, or Russia be the last country to survive?

The country that survives should be China.

The nuclear weapons of the United States and Russia are superior in quantity, and most of them are nuclear warheads produced during the Cold War 40 to 50 years ago. China’s nuclear weapons are superior in quality, and many of them are new nuclear warheads produced in the past decade.

Russia’s nuclear missiles are mainly deployed in fixed launch silos, which are not very mobile and it is difficult to ensure the second nuclear strike capability. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Russia’s finances were not abundant, and the nuclear weapon launch system was not updated much.

The United States’ nuclear missiles are mainly deployed on nuclear submarines; the United States’ nuclear missiles are mainly deployed on missile launch vehicles. Mobility means having a second nuclear strike capability.

Broadly speaking, there is no winner in nuclear war!

Who can build more underground projects to protect more people?
Who can regain control of the territory first?
Who can rebuild civilization in the territory of nuclear radiation?

Then, who is the winner of the third world war.

The one who can’t do it is the loser.

Considering China’s huge population size and their infrastructure capabilities, as well as its preparations for nuclear bombing since the 1960s, it goes without saying who is the winner. (China has been under nuclear threat since the 1960s and has always been prepared. China should be the country with the most underground fortifications in the world.)

Even after the nuclear bomb fell, the war never ended.

The birth of human civilization is accompanied by war, and the restarted human civilization will also be shrouded in the haze of war.

Wife Wants My Forgiveness After Revealing She Had “Relations” With 50+ Guys Without Protection…

Conceal carriers, where do you put your gun when you use the restroom?

Welcome to our nightmare! The concern of having to take a shit, and forgetting one’s firearm in, say, a restaurant’s restroom is scary. I’ll explain the situation and provide a perfect solution.

Obviously, if you are a dude, and you’re taking a piss, it’s not a problem. It’s on your belt and it’s not going to be interfered with. If it’s on a duty belt and you go take a shit, it’s obviously on the belt and that’s a lot of crap, very visible and you generally hang that off the top of the stall or the bathroom door handle if it’s a single unit and odds are you have to contend with the vest as well, so that’s another reminder. (I don’t take shits wearing my vest.) The problem comes in when one has an IWB, inside the waist band type holster, which is a compact unit, which is removable from the belt, and when dropping one’s pants, it’s necessary to remove the firearm in holster from the belt. Many people simply put int on the toilet tank or counter near the sink (Most common but damn BAD PRACTICE), if there is one and sadly, some have left them there. The most publicly reported, INTERNATIONAL one was someone on some royal protection detail, left a firearm in a public bathroom, in the UK. The horror! It’s a gun! So not only are there potential legal, safety, and liability issues, it can be a career killer.

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While reading the comments about the aforementioned incident, one old cop had the simplest solution that should work well and it provides an example of WHY sometimes the best information is in the comments from readers on any subject. You put the gun, still in holster, in your underwear, which is at your ankle level. There’s absolutely no way that you’re going to miss it if you forget you have a pistol on you and thoughtlessly begin pulling up your briefs and trousers. It’s right there! It’s heavy, it’s noticeable and it’s where you have to do something and touch something to move on to the next step, as opposed to resting it on the counter near the sink, the floor, or the top of the toilet tank where you can get distracted or experience the “I gotta leave impulse we often have after taking a dump. So put it, in your IWB holster, in your briefs when you shit. This is a great solution for males and females. The simplicity matches the likely certainty of it, make it a habit and it should work out well.

A Snapchat Catfisher Is Trying To Con A Bro Out Of His Money, Let’s Help Him With A Dose Of Reality!

I’ve been catfished. Sad to say.

It happens to the best of us. Let this story be a lesson.

Take the *slaps*.

Learn.

Coconut Octopus

Khadija S. Mohammad

“Octopuses?” Thomas spluttered.The girl smiled. “Popular misconception. Logically, the plural is octopodes. Although publicly it’s still octopuses.” He rubbed the back of his head. Try to unearth the biggest scientific secret of the century, and all you end up with is a headache and a lesson in octopus plurals.“Come with me, our secret is in here.” She was laughing at him?He followed her through a wide door and into a glaring white chamber. As his eyes grew accustomed to the light he noticed boxes of blue and other bright colours dotting the room. Octopus tanks.The girl strode towards the farthest wall, avoiding the tanks and other obstacles with ease. Thomas was not so lucky; His natural clumsiness asserted itself, and by the time he stood next to her, three items were displaced, and one was broken. He was vaguely aware of a white figure glaring at his back as it cleaned up the mess.In front of them, a blank wall. The girl leaned into the wall and placed her eye in front of a hidden sensor. Slowly, the protective covering went up and what faced them was another octopus tank. “This is Hàixiū,” she said, putting her hand against the glass. Thomas spotted a small jellyfish-like shape in one corner. He pointed at it.“Yes, that’s her. Hàixiū is Chinese for ‘shy’.”A small squeak came from the corner of the room. Thomas turned and saw a silver-rimmed octopus tank with a young man standing in front of it, looking like something from a black-and-white movie. His skin was pale, almost white, and his clothes were black and grey. He squeaked at the octopus in front of him, and leant close to the tank, whispering like the breeze on a cold day. Thomas pointed at him and looked inquisitively at the girl.”Hàorán. He’s a little mad,” she explained, lowering her voice. “Ever since he came here he’s been whispering to Kuàisù, his octopus. He seems to think that Kuàisù can learn to talk.” Thomas glanced back at Hàorán and wondered…A man of about twenty walked in. “There you are Mimi. It’s time for Hàixiū’s injection.”

“Just a moment, Hui. Our journalist needs something to write about. Is it okay if he stays?” Hui nodded.

They put on gloves and found equipment while Thomas watched, occasionally glancing back at the tank. Hàixiū didn’t move.

“Turn on the Mush,” said Mimi. Thomas raised an eyebrow. “Just watch, it will explain itself.” Hui pressed a button on another wall and Thomas waited for something to happen.

Mimi pulled her gloves above her elbows and stretched her arms towards the tank. Thomas stared. Mush. Her hands just sank through it, the glass melting and moulding around them. The octopus flew – right to the other end of the tank.

“Come back here, you little monster,” Mimi said playfully. Hàixiū refused to come nearer, waiting until Mimi was just close enough to touch an arm with her fingertips before jetting away, pointing her suckers at them. And that’s what you are, she seemed to say. Not so much shy as cheeky, Thomas thought.

Hui talked while Mimi chased the elusive Hàixiū around the tank. “We take them out every day and inject them with Systimosin. It’s a kind of stimulant.”

“Got you!” said Mimi, grabbing hold of an arm and struggling to hold her still. “Hurry up Hui, she’s really strong.”

“Coming, coming.” He passed her a syringe filled with a thick, colourless liquid. “It was developed for the first time in this lab a few weeks ago. It supplies new connections in the octopodes’ brain, making it smarter. We’re also expecting it to give them a longer life span.”

Mimi injected the liquid into Hàixiū’s arm, then let go of her. “She’s developing faster than the others. They’re all developing faster than I expected.” Hui laughed.

“If you have any questions, ask Mimi. She’s the biggest octopus expert around here. I’m just the assistant.” Something is his voice – in the words he spoke? The way he spoke? – hit Thomas like a wave. He’d always been sensitive to emotions. If you don’t talk, you get to listen longer. And words aren’t the only thing you can listen to.

He put up a hand, a Wait, please sign; He wanted to write. He hoped his face would say what his hands couldn’t. He’d never been the best at polite talk. Or impolite talk.

Somehow they understood. Hui left. Mimi waited, then began walking him round a tour again, stopping at each new tank to add a special comment about the octopus inside.

“Each octopus is different,” she explained, “They each have their own personalities. This is Yonggan,” as they neared another tank where an octopus was attached to the glass. “We joke that he’s Hàixiū’s soulmate, the two are exact opposites. Yonggan is very playful; He loves new people. We expected him to develop the fastest, but Nature never makes things easy.” Thomas nodded and bent over his notebook as they walked on. “They’re each named after their most prominent traits, it makes them easier to place and helps when we forget which name is attached to which octopus.” He nodded again.

They walked on, carefully avoiding Hàorán’s corner, where he continued whispering to Kuàisù, ignoring them completely, or just not seeing them.

“Remember, this is top-secret work. No leaks,” Mimi said. Thomas rolled his eyes. I’m a journalist. Whatever I see, the public sees. Suddenly he bent over his notebook, writing something and ripping it out to show her.

“What if one of the scientists leak?” She read. “That’s simple; They wouldn’t. I would trust any one of my crew with my life. We all trust each other.” Thomas wasn’t satisfied, but he kept quiet as they moved to the next tank.

“And this is Xiaochou, the clown. You wouldn’t think that he was nocturnal, would you?” Xiaochou was currently doing octopus backflips, front flips, and side flips.

“We always use Amphioctopus marginatus, the Coconut or Veined octopus, for our experiments. We tried using other types, but Systimosin doesn’t create intelligence, it just increases what’s already there, so they either showed no signs of developing or died when we tried increasing the dose.”

Thomas was confused. Surely she was fond of the creatures after working with them for weeks, but he couldn’t detect any emotions from her when she talked of their deaths.

“The government decided that it was too damaging to risk too many tests, so they only granted permission for 10 octopodes, 5 tests each. It’s at the edge of our limit; If an octopus died now…” She shivered. “Well, hopefully all goes to – ”

“Hàixiū is out!” The steady thud of feet on the spotless white floor, squeaks, squeals and more shouting. Only Hàorán stayed where he was, a surprised but smug grin on his face. Why, Thomas wondered. Somehow, the alleged madman fascinated him.

He followed Mimi back to Hàixiū’s tank, notebook forgotten, where a group of teuthologists stood in a loose circle, talking. He caught a few words. “- before we expected.”

“She’s certainly developing fast,” Mimi commented, “She wasn’t scheduled to escape for a few weeks.” Nobody seemed panicked. In fact, nobody was even looking for Hàixiū. It was as if they all knew that she would be back soon, like she was a colleague who had just gone out for a coffee and would return in a few minutes. Thomas stood awkwardly behind the group, staring absent-mindedly into Hàixiū’s empty tank.

“Hui?” Mimi called. Hui walked in and looked at her expectantly. “She should be near the vent in the test room, could you bring her in please?” Hui nodded and left.

He returned a minute later with a frozen look of panic on his face. “She’s not there.”

No one knew what to do. The chances of her not doing what they expected were a thousand to one. They froze.

Suddenly everyone was moving, and Thomas watched with an amused smile. This is what happens when you become too logical, he thought. Resuming his watch on the tank, he let his mind roam, headlines and front-page news drifting in and out of his consciousness.

“Where could she be?” “What’s happened to her?” “What if she’s got out?” “Why didn’t we calculate correctly?” People zipping back and forth, searching the rooms, searching the vents, making more calculations and searching again.

Half an hour later, the panic was broken, the problem still unsolved. In place of blind frenzy came desperation for some, depression for others. Some were sitting cross-legged on the floor, crying, knowing that Hàixiū was already dead, some continued stubbornly searching. Thomas was still glued to the glass, trying to appear oblivious to his surroundings, overwhelmed with the emotions that flooded the lab. A single octopus meant so much to them. In the passageway, a man was on his knees, praying.

As Thomas stared through the tank, something caught his eye. “Mimi,” he shouted, realising he didn’t know her last name. His voice was scratchy and thick with disuse. She lifted her head from her hands and looked around, unsure of who was calling her. “She’s here.”

Everyone crowded around him, following his finger to the small jellyfish-like shape in the corner. Mimi squealed with relief. Hui and another man slapped each other on the back. Tears were forgotten, driven away by almost hysterical laughter.

Thomas was confused, alone in his thoughts. Hàixiū had always been there; She hadn’t moved from when he first entered the room. And throughout the commotion that had followed her ‘disappearance’, no one had admitted coming near the tank. ‘Hàixiū is out’…

Safe in his corner, Hàorán laughed. Kuàisù had proved his worth.

Ronny Chieng Explains Why Chinese People Love Money

How is China’s domination in lab-grown diamonds shaking up and destabilizing the traditional global diamond market?

You want to buy a Diamond ring

A 4 Carat cut and polished ring at Chow Sang Sang in Beijing retails at a whopping 320,000 Yuan

Same 4 Carat Synthetic Diamond ring can be purchased for 42,000 Yuan

No Amateur can tell the difference

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Not even a Loupe can tell the difference these days

You need a Gemological Certificate & LIBS or Spectroscopy reports

Nirav Modi, the legend 😁😁😁😁😁

He claimed to spend $ 400 Million (₹ 2700 Crore) in buying Natural Diamonds but spent $ 46 Million in buying Synthetic Diamonds from China vide HK and likely (ALLEGEDLY) siphoned off $ 354 Million

The ED who confiscated his diamonds thought the value was ₹ 3,130 Crore found their value to be less than ₹350 Crore

So a Gemological certificate isn’t exactly iron clad evidence

Only the RETAILER is

Tiffanys, Cartiers etc who have a reputation sell absolutely doubt free Natural diamonds

China makes 77% of the World’s synthetic diamonds

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India is a huge market and we import 24% of Synthetic Diamonds and also make 9% of Synthetic Diamonds

Why is the Global Market shaken up?

36% Diamond Buyers were those who scrimped and saved for years or took heavy credit card debts to buy Diamond Jewelry with Natural Diamonds

Today those buyers can easily pay 20% of the price and buy Synthetic Diamonds with 18K Gold Jewelry which can deceive 99% of the world as being authentic

So those customers will NEVER buy natural diamonds again

So value of diamonds is driven down drastically

Disadvantages of Synthetic Diamonds:-

They can’t be RESOLD or HOCKED easily

Pawnbrokers pay you 60% value of Natural Diamonds and you can resell them for 100% Value or even greater value in the same retail outlet at a later delate

They are easily convertible to cash

Meanwhile Synthetic Diamonds fetch less than 30% value at a Pawnbroker and reselling them means at least 50% discount

What is the best 5th generation fighter in the world, and why?

What is the best 5th generation fighter in the world? What are the criteria? These are the questions I have asked for sometime now.

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I will tackle this question.

I will evaluate it based on current fighters abilities not the SU-57M or Block 4 F-35. I also do not care about numbers in total built. I agree that in a real war that matters. However for this question it does not. This question is simple to me, if I could only have 1 of these fighters to protect my country which one would it be.

Lets start with the biggest question does the fighter have to have all the parameters that Lockheed Martin laid out when they developed the 5th generation brand? I would say no you do not, as those goal posts were moved by Lockheed themselves in order to get the F-35 to fit the as a 5th generation fighter title. Super maneuverability and Supercruise was removed with the reasoning being since there are no more dogfights( which will turn out to be incorrect) and speed is not important anymore. Consequently I will not be holding the fact that the SU-57 does not have serrated nozzles yet or the J-20 lacking supercruise ability. There will be one caveat to this discussion there is quite limited information J-20 just as the Chinese prefer it but this will make a comparison to other fighters more challenging but I will do my best.

Lets start by defining what I believe makes the best 5th gen aircraft. It would be the best all around aircraft that if you could only have one of these 5th generation fighters in your inventory, which one is best able to carry out A2A, A2G, standoff attacks and air superiority would it be. that the basis of the this discussion lets begin.

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BVR

The West has convinced the world that air battles will now be fought only from beyond visual range(BVR). In this scenario sensors are king, and how far your radar can pick up a target and create a firing solution is what matters. In this regard I will talk about the individual abilities of the fighters not a grouping of fighters working in unison. In the case of BVR other than the sensors the missiles are the most important weapon in the arsenal of these fighters. We should now look at how each fighter stacks up in these categories

F-35

The F-35 uses the APG-81 with 1000-1600 T/R modules and a range of 200km and 110km on 1sqm target the EOTS is a combination of IRST and FLIR that has shown range out to 90kms not sure what range it can create a firing solution from officially but it is believed to be around 50kms from what is in open sources.

The missiles for air-to-air are the AIM-120D which incorporates active seeker with a max range of 160km and a predicted NEZ of 70km in stealth configuration and when stealth is not required the AIM-9X for short range attacks. Both missiles can be shot off boresight even at targets in the rear hemisphere. Max air-to-air load out in stealth configuration is 4 AIM-120D. Both missile can receive datalink correction from F-35

F-22

The F-22 uses the APG-77 with 1500 -2200 T/R modules with a range of 400km on a 1sqm target it does not have any kind of optical tracking abilities as it was designed as a pure air superiority fighter and the US had rejected IRST as general rule in fighter aircraft at this time. It also has the AN/ALR 94 with passive sensors with a claimed range of 463kms to detect radar signals.

The missiles are very similar to the F-35, with AIM-120D as primary medium distance and the AIM-9X. The F-22 does not have the ability to shoot off boresight missiles but can carry 6 AIM-120D and 2 AIM-9X in stealth configuration.

J-20

The J-20 uses the Type 1475 with approximately 2000T/R modules which are rumored to Gallium nitride which would make for a very powerful radar. Before people say that cannot be possible, China makes 98% of the world production of Gallium. The only numbers to be found is a range of 200km. They also claim the J-20 has an IRST but again there is no real open source information specifications.

The missiles used by the J-20 are the PL-15 with an AESA radar seeker and 200km range and dual pulse motor. For short range it uses the PL-10 with an imaging infrared (IIR) seeker, thrust-vectoring exhaust nozzle, laser proximity fuse, and reportedly boasts a 90-degree off-boresight capability.

SU-57

The SU-57 is a bit different than all the others, it has 4 X-band radars that cover 360° The nose radar has 1514 T/R modules with a range of 400km on 1sqm targets and two side arrays with 414 T/R modules each with range of 110km+ there no numbers on T/R of the rear radar it may be RWR only or another full radar. The Felon also incorporates two L-band arrays in which many argue about their uses but I believe because they are part of the radar system. It also has probably the best IRST in current fighter with the quantum well technology(QWIP) with minimum range 130km. The OLS-50M and 101KS-V Infra-red Search And Track System ( IRST ) is designed to detect heat emissions from aircraft and missiles passively. IRST are essentially thermographic cameras that detect and track heat sources without emitting any radiation in the process ( passive ).

The SU-57 in stealth mode can carry the R-77M a medium distance dual pulse motor missile with a range of up to 193km with datalink the missile has a AESA seeker that when it picture is completed may have largest NEZ of any missile again that is opinion not a fact. The R-37M has a version called the Izdeliye 810 with folding wings. There are pictures of it being manufactured and information it would be included in the SU-57E so we will assume it is an option. The range is said to be 300km+. For short range internal bays the RVV-MD2 missiles is equipped with a combined guidance system, which includes inertial guidance plus a multi-element double-channel infrared seeker with increased resistance to interference, plus a radio correction receiving channel. The missile can independently determine its coordinates in space, regardless of external factors. The scanning area of the homing seeker in the forward hemisphere is 180°, which allows tracking all evasive maneuvers of the attacked enemy aircraft.

BVR Analysis

This will be a contentious topic as the Westerners have a very hard time with accepting anything but clear dominance and that is simply is not the case if you look at the open source available data. The fact is that the F-22 and the SU-57 are the standouts in this category. Yes the F-35 networking with multiple platforms is a great ability but we cannot look at things from that perspective. In a battle AWACS will be destroyed and communications disrupted. The individual abilities of the fighter to perform in a contested environment is the measuring stick. The SU-57 and F-22 radars outrange both the F-35 and J-20 along with longer range passive sensors. The SU-57 has upper hand in missile range and ability to fire totally passively. The AN/ALR-94 cannot create a firing solution without the use of its radar which will alert fighters to being targeted, especially the SU-57 with 4 X-band radars.

There is one more combat avionics system made especially for BVR that the SU-57 has, it is unique in the fighter aviation community. It is called BOSES-TU ‘Duel’ ,this is from one western sources in 2014 :

”This is the first time we have seen such a system anywhere. This system enables the aircraft to be programmed with the capabilities of its adversary, allowing for the aircraft to track its opponent and recommend optimized decisions to the pilot, creating a fine balance of man and machine. Such a system is only the tip of the iceberg with what can be done, it’s the first time we have seen the introduction of AI on a combat platform.”

Aircraft Operational Recommendation Expertise System of Tactical Level called ‘Duel’ for usage in BVR combat. Besides the Su-35S ,only the new Su-57 has this combat system. Something like this western fighters do not possess. What is the story about? Thanks to Russian Intel ,hundreds of flight and maneuvering performance data, combat potential and other details and data for all operational western 4th and 5te gen fighters are stored in two 6-processor/Elbrus-4S/ digital comps type Baget-53-31M. So this system helps pilot of Su-35/57 to take decisions and actions in BVR combat in all possible tactical/combat scenarios: 1vs1,1vs2,2vs1,2vs2,2vs4 or vice versa and in squadron level.

In conclusion the BVR battle will most like be won by the F-22 or SU-57.

Stealth

Next we will cover the stealth of each aircraft,:

F-22 – Has a claimed RCS of 0.0001sqm. Whether this is correct or not it is the number most often quoted. While I have my doubts about the veracity of theses claims I will not cover that here and will just use the above number. This makes the F-22 the most stealthy fighter in the world.

F-35 – Has a claimed RCS of 0.001sqm. This would have it ranked as the second best stealth fighter in the world

J-20 – There are no official claimed numbers from the Chinese for the J-20. Therefore I choose to reputable modeler Dhimas Afihandarin who has estimated the J-20 to be around 0.2sqm which even he admits seems high but that is what the modeling says, therefore since we have nothing else to go by that is the number I have to be settled on.

SU-57 – There are many that try to use the patent as the basis for the SU-57 in which case the we should the ATF for the F-22 which called for the fighter to be 100x smaller than 10sqm F-15 which equals out to 0.1sqm. Lockheed has since revised that number to 0.0001sqm. Russia has said the actual number is classified. So again I turned to Dhimas Afihandarin who is one of the only modelers to take into account radar blockers and screens and carbon fiber skin. According to his modeling the SU-57 RCS is around 0.006sqm. Which would put the SU-57 firmly in third place in the stealth race.

Stealth Analysis

Stealth is a very interesting topic people obsess about having the lowest RCS number, and yes in certain situations that is most important factor. How the fighter will be used matters more though. If you plan for your plane to do deep penetration SEAD and DEAD mission that small RCS will be vital. What is vital is that the rapid speed at which radars are catching up with stealth. The US has admitted they believe the S-400 radar can track and target a F-35. According to Alastair Crooke a well know retired intel specialist on the middle east with deep deep inside information. The reason the planned 24hr operation of Israel to attack Iran only lasted a few hours was due to the fact that F-35’s that were supposed to lead the charge being locked and targeted by an unknown radar. This radar is believed to be the S-400 Russia brought in to support Iranian IAD. This is not even the best Russian radar, that honor would go to the new S-500 radar not to mention the multiple ground radars used by China and Russia in multiple bands that are linked together to create a picture for their respective IAD’s.

Within the WVR realm which contrary to popular belief still exists. The stealth of an aircraft becomes much less important and Kinematics and pilots become the main measuring sticks along with missiles. If you look for example at the the ranges at which a F-22 for example would see an SU-57 on radar you are looking at about 37kms and that does not take into account EW abilities. Against a none peer adversary like Iraq, Libya, Syria, Afghanistan etc, stealth doesn’t matter. If you plan to take a F-22 and F-35 into an IAD that will also have alert aircraft like MiG-31’s , SU-57’s, J-16’s and J-20 they will not survive. Many will argue that the F-22 on a radar is a blip on a radar but a blip traveling at 1200km per hour is still a red flag. The Russians, Iranians and Chinese have been building a radar blueprint for these planes for over 20 years.

The Russians and Chinese do not do SEAD and DEAD missions as a general rule they are more apt to use missiles to destroy air defences. Stealth is vital and against non peer opponents it can be deadly. However for those countries that still plan tp use modern air power as their main strategy, I would advise them to re-think that strategy going against a peer level IAD network.

In conclusion the Lockheed brother definitely win the stealth game. However that does not give them the edge it did 20 years ago when the F-22 took to the skies to be part of the US Air Force.

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Air to Ground/Stand-off munitions

F-22– This where the F-22 really falls down it can really only carry 2 1000lbs GBU-32 PGM 445lbs of explosives with 15km range.

F-35 – The F-35 can carry internally 2 JSM range 275km+ or 8 SDB PGM with 105lbs of explosive each or it can carry a total of two GBU-32’s. Typical loadout for ground attack is 2 GBU-32’s PGM 445lbs of explosives and 2 AIM-120D.

J-20 – The J-20 is intended to carry internally the LS-6/50 PGM 110lbs of explosive and LS6/100 PGM 220lbs of explosive. Quantities unknown.

SU-57 – The Su-57 can carry internally D-30SN glide bomb 220lbs of explosive 90km range, KAB-250 PGM 365lbs of explosives KAB-500 PGM 990lbs of explosives, Kh-36 Grom-E2 Glide bomb range 50km 551lbs of explosive, Kh-59MK2 290km range 705lbs of explosives, Kh-69 400km range 683lbs of explosives. Kh-31 260km range 207lbs of explosives.(anti-ship/anti-radiation). Kh-35U 300km range 320lbs of explosive, Kh-58UShKe 260km range 328lbs of explosives.

In this category there is a clear winner, and that is the SU-57 it has by far the most variety and destructive firepower. On top of that unlike some of the air-to-air missiles all of these munitions have been used in either Syria or Ukraine or both. The SU-57 has the ability to dominate ground warfare without even entering the IAD envelope of all the Western IAD’s.

Another caveat is that the Russian create all missiles with belief they may have to carry a nuclear warhead one day. So missiles like Kh-69 or the smaller version of Kinzhal intended for the weapons bay of SU-57 or the new long range prototype cruise missile based on the Kh-555 with a range of 2,500km could possibly carry long range stand-off nuclear missiles.

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Avionics/Sensor Fusion

This is a very interesting subject because sensor fusion is such a new term and function on the battlefield. The consensus is that the F-35 does it best and I can see why people say that. The way the US has chosen use fusion is very efficient and creative things like being able to see through the fighter and fusing the information from the radar and cameras to display on the helmet is very impressive feat of engineering. The F-22 does have sensor fusion but not to the level or in same way that the F-35 does but enough to give excellent awareness in the sky. There is literally nothing open source on China that I can find. The Russian definitely do sensor fusion integrating all the sensor to create a picture of the battle space along with what they call the second pilot AI system that manages many functions thus allowing pilot to concentrate on the fight.

People will speak about the avionics of F-22 and F-35 being superior to the SU-57 but factually the SU-57’s electronics and eternals are superior to block 3 F-35 let alone F-22. The F-35 current (Block 3) has a less powerful ICP than the Su-57’s compute module. The F-35 uses PowerPC MPC7448 chips vs Elbrus-4S (quad-core Elbrus) on the Su-57. The F-22 is even worse, it uses i960MX processors. This is supposed to change on F-35 when Block 4 comes out. On top of that the SU-57 uses NTC Module 1879VM8Ya (sixteen-core NeuroMatrix DSPs with five-core ARM controllers AI accelerators, and all the networking is done by fiber optics. The radar uses second generation gallium arsenide elements.

Who has the best sensor fusion? The realty is we do not know, yes the F-35 under ideal circumstances can interface with the most assets but the chance in a real WWIII type scenario that is going to available is probably zero. The question for me is who systems will allow their pilots to kill the most adversaries efficiently. It is great to be able to see through your fighter but is that better than side radars that can see from a fighter from over 100kms away. What picture does fusing Optical, L, and X-band together to create a firing solution vs the AN/ALR-94. The actual only way to tell whose system is the best is to have an actual war and have them battle it out. I am sure they will all have their strengths and weaknesses but trying to use red flag events as your proof of superiority is foolish. As far as I am concerned this is an immeasurable category.

Kinematics

F-35- F-135 engine with serrated nozzles 43,000lbs thrust with afterburners 28,000lbs without AB, T/W at normal takeoff weight of 1.07, wing loading 526 kg/m2, Mach 1.6. The F-35 cannot supercruise and is limited to about 10 min of supersonic flight unless there is an emergency. Range internal fuel 1400km. Climb rate 277m/s.

F-22 – F-119 engine with 2D flat nozzles 35,000lbs x 2=70,000lbs with afterburners 50,,000lbs without AB, T/W at normal take off weight 1.25 wing loading 377 kg/m2, top speed Mach 2.25. The F-22 can supercruise at Mach 1.8 and has a range without drop tanks 1000km. Climb rate 350m/s.

J-20 – WS-10C engine with serrated nozzles 32,000lbs x 2=64,000lbs with afterburners unknown dry thrust, T/W 0.95 wing loading 340 kg/m2 , top speed Mach 2.0. The J-20 cannot supercruise and has a range of 3500km. Climb rate 304m/s. Top Speed Mach 2.

SU-57 – AL-41F1 engine with 3D TVC 33,000lbs x2=66,000lbs with afterburners 39,600lbs without AB T/W at normal takeoff weight 1.15 wing loading 371 kg/m2, top speed Mach 2.0. The SU-57 can supercruise at Mach 1.3 and has a range of 3500km. Climb rate between 361–384m/s.

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Kinematics Analysis

This is the easiest to break down. The SU-57 is in a league of its own when it comes to the kinematic world. The design builds on Sukhoi’s knowledge from the flankers and adds LEVCONS, 3D TVC and the best aerodynamics of the 5th generations. The F-22 is no slouch here either with 2D TVC and lots of thrust. The J-20 for its size is very agile due to its canard delta wing setup. Lastly the F-35 might not be as bad as people claim but the numbers do not lie.

Command and Control

F-22– The F-22 was initially excluded from the Air Force’s data-sharing prototype, ABMS Capability Release 1, due to differences in communications design and development. However, the ACC Federal Laboratory has integrated combat apps onto the F-22 using an open software stack.

F-35 – MADL, when operated in conjunction with other F-35 sensors, can achieve the much sought-after goal of sharing threat data and helping the jet find and destroy enemy targets from ranges where it remains undetected. This ability, shown in several wargames in recent years, is something that F-35 pilots point to as a defining reason for its superiority.

J-20 – No open source information I can find.

SU-57 – The upgraded S-111 system uses AI based cognitive radio technology it enhances interference and intelligence immunity, helping it counter jamming and other electronic warfare techniques employed by adversaries. The equipment ensures data transmission validity by means of noiseless coding, message symbol interlacing, universal time synchronization for signal processing, simultaneous message transmission via parallel links, extending stable communication range, and using artificial intelligence technology. The system includes computers, interlacers and de-interlacers, high-frequency-band antenna tuners, digital signal processors, and noiseless encoders and decoders. This allows for seamless communication and battlefield management with all assets from the IAD, to ground forces to the control air battle space.

Again I prefer to look at how the fighters would perform independent of larger network but I am sure while AEW&C and AWACS will not survive the battle space the ability to work in coordination with other fighters will to some degree. The F-35 whole design is based on interoperability and the ability to pass on information to other fighters within the kill chain.

The F-22 is integrated but not to the degree that the F-35 is but is a lethal part of that chain.

The J-20 does have ability to link fighters together it has been spoken of but details are so sparse that it really impossible to say much of anything except do not underestimate the Chinese.

The SU-57 and the Russians have a very robust ability with the SU-30SM2, SU-35S, MiG-31 and SU-57 to communicate with the Russian networks. Many think Russia is far behind but it is actually not. Since the 80’s a group of four MiG-31s was capable of exchanging data in automatic mode regarding targets being tracked within 800km-wide sector with the ability to communicate to a distance of 2000km with ground command to target data to a ground or air-based targets. The SU-35S lead in 4 fighter group can target/pass information and even fire the missiles of the 3 other fighters while they fly passively. The SU-57 abilities are significantly more than these examples obviously.

In the end I would give F-35 the edge as this is its primary strength, however the other 3 fighters should not be underestimated.

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Electronic Warfare

F-35 – In today’s signal-dense environments, the AN/ASQ-239 system provides long-range 360-degree, full-spectrum situational awareness and rapid-response capabilities. Its offensive and defensive capabilities include threat warning, radio-frequency and infrared countermeasures, and targeting support – allowing pilots to detect, analyze, and counter threats and reach well-defended targets.

F-22 – BAE Systems’ AN/ALR-94 digital electronic warfare system geolocates potential threats by detecting adversary radars at significant ranges, allowing the F-22 Raptor to limit its own radar emissions, enabling it to better conceal its location when operating in hostile territory. Data collected by the AN/ALR-94 system helps identify, monitor, analyze, and rapidly respond to threats by providing the pilot with maximum situational awareness. Advanced avionics and sensors provide a complete view of the battlespace, enabling pilot to take appropriate action and ensure mission success. The AN/ALR-94 electronic warfare system also is reliable and maintainable reducing long-term life cycle costs.

J-20 – I am sure there is one but again there is no information except about electronic warfare support drones

SU-57 – The L402 Himalayas system works on the principle of active jamming, which involves emitting powerful radio signals to disrupt and confuse enemy radar and communication systems. It also includes passive jamming, which involves analyzing and mimicking enemy signals to deceive their systems. Passive jamming involves detecting the radar signals emitted by the enemy radar system and then transmitting a signal that interferes with the radar’s ability to detect targets. This can be done without alerting the enemy to the presence of the jamming aircraft, allowing it to remain undetected and avoid being targeted by the enemy. Passive jamming is an effective countermeasure against radar-guided weapons and is an important component of modern air defense systems.

This again is a very hard again to gauge. EW is the biggest secret of all in fighter aircraft, the basics are known but details are never given. Personally I think they are all most likely excellent BAE has a great reputation and Russian EW is also very good. Knowing which one will do the best job is impossible. The only way to know is a war, without that it is all talk and speculation.

The Conclusion

After doing this review I am going to give the J-20 an incomplete grade as their is just not enough information in open sources to do a proper evaluation. I will try find more info and update this post.

After all this what have determined. When it comes to BVR the F-22 and SU-57 are the ones to beat especially against 4th generation platforms. The SU-57 has actually had a BVR kill with R-37M at 217km. WVR Again this will be the domain of the SU-57 and F-22 with SU-57 having the advantage in maneuverability and the fact it can shot off-boresight missiles. The ground attack game is all SU-57 the F-22 can drop a couple bombs well within any IAD of almost any country. The F-35 is designed to be a ground attack queen but the SU-57 has better variety, firepower and range on its munitions. Avionics all the fighters have elite avionics made to work within their fighting doctrine. The US leverages it worldwide network of allies and bases and ships to create an electronic picture. THE Russians design there fighters around being part of their IAD defence as mini AWACS to fill in the gaps in IAD and attack threats to IAD. In a electronically degraded environment with GPS and electronic communication limited it becomes a BVR and WVR fight which we have already covered. Electronic warfare again realistically all the fighters do very well, whose system works best we would only know in actual wartime scenario it is all chest thumping bravado right now. Stealth the US fighter win hands down, but the truth is that according to modeling the Su-57 will most likely be within visual range before the missiles start flying. Plus Russia and China plan to fight in their own backyards with IAD coverage, with the networking of radars it is highly doubtful even an F-22 or any fighter will go undetected.

So which on is the best all around I think everyone has an opinion. Most will say that if you do not pick one of the American fighters then you are crazy or you are Russian or Chinese bots. The lack of intellect behind those kind of statements is something I find amusing or just ignore.

The SU-57 is essentially an omni role stealth plane. With the most varied types of armaments’ tied for best range and has best kinematics overall of the 5th generation. It is also the only fighter to prove itself with BVR and WVR kills along with standoff destruction of infrastructure and IAD. There are individual abilities that other fighters do better but all around I think it is quite indisputable which fighter is the best overall .

How I lost my home language | from Picture This comedy special

How serious is the Chinese military’s lack of experience?

As serious as it is for us.

Answers like that of Roland’s anger me because they’re very clearly propaganda designed to paper over real problems. What I and all the officers at USTRANSCOM saw were challenges that were unique to our situation, drawn by several factors:

The GWOT went on for too long and we had become too specialized in COIN. This created a need for the force to unlearn and reorient, both of which were fraught with uncertainty because we did not have experience in whatever was going to be the war of the future (but we were certain it wasn’t going to be a repeat of the last 50 years).
Adoption of new strategies and defenses against new cyberwarfare were fraught with talent issues. People like Roland do not spend their time asking how good the quality of nerds are at J6. Maybe he knows of some magical staffing fixes in the intervening time, but I am not holding my breath given how often Americans repeat to themselves myths like “I am not a math person.” This is especially true of the American nationalist who values loyalty over talent, which is why I have next to no confidence that the more loyalist posturing we exhibit the better our cyber is going to be. If anything this tends to be an inverse relationship.

The gap between theory and practice is insurmountable without fighting a war of its kind. Yes, we have our heads on straight figuring out what the next plan ought to be. That is not the hard part; most influential players today seem to be perfectly capable of this as well. The bottleneck for now is in the trial— there just aren’t many opportunities to test the theory out. The breakout of war will change that, but then we all will simply have the next bottlenecks exposed.

I don’t care that we are good at transporting goods. That’s the mantra to make people look away from the obvious factor that we transport goods over distances and the expected place where there will be a war is extremely far away from us compared to China, and that such a distance exists in more than one dimension (the complexity of the system grows geometrically, not linearly). Even if we presume we are able to surmount this challenge, the real issue is in replenishment. A lot of people have argued either from the historical perspective (arsenal of democracy) or from a spending perspective that we can easily scale up and replenish losses. Fundamentally, these people show a great amount of disrespect towards the needs of engineering. The fact of the matter is that we only have a strategic degree of civilian factories that we can convert into military production, particularly in shipbuilding, and we also have an intense lack of engineering workforce that can fill in the missing factory positions. Hell, it should already be bizarre that anyone proposes a scenario where we retain half of our ships or aircraft in a real shooting war with China. From where does this infinite confidence stem, in this day and age of Oreshnik missiles, Navy “mistakes,” and surprise 6th gen aircraft? And how long do people think we can afford to take with replenishment and logistics, given that Taiwan is right off the coast of China and halfway across the world from the vast majority of our industry? That alone will permit China a great many mistakes of inferiority, in a scenario where the US and China have in-kind experience fighting that kind of war (observation in Ukraine and elsewhere, training exercises, simulations, low intensity peacetime logistics). This was very aptly demonstrated the last time the US and China were in a direct, high intensity war!

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If anything China was far more inferior to the US during the Korean War and it was still fought to a stalemate. Now that China is much less inferior relative to the US, we expect that somehow the US is going to win?

Slander never won us wars, and racist slander tends to lead to the greatest complacency. When someone insists that we should embrace such propaganda on account of feeding our fighting spirit, ask yourself how that went with the fascists of the past. I have never considered this rhetoric to be prudent, and neither should anyone here tolerate it as such. There is a nasty historical pattern in which the more this rhetoric is present, the more the institutions issuing such rhetoric believe in their own lies.

I truly hope the military has not succumbed to this hubris. For anyone who still has unreasonable confidence in the speed to which we can update our warfighting capacity (especially logistics), let me ask you: How long did it take for us to switch to MRAPs? And how long did it take for the USMC to do the same switch?

The addendum: How long did it take for the Ukranians and Russians to switch to anti-drone countermeasures? How long do you think it will take us?

How serious is the Chinese military’s lack of experience?

It’s not that serious and the people who are suggesting that it is here, are doing so without any proper arguments or evidence. China’s military certainly hasn’t fought a major war, but most of the world’s military forces hasn’t. I see people suggesting China would fail a fight with Taiwan because of this lack of experience, why? Taiwan has more military experience?

The Chinese has the largest navy in the world, and no naval combat experience, neither did Ukraine when it sank the Moskva.

Unlike fighting experience, logistical experience is something you can actually get in peace time. Rodra Hascaryo’s answer talks about logistics, but it is basically saying that the USA had great logistics in WW2, and China doesn’t because they haven’t fought. First of all, the USA had no major combat experience prior to WW2, so he has made the argument that isn’t necessary for great logistics, second of all he has not addressed a shred of knowledge that we have on Chinese logistics, despite the fact that the US War College have an update to date and open source book on the subject.[1]

Bartetzko’s answer is based entirely on ignorance and racism. An even better basis of course. Bartetzko opens with a quote from General Eric Smith of the US Marine Corps, who said that the last Chinese war was so long ago that it was captured on oil and canvas unlike American wars which are captured on iphones. Incredible that both Bartetzko and a General in charge of preparing war against China, are so ignorant of China that they think the Chinese didn’t have cameras in the 1950s when they fought, let me just check my notes here, the USA in Korea.

Bartetzko goes on to say that NATO has perfected the way to fight modern wars, this is why we win all of them, like Afghanistan which we won, and Vietnam which we also won, just like Libya, Syria and Iraq, which are all war zones which we won and turned out exactly how we wanted it, and let’s not forget Somalia, which we fixed.

Finally Bartetzko realize that the Chinese mind is actually the real problem for them, they just can’t use their brain as good as us. Because the key element to the Chinese brain is conformity, they are historically known as very unimaginative people you see. Bartetzko does not actually directly point to any evidence or cultural traits of China in this regard of course, probably because his primary source of information is a US general who doesn’t know the Korean war happened.

China lacks experience, as does any nation not currently in war. Experience can be gained at different levels and in different ways. Experience is also transferable. If experience was not transferable, then tactics would never progress beyond what a single person could learn in life, and schools wouldn’t make much sense. Experience in modern warfare is without a doubt being acquired by China right now. You do not think they have observers in Ukraine with the Russians? Of course they do, they are watching and learning as much as everyone else.

I am not an expert on everything Chinese, but it is stupid and dangerous to think that between 1.4 billion Chinese people they can’t find capable officers, logisticians and tacticians, because of racial traits and culture, or that they don’t know how to load equipment on ships and move them around.

China moves around more material everyday, than all of Europe and USA combined. China has actually fought wars, and I think the key thing from those wars we should learn is that when China was serious, they were able to fight the USA to a stand still to the point that US generals thought nuclear weapons against a non nuclear country was the only way to attain victory. That is China after a civil war at its lowest, with the USA at one of it’s most productive periods in history. Of course, if your generals are so ignorant they don’t know this happened at all in Korea, of course they will not learn anything. You could say that experience is lost.

Chicken Divan Pie

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cooked rice
4 eggs, divided
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
1 cup broccoli, cooked and chopped
1 cup chicken or turkey, cooked and chopped
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 dash ground black pepper
1/4 cup (1 ounce) Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
In small bowl, combine rice and 1 of the eggs: mix well. Press rice mixture onto bottom and up side of lightly greased 9 inch pie plate.
In large bowl, toss cheddar cheese with flour. Add remaining 3 eggs, milk, broccoli, chicken, onions, salt and pepper: mix well. Pour over rice crust. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until set in center.

Attribution

Pampered Chef

Why Are Maintenance Men So Attractive?

When Sully hit birds, even the flight attendants knew they had to return to La Guardia (based on the movie). The return scenarios said that if he began turning immediately, he could have made it back, why did he not start turning immediately?

Sully did not immediately turn back, because he did not immediately know that power was permanently lost in both engines, and he did not immediately know that LaGuardia was actually within reach. You’re much more likely to get into more trouble by taking immediate and irreversible action in an emergency without thought.

If Sully had immediately turned back, the plane would have disproportionately lost altitude in the turn, possibly eliminating other landing spots from consideration, and not being able to reach LaGuardia. The altitude lost in the turn is altitude you won’t get back.

Sully and his first officer, per the transcript, determined they were unable to reach LaGuardia within one minute, and briefly considered Teterboro. (“1” is Sully, “2” is the First Officer.)

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The flight attendants speculated they would return to LaGuardia, apparently, but they also did not know if LaGuardia was within reach, and if power could be restored to at least one engine.

15:26:37 HOT-1 uh what a view of the Hudson today.

15:26:42 HOT-2 yeah.

15:26:52 HOT-2 flaps up please, after takeoff checklist.

15:26:54 HOT-1 flaps up.

15:27:07 HOT-1 after takeoff checklist complete.

15:27:10.4 HOT-1 birds.

15:27:11 HOT-2 whoa.

15:27:11.4 CAM [sound of thump/thud(s) followed by shuddering sound]

15:27:12 HOT-2 oh #.

15:27:13 HOT-1 oh yeah.

15:27:13 CAM [sound similar to decrease in engine noise/frequency begins]

15:27:14 HOT-2 uh oh.

15:27:15 HOT-1 we got one rol- both of ’em rolling back.

15:27:18 CAM [rumbling sound begins and continues until approximately 15:28:08]

15:27:18.5 HOT-1 ignition, start.

15:27:21.3 HOT-1 I’m starting the APU.

15:27:22.4 FWC [sound of single chime]

15:27:23.2 HOT-1 my aircraft.

15:27:24 HOT-2 your aircraft.

15:27:24.4 FWC [sound of single chime]

15:27:25 CAM [sound similar to electrical noise from engine igniters begins]

15:27:26.5 FWC priority left. [auto callout from the FWC. this occurs when the sidestick priority button is activated on the Captain’s sidestick]

15:27:26.5 FWC [sound of single chime]

15:27:28 CAM [sound similar to electrical noise from engine igniters ends]

15:27:28 HOT-1 get the QRH… [Quick Reference Handbook] loss of thrust on both engines.

15:27:30 FWC [sound of single chime begins and repeats at approximately 5.7 second intervals until 15:27:59]

15:27:32.9 RDO-1 mayday mayday mayday. uh this is uh Cactus fifteen thirty nine hit birds, we’ve lost thrust (in/on) both engines we’re turning back towards LaGuardia.

15:27:42 DEP ok uh, you need to return to LaGuardia? turn left heading of uh two two zero.

15:27:43 CAM [sound similar to electrical noise from engine igniters begins]

15:27:44 FWC [sound of single chime, between the single chimes at 5.7 second intervals]

15:27:46 RDO-1 two two zero.

15:27:50 HOT-2 if fuel remaining, engine mode selector, ignition.* ignition.

15:27:54 HOT-1 ignition.

15:27:55 HOT-2 thrust levers confirm idle.

15:27:58 HOT-1 idle.

15:28:02 HOT-2 airspeed optimum relight. three hundred knots. we don’t have that.

15:28:03 FWC [sound of single chime]

15:28:05 HOT-1 we don’t.

15:28:05 DEP Cactus fifteen twenty nine, if we can get it for you do you want to try to land runway one three?

15:28:05 CAM-2 if three nineteen-

15:28:10.6 RDO-1 we’re unable. we may end up in the Hudson.

15:28:14 HOT-2 emergency electrical power… emergency generator not online.

15:28:18 CAM [sound similar to electrical noise from engine igniters ends]

15:28:19 HOT-1 (it’s/is) online.

15:28:21 HOT-2 ATC notify. squawk seventy seven hundred.

15:28:25 HOT-1 yeah. the left one’s coming back up a little bit.

15:28:30 HOT-2 distress message, transmit. we did.

15:28:31 DEP arright Cactus fifteen forty nine its gonna be left traffic for runway three one.

15:28:35 RDO-1 unable.

15:28:36 TCAS traffic traffic.

15:28:36 DEP okay, what do you need to land?

15:28:37 HOT-2 (he wants us) to come in and land on one three…for whatever.

15:28:45 PWS go around. windshear ahead.

15:28:45 HOT-2 FAC [Flight Augmentation Computer] one off, then on.

15:28:46 DEP Cactus fifteen (twenty) nine runway four’s available if you wanna make left traffic to runway four.

15:28:49.9 RDO-1 I’m not sure we can make any runway. uh what’s over to our right anything in New Jersey maybe Teterboro?

15:28:55 DEP ok yeah, off your right side is Teterboro airport.

15:28:59 TCAS monitor vertical speed.

15:29:00 HOT-2 no relight after thirty seconds, engine master one and two confirm-

15:29:02 DEP you wanna try and go to Teterboro?

15:29:03 RDO-1 yes.

15:29:05 TCAS clear of conflict.

15:29:07 HOT-2 -off.

15:29:07 HOT-1 off.

15:29:10 HOT-2 wait thirty seconds.

15:29:11 PA-1 this is the Captain brace for impact.

15:29:14.9 GPWS one thousand.

15:29:16 HOT-2 engine master two, back on.

15:29:18 HOT-1 back on.

15:29:19 HOT-2 on.

15:29:21 DEP Cactus fifteen twenty nine turn right two eight zero, you can land runway one at Teterboro.

15:29:21 CAM-2 is that all the power you got? * (wanna) number one? or we got power on number one.

15:29:25 RDO-1 we can’t do it.

15:29:26 HOT-1 go ahead, try number one.

15:29:27 DEP kay which runway would you like at Teterboro?

15:29:27 FWC [sound of continuous repetitive chime for 9.6 seconds ]

15:29:28 RDO-1 we’re gonna be in the Hudson.

15:29:33 DEP I’m sorry say again Cactus?

15:29:36 HOT-2 I put it back on.

15:29:37 FWC [sound of continuous repetitive chime for 37.4 seconds ]

15:29:37 HOT-1 ok put it back on… put it back on.

15:29:37 GPWS too low. terrain.

15:29:41 GPWS too low. terrain.

15:29:43 GPWS too low. terrain.

15:29:44 HOT-2 no relight.

15:29:45.4 HOT-1 ok lets go put the flaps out, put the flaps out.

15:29:45 EGPWS caution. terrain.

15:29:48 EGPWS caution terrain.

15:29:48 HOT-2 flaps out?

15:29:49 EGPWS terrain terrain. pull up. pull up.

15:29:51 DEP Cactus uh….

15:29:53 DEP Cactus fifteen forty nine radar contact is lost you also got Newark airport off your two o’clock in about seven miles.

15:29:55 EGPWS pull up. pull up. pull up. pull up. pull up. pull up.

15:30:01 HOT-2 got flaps out.

15:30:03 HOT-2 two hundred fifty feet in the air.

15:30:04 GPWS too low. terrain.

15:30:06 GPWS too low. gear.

15:30:06 CAM-2 hundred and seventy knots.

15:30:09 CAM-2 got no power on either one? try the other one.

15:30:09 4718 two one zero uh forty seven eighteen. I think he said he’s goin in the Hudson.

15:30:11 HOT-1 try the other one.

15:30:13 EGPWS caution terrain.

15:30:14 DEP Cactus fifteen twenty nine uh, you still on?

15:30:15 FWC [sound of continuous repetitive chime begins and continues to end of recording]

15:30:15 EGPWS caution terrain.

15:30:16 HOT-2 hundred and fifty knots.

15:30:17 HOT-2 got flaps two, you want more?

15:30:19 HOT-1 no lets stay at two.

15:30:21 HOT-1 got any ideas?

15:30:22 DEP Cactus fifteen twenty nine if you can uh….you got uh runway uh two nine available at Newark it’ll be two o’clock and seven miles.

15:30:23 EGPWS caution terrain.

15:30:23 CAM-2 actually not.

15:30:24 EGPWS terrain terrain. pull up. pull up. [“pull up” repeats until the end of the recording]

15:30:38 HOT-1 we’re gonna brace.

15:30:38 HOT-2 * * switch?

15:30:40 HOT-1 yes.

15:30:41.1 GPWS (fifty or thirty)

15:30:42 FWC retard.

15:30:43.7 [End of Recording]

15:30:43.7 [End of Transcript]

This CAN’T Continue – US Credit Card Crisis Hits HIGHEST DEFAULT In 14 Years

Have you ever known someone who went on vacation and just decided they were going to stay?

Me.
After my freshman year of college, which I was fortunate enough to do on scholarship, I was broke, my truck was broke, and my scholarship was only for the year. I really couldn’t afford to continue, and needed money to fix my truck, so I moved back home to my dad’s house in North Florida and went to work for his construction company. However, my father and I were butting heads. Even though I was 19, had been on my own for a year, attended college on scholarship, made Dean’s list, and now was paying rent to him for my room and board, he still insisted on treating me like I was 12, with a ridiculous curfew, controlling my social life, and even who I could and couldn’t date.

As Christmas approached, my mom invited me to go visit her in Orange County, California for a couple weeks of Christmas vacation. As I had stayed in school for summer session, I hadn’t been to see her as I usually would have in summer. She offered to fly me out and pay expenses, so I jumped at the chance. I really needed the break from my father and his drama.

I flew out, and got busy seeing the West Coast family for the holidays and such. Mom then suggested we go snow skiing for a few days. Having grown up in Florida, this was completely new to me, and I was worried whether I’d manage to have any fun as a rank beginner, but mom, an avid skier, assured me I’d be fine. As I’d always loved the mountains, I thought, what the heck, at least there will be pretty scenery, and for sure my first “White Christmas.” So off we went to Mammoth Lakes, CA.

I definitely didn’t become a great skier (or even a good one) in four days, but I absolutely loved it there. It was breathtaking and so different from everything I was used to. Then I ended up on a chairlift next to a mountain employee. Her name was Melanie, and she was a peach! (Melanie, if you read this, you should recognize yourself in this story, and thank you!) I asked her what it was like to work there. She said it was great, free ski pass, employee housing available across the street from the main lodge for a very reasonable rate, and decent pay, much better than my father was paying me. I thought to myself, “Self, if I’m taking a year off from school to make some money, wouldn’t it be a whole lot nicer doing it here?” And my Self replied, “I do believe you are right!”

I marched into the mountain human resources office and applied for a job. Since I had worked at a popular fast food restaurant in high school and college, they hired me on the spot for one of their cafeterias, which was halfway up the mountainside. I also took a room at the employee housing. I literally walked across the parking lot each morning, boarded a gondola, and whisked a thousand feet up the mountain to work as a cashier in a glass walled cafeteria with a view from 10,000 ft of altitude.

Even better, I worked half-days on weekdays, and we had ski lockers downstairs, with a backdoor that opened onto the slopes. I skied 150+ days per year for the next four years, and lived there 7 years, total. I skied, hiked, camped, rockclimbed, bicycled, windsurfed, tubed, and waterskied more than I have the entire rest of my life. I also began volunteer firefighting, which I have continued to do since. On the fire department I also met a certain lady.

My 4-day ski vacation turned into 7 years, plus a wife and two kids. I did move to Atlanta after that and finish college, but I’ll always cherish my ski vacation!

Edit:
Nearly 2k upvotes, thanks! I’m glad this story resonates with so many.
In answer to several commenters, I thought I’d add some “rest of the story” explanations.

Given that they’d had a very acrimonious divorce a dozen years earlier, and were still both very bitter at the other, my mother was of course delighted that I moved away from my father and more into her sphere of influence.

She was also glad to have an excuse to go to Mammoth more often, and of course she might as well ski while she’s there, no? My father harrumphed a bit but had surprisingly little to say about the whole thing, other than, “Well, if you aren’t prepared to live by *my* rules, perhaps it’s best if you stay there.” All I could think was, “Oh pleeeeeease don’t throw me in the briar patch, B’rer Bear!”

I did, as I mentioned, return to school and finish my degree, Nuclear Engineering at Georgia Tech. I am still married to the same great lady I met on the volunteer fire department 34 years ago. As I’ve moved, I’ve been on three different volunteer departments over the years, and have been Chief of my current one for over 10 years now.

I still keep touch with many friends from Mammoth, including several from the fire department. It really did become the center of my life the last few years I was there. I’ve been to visit a couple of times and been to a fire department “old-timers” reunion. And, living back in Florida, I torture myself by getting the ski reports from Mammoth Mountain, just to keep up on how much snow they’ve gotten (almost 60 feet last year!).

Perhaps it’ll be time for another ski vacation soon…..

Europe Just Admitted: “The Factories Are Gone Forever”

In praise of Luckin

I drink coffee. Oh not like I used to. But by adaptation.

You see, coffee culture in China is much different than what I have grown up with in the United States.

In the 1960’s, coffee was the cheapest thing you could get. A cup was a solid dime. that’s ten cents, and it was served on bang-on-the-table ceramic mugs. Unlimited refills were the norm.

At work it was offered free to the staff.

At home it was a fixture of life.

Well… that and beer. And cigarettes.

Then during the 1970s, the price of coffee went sky-high.

Some companies offered coffee vending machines that held small cups of very strong coffee.

By the 1970s, it was still inexpensive, but the company started charging the people to buy the coffee. We would have “collections” and then mandatory “deductions” from our pay for our contributions. We drank them from a coffee service.

Greed hit America in the 1980s.

The prices of coffee rose and rose, and with that came changes in how we drank coffee.

I would prefer to make my own. Sometimes over a fire, but mostly however I can and available at the time.

But then came Starbucks…

Starbucks started making huge profits, and became a “thing”. People who normally would have spent a quarter (twenty five cents) for a cup of coffee started paying a few dollars for the same thing. Coffee became romanticized.

The Chinese saw that the ENORMOUS profits can be extracted by selling on image though coffee; the Starbucks model. And they all wanted a piece of this.

Thus… China embraced this.

Drinking Starbucks coffee inside a coffeehouse became fashionable. And thus the price of coffee (out of Starbucks) became much more expensive. More so than anywhere in the West.

And then something happened…

Everyone started opening up their own coffee franchises.

Luckin Coffee (瑞幸咖啡)

As they grew, so did the hatred and I mean visceral hate that how dare the Chinese dare take away coffee market-share!

And it was eroding FAST!

Number of Starbucks and Luckin Coffee stores in Chinas selected cities

And thus came the flood of the anti-Luckin propaganda. Probably originating from a unity of the anti-China neocon cabal, and the Starbucks mega-corporation. Working together as a serious attempt to CRUSH and DESTROY the growing coffee threat to American dominance in coffee.

Tons of propaganda.

Here’s a typical “report”…

Read the propaganda HERE.

Yeah… “why its business model is inherently flawed“.

Uh huh.

Sure.

It was everywhere in 2019.

Here’s another…

Read this nonsense HERE.

…

In 2019 they WARNED “Stay away from Luckin”.

Tons of articles. Literally thousands a day…

And with all the negative press, Americans came to believe that investing in Chinese coffee franchises were a highway to disaster.

And many in the West believed the propaganda.

So they shied away from investing.

But NOT the Chinese.

And so regardless of the propaganda spewing forth, Luckin prospered.

And thus… the enormous Chinese market pushed Luckin to become one of the top coffee franchises in China.

It’s 2025.

Six years after the anti-Luckin barrage.

Luckin is PROSPERING.

And REMAINS a serious contender to Starbucks.

Stealing or siphoning away perhaps as much as one half of Starbucks potential revenue streams.

Today, Luckin is one of the most popular brands in China.

Overview: A Chinese-born coffee chain that has rapidly expanded since its founding in 2017. Known for its tech-driven approach, Luckin focuses on affordability, convenience, and fast delivery.
Popularity: Gained massive popularity through app-based ordering and heavy discounts.
Unique Features: Focus on takeaway and delivery, competitive pricing, and frequent promotions.

But you know, there are many others…

Manner Coffee (Manner咖啡)

Overview: A Shanghai-based coffee chain known for its minimalist design, high-quality coffee, and affordable prices. It has gained a cult following among young professionals.
Popularity: Rapidly expanding in major cities like Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen.
Unique Features: Focus on sustainability, BYO cup discounts, and small store formats.

Seesaw Coffee (Seesaw咖啡)

Overview: A Chinese specialty coffee chain that emphasizes artisanal coffee and a third-wave coffee culture. It has a strong following among coffee connoisseurs.
Popularity: Growing presence in major cities like Shanghai and Beijing.
Unique Features: Focus on coffee craftsmanship, barista training, and unique store designs.

Pacific Coffee (太平洋咖啡)

Overview: A Hong Kong-based coffee chain that has expanded into mainland China, offering a mix of Western and Asian-inspired coffee drinks.
Popularity: Popular in business districts and among office workers.
Unique Features: Blend of Eastern and Western coffee culture, loyalty programs.

M Stand

Overview: A Chinese coffee chain known for its trendy, Instagrammable stores and innovative coffee drinks.
Popularity: Popular among young, urban consumers.
Unique Features: Creative menu items (e.g., cookie-shaped cups), modern store designs.

The Chinese coffee brands are cheaper than Starbucks, and often of higher quality as they don’t over roast for production consistency. Resulting in a more complex coffee taste and that is beneficial. As most Chinese coffees offer unique flavors and variations of coffee.

Of course, you can still get Western brands in China…

McCafé (麦咖啡)

Overview: McDonald’s coffeehouse chain, offering affordable coffee and snacks. It has gained traction in China due to its convenience and brand recognition.
Popularity: Widely accessible due to McDonald’s extensive network.
Unique Features: Affordable pricing, combo deals, and convenient locations.

Tim Hortons (Tims China)

Overview: A Canadian coffee and donut chain that has entered the Chinese market with a focus on localization and affordability.
Popularity: Growing presence in cities like Shanghai and Beijing.
Unique Features: Canadian-inspired menu, affordable pricing, and localized offerings.

% Arabica

Overview: A Japanese coffee franchise that has gained popularity in China for its sleek design and high-quality, single-origin coffee.
Popularity: Popular in affluent urban areas and among coffee enthusiasts.
Unique Features: Minimalist aesthetic, focus on specialty coffee, and Instagram-worthy stores.

Now, I was raised in a home where everyone had a pot of coffee on the stove. And when friends came over, you would warm up the pot on the stove and pour a cup of really thick coffee to share.

Ah those days are gone.

But today, drinking coffee in China is different, and I tend to enjoy the ice cream coffee infusions that seem to be very popular. Oh, sure, I still enjoy a nice cup of hot coffee, but iced coffee seems to take the lead in China and everyone drinks it.

As do I.

Now and again.

Enjoy your joe. Guys.

Enjoy your joe.

Today…

Has anyone ever gotten over a cheating scandal/affair and continued to live with the significant other who did it? Is betrayal something you can really ever get over within a relationship?

When you are cheated on the person had not only lost trust but also respect. Both I believe can be earned again but would require much work an bs effort on both parties. If the cheater does not take accountability for their actions, show remorse and change their ways then I would say no the relationship can’t survive.

Personally I would/ am having a hard time trusting them. Everything they do seems suspicious now. Working on making myself stronger and ready to stand on my own two feet again b4 I walk. The lying and mean deflections thrown at me when this came to light died me there is no love, respect or care. Ask yourself…are you happy? Are they staying bc of the family home/assets? Many factors to coinage consider when determining if it can work out after.

Sincerely wishing you the best possible outcome for YOU! Whatever u choose to do, please keep your own self at the top. YOU are the most important factor when making ur decisions.

Family Style Calzone

Yield: 12 servings or 24 sample servings

Ingredients

1 egg, separated
1/2 cup pitted ripe olives, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, snipped
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided (1 1/2 cups)
2 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons)
1 (15 ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 (16 ounce) pouch Pantry Pizza Crust & Roll Mix (including yeast packet)
1 tablespoon Pantry Italian Seasoning Mix
1 1/4 cups very warm water (120 to 130 degrees F)
4 ounces sliced pepperoni, divided

Instructions

Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
Separate egg over Small Batter Bowl using Egg Separator; beat lightly. Set egg yolk aside, covered, for later use. Chop olives using Food Chopper. Snip parsley with Kitchen Shears. Grate mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses using Deluxe Cheese Grater. Add olives, parsley, ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese to Batter Bowl; mix well with Classic Scraper. Set aside.
In Classic Batter Bowl, combine Pizza Crust & Roll Mix with yeast packet and Seasoning Mi. Add warm water and stir until mixture forms a ball.
Turn dough out onto well-floured Cutting Board. With floured hands, gently knead dough 8 to 10 times. Divide dough in half using Handy Scraper. Flour both sides of dough using Flour/Sugar Shaker; roll out one piece of dough to edge of Cutting Board using Dough and Pizza Roller. Place dough in bottom of Rectangular Baker, shaping to cover bottom.
Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese over dough to within 1/2 inch of edge. Layer half of the pepperoni over cheese. Spread ricotta mixture evenly over pepperoni. Top with remaining pepperoni and mozzarella cheese.
Roll out remaining dough and place over filling. Press dough all around edge to seal with bottom crust. Brush surface of dough with reserved egg yolk using Pastry Brush. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Using V-Shaped Cutter, cut a decorative X pattern over surface of dough, creating holes in top layer, for steam to escape.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until deep golden brown.
Allow to stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Notes

1 (16 ounces) package hot roll mix can be substituted for Pantry Pizza Crust & Roll Mix, if desired.

Nutrition

Per serving: Calories 320, Total Fat 15g, Saturated Fat 8g, Cholesterol 50mg, Carbohydrate 30g, Protein 16g, Sodium 860mg, Fiber 0g

Attribution

Pampered Chef

My boyfriend screenshot and saved my 16-year-old daughter’s photo in a swimsuit. I broke up with him. Did I do the right thing?

That is a tricky question because i have a girlfriend that has a 13 year old girl and she is very pretty and yes i do have pictures of her usually that my girlfriend sends me and i save them but i do not hide them. I am against relationships with under age girls and massage thinking she is pretty, there is no sexual attraction and that’s what you really want to know if your boyfriend has. I would have been questioning him he may not be guilty of anything unless he is trying to hide it as for me i do not have any screenshot of her daughter. Most of the pictures i have is when my girlfriend get money from me and will buy her a dress or shoes for something along that line and send me a picture. There is really no more to say

Exposition (Green Flag #1)

What’s the most humiliating thing a doctor has ever said to you?

He told me I was perfectly healthy, then he held my hand, while I sobbed my denials, then looked me in the eye and told me I needed a therapist.

The kindness was the worst part. He was absolutely wrong, and oh-so-sure I was ‘in need of help.’ I was in need of help. My tonsils were rotting under a lovely pink layer of seemingly healthy skin. How an ENT could have missed this I don’t know, but I was already sleeping on the pavement walking between buildings for classes–I remember someone asking me if I was ok, and telling them the bricks were just so lovely-warm… It was February. In Virginia.

A month later I couldn’t go 12 hours off antibiotics without running a fever. Student health sent me to a different ENT and he spotted the problem. He put me on 60 days of penicillin (I’m not kidding) to get me healthy enough for surgery, after which the surgeon told my mother my tonsils were the nastiest necrotic mess he’d ever seen.

It’s just an awful thing, being told to get therapy by an expert who doesn’t believe you’re sick. Doctors do it a lot. I’ve had it happen several times, but that was my first.

What’s the fastest you’ve wiped a smirk off of someone’s face?

I was at a (get this) Church social club for kids when some random kid asked me how old I was

“Eleven”, I replied. His reply, as he punched me clean in the mouth, was “All the best kids are 13!”

My brother looked over a few minutes later and came to ask what had happened as he’d noticed me with a bloody lip.

The wannabe bully boy shouted over to me as he left grinning at the end of the session “Don’t forget, all the best kids are 13”

“Wrong!” Said my brother, who was waiting by the door “the best kids are 14!” as he floored him with one punch.

Never had any crap from him again.

Investor alert: China is drinking a lot more coffee, and taking the supply chains off our exchanges

The inspiration for today’s intro.

What’s Really Going On In the South China Sea Between the Philippines and China
December 4, 2024 Ms. Cat

What’s Really Going On In the South China Sea Between the Philippines and China

by Tina Antonis

Maritime clashes between the Philippines and China had been mostly over the Philippines’ military outpost, BRP (BRP—Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas, which translates to “Ship of the Republic of the Philippines”—the ship prefix for the Philippines) Sierra Madre, in the Spratly Islands, which is disputed by Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan (a province of China, as recognized by the United Nations’ Resolution No. 2758), and Vietnam.

The BRP Sierra Madre was intentionally run aground on a reef near the Second Thomas Shoal in the disputed Spratly Islands, in 1997, so that the Philippines could stake their territorial claim.

The WWII-era ship is rusted out and on its way to disintegrating. In December 2023, the Philippines allocated funds to replace the ship with a permanent structure. Coincidentally, in September 2023, Blake Herzinger, a research fellow at the United States Studies Centre of the University of Sydney, penned an article titled, “It’s Time to Build Combined Forward Operating Base Sierra Madre.”

This outpost would be “manned by combined rotational forces from both the Philippines and the U.S. Marine Corps,” according to Herzinger. In it, he admits that doing so, “would be a provocative move, and it would not be without significant risk.”

In October 2023, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFU) admitted that their resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre were carrying materials that were used in the maintenance and repair of the ship. China had been accusing the Philippines of using its resupply missions to send “illegal building materials” to reinforce the dilapidated ship on several occasions. In June of this year, The Financial Times revealed that the Philippines had “secretly” reinforced the BRP Sierra Madre at the Second Thomas Shoal.

On March 5, 2024, in response to an incident at the Second Thomas Shoal, U.S. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller stated that “Article IV of the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft, including those of its coast guard, anywhere in the South China Sea.” At the time, the crash was “not the time or reason to invoke a Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States,” according to Philippine President Bongbong Marcos. Invoking the Mutual Defense Treaty by the Philippines could lead to an armed conflict between China and the U.S. Military.

Recently, these clashes have been occurring at the Sabina Shoal, another disputed atoll in the Spratly Islands. In May, the Philippines claimed that China was carrying out “small-scale reclamation” and anchored the BRP Teresa Magbanua at Sabina Shoal to “catch and document the dumping of crushed corals over the sandbars” (China denied this). The Philippines had been using the BRP Teresa Magbanua as a staging area for their resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre at Second Thomas Shoal.

A new Philippine Coast Guard vessel was sent to Sabina Shoal, according to Jonathan Malaya, the spokesperson for the National Security Council of the Philippines, on September 26. However, he declined to comment on the specifics of their intentions or plans citing operational security concerns.

Behind the scenes, an information operation has been going on. Information operations, also known as influence operations, involve spreading misleading information and obtaining tactical knowledge about competitors to get the upper hand. Think tank representatives, financed by the US government and corporate sponsors, have been working with the Philippine Coast Guard on ”assertive transparency,” or what the Philippines calls their “transparency initiative.”

With grants from the U.S. State Department, between 2022 and 2024, the Stratbase ADR Institute held a series of roundtable discussions highlighting the importance of multilateral cooperation and strategic alliances in addressing regional “security challenges” and “public diplomacy,” or the act of “influencing foreign publics” to support “U.S. foreign policy goals.”

On January 5th, 2023, Stratbase, together with the US Embassy in the Philippines, hosted a town hall discussion where experts and scholars shared their assessments and recommendations on the various Indo-Pacific strategies and the foreign policy of Marcos Jr.’s administration.

It was here that Ray Powell introduced his “Project Myoushu” strategy, which was inspired by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). CSIS receives funding from the U.S. government and other governments allied with the U.S., non-governmental and nonprofit organizations (NGOs & NPOs), defense contractors and other corporate donors. Another such event occurred on March 8th, 2023, where Ray Powell gave a presentation in which he described using “independent analysts, storytellers, influencers, media, and embedded journalists.”

Powell, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and a former Defense Attaché (the Defense Attaché System is part of the Defense Intelligence Agency, the “Pentagon’s top spy agency”), is the team lead of SeaLight, at Stanford University’s Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation (GKC). The creation of Stanford University’s GKC was sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), an organization within the Department of Defense.

Stanford University has contracts with the U.S. government. The center’s goal is to assist the U.S. government in rethinking how it approaches “national security” matters.

The “transparency initiative” tactic highlights China’s “gray zone activities”, in the South China Sea. One aspect used is embedding journalists on these resupply missions.

The original purpose of embedding was to control journalists, according to Helen Benedict, a professor at the Columbia Journalism School. Citing award-winning Australian journalist Phillip Knightley’s book “The First Casualty: The War Correspondent as Hero and Myth-Maker from the Crimea to Iraq” which describes how the U.S. government invented embedded journalism in response to critical coverage of the Vietnam War.

As civilian casualties in Afghanistan reached 5,000, the Pentagon sought a media strategy that would bring attention back to the military’s role in the war, especially the role played by ordinary American service members. This would require bringing war correspondents on side.

Another aspect of this “transparency initiative” is using civil society organizations, such as the Atin Ito Coalition, led by Rafaela David and Edicio dela Torre, to draw attention to the South China Sea. Rafaela is also the executive director of the Center for Youth Advocacy and Networking (CYAN). CYAN has been financed from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), which gets the majority of its funding from the U.S. Congress. With its origins dating back to the late 1960s, when the Central Intelligence Agency faced criticism for secretly supporting activists and opposition groups in nations that appeared to be leaning closer to the Soviet Union.

Following the revelation of those CIA plots, the agency faced criticism for what some perceived to be devious manipulation of sovereign states. Congress established the NED in 1983 after years of discussion about whether and how the financing should continue.

Edicio dela Torre is the current President and Vice Chairperson of the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (PRRM). The PRRM was started in 1952 by Chinese rural education advocate Y. C. James Yen with financial assistance from the United States and the Rockefeller family. In 1983, Yen was awarded the People to People Eisenhower Medallion.

The People-to-People Program was initiated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, with initial connections to the U.S. government through the United States Information Agency (USIA).

The USIA’s public diplomacy activities were ultimately transferred to the U.S. Department of State, while its propaganda operations were transferred to the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which has since become the U.S. Agency for Global Media. In the 1950s, during the Hukbalahap Rebellion, the CIA covertly funded the PRRM through front organizations such as the Asia Foundation (formerly the Committee for a Free Asia) and the Catherwood Foundation.

On September 15th, Powell appeared on 60 Minutes, along with the Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilbert Teodoro, and the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Romeo Brawner Jr. In the 60 Minutes episode, Teodoro refused to confirm if the Typhon missile launcher—a mid-range missile system capable of reaching mainland China—would be permanently stationed in the Philippines.

Three days later, Philippine army spokesperson, Colonel Louie Dema-ala, said training was ongoing, and it was up to Philippine authorities and the United States Army Pacific Command (USARPAC) to decide how long the missile system would stay.

Presently, the Typhon is situated in the Taiwan Strait and faces the South China Sea on the northern island of Luzon. In early September, the U.S. announced that it wants to deploy another Typhon missile launcher “around Japan’s southwestern islands, which are near Taiwan”. While the U.S. claims that these missile launchers are to “strengthen deterrence”, their deployment has only provoked tensions in the area.

While 60 Minutes did state that “in 2016, an international tribunal at The Hague ruled the Philippines has exclusive economic rights in a 200-mile zone that includes Sabina Shoal” and that “China does not recognize the ruling”, their statements were misleading. The South China Sea Arbitration did not rule on sovereignty, and China does not recognize it because the Arbitral Tribunal lacked jurisdiction.

“The Arbitral Tribunal violated the principle of state consent, exercised its jurisdiction ultra vires and rendered an award in disregard of the law. This is a grave violation of UNCLOS and general international law, Wang said.”

The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is an international treaty that establishes a legal framework for all marine and maritime activities. The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) is not an agency of the United Nations. The PCA rents space in the same building as the UN’s International Court of Justice.

A Congressional Research Service report, dated August 2023, stated that the U.S. has not declared its position regarding sovereignty over any of the geographical elements that comprise the South China Sea.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) estimates that about 80% of global trade is carried out by sea, both in terms of volume and value. Of that amount, 60% of marine trade travels through Asia, with approximately one-third of all shipping occurring in the South China Sea. Because the Strait of Malacca connects the South China Sea and, consequently, the Pacific and Indian oceans, China, Taiwan (the United States does not officially support Taiwan’s independence), Japan, and South Korea depend heavily on its waters.

China’s economic security is intimately linked to the South China Sea, as the country has the second-largest economy globally and more than 60% of its trade is conducted by water. If the U.S. were to attempt to enforce a blockade in the South China Sea, they would risk retaliation from China.

A war with China would not only interrupt international trade, it’s highly probable that the United States would lose due to China’s anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities. Anti-Access refers to any action, activity, or capacity, usually long-range, that is intended to prevent an advancing military force from accessing an operational area.

Area denial is described as any action, activity, or capability, usually short-range, that is intended to limit an adversary force’s freedom of action inside an operational area. Long-range artillery and rocket weapons, air defenses, littoral anti-ship capabilities, and layered, integrated long-range precision-strike systems are all part of the threat A2/AD defense architecture.

China’s advanced A2/AD system includes missiles and hypersonic weapons, which the US lacks defense against. China is also developing microwave-photonic radar systems to track incoming hypersonic missiles, potentially enabling defense against powerful militaries’ latest offensive technologies.

The Philippines, has succeeded in garnering support from Western countries through military assistance, funds to upgrade military bases and infrastructure, modernize the Armed Forces of the Philippines, defense agreements with at least 18 countries (minilateralism), joint military exercises in the South China Sea, and the addition of four new EDCA (under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, American military personnel, planes, and ships may station themselves periodically in the Philippines at predetermined places) sites—three in north Luzon facing Taiwan and one in Palawan facing the South China Sea.

China sees this “coalition of the willing” as undermining “regional security and peace.”

The Philippines should seek détente with China and practice quiet diplomacy, as their “transparency initiative” has only escalated tensions in the South China Sea, instead of risking World War III.

You’re NOT Behind: Why Everyone SEEMS To Have More Money Than You

How does China’s J-20 compare with its US counterpart F-35?

You Americans just deceive those allies who bought your planes, don’t deceive yourself.

Yes, the F35 does not pursue the ultimate flight speed, nor the ultimate performance, but all-around.

The result became a four-dimensional image.

The maximum flight speed of the F35 is only Mach 1.6.

OK.

The new J35 supersonic cruise has Mach 2.3.

And the F35 is now difficult to continue production because China has restricted the export of key raw materials.

Is the F35 really considered a fifth-generation aircraft? It’s not even as good as the F22 from over forty years ago.

The F22, a fifth-generation aircraft, is a fifth-generation old aircraft with a maximum speed of Mach 2.25, a normal supersonic cruise of less than Mach 2, a maximum range of only more than 2,000 kilometers, and a maximum combat radius of 800.

The J20’s normal supersonic cruising speed exceeds Mach 2.5, and its maximum speed is Mach 2.8. Now there is also a two-seater J20S.

Oh, I forgot.

Now the United States cannot produce F22.

Because the production line is gone.

China has just overtaken Japan as the worlds top car exporter. Could Japan possibly take back the spot sometime in the future?

Japan’s auto industry is lost – its global position almost to be completely and permanently toppled.

What is happening in Japan is also happening to the other home of the global auto legacies – Germany.

The auto industry defines these two most industralized countries for the last half century . . . . with its sphere of influence extending beyond not just the economics. . . . but the social and political.

Even up to this mid-year, Akio Toyoda can still be seen peddling – and leading the charge of his fellow auto makers – in promoting the hydrogen car and retaining as much as possible the place of the ICE cars for the future. This is until he was replaced and no mention of the hydrogen has been heard since. But there is BMW still promising the notion of the water-engine car as an alternative to EV is still alive.

The main driver for this resistence to EV? Japan and Germany have the huge ecosystem of manufacturing ICE cars that will have to be “replaced” – i.e., millions of workers fired and massive plant closures to transition to a new EV ecosystem requiring new sets of resources, increasingly to be software assuming a greater proportion relative to hardware – a transition from analog to digital.

Japan’s and Germany’s halfhearted effort at developing its EVs have shown them to be at least 5 years behind China . . . . and even further behind if taken within the context of developing the supply chain to have a semblance of independence from China’s.

German, Japanese and Koreans are seeing their Chinese market share declining or collapsing that they were so dominant just 4 years ago. And losing position in the world’s largest market means losing their global positions as Chinese EV are now waging its offensive to takeover overseas markets.

China is on the ascendancy in dominating the global auto industry and there is very little the Germans and Japanese can do to change the trajectory because in reality this transition is not just to the EVs but to the SMARTCARS, the extension of the digital age from the smartphone. Western media has focused on the jaggernaut of BYD but is not making the world aware of the greater significance of the software Chinese EVs are being incorporated with.

Huawei is implementing its Harmony operating system as an alternative to Andriod and by extension its NearLink technology and alliance – to replace WIFI and bluetooth – as their technologies for China’s IoT platform and ecosystem. Note that the two hottest selling EVs in China are those from Huawei and Xioami. This is making EVs with software to be the central focus of mobility in the IoT ecosystem of smart devices of the future. This is China now defining and setting industry standards not just for the future of mobility but for all future smart devices .

Modern Women LOVE to Destroy MEN’S Hobbies | Pearl Daily

Is it reasonable for a wife to accept another man’s invitation for just her to go to his house for a swim at 1am, & for her to go wearing only a bikini & a totally translucent gown. Is it reasonable for a husband to get upset in such a situation? Tx!

It’s unreasonable for the wife to accept the invitation and all that entails as well as wrong.

But an invitation to go swimming with another man alone at 1am is rarely the beginning of this unreasonable act. Someone has not been present in the relationship to even consider the spouse would or should have no problem with it. And something want south before the invitation for your wife to consider wanting to accept instead of being offended by it. Don’t let anyone play dumb with you. Find out what those something’s are and go from there. Actually this is really too far.

The main contents of this issue of China Military News:

The new submarine is unveiled for the first time! Under the guidance of Xi Jinping’s thought on strengthening the army, we will forge ahead on the road to strengthening the army and fight a decisive battle; the navy and air force of the Southern Theater Command are on combat readiness patrol around China’s Huangyan Island; the Navy’s Sichuan ship is officially launched; approaching the field command post of a brigade in the Eastern Theater Command; a direct visit to the PLA’s winter training ground; Xinjiang Military Region border guards: guarding the Karakoram Mountains with loyalty; the Eastern Theater Command’s “Red Sharp Knife Company” – unmanned equipment is refined and powerful; China’s space station is operating well, and its application results are fruitful…

Main content of this episode: President Xi Jinping emphasized: “Building a strong modern navy is an important symbol of building a world-class military, a strategic support for building a maritime power, and an important part of realizing the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” “In the journey of the new era, in the struggle to realize the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, the task of building a strong people’s navy has never been as urgent as it is today.” From the first aircraft carrier Liaoning to the first domestically-produced aircraft carrier Shandong, and then to the first domestically-produced catapult-type aircraft carrier Fujian, the Chinese Navy has continuously made major breakthroughs! 2024 is about to come to an end. Looking back on this year, the Chinese military has made sonorous steps and written countless glorious chapters on the journey of strengthening the army. From the continuous emergence of new weapons and equipment, to the actual combat training on the PLA’s military training ground, from the responsibility of joint exercises and training between China and foreign countries, to the firm protection of sovereignty, Chinese soldiers have forged an indestructible Great Wall of Steel with their blood and loyalty.

Me and my ex share several mutual friends. He is constantly bad mouthing me behind my back and calling me his “left overs” and sharing intimate details about me and my body. It’s taking everything in me to not call him up and defend myself. Should I?

Don’t call him. Apoligize to the mutual friends for them having to hear those things. Some of them will believe them. They are not your friends. Others probably know you better and sense what they are saying isn’t true. The rest are hanging onto every word weather they believe them or not, and are waiting for the fireworks to begin wanting to be entertained by the melt down they are waiting for. They are not your friends either.

Once you can tell your friends keep them close. Go no contact with your EX., and all of the rest.

You’ve a new life to build, a life without any of them in it.

What is the most American thing ever?

I was working at the time for a Chinese American man who decades ago paid for his passage to America by working on a cruise ship. He got here with virtually just the clothes on his back, and through years of hard work, starting as a bus boy in a Chinatown restaurant, he worked long and hard and eventually became a very successful businessman in San Francisco.

This man, a few years ago, purchased at a charity auction the right to sing our national anthem at one of the San Francisco Giants home games. He spent weeks and weeks with a singing coach practicing. He asked me to come with him to the game to videotape him singing.

I should point out that my friend is a pretty good singer. But he does have a heavy accent.

The moment comes. He walks out onto the field. The band starts playing. He starts singing the Star Spangled Banner in his accented voice. Then in about the middle of the song the fact that he was standing there singing in front of nearly 70,000 people hit him and the delayed stage fright caused him to forget the words.

“Ow” I thought. “This might get ugly. How will this crowd react?”

But they didn’t get ugly. A few people in the crowd realized what was happening and picked up the song from where he lost it and began singing, and then more and more joined in. Soon it was my friend, with the entire crowd helping, singing the rest of our national anthem. To me that was one of the most American things that I have ever seen.

EDIT: Wow, 5.000+ upvotes. My thanks go out to everyone who has taken the time to read this and even more thanks to those who have upvoted it. I am so happy that this story has struck a chord with readers. Thank you!

Sky High Biscuits with Raspberry Butter

Yield: 15 servings

Ingredients

Raspberry Butter

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup fresh or thawed frozen raspberries

Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup milk
1 egg, beaten

Instructions

Raspberry Butter

Combine the butter and raspberries in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Chill, covered, for several hours before serving.
Heat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Biscuits

Mix the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter until crumbly. Add the milk and egg, stirring just until moistened. Knead the dough lightly on a lightly floured surface. Pat 1 inch thick. Cut with a 2 inch biscuit cutter. Arrange the biscuits in a greased 9 x 9 inch baking pan.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until brown.
Serve warm with the butter.

Notes

Bake the biscuits on a greased baking sheet for crusty biscuits.

Nutrition

Per Serving: Calories 247; Fat 17 g; Sodium 393 mg; Dietary Fiber 2g

Attribution

Pampered Chef

Why does my wife put me down for everything I do?

Your wife puts you down to feel better about herself. Your wife doesn’t have feelings for you and doesn’t respect what you do for her. Your wife is never going to be satisfied with whatever you are going to do for her. Your wife wants you to put more effort into pleasing her.

Your marriage is not going to work with this kind of toxic mindset of your wife. Nothing is going to be enough for your wife. You have to talk openly to your wife that you are invaluable to tolerate her behavior. If your wife doesn’t change her behavior positively towards you, then you have to leave her. If you have children together, then coparenting should be done with the help of law.

It all depends upon how you handle this situation if your wife doesn’t improve. Your wife is toxic, and kindly think about your marriage future.

106. Hoe_Math – The Michael Sartain Podcast

Timebomb

Submitted into Contest #18 in response to: Your fingers tensed around the object in your pocket, ready to pull it out at a moment’s notice.… view prompt

Joshua G. J. Insole

General

Now

There were too many to fight. He was outnumbered ten thousand to one. He watched as they all raced towards him, vengeance in their eyes and murder on their lips. They came in a mob, clamouring for his blood, each wanting to say, “I helped kill him. I was part of it.”

He stood perfectly still, hands in his pockets, not flinching or recoiling in the slightest. His hand brushed against the thing in his pocket, and his fingers clutched at it; ready, waiting.

The throng thundered down on him, not knowing what was to come. He grinned. Even after it was over, they still wouldn’t understand. They’d trample the ground into dust, confusion written across their faces, unsatiated blood lust driving them mad.

He could do it now, of course. But where would the fun be in that? Where would the showmanship be? No, best to wait until the last possible moment. To delay the act until they were just about to get him, and then…

Of course, Dara wouldn’t have done such a thing. She would have completed the mission and then gotten out of there in the blink of an eye. Nothing more than a stirring breeze that lifts the curtains. Silent like a breath, swift like a falling raindrop. She probably wouldn’t have even used it (and would likely tell him off for utilizing it, calling it a “waste of precious resources”). Dara would have only employed it in an absolute emergency.

But Raiden wanted to use it. Why have it and not use it? It would be like being a millionaire, but not spending any money. Naturally, he didn’t need to use it, oh no. He was good at his job, and he knew it. If his actions had necessitated the use of the thing, he wouldn’t have come so highly recommended at all.

But, as it was, Raiden was at the top of his field.

Well, almost.

Then

“Oh no,” she said, shaking her head vehemently. “No. No.”

“But, Dara, he’s the best—”

“Excuse me?”

“Well, second best—”

“Hang on, a second,” said Raiden.

“Look, I’m just saying—”

“I said, no,” said Dara, folding her arms across her chest. “Am I not the captain of this crew?”

“Well, yes, but—”

“But?”

“Ah, maybe we oughta forget it,” said Raiden, turning to walk away.

“Wait!” said Franky, grabbing him by the shoulder. “Please. Wait?”

Raiden nodded. “Sure. But don’t ever touch me like that again, you hear?”

“Don’t threaten my crew, you—” the word that came from her mouth made both of the men wince.

“Wait. Just… wait,” said Franky, standing in the middle of them, hands raised in case either one of them decided to go for the other. “Dara, he is very good. You know that.”

“I’m the best,” scoffed Raiden, folding his arms and rolling his eyes.

Franky ignored him. “He comes with a certain… reputation—”

“Yeah, I’ll say,” said Dara with a snort. She turned away with a childish glare.

“Look, guys, I know you don’t like each other, but—”

“Ya think?” Raiden and Dara said in unison, with the same sarcastic inflection. Looks of horror flashed across their faces when they realised, and they both turned away in disgust.

“Look. Guys,” said Franky through gritted teeth. “I know you don’t like each other, but we don’t have a choice.”

“There’s always a choice Franky, didn’t I teach you anything?” said Dara.

“Yeah, Franky…” mocked Raiden.

“Oh my God, you two are the absolute worst, do you know that?” Franky turned to his captain and pointed at her leg, which was currently in a cast and was resting on a raised cushion. “Do you honestly think you can pull off a mission with your leg like that?”

“Can do it better than him,” she said, pointing to Raiden with her chin.

“Really, Dara? Really?”

She squinted at him, and her eyes shot daggers, but she said nothing.

“And you,” said Franky, turning to Raiden. “I know how broke you are. You think that debt collectors don’t talk? I know for a fact that there are three scumbag moneylenders out there that want your head on a platter!”

Raiden paled as the colour drained from his face. Dara started to laugh, but Franky shot her a glare that told her she shouldn’t. “You both need each other. And don’t you dare argue with me,” he said, looking from one to the other, goading them into saying something to the contrary. “And, perhaps most importantly, I need both of you. I can’t make ends meet if we can’t take any jobs, Dara… and he’s the best out there. We both know he is. Hell, he knows he is, the cocky sonofa—”

“Hey!”

“Sorry.”

“It’s true.”

An awkward silence fell upon the room. Slowly, Franky lowered his hands. “So, do we have an understanding?”

Dara and Raiden glared at each other, and then flicked their eyes back to Franky.

“Fine,” mumbled Dara.

“Fine,” said Raiden.

“Great!” said Franky, more enthusiastically than he felt. “Well, done, guys. I really think that you’ve—”

“Yeah, yeah, let’s talk shop,” said Raiden, shushing him.

“Agreed. Let’s get on with it. Shut up, Franky.”

“I—” started Franky, looking from Dara to Raiden exasperatedly, but then he gave up and sighed, visibly deflating. “Oh, fine.”

“Okay, so, let’s go over the plan…” said Dara, clicking a button and bringing up the holographic map that hovered in the centre of the room.

Now

Raiden pulled the object out of his pocket with the flourish of a well-practiced magician. He saw the look of urgency in the eyes of those nearest to him as they sprinted towards his location. The gleam of fear that flashed across their faces told him that they knew he was about to pull something off, like a rabbit out of a hat… they just didn’t know what.

The natives of Raghajiv bent their heads low and really threw themselves into their sprint, hoping to catch the blasphemous thief.

Then

“They want what?” asked Raiden, astounded. “Are they crazy?”

“Yes. Crazy rich,” said Dara. “What’s the matter, is it too big of a job for—” she adopted a mocking, babylike voice “—the great Raiden?”

“No, of course not! It’s just… this is gonna upset a lot of people, you do realise?”

“Obviously,” she said, rolling her eyes. “That’s why they’re hiring a crew to do it for them. If it was an easy task, they’d do it themselves, wouldn’t they? Besides, the added danger means they’re adding a few more zeroes to our paycheck, which is always appreciated.”

“How much are they paying?”

“That’s for me to know, Raiden. You’ll get your previously discussed share, as agreed. Now, let’s talk details…”

Now

Raiden rolled the glass orb in his palm precariously. The object was delicate and prone to shattering – it had been designed so. For when the outer shell cracked, it would spill its contents across the ground and into the atmosphere, creating the desired effect.

He watched the horde close in on him like a wildfire. The moment was drawing nearer. Almost there, he told himself. Almost… almost… Three, two, one and—

Raiden smashed the orb onto the floor at his feet.

Then

“Any idea why they want it?”

Dara shrugged. “None of my concern. As long as they pay up, they can smash it for all I care. Let ‘em chop it up and eat it. Let them deface it. I don’t care.”

“But, it’s a religious symbol,” said Raiden, treading carefully.

“Oh, what? What happened in those years that we stopped working together, Raiden? You didn’t suddenly see the light, did you? You haven’t gone all wacko on me, have you?”

“Hey, no. I’m not… a believer,” he said, taking care with the word. “But I wouldn’t talk about the followers like that. I mean, who knows? Right? I mean—”

“Do you want the job or not, man? You might be the best, but there’s a thousand others out there who are good enough who’d do the job without asking this many questions. Plenty of people need the cash.”

“Whoa, whoa, Dara. Of course, I want the job!”

“Then stop talking as if you don’t.”

Now

It felt as if all the air was suddenly sucked from the surface of the planet. Before the tinkling glass had even finished falling to the ground, a great aqua blue bubble had bloomed from the cracked container, blossoming outwards and encapsulating him. For a second it stayed there, hovering around him, crackling with electric life, psychedelic swirling patterns twirling into infinity across its surface… and then it erupted outwards, rocketing into the oncoming horde.

A subsonic BOOM rattled Raiden’s eardrums, and he felt all the hairs on his body standing on end as if with static. His lungs had the breath pulled from them, and he uttered a shocked little, “Oof!” Raiden felt like someone had gently hit him in the gut and winded him. A moment later, he was roaring with laughter.

The mob was still there – nobody harmed. But they were moving in slow motion towards him, their skins crackling with blue lightning. Somewhere in the crowd, someone was still shouting. “Geeeeeeeettttt hiiiiiiiimmmm!” The voice sounded incredibly deep and hilarious.

Giggling like a schoolchild, Raiden stepped out into the crowd, backpack heavy on his shoulders. The thing was right there within grabbing distance, and he could see the understanding in their eyes… but they couldn’t get it. He laughed again. This was brilliant! Raiden waltzed through the crowd, taking special attention to lock eyes with as many murderous gazes as he could. Every single one of them would murder him in an instant, if they had the chance. And here he was, right within their grasp, and they were, for all intents and purposes, statues.

Raiden pranced and danced around their slowly moving bodies. It was as if they were moving in zero gravity or trying to wade through a lake of custard. His laughter tinkled through the air like falling glass. This is fantastic, he thought. This is utterly fantastic!

Although he knew he should be making his hasty getaway, Raiden spent the next twenty minutes jumping and skipping through the pack of would-be assailants, laughing hysterically.

Then

“So, how will we deliver it? I assume people will be looking for it.”

“You assume correctly, Mr. Genius. We’re gonna have the handoff on Tartrak.”

“Tartrak? Dara, are you sure about this?”

“I know what I’m doing. And whilst I’m captain, you won’t question me. Just do your job, Raiden.”

“Well, okay…”

Now

The ship was waiting on the beach, rear ramp lowered onto the sand. Franky was waiting outside, leaning against the ship, arms crossed. He looked annoyed. “What took you?”

“Nothing,” said Raiden, stifling a giggle.

“Did something go wrong?”

“No, nothing at all. Went off without a hitch.”

Franky sized him up. “I hope you’re telling the truth. For your sake. Dara’s pissed. Did you get it?”

Raiden patted his heavy backpack. “Right here.”

Franky nodded, then scanned the horizon. “Nobody saw you?”

Raiden grinned. “Like I said. It went off without a hitch,” he said, avoiding the truth but not overtly lying. At least, not in his own eyes.

“All right. Climb in the back. We’re leaving Raghajiv right now. Heading to meet the buyers.”

“Is Dara…?”

Franky nodded. “Yep. Good luck.” And with that, Franky climbed into the cockpit and started the ship’s engines.

Then

“Geahek? Geahek? Dara, I—”

“Stop. I said to not question my authority.”

“I know, but, Geahek is a mean… whatever he is. And his gang? Dara, they’re wanted dead or alive on every major planet.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Dara hissed. “But he’s paying big bucks. Don’t you get it? If we prove we can handle Geahek without wetting our pants, the rest of the clients will just fall into place. The infamy.”

“I—” started Raiden, but then he gave up. He shook his head and sighed.

There was little use in arguing with Dara. He’d learnt that many moons ago. Once she had an idea in her head…

Now

Dara hadn’t been as angry with him as he’d anticipated. She was just happy he had the idol. She held the thing in her hands and rotated it around, getting a proper look at it. “Over three thousand years old…” she said, in slight awe. “I mean, I know it’s got massive importance, but it is only made from bronze. It’s not like it’s gold or crystal or whatever.”

“Dara…” said Raiden, looking at her as if she had two heads. “This idol is one of the central pillars of the entire Raghajiv religion. You are holding something that people have killed for and died for. Something that people believe in, something people pray to. There are thousands of people out there that think that when they die, they meet—” he gestured towards the statue.

“Wow,” said Dara, mockingly. “That was quite a speech.” She jabbed the idol in his direction. “You should get into politics, y’know.”

Before Raiden could retort, the pilot interrupted them. “We’re here,” said Franky, from up front.

Through the windshield, they saw the icy wastes of Tartrak, the dead planet.

Then

“It’s not too late to turn the job down, you know,” he told her on the ride to Raghajiv. “You can still—”

“Turn Geahek down?”

Raiden turned the thought over in his mind. “Nope. You’re right. That would get us killed. If you told Geahek you’d do it, we better do it, hm?”

Now

And now, here they were on their knees in the freezing snow, hands behind their heads, guns trained on them. Raiden wanted to say I told you so. No, probably shouldn’t, he thought. He looked out the corner of his eye and caught Dara’s attention. “Told you so,” he whispered smugly.

“Tiihuh,” she whispered through gritted teeth.

“Hm?”

“Tiihuh,” she repeated, keeping her jaw clenched.

“What?”

“Hnh hn tiihuh.”

“Oh, for goodness sake, will you just say whatever it is you’re trying to say?”

“I said, throw the timebomb!”

Raiden’s words caught in his throat.

“Throw it, Raiden!” shouted Dara, eyes urging. Around them, Geahek’s guards were shouting and bellowing orders.

“I, uh… I don’t have it.”

“What?”

“I don’t… I don’t have it. I might have, ah, used it back on Raghajiv.”

The guards were swarming around them now, a blur of black armour against the icy blueish whites of Tartrak’s wastelands.

“You what? You blithering idiot! You utter moron! You—”

And that was when one of Geahek’s guards struck him on the back of the head, and he blacked out.

Then

“I wonder what he wants it for,” pondered Raiden out loud. “Why chase down an ancient religious idol?”

“Who cares, as long as we get paid?” replied Dara, flippantly. “And don’t go off about the—” she did mock air-quotes “—significance of such an artefact. Let’s just do the work, get paid, and then go our separate ways. ‘Cause your face is already annoying me.”

“Your voice, too,” added Franky.

Dara nodded. “Yeah, and your voice.”

Now

“Lucky for you, we get to spend a lot more time together,” he said, smiling chirpily. “Silver linings, and all that, huh?”

“For God’s sake, Raiden, shut up.”

“Yeah, Raiden, shut it,” growled Franky.

From outside their cages came a tutting. Geahek stepped out from the shadows. “So much infighting, it’s a wonder you lot were able to pull of the heist at all,” he crooned, bouncing the idol in his hand.

“Why don’t you hurry up and kill us already?” snapped Dara. “Stop toying with us!” As the words tumbled out of her mouth, Raiden knew she hadn’t figured it out yet. There were the things on their legs, for a start…

“Kill you?” Geahek asked, frowning. “Why on earth would I kill you? You’re the best heist crew I’ve ever had!” he said with a boyish grin that bordered on the maniacal. “No, no. I’m not going to kill you, gosh no. In fact, what I propose is an… opportunity.”

“Oh, here we go,” mumbled Raiden, fiddling with the ankle monitor that was strapped to his leg. It flashed a red light, intermittently.

A look of unadulterated rage flashed across Geahek’s face, but he maintained composure. “I propose you continue working for me. And when I say ‘work’, I do not mean that you will be getting paid.” His eyes crawled over Raiden. “And please stop playing with that. It’s not a toy, and you won’t get it off.” Geahek’s voice dropped down a register: “Believe me.”

“What kinda work?” asked Dara.

“Well…” he said scrutinising the idol. “This wasn’t the only religious artefact I am after. And you weren’t the only crew I hired. The problem is that the others… they, ah, suffered casualties. In fact, you are the only crew that returned alive.”

“Oh…”

“I want you to go and retrieve the other artefacts.”

“Which others?” asked Raiden, an awful feeling rising in his chest.

“I think you know,” said Geahek with a wicked grin. “But here’s a hint for job number one: Quowiduw.” The exotic word rolled off his tongue perfectly.

Raiden closed his eyes and swore.

Dara looked confused. “What? What?”

“I’ll leave you to… discuss the proposition,” said Geahek, ignoring her. “Of course, it’s either ‘yes’ or it’s death, you must realise. Any who…” he said, and then swaggered through the doors, whistling a jaunty tune.

“What did he say?” said Dara, turning in her narrow cage.

Raiden sighed. “Basically, we either get killed by his cronies… or, we get killed by religious nuts. Or by mother nature.” He looked from Franky to Dara, in the cramped confines of their prisons. “Guys… we’re going to Muxel.”

Franky and Dara swore simultaneously.

At what point did you realize no one cares about you?

Yesterday, in fact.

Yesterday I turned 40 years old. Not a single damn person, including my friends and even my parents. Not one person, save for God the Father; wished me a Happy Birthday.

I do all the shopping and housekeeping for my parent’s, twice a week. Which means I leave my life, to go to their house and clean it for them. I do their grocery shopping too. My other siblings? Nowhere to be found, or even care. So, you’d think that I might matter to them. Right? You’d think a 40th birthday would be a big one.

I take care of church and help maintain their storehouse, and do all their shopping, bills, etc. I serve as a Worship Leader at my church. None of my team, none of my fellow church members, none of them wished me a happy birthday. These are people I see every week and who keep calendars on people’s birthdays.

No one threw me a party or sent me some money or remembered to say two simple words. No one, but God. That’s when I realized that I am far too kind and giving and generous for my own good and I need to set stronger and tighter boundaries. If ALL the people that I care about and value in my life, can completely forget about me on my 40th, what is considered a Milestone by most people. Not one person. It shows that I care more for them, then they do for me.

That cut me real deep. It really makes me question why I go out of my way to serve and help people, when no one even notices me. Pretty messed up. I sat in my truck with a chocolate cupcake and a Puppacino for my pooch and sang myself Happy Birthday with my dog howling next to me.

People suck. Especially the ones that you’re supposed to matter to.

EDIT 12/29/24 – Just in the last 2 days; I am amazed, humbled and completely taken aback by the level of outpouring love, support and belated birthday wishes, from complete strangers. The same love that I should have been given by the ones that matter most to me, instead I got it from the world; the one place I didn’t expect it. I’ve never written or done anything that went viral. I wrote this 2 days ago out of frustrating and venting and its had more attention and views than any other article I’ve written. And I write a lot. I just want to say to all the people that took the time to read this and sympathize with me and especially the ones who took the time to write a comment or a belated birthday wish. Thank you from the bottom of my 40 year old heart. I value this so much and it was so needed. Thank you, all of you!

Women Have Ruined Dating for Everyone ….

Felix

Once upon a time, in a lush forest, there lived a clever fox named Felix. Felix was known far and wide for his quick wit and cunning ways. He could outsmart any creature in the forest, from the craftiest raccoon to the most elusive hare. But Felix had one problem: he was always in a hurry. He dashed from one place to another, never taking the time to enjoy the beauty around him. His motto was, “Why walk when you can run?”

One sunny morning, Felix was trotting along the forest path when he spotted a turtle named Theo. Theo was the complete opposite of Felix. He moved at a glacial pace, taking each step with deliberate care. While Felix was always rushing, Theo believed in savoring every moment. He would stop to admire a flower, listen to the birdsong, or feel the warmth of the sun on his shell. His motto was, “Slow and steady wins the race.”

Felix, ever the trickster, decided to have a little fun with Theo. “Hey, Theo!” he called out. “How about a race? I bet I can reach the big oak tree before you even take ten steps!” Theo, unfazed by Felix’s taunting, smiled and said, “Sure, Felix. But remember, it’s not always about who gets there first.” Felix laughed, confident in his speed, and the race began.

Felix bolted off like a shot, leaving Theo in the dust. But as he ran, he couldn’t resist stopping to investigate a shiny object he spotted in the bushes. It turned out to be a discarded soda can, but Felix spent a good five minutes trying to figure out if it was treasure. Meanwhile, Theo plodded along, steadily making his way toward the oak tree. He didn’t get distracted; he just kept moving forward.

By the time Felix realized he’d been sidetracked, Theo was already halfway to the oak tree. Felix sprinted as fast as he could, but he kept getting distracted—by a butterfly, by a berry bush, by his own reflection in a pond. When he finally reached the oak tree, panting and exhausted, he found Theo calmly waiting for him, munching on a leaf. “Told you,” Theo said with a wink. “Slow and steady wins the race.”

The moral of the story? Life isn’t just about speed and shortcuts. Sometimes, taking your time and staying focused on your goals will get you further than rushing and getting distracted. And who knows? You might even enjoy the journey along the way.

What if your husband of 22 years left and said he didn’t want you anymore? After being with his ex for three weeks, he came back home. Should l forgive him?

My goodness that happened to me. He was the love of my life. I was devastated . It wasn’t an ex but someone he knew through his job. They were both studying for a state engineering licensing exam. At the library in the evenings. One night he wasn’t home by 9:15 as expected. I drove to the library. There they were , steamed up windows in his van. I was so upset. Not long after. I came home and the house felt weird. I opened his drawers, they were empty. I knew then he just left without being asked and without telling me. It was a kick in the gut. I loved him so much. Several weeks later, he knocked on my door with two bags of groceries. “I thought I’d come back home, I brought dinner. We sat and talked. I said “you want to come back? “. Yes, he said, I said “wait, I’ll be right back”. I went into my room and grabbed my wedding rings. I opened his had and placed the rings in his palm, then I held out my left hand. I said , when you put these rings on my finger, again, you are promising me that my heart will never be broken, you want our marriage forever, and you will never do what you did again, I love you , if you know in your heart that you love me and are committing to be with me , you will put them on my finger”, he reached out and took my hand, I looked at him. His eyes were down he turned my hand placed the ring in my palm, folded my fingers over them and said I’m sorry , I cannot make that promise. Then he got up and walked out the door. “Thank for the groceries” I said. I wasn’t surprised. At least he was honest this time! Two months later he came back to announce that he was going to Arizona where he grew up, with a girl he met who had a son. We spoke to each other several times over the years. He called me, I never called him. I was invited to his daughters wedding. Her and I were pretty close since I married her dad. He came alone, he sat with me and his daughters mother joined us later. He was the same charming man I always loved and knew I would love forever. He died after a major stroke a couple of years ago. I was devastated. I still love him with all my heart. I could have just said yes, come home, but I didn’t. He married three times after he left me and was divorced when he died. I made the right decision that day to bait him. My advice to you is to say no life cannot be happily lived backwards. It’s too late. Once they don’t love you and say so, they only come back because there is no one else. That’s not enough to rebuilt on. I’m sorry, I know how you feel. I feel your pain and understand your mixed feelings well.

What would you do if you found out that your fiancée let a guy climb in her bedroom after she put me on the couch?

There’s your answer. She put somebody else in her bed and put you on the couch. That means you need to walk away. Cause there is nothing there. I’m sorry to say and it might hurt. If there is a better future ahead of you, if there’s always a reason that something happens because when one door closes another, 1 will open

What was the lie that you let someone live with without correcting them?

My neighbor’s daughter died young and her boyfriend would stop in to look after her elderly mother weekly for the rest of my neighbor’s life. It was very kind.

I moved into the neighborhood a couple years before she died, and she was a porch-sitter and I’m a talker, so I would come talk to her on the regular and lend a hand if she needed something. Nothing heroic, just a little neighboly hanging out.

She passed and he turned up that Christmas with a gift and said “hey thanks for being a great neighbor to her,” and I said, “oh that’s so sweet of you, I LOVE chocolate!” What I did not say, because I thought it would never matter, was, “that’s so sweet of you, but in fact I am viciously allergic to nuts of all sorts, so thanks but no thanks!”

It is now five years later, and a man whose name I do not know, never see, and does not live in the area, is still leaving expensive, nutty assortments of chocolate on my doorstep every year. My kiddo is gleeful and I am resigned. It’s far too late to fess up even if I were to catch him in the act, plus I will be moving next year. Best to just let him enjoy his seasonal gesture.

Andrew Tate Explains Why Men Should NEVER Get Married

M28. How do I tell my mother she made a mistake birthing me? Her selfishness forced me into a world and gave me no knowledge of it. She is beyond stupid. How can I express, that I hate her for having “fun” and to tell her she should have aborted?

You know nothing about your mother. Maybe she considered abortion but decided she couldn’t kill a baby, because a fetus is a baby. You sound depressed otherwise you would not consider that you were forced to come into this world. Your words indicate to me that your mother might have raised you without a father, would it have been better if you had a normal upbringing with both parents? But really you are angry and depressed and you want to blame it on your mom. The last thing you should tell her is that you hate her. If you want to tell someone how angry you are, tell it to God. He know all things anyway. He knows every thought before it comes to your mind. He knows every word before it comes to your tongue. Since He already knows, you should talk to Him instead of blaming your mom.

Caramel

Submitted into Contest #18 in response to: Your fingers tensed around the object in your pocket, ready to pull it out at a moment’s notice.… view prompt

Agnes Sharan

They say our instincts act in a split second.

“Arrrrthhhuurrrr!”

My head was ringing, my jaw clenched. It was a cold windy night, the alley not any kinder. I pulled my coat tighter around myself. My body was fighting the cold, but the fear coursing through seemed to warm it enough to make my clenched fists sweat. I wanted to put my hand into my pocket but knew that won’t do me any good at this point.

“Arrrrthhhurrrr!”

I kept seeing him out of the corner of my eyes, grinning, his eyes lit up like he’s happy right where he is. He looked better than the last time I saw him, more alive. He didn’t look a day over how he looked then, brown eyes, caramel skinned, his clothes the same as that day. I suppose that’s just what happens when you go through something like that. It is what it is.

It was quiet, the stillness almost suffocating. I wanted to get it over with, but time seemed frozen just like the air around me. Some stragglers went past us, but other than the odd look now and then, they didn’t seem to suspect anything. So we waited, him and I, paused in that moment, feeling every breath leave my body, every whisper of wind through my hair, afraid to make any movement that might break this trance. But even as my eyes were wide open, I could see that day play out.

It was about a year ago.

“There has been a mistake. The officer will be punished suitably. We are truly sorry.”

He stood beside me, an officer hat in his hands. I couldn’t meet his eyes. Nor hers. I couldn’t imagine that this day will end like this. And the worst part is, it was all my fault.

Why did this happen?

I don’t remember who, I just remember a voice asking those words. The sweat in my clenched fists almost felt like his blood on my hands.

“We can’t begin to say how sorry we are. We got a distress call from someone passing through that there seemed to be a suspicious individual in the neighbourhood. Our officers on call were closeby and responded to it and it just so happened that he fit the description.”

“Arrrrthhhuurrrr!”

Have you heard a gunshot?

I have. I think its sharp, like a clap maybe? No, no, its dull, slipping past like a breeze. Honestly, you can’t really describe it. It is just a sound that rings around your head. It feels like it has a life of its own, and when it is through with you, all you are left with is wondering what ghosts it left behind.

I thought I’d never pick up something again that could make that sound. Never feel the cool metal beneath my fingertips.

“Noooo!!!”

Her voice rang in my head. It did ever since that day. The wailing of an inconsolable mother. A mother who lost her world in what to some was a split second instinct.

What could console her? Was there any punishment that would feel just in this world? Was there any in the universe? Her cries made me wonder every day.

A mandatory leave of absence sure doesn’t. Why else would I find myself here?

“What could you possibly have imagined a 10 year old capable of committing? Enough to warrant him a fatal wound?” The voice choked out the words. “He’s a child! H-He was …”

The words just buzzed in my ears. My throat felt clogged, like I couldn’t speak despite desperately wanting to.

It continued. “I was just there. I had asked him to wait out on the lawn for me, for just a moment. To wait, on OUR LAWN!” Eyes squeezed shut, fingers pressed tightly to stop the tears. “Why would you think my boy standing on our lawn made him the first suspicious individual huh? A 10 YEAR OLD! He listened to his father and simply stood there, and he was killed at his own house! What world are you protecting us from if you are the ones going around killing us?!”

I could stay silent no more.

“Now listen here, mister, that is no way to talk to an officer…”

“Jerry, shut up. Sir, again, as we explained, he made a sudden turn which was why the officer had to act quickly. We can’t discriminate between criminals based on age …”

“But you can based on colour. That’s what this is about, isn’t it?”

Her voice rang out.

The man looked like he wanted to speak out. He then looked at me in the eyes, hazy with the need to defend his comrade but he could see that in the depths of this day, nothing else could explain why it happened. Nothing else could say why an innocent boy with a brown eyed smile had to die. Nothing but the caramel of his skin.

“We were just going to the park. My wife had gone ahead earlier to get the birthday picnic set up but she texted me about some things she forgot. I didn’t want him to see, that’s why I told him to wait out in the lawn. It would have barely been a couple of minutes. Just a couple of minutes.”

Hopelessness rimmed that voice. It crawled over my skin, making me want to throw up my insides.

“He turned around because he heard me close our door. He saw your guns and understood the danger it posed. He was scared and he looked for his father to protect him. Was that so wrong? In the end, though, it got him killed.”

It sounded like someone who had lost all purpose. Someone who just wanted to give up. But that was a year ago.

“You remember me, don’t you?”

This voice no longer belonged to the helpless father from a year ago. This was one that knew what its sole purpose in life is, and would do anything to get to it.

And it’s hands held clenched in the pocket of its coat the one tool that help it get to it.

I could see the recognition etched in his eyes, the face that came to me every night in my sleep, eyes that then seemed so hateful now filled with something I couldn’t quite understand. He was frozen, just like I, the midnight air speaking the words we couldn’t.

“I don’t think I’ll ever forget a face from that day.”

His voice, I wanted to say, sounded smug. But there was something off about it, like my appearance after disappearing for a year didn’t affect him at all. And that bothered me.

He continued. “I saw it in your eyes that day, you know.” He smiled. “I saw them burning with a desire for justice. And I remember it every time I dream of firing that shot.”

It almost seemed like he was goading me, as though he wanted me to act before even I myself desired it. My fingers tensed around the metal, wanting to pull it out yet not wanting to give him the satisfaction.

“Do you now? A murderer who remembers his victim, how ironic.” I sneered at him. It only seemed to make him grin wider. I didn’t have to imagine I heard smugness in his voice to get triggered by his smile.

My clenched fists felt colder now with the metal in them exposed to the air. He held his hands up in mockery.

“Dad?”

“Dad?”

“Shh, Arthur, the doctors will fix you right up, its okay.” I looked away, holding his hand tighter in mine. My other hand was holding pressure to his chest, but even the slightest shift felt like he life was slipping away right beneath my fingertips.

“Daddy?” I couldn’t look at his eyes. He always had a light that in them I could look towards to make any day better. But today was different.

Because today, it was fading.

“I’m scared.”

I met his brown eyes, and in that moment, I wanted to scratch away my skin till it all but bled just to see if it makes his stop. “It’s going to be okay, I promise.”

He closed his eyes. “Sleepy, daddy …”

“Arthur”, I shook him, “Arthur?”

“Arrrrthhhuurrrr!”

The fear of God struck his eyes at that moment. He looked like he was about to turn, so I held the gun with both hands. “Don’t move!”

He froze, and it gave me a moment to see where the voice came from. He stood behind him, a boy of 7, maybe 8, and he was shivering. I’d like to say it was because of the cold but I but deep down, I didn’t have to guess the reason why. I looked away from him.

“Jim.” He spoke with his hands still held up. “Jim, what are you doing here?”

The boy’s eyes started to fill with tears. “M-mom told me to come l-look for you”, his voice choked.

“Go back to mommy, Jim, its going to be okay. Just go back to mommy.”

That’s when I turned the gun to the boy. All this time, he looked unbothered, but the fear in his eyes now looked exactly what I needed.

“Don’t!” he shouted, pleading in words he didn’t say. “He’s just a boy.”

I sneered. “So was mine! Now you’ll know how that feels!”

“Kill me.”

The words rang in my ears, but it didn’t make sense. Every day for the past year I dreamt of all the ways his face would look like pleading for his life, but none of those faces matched the man before me.

He smiled sadly. “You see him still, don’t you?”

“Daddy?”

Arthur stood beside the boy now, his caramel smile nowhere to be seen. Instead his eyes were fearful, just as they were that day.

“I do too. Every day. That’s why I resigned after the leave of absence. I kept remembering I chose to fire every time I picked up the gun. I knew you were looking into me, that one day you’d come for me. I didn’t want anything to get in the way of what I deserve.”

I felt as though my brain was finally putting together the pieces from tonight. Everything I found off about his demeanour, from his voice to him smile, it all made sense. For the look in his eyes that I couldn’t understand before, it was not smugness or fear. It was acceptance.

“Why should I believe you?”

He smiled, “I can’t tell you why.” His eyes turned, “Just let the boy go, I beg you. He doesn’t deserve it just as much as Arthur didn’t.”

I finally looked into the boy’s eyes. He was more human to me than anyone’s ever been in the last year, his light no different from my son’s. As I looked on, the ocean blue of his eyes changed color slowly. Now all that stared back was a brown eyed smile that slowly died every second my gun continued to point to it.

What am I doing?

You are no different from him.

My hands shook. But the man didn’t seem keen to use my moment of weakness to escape. He stood still, like a man who had nowhere else he wished to be.

“Go.”

The light in Arthur’s eyes were no longer dying. In fact, they seemed to start glowing. I put the gun back into my pocket.

“W-what?”

“GO! Before I change my mind!”

He kept his eyes on me while walking backwards, protecting the boy from my line of fire with his body. If only I could’ve done the same that day.

They were gone and I fell to the ground defeated. Where was the justice I sought? Why do I still feel like clawing my chest out? What could I do?

I screamed out into the night, until I could no more.

It was quiet now.

My hands hung limply by my side, my coat sifting softly in the breeze, brushing every now and then against my hand. My fingers were cold, the ground freezing. I put them into my pocket but there was no more room, so my fingers clenched around the gun. I don’t know how much time passed, only that I was down on the ground waiting for something to happen.

“Sleep, daddy …”

I heard my second gunshot. I still couldn’t say what it sounded like. But it was quiet now, and so I just closed my eyes and slipped into a dreamless sleep.

Man Catches Girlfriend CHEATING On Dating App And She Can’t Handle It…

M28. How do I tell my mother she made a mistake birthing me? Her selfishness forced me into a world and gave me no knowledge of it. She is beyond stupid. How can I express, that I hate her for having “fun” and to tell her she should have aborted?

Dude, you’re 28 years old. You can’t blame your mom for your issues.

Get some therapy. get a job. Go to the gym. Have fun by joining some safe groups. Hang out with friends or make some.

don’t blame your issues on your mother birthing you, you are too old for this… grow up!

How was the Internet invented?

There were whispers of it in the Pentagon first—back in the 1960s—The military sought for a nuclear war survival communication system.

What they produced was much more than they had dreamed.

Started with ARPANET in 1969—They built it piece by piece—like a man laying bricks for a foundation he couldn’t yet see—The initial link went from UCLA to Stanford. Two computers—conversing over a phone line; But it marked the start of something massive.

The development of TCP/IP—the protocol destined to form the backbone of the internet, marked the actual breakthrough—Bob Kahn and Vint Cerf produced it in 1974. Consider it as if any computer—could converse in a universal language—Before that, different networks were like islands—cut off from one another—TCP/IP created connections between them.

NSFNET, a system linking supercomputer centers, first emerged in the 1980s—faster and more dependable than ARPANET—Schools began to plug in—then companies. Growing like a living entity—the network expanded first over the nation and then the planet.

The last piece arrived in 1989 when Tim Berners-Lew created the World-Wide-Web at CERN—He provided HTML, URLs, and HTTP—the tools that would make the internet from a playground for specialists into something everyone could use.

Early in the 1990s, the internet had moved from military and intellectual beginnings—It belonged to everyone now. Commercial suppliers began providing links to houses—The rest is history.

Valtrompia Bread

Yield: 2 Valtrompia loaves

Ingredients

1/3 cup very warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
1 (1/4 ounce) package dry yeast
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3 to 4 cups flour

Instructions

In measuring cup, combine warm water, sugar, and yeast. Let stand 5 minutes stirring occasionally until mixture is foamy.
In large bowl, combine milk, butter, and salt. Add yeast mixture to bowl and stir to combine. Add 2 1/2 cups flour and stir. Stir in as much of remaining flour as necessary to form soft dough. Turn onto lightly floured board and knead for 7 minutes. Shape dough into smooth ball. Put into greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover with plastic wrap. Place bowl in warm, draft-free place to rise until double in bulk.
Punch dough down. Divide dough in half, roll into log 3 to 4 inches shorter than the Valtrompia Bread Tube, and insert in tube.
Cap and bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 60 to 70 minutes.
Remove from tube to cool.

Is there anything to stop a husband from cheating?

If your husband wants to cheat, then you can’t stop your husband from cheating. Your husband will find different ways to cheat. It all depends upon the core personality of your husband. If your husband is an emotionally unavailable, emotionally damaged man, or has high traits of narcissism, then he is more likely to cheat. Cheating is a choice and a conscious act. You can’t do anything here if your husband wants to cheat.

Only man can stop himself from cheating. If your husband is healthy and loves you, then no matter what happens, he is never going to cheat in any circumstances. If your husband loves you, cheating on you will never cross his mind. Cheaters will have 100s of reasons to cheat, and a loyal person only needs one reason to be faithful: that is love.

Is it reasonable for a wife to accept another man’s invitation for just her to go to his house for a swim at 1am, & for her to go wearing only a bikini & a totally translucent gown. Is it reasonable for a husband to get upset in such a situation? Tx!

Absolutely not, it is not unreasonable to get upset. Many things can happen riding solo at that hour. My man would NEVER let me out alone at that time of the night. Shoot he wouldn’t even let me check the mail across the street in the dark. She must not respect the fact that you care about her and a healthy future for her.

Is it reasonable for a wife to accept another man’s invitation for just her to go to his house for a swim at 1am, & for her to go wearing only a bikini & a totally translucent gown. Is it reasonable for a husband to get upset in such a situation? Tx!

Yes, be upset. It’s disrespectful and disregarding your marriage vows. The offer is with bad intentions. To do that any time of day and just her is an affair waiting to happen

Talk to your wife and ask how she would feel if a woman invited you only to go over by her at that time wearing only a Speedo??

Why Is Nobody Talking About This?

I heard a news report that tariffs on Chinese goods will not have the desired effect of bringing manufacturing back the US, although companies plan cutting back on production in China. Why won’t they return the US?

Do you want to hear the truth or do you want to hear lies.

The truth is, for the United States, if it does not want to give up its financial hegemony and the US dollar as the world currency, then financial capital absolutely does not want manufacturing to return to the United States.

Because this will reduce their voice in government decision-making, and even serve the manufacturing industry, instead of being able to quickly obtain massive amounts of funds by constantly speculating on some “high-tech” concept products in the stock market. It turned into a real-life Ponzi scheme.

After carefully looking at the U.S. dollar, U.S. bonds, and U.S. technology stocks, I

I realized that the current financial system of the United States is based on the credit endorsement of the United States as a sovereign country.

But it is obvious that as the U.S. debt approaches 37 trillion, the U.S. national credit system is about to go bankrupt.

For the United States, the reshoring of manufacturing promoted by Trump and Musk is like a self-rescue act of a terminally ill person.

But to realize this premise, the financial industry, service industry, etc. all need to serve the manufacturing industry.

Instead, I hype a high-tech concept, which is actually a laboratory product, and then I can obtain a large amount of financing in the stock market. Then a few years later, the company goes bankrupt and closes down. But the money has fallen into the hands of a few.

Isn’t this just pure money fraud?

Then, the United States needs to restart vocational education. Simply put, it means that a large number of Americans should give up their choices in law, finance, services, computers, and liberal arts, and devote themselves to science and engineering and technical training.

This process will take at least 10 years to cultivate a generation of qualified industrial workers and engineers.

Otherwise, it is just a dream to bring back the manufacturing industry.

Because the current illiteracy rate in the United States is too high, workers seriously lack high-end technical training.

In fact, I personally suggest that it is better for the United States to start major infrastructure construction again from now on, which can at least solve a large number of employment problems.

Why is Intel in a steep decline? Why did Intel decline and fall so much?

Short Answer: Intel’s main competition was AMD and for a while AMD wasn’t in the race so intel got distracted. After a while Intel decided to comeback with 2nm chip and it proved disaster because of many reasons, some of which are listed in the long answer.

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Long Answer: Intel’s $50 billion investment to lead in 2nm chip production has turned into a tale of misaligned priorities. The company focused on building cutting-edge facilities for foundaries to compete with TSMC and Samsung before resolving its existing 7nm and 10nm chip struggles, resulting in a reduced credibility in the market.

Why did only Intel had a fall while not other competitors like AMD?

AMD focused on outsourcing its chip production to TSMC, allowing it to prioritize design while leveraging TSMC’s advanced manufacturing processes.

TSMC invested steadily in cutting-edge production facilities like 7nm and 5nm, delivering consistent results and attracting customers like Apple, AMD, and Nvidia.

These companies focused on their own expertise and existing products, unlike Intel and that is the only reason for their success.

Andrew Tate Explains Why Men Should NEVER Get Married

The Beatles arrive in New York City

I remember when the (musical group) the “Beatles” arrived in New York city.

It was insane. Everyone was talking about them.

The local girls painted their faces on the automobile windows, and even the nuns who taught in my elementary school were all enthralled.

After the concert, that was the only thing that my nun teacher (first grade) talked about.

We watched the news at night and all we saw were miles and miles of hysterical screaming girls. It was insane.

You all have no idea about just how crazy it was. The Beatles brought a new kind of Rock n Roll to the United States. And the entire nation was eating it up.

And it was so crazy.

My teacher (the nun) told me that she couldn’t hear the music because the screaming was just so vigorous.

Take a look…

Today…

Why does China keep trying to compete with USA when they know they are gonna lose? Most Chinese students, rich, elites crave for US citizenship after all.

A Nation isn’t built out of Rich, Elite people but by the Middle Class

Within the Mainland, the US has much less to offer than what it could two or three decades ago

Back then China had 1 World Class University necessarily meaning 40% of the brightest Chinese had to go to US or Western Universities for their education

Back then 73% of Chinese Manufacturing and Production was LOW GRADE PRODUCTS necessarily meaning 30% of the most talented workers had to work either for US / Western Owned Industries within China or migrate outside China

Today things are different

China has 26 World Class Universities, next only to the US with 41

Almost 24% of Chinese manufacturing is HIGH GRADE and ADVANCED which means 6–7 Million Jobs within the Mainland and expected to rise to 20 Million in the next decade

Add to this a fervor of Chinese Nationalism within China

The Result is clear

Emigration Agencies have reduced from more than 1000 in 2007 to 180 or so in 2024

Enrollment into Australian Universities by Mainlanders dropped 52% in the past decade

Outbound Tourism to US and Europe fell by 27% in the past 7 years while to Thailand, Maldives, Singapore & Ironically Japan rose by 66%

Domestic Tourism surged by 213% from 2009 to 2023

Anyone living in China can see the change for themselves

The US just doesn’t fascinate China anymore the way it used to

China has a thriving Capital Market

China has a very good standard of living, affordable quality healthcare and quality education

In fact in the past two years – 4,600 Doctorate holders moved back to China from the US – who were either Green Card Holders or US Citizens

Urban Life in China beats Urban life in US

Semi Urban Life in China is very good today

Salaries of Workers in High Grade or Advanced Manufacturing is very high indeed

Things are changing significantly for the Mainlanders

Can you name some places in Thailand that you think are not safe to go to alone as a tourist?

Badly lit alleys in Khlong Toei Slums? Nope! Red-light, Pattaya Soi 6 ? Nope!—- Low cost National Housing Estate in Din Daeng dubbed -slums in the air?—-Nope! Walking Street at Bangla, Phuket? Nope!

Some of those places are hidden gem for tourists and many are popular, though it’s seemed unsafe but they’re almost 100% safe if you aren’t a troublemaker yourself.

So, where, then, isn’t safe to go alone as a tourist?

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Well, nothing is wrong with going to the police station in Thailand, it’s just like going to a renowned lion den alone.

Even if you are one hell of a ‘Rambo’ you are no match with those guys in Brown in the above places.

Are you kidding me? What is wrong with going to make a police report I’m a victim, I did no wrong against the Thai law.?— Did you? And are you sure about that?

I know you will come up with that. ‘ You said you were attacked by 5 Thai security guards, you acted in self-defense, right?’

“You will be slapped with a few charges like ‘destroy public property’ ( section 360) by pulling the pipes from roadside rail to beat all 5 Thai guys up. Another charge is ‘using foul language like ‘ f-word’ to insult their mother’s ( Libel sec. 326’) plus’ Third; Walk out of the bar without paying the bills.(Fraud base:345)

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From all the 3 charges, you will get compound fines 20,000 Baht or jailed, or both. Meanwhile, locked up until you get a bailout, could also be deported if convicted…What? sigh!

The 5 guys? They, too, were fined.—500B each on ‘assault’ (section 295) with 1 year suspended sentence, doing community works for 6 weeks.

Now you know, going to the Police station ‘alone’ as a tourist is a suicidal— Bring a Thai lawyer with you, he or she knows what to do.

Putin Confirms War Has Been Declared on the Russian World Today

This statement occurred in mid-December 2024.

Beef Chimichangas

Ingredients

1 (3 pound) roast
2 firm tomatoes, chopped
3 to 4 scallions, chopped
Garlic
Salt and pepper
Comino (cumin)

Instructions

Cook the beef in a slow cooker for 6 to 8 hours with the seasonings.
Cool and shred beef.
Cook tomatoes and scallions and add to beef.
Place meat mixture on flour tortillas and roll up. Drop into hot oil until golden brown. Drain.
Top with green chiles, sour cream, guacamole, salsa and shredded cheese.
Serve on a bed of shredded lettuce.

A Place in the Sun

Submitted into Contest #24 in response to: Write a story set in the dark recesses of space where the two main characters are often at odds with each other in humorous and comedic ways.… view prompt

John Rennie

The metallic surface of the Cleveland Company logo glimmered faintly as the space station became slowly bathed in the dim glow of moonlight. Eileen sat in the control room chair looking straight ahead, not distracted by the sight of Umbriel passing the window; she’d seen it a thousand times. Her eyes were fixated by the 50-inch rectangle of light above her head. “He never takes me anywhere” she sighed. Prodding the remote control repeatedly at three second intervals, she continued browsing images of the inner Solar System – far off places, close to the Sun, but she knew it was hopeless. Ted hadn’t agreed to leave the space station since their honeymoon in 2159, and no matter how many light-years she spent dreaming of one last planet getaway, it came no closer to reality. Ted was just not interested; he had his mind of other things.At the opposite end of the space station, the sound of clinking and clunking would be absolutely maddening if there had been anyone else around to hear it. The only person there was Ted whose hearing had started to go a long time ago. Pieces of twisted metal and dusty electronic chips were strewn around the floor of the station’s West Wing. A screw with a worn down thread went scuttling across the metal table skimming its surface like a stone across a lake. Eventually dropping to the floor and finding its resting place through a tiny air vent under a cabinet. “Blast!” Ted exclaimed staring into his empty hands. He looked up at the calendar above the workstation and his chest started to tighten.It was November 4th 2212. The arrival of J-Boy, their beloved grandson, was imminent. The young explorer was about to make his annual call. Visitors were rare these days. So rare that they hadn’t had a visitor for 10 years, except J-Boy of course. His visits were guaranteed like Earth’s orbit around the Sun. He could arrive at any moment and yet the satellite was still not fixed. Ted just needed to re-attach a panel to cover the inner circuitry and the dish would be ready for installation. He reached into the screw box and grasped at the fresh air inside. He picked up his magnifying glass to see that the box was in fact empty. Ted slumped back into his chair, realising he would have to go to the East Wing to get a new one. That meant bumping into Eileen. He wasn’t ready to face her, especially as he hadn’t finished the job yet, but he couldn’t stay away any longer. Ted hoped she’d forgotten about the promise he made last month. It was unlikely though.Eileen peered through the small round window in the door of the East Wing. The faint sound of footsteps had interrupted her mid-afternoon daydream of exotic star trails and asteroid showers. She watched as a frail masculine figure emerged from the long dark corridor that connected the wings of the space station. As he got closer, the light from the East Wing window cast a spotlight, revealing the silhouette. There was no doubt who it was, it couldn’t have been anyone else. He was holding a shiny box.”A gift?” she wondered.“Oh, Ted …after all this time, finally he has something to offer, something to show he still cares after all these years.”Eileen excitedly pressed the big red button causing the door to slide out of view. With a childlike grin, Eileen opened her arms.

“For me? Ted, you shouldn’t have.”

Before Ted could speak Eileen reached forward, snatched the shiny box from his hands and ripped off the lid. Eileen’s cheeks were suddenly yanked down by invisible draw strings when she saw the box was empty.

“You’re a mean bloody sod, you know that? Bringing me a shiny thing, getting me all excited then smashing my dreams to pieces with a box of empty promises.”

Ted peeled back his lips to reveal his crooked gnashers.

“Give over, would ya? Screws! I need bloody screws…for the satellite.”

“Screws? I’ll give you screws! I’ll bloody screw you!” she said, waving her fist and reluctantly stepping aside to let him through the doorway.

“Chance would be a fine thing!” he chuckled.

“Wash your bloody gob out, you. J-Boy will be here tomorrow and I don’t wanna hear you opening your potty mouth in front of the lad.”

Ted carried on shuffling toward the storage hatch without saying a word.

“Anyhow, haven’t you got enough screws from all that bloomin’ junk you spend all your life scavenging from outside?”

“I keep droppin’ ’em. My hands aren’t what they once were.”

“Nowt’s what it once was. Remember when you took me to see the rings of Saturn? In the pod, just you, me and a nice bottle ginger wine, billions of stars and endless possibilities.

Now look at us. Cooped up in either ends of this station like a prison, but worse. No bloody excitement here! Just the same old orbit in the darkest, dullest end of the Solar System. We’ve been dwelling about this Uranus moon for all eternity. Saturn was a previous life…”.

Eileen continued ranting and reminiscing, but all Ted could hear was the sound of boxes crashing together as he rummaged around. He picked up a silver box and and grinned.

“I’ve told ya before, there’s a lot of good discarded satellite material on this orbit. These young uns dump it and bugger off t’ Jupiter on a jolly. Perfectly good stuff, it is.”

“You know why they dump it ‘ere, Ted? Cos there’s nowt ‘ere. Nowt but bloody junk and darkness, and that miserable moon locking us into the most awful orbit anywhere in the Universe. Round and round and round and round. I’ll tell ye Ted, if I have to…”

A sudden blast of white noise flooded the control room.

“Come in, Cleveland Company station X14, this is Cleveland Craft 0187, permission to engage”

Ted and Eileen looked at each other and froze.

“J-Boy?”

“You daft apeth, Ted! He’s already here! You’ve wasted all your time meddling with that bloody monstrosity… Oh dear! Oh dear, oh dear.”

“Put the kettle on. I’ll get the satellite.” Ted hurriedly made for the West Wing.

J-Boy felt a warm tingle in his stomach as his spacecraft neared the docking hatch of the space station. Of all the places passed Jupiter, his grandparents space station was the place he looked forward to visiting the most. A loud mechanical bang followed by a gentle hissing sound indicated that his craft and the station were locked together. When the gravity light turned green, he released the door.

“Here he is. Where’ve you been, stranger? Come ‘ere!”

J-Boy was smothered by Eileen’s warm embrace. It was here he always received the warmest welcome of anywhere in the Universe. Clevelands X14 always felt like home.

“I’m great”, J-Boy managed to say amidst the big welcome squeeze.

Over Eileen’s shoulder, he could see Ted holding a large metal dish which was covered in wires and electrician’s tape.

“I got a present for ya, lad. Here you are. What d’ya think?”

Ted handed the gift to J-Boy.

“Ooohh, thanks, Ted. Eh…wha…what is it?”

“It’s a satellite, of course. A retro type but it works a treat. You can pick up all sorts on this: Earth war documentaries, alien life programmes, sports from other galaxies…”

“Aw, sounds great. Thanks, Ted”. J-Boy said smiling warmly.

“Put that junk away, Ted”, Eileen intervened.

“What does he want that old thing for? Pay no attention to him.” Eileen said, gently nudging J-Boy down the central corridor towards the East Wing where a fresh pot of tea was brewing.

The control room was a spacious, octagon-shaped area. From the entrance, various doors and hatches could be seen around the back and sides of the room. Directly ahead was a window spreading across the entirety of the front wall, displaying the darkness of space. In front were two swivel chairs facing hundreds of dials, switches and buttons that controlled the station. Above the controls was a single 50-inch screen displaying images of a much younger looking Ted and Eileen by the window of a capsule pod, peering out at different coloured planets. Like everything in this space station, it looked like it was made at the start of the millennium. It was all fairly dated, but J-Boy liked the homely feel of it. He sat in one of the chairs with Ted and Eileen sitting directly across from him, awkwardly jammed into the opposite chair which was clearly designed for one. Between the chairs was a small table, on it a metallic teapot along with three steaming mugs.

J-Boy began recounting tales of distant galaxies and far off parts of the Universe that Eileen could only dream of visiting. Eileen had been to many places when she was younger, but nowhere as far and exotic. “ How do you communicate with people outside of the Solar System?; Isn’t is dangerous crossing the Kuiper belt?; What’s the food like on Earth?”

She could listen for hours, asking questions and imagining what could’ve been.

“I can show you some snaps if you like?” J-Boy said looking for something in his bag.

“Aye, go on then, I’ll hook ‘em up to the big screen.”

“It’s OK, Ted. I don’t use screens anymore. I’ve got holograms now.” J-Boy held up a small black cube no bigger than a matchbox.

“Holograms? Bloody marvellous! Nowt like this in our day. Us oldies can’t keep up anymore”.

The elderly couple looked like children again as they sat with their mouths and eyes wide open, staring at the hologram projection in awe. They gasped as J-Boy waved his hand in the air to call upon hundreds of spectacular images of planets they’d never heard of and galaxies they didn’t even know existed. Eileen was completely engrossed. The more pictures she saw, the more questions she asked.

Ted wasn’t quite the conversationalist that Eileen was. He would just nod and chuckle upon hearing the wondrous tales. Occasionally chipping in with “Bloody marvellous”. He enjoyed listening, but was always happier when he was busy doing something. Without saying a word, he got up from the chair and pottered over to the control room kitchen in the corner.

“What would ya fancy to eat J-Boy?”, Ted called over his shoulder.

“Oh, nothing thanks, Ted. I ate on the cruise control around gravitational pull.”

“How about some cherry tomatoes?”,

“No, I’m OK, thanks.”

“Grown with martian soil in our space garden”

“I’m good thanks, Ted.”

“Lovely and sweet they are”

“No, I don’t really like…”

“I’ll go get them now.”

“But…”

“Eileen! What’s the key code for the space garden? J-Boy wants some cherry tomatoes, he’s starving!

“Eh? No…I’m fi…”

Eileen frowned and looked up from the projection looking deeply concerned.

“Oh poor lad! What are we like, eh? Here I am gabbing away and you’re starving to death. I’ll get ’em J-Boy. Hold on to your rockets, kidda.”

“Don’t be daft. He wants me to get them.”

“Not with your grubby hands. You’ve had them all over that dirty dish and God knows where else.” Eileen gently elbowed Ted’s forearm away from the keypad and prodded the numbers on the glass, saying them aloud as she did. “3 1 7 5 2”.

Eileen entered the space garden and quickly picked up a bucket full of cherry tomatoes that had been freshly picked a few hours earlier. The bucket was overflowing. Eileen groaned and stumbled, but regained her footing and waved Ted out of her path.

“Give it ‘ere”, Ted demanded.

“Don’t be daft. I’ll take it”

“No you won’t”

J-Boy rushed into the garden behind Ted and Eileen.

“I’m alright. Really! I’m not hungry.”

Despite J-Boy’s pleas, Ted and Eileen continued to struggle. Both had one hand on the bucket handle, fiercely insisting they should be the one to offer the tomatoes to their indifferent guest.

Eileen grabbed the handle with her free hand. Now with a two-hand grip, she pulled the bucket towards her, causing both bodies to lurch further into the garden. With one emphatic tug, she pulled the bucket free from Ted’s withering hand. The force of her pull was so great, she let go. The bucket looped over her head for what seemed like an eternity before it landed in the sink behind.

Like a set of lottery balls, the tomatoes bounced around before being rapidly sucked down the sink hole. The sink was in fact a funnel attached to a waste pipe. The three of them stood silently with their mouths open as, through the window, they watched hundreds of cherry tomatoes implode and explode in the vacuum of space. The Cleveland Company logo turned red as tomato juice plastered to the side of the station.

Of course, Ted and Eileen blamed one another for the tomato incident. From where J-Boy was standing, they were both at fault, but it was Ted who agreed to go outside the station clean up the juice. Meanwhile, not to be seen making less effort than Ted, Eileen insisted on inspecting J-Boy’s craft to check it was safe and sufficiently re-fuelled for the onward journey. Guests always left Cleveland X14 with a full tank.

J-Boy watched on from the control room window as two spacesuits attached to the station by an umbilical cable floated out into the alien atmosphere. Eileen could be seen inserting a fuel rod into the J-Boy’s craft which was docked on the right of the window, and Ted could be seen on the left rigorously wiping.

Without warning, a cigar shaped object collided with the door of J-Boy’s craft, but left no mark.

“Bloody space junk! What nuisance!”, Eileen muttered into her radio which J-Boy could hear in the control room.

Suddenly a cluster of antennas, tubes, rocket motor shells followed, relentlessly pelting the space station. A solar panel spinning like coin cut through Eileen’s umbilical cable sending her suited body into a spin.

“Teeeeed!”

Ted could see Eileen was untethered and drifting. Without any hesitation, he leapt from the safety of the station into the infinite space. Their spacesuits collided. Ted’s umbilical cable pulled taut as it wrenched the spacesuits back. The relief of catching his wife was short lived when he realised they only had a few minutes before Eileen’s suit’s backup oxygen supply would run out.

The silent onslaught of satellite debris continued to shower down near the entrance; it was too dangerous to go back in just yet. Holding Eileen in one hand, Ted used his free hand to pull his umbilical cable causing them both to float in the direction of the capsule pod.

“Quick, get inside.”

In the pod, Eileen removed her helmet and immediately drew in one huge breath.

“Bloody space junk” she exhaled.

In the safety of the pod with oxygen and protection from the junk cloud outside, Eileen and Ted watched as J-Boy’s craft took a battering. The space station was a giant. It could withstand a severe assault from any decommissioned satellite cluster, but J-Boy’s craft was tiny and in danger of catastrophic damage.

“We have to do something” Ted said as he climbed into the driver’s seat. He hadn’t used the pod since he was courting Eileen in another lifetime.

“Where’s the wha’d’ya me call it?”

“The what?”

“The wha’d’ya me call it”

“The wha’d’ya me what? The ignition?”

“That’s it!”

“There! Bloody ‘ell, Ted – it’s not rocket science.”

“I think it bloody well is!”

Ted flipped a switch and the wall of controls sprung to life.

“Ere we go!”

The propulsion rockets launched the capsule pod up and away from the under fire space station. Ted hauled a lever to change the direction of the rocket boosters. A blast of flames spluttered from under the pod, propelling it in front of J-Boy’s craft and into the path of the debris.

“Come in Cleveland ex, one, four. This is Cleveland CapPod.

“Ted, Eileen, What happened? Are you alright?”

“J-Boy, d’you hear me, lad?”

“Yes, Ted.”

“Listen, we took a hit from some bloody debris. The door’s knackered and so is Eileen’s suit. We’re not going to be able to connect to the docking hatch.”

“I can come out and help!”

Eileen abruptly leaned into the radio

“No, you won’t, you stay right there. It’s too dangerous.”

“But…”

Ted held Eileen’s hand and a sudden calmness came over both of them.

“We’ve had our time. A great life! We’re gonna get out of this dark end of the Solar System as far as this little pod will take us. We’re going to find a place in the Sun. I made a promise”

J-Boy eyes filled with tears. He was devastated but somehow, he understood. He always knew this time would come.

“Ol’ Cleveland X14 is all yours, lad. Take her anywhere you want. She a bit dated but she’s a good one. A bit like, Eileen”

“Oi!”

Ted chuckled.

Eileen fought the tears, “I’ll miss you, J-Boy. We love you.”

The pod lifted up over the space station and accelerated out in the opposite direction of the Umbriel moon for the first time that century.

J-boy sobbed into his left forearm resting on the space station control panel. His eyes were red and sore. He lifted up his head and with his right hand, reached out to switch off the radio. His hand stopped and hovered over the button.

“It’s this way. I’m sure of it.”

“We should’ve left this orbit half an hour ago, where are we going? You daft apeth, Ted. You’ve got the map upside down!

J-Boy smiled and laughed through the tears. He knew everything was going to be just fine.

Shorpy

Through a Great Distance

Matthew Klingforth

Through a Great Distance

“Andrew, God, I can actually hear your sulking,” Becky said across the hull to the large man sitting with his head hanging and his back facing her. “It’s like I have the endangered, sniveling vagina bug crawling in my ear, right now.”

“I am not sulking!” Andrew informed her angrily as he lifted his head and stared ferociously at the corner. “As a matter of fact, I was just now having a soliloquyial discussion on the selfish disregard of ingratitude and how Princesses only crap on other people’s property!” He screamed at her from his walled in position and Becky rolled her eyes in return.

“Look, man, the alfredo sauce was too salty, I don’t know what to tell yah,” she replied with a guiltless shrug. “Maybe, next time, I don’t know, don’t add the entire salt lick to the pot.”

“That is a reward winning recipe!” Andrew bellowed and turned his purpling face towards her. “And I’ll let you know that having all of the culinary delicacy of a frozen lake, does not excuse, nor forgive, straight rudeness.”

“Whatever,” Becky grumbled and returned her attention to the blinking lights of the ship’s internal computer.

“Fine,” Andrew agreed to her resolution and sent out a cold silence across the room.

“I don’t think that, “soliloquyial,” is even really a word.” Becky poked and to her delight, the bear stood-up and stomped out into the hallway.

“There are rules of engagement!” Andrew roared and jabbed his pudgy finger into the chest of no one as he clomped down the hallway. “Once an argument is clearly at the point of appropriate silence,” he said while gesturing wildly with his hands. “I mean, that’s it, you just shut-up. But no, not her, she always has to get that last little…” He paused, too angry to finish the sentence and, instead, bit down hard onto his knuckle. “I want my GD dog back!” he finally screamed at the top of his lungs.

“Becky! Becky!” Andrew yelled desperately as the terrified animal clawed free and leapt from his grasping arms. “No, no, bad dog!” he scolded the Pomeranian, but another crack of lightning from the newest freak storm put her tail between her legs and sent her scampering into the throngs of the many on-lookers and partiers across the barricade.

“Japan…swallowed…unprecedented tsunamis,” Andrew heard the radio from the nearest booze and food tent scream in between its static and he helplessly turned and looked at his escape vessel.

“Becky?” He whimpered with his whole body moving in feeble motions and the tears choking out his breathing. For the briefest of moments, he considered leaving without his precious Becky, but then he remembered all of the hard work and strings that he had to pull to gain passage to the new world and procure his own personal carriage. Failure was not an option.

“You sir!” Andrew pointed and yelled with newly found determination as he marched across his lot towards the security at the gate. “I will have a moment with you,” he said and pushed his impressive mass in between a small helmeted guard and the rest of the world. “Do you know who I am?” Andrew more demanded than asked.

“Yes sir, mister Chizka, sir,” the guard said with what he thought was machismo. “I am assigned to your post, sir, I’m, I’m your takeoff guy” he added lamely and immediately regretted it.

“Good,” Andrew replied with zero satisfaction as he assumed his own notoriety. “Then you know that I am never, EVER, without my Becky!” he blustered as the guard tried to catalogue every piece of information that he had on the man and a wife Becky seemed to ring a bell.

“Yes sir, mister Chizka, that is well known,” he decided to answer in the positive.

“Well?” Andrew asked as he looked around himself incredulously. “Do you see my Becky with me?”

“Oh, oh, no sir,” the former shoe salesman caught the drift and put his two weeks of military training into action. “Where was the last place you seen her, sir?”

“She ran off into that damnable ruffian tent,” Andrew answered with distaste. “She is very likely right at the entrance, trust me, she won’t wander far from a constant source of sausage.”

As the guard struggled with a reply, he was spared by the sudden upheaval of the earth’s crust, causing all to stumble and cheers to erupt from the tent dwellers.

“Listen,” Andrew said in a sudden rush, trying to quickly compensate for the earthquakes two-day early arrival. “What’s your name son?” he asked the guard.

“Thomas Jensen,” Thomas Jensen answered astutely.

“And now, Thomas,” Andrew said in his straight business voice. “I can assume that you’re not one of these tent cretins, right? That you plan on leaving this degenerate planet and make a fresh start on the new world? Yes?”

“Yes sir, mister Chizka, our craft leaves tonight.”

“Good Thomas, I’m relieved to hear that,” Andrew said while putting his meat hooks onto the guard’s slender shoulders and drawing paternal serenity onto his face. “Thomas, I need someone to march into that Hell pit and get me my Becky,” he said while pointing at the tent. “And whoever that person is, well, let’s just say that they will be very well rewarded in the new world,” he stated and then paused for dramatic affect. “Do you think that you could be that person, mister Jensen?”

“Yes sir! Absolutely sir!” Ole’ Thomas was pretty sure of himself.

“Excellent!” Andrew applauded. “Bring her to my sleeping quarters, get us off this God forsaken planet and I assure you that the goose will be splendid.”

Andrew stared out the bedroom window as the world deteriorated around him. “Where are you?” he whispered harshly and took his third pill in less than ten minutes. “I do not feel calm!” he screamed at the window and shook the pill bottle angrily. “Stupid—useless…,” he mumbled softly as his chin dropped down into his chest and time slowed down around him.

“Who the Hell is this?” the drunken slur of a tiny, blonde woman and the sound of a locking door caused Andrew’s eyes to flutter open.

“Becky,” he pleaded unconsciously as the engines started to rumble and the planet Earth began its long series of chain explosions.

“I want my GD dog back!” Becky heard Andrew yell from across the ship and she immediately felt a twinge of regret for that last jab.

“Ah, the big lug,” she said as she drew her legs up onto the chair to hug her knees, thinking about their first conversation.

The world, she believed, was gone. The navigational system, fried on take-off. We could be the last two human beings alive in the Universe and dude couldn’t stop blubbering about his stupid dog.

“Cute little shit,” she said with a sigh and grabbed her rubber ball to squeeze.

The mix-up, she supposed, was favorable to her. She should be dead and at one point and time, it was all that she had expected, wanted, maybe. She was in a weird place at the time. Still though and in retrospect, she made out pretty good. The vessel was equipped to accommodate and feed eight people for no less than ten years. There were like a zillion different movies and video games to play and the regurgitating ventilation system provided a lifetime of low-quality, but breathable air.

The dog, she felt, would have been very happy here.

Words can’t really describe the awkwardness of getting to know the last remaining member of your species. The last real face that you would see in your entire lifetime. Uncomfortable, she guessed. Discomfited? But, after a long mourning and bonding period, it took them all of fifteen seconds to realize that they were trapped in space with a complete and utter moron. He was a proclaimed dog person and she held firm that Becky was really more of a cat. He was a staunch Republican and she didn’t really care what you called a crook. How was it possible that she got stuck with the one person who could witness the explosion of their planet and still continue to deny global warming?

It was the absolute worst possible case scenario for the both of them.

Becky smiled and gave the ball two quick compressions.

“No, no, you’re doing that all wrong,” Andrew said as he watched her gaming in the family center and grabbed the controller out of her hands.

“Oh, really?” she asked, a little shocked at his playfulness, as they had been on a, as needed, communication schedule for the previous three months. “You know how to play Super Mario Brothers?”

“Oh yeah, my brothers and I ate up the classics,” Andrew answered as he deftly moved the courageous plumber across the screen. “I saw Zelda in the game catalogue,” he said while pausing and smiling over at her. “Have you ever played it?” he asked with a school boy innocence that would eventually charm his way into both her pants and their first marriage.

Andrew had considered all four of their marriages as a silly waste of time, but, Becky, although far removed from her deflowering, was a traditionalist. Not so much the religious stuff, but a commitment was needed if you wanted the long-term, personal attention sex. She was, after all, a lady.

Initially they had the children conversation, you know, the old, save the homo sapien rally, but ultimately decided against it. Their little family, alone in the middle of outer space, trying to maintain the human race was, well, just gross, once you ran the numbers and, besides, neither one of the them were exactly, kid people, anyhow. So, they kept rugrats out of their tumultuous and mostly predictable cycle. Right now, as far as Becky saw it, they were within four months to their next marriage. This was clearly a make-up fight. Right now, he’s standing in the master bedroom, staring out the window, waiting for me to come and apologize.

“And apologize I will,” she thought happily as she stood-up and bounced the ball off of the floor and back into her hand. The truth was that over the last six years, she had really grown to love the big ape and she knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he loved her. Only love can make a person as crazy as she made him.

Besides, she had put a lot of effort into making him a suitable partner, the, sometimes, aggressive tips and hints on how to be a better lover, alone, claimed her ownership. She wasn’t about to give up her man and her apologizing for hurting his delicate nature had also become part of their cycle.

“Hey Andrew,” she yelled as she bounced her ball down the hall towards the bedroom. “About the alfredo sauce, you know that I was just being a bitch, right?” She asked, taking the low road and hoping for a quick make-up.

“Becky, get in here,” Andrew yelled back at her in a dazed and far away voice and Becky quickened her pace.

“Holy…” she stood frozen in the entryway, staring through the window at the last thing that she ever thought that she would see again. “Andrew, it’s a planet!” she exclaimed and Andrew turned in his standing position to nod absently.

“You said that the odds were astronomically against this,” she said as Andrew, the human fun sponge, had calculated its chances to being exactly impossible.

“They, they are,” he stammered and returned his gaze to the looming planet.

“Well, is it, you know, liveable?” Becky asked with excitement growing in her voice.

“Yes, perfectly, its atmosphere doesn’t appear to be much different than earths,” he answered.

“It’s unbelievable,” Becky marveled as she walked to stand next to Mark. “What about other creatures? Is there anything alive down there?”

“Affirmative, be it food, friend or foe, the imager shows plenty of animal activity at the surface.”

Awestruck in silence and as they slowly absorbed the colossal potential floating before them, Andrew and Becky’s fingers gingerly touched together and gently entwined.

“Take us home, Captain Chizka,” she said while looking up at her future fifth husband and Andrew set the thrusters to manual.

Should a 73-year-old man move from the United States of America to Bélgium?

If you can afford it, and you can do so legally, I would say go for it.

I too am 73. My wife left me 20+ years ago, the best thing she ever did for me.

Some time in the next 10 or 15 years I shall die. In the meantime tho, I plan to experience as much of life as I can. So despite meagre resources I travel extensively.

After covid was managed I sold a car and spent 3 months riding trains and exploring France. Then I did a 3 months stint working on a goat farm in Wakayama Japan. I learned two things. 1. It is much cooler in Japan during Australia’s hot summer and 2. Farmers in Japan cannot attract workers. So they are very glad to provide food and board in exchange for 20 hours of light work a week.

I have just returned from working on a pig and sheep farm in Hokkaido Japan. I was there for three months and was able to watch that country change from full leafed summer glory, to a -10º winterscape. Then home to a 44º Australian summer.

I am currently looking for a volunteer position on a European canal barge. Any takers?

main qimg 03d9e73755d27fc6034b2582e170fe6b

You are going to die soon, so if you are able, get busy and go learn something. Once you do you will find that everybody in the world is basically similar. There are two discernible groups of humans. The vast majority of the worlds people want to work, to love, to play, to raise up their kids and worship their gods in peace. These are the people you meet when you travel.

And then there are the rulers, who simply want to fuck things up for everybody else for their own aggrandisement and profit. These are the people who inhabit the media and government and business. The 1%.

What are the top emerging technologies that will change the way we live in the next 5 years?

Chinese robot maids will clean , cook, serve most middle income homes of the world over. 90% of vehicles will be China made EVs. 90% of gardens will be tended by Chinese robot gardener. 50% of lonely singles will have regular sex with Chinese made robot partners. Almost zero bars will be without Chinese robot servers that dish out cocktails and serve beers with precise foam and clean and wipe glasses too! Almost all lorry and buses drivers will need to find a new career. 10 years old now and younger will no longer need to learn how to drive by teenage years anymore. And 95% of cars world wide will be autonomous driving vehicles. 95% of there are using Chinese technologies!

Only USA will there be people who still carry wallets and purse! The only market left for ICE vehicles is the USA. By 2030 194/195 nations on earth has China as their biggest trading partner on earth. The only one not is USA whose Inflation hit 200% for the 10 years running. Thanks to the trade war! USA is a good place to bring your families to see what the world used to be!

Chimichangas de Pollo

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

Chimichangas

1 (3 1/2 pound) whole chicken
6 cups water
1 medium onion, studded with 2 whole cloves
2 stalks celery
2 large whole garlic cloves, peeled
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons shortening
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 large tomato, cored and diced
1 jalapeño chile, chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed leaf basil
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon crushed leaf oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
8 flour tortillas, warmed

Garnish

2 cups sour cream
1 cup guacamole
2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
Shredded lettuce (optional)
Tomato wedges (optional)

Instructions

Place the chicken, water, onion, celery, 2 garlic cloves and bay leaf in a medium size stewing pot. Cook chicken at medium heat for approximately 1 1/2 hours, or until the chicken is tender.
Allow chicken to cool, remove meat from bones, and chop.
Place shortening, sliced onion, and 1 minced garlic clove in a medium size skillet and sauté mixture over medium heat until onion is tender.
Add the chopped chicken, tomato, jalapeño chile, and remaining seasonings and simmer at low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
Place approximately1/2 cup of chicken mixture horizontally across the bottom half of each tortilla. Do not extend the mixture beyond 1 1/2 inches at the sides and bottom. Fold the sides in over the filling and roll the tortilla jellyroll style. Secure each roll with a wooden pick.
Heat 2 inches of shortening in a heavy pan over medium high heat.
Fry each rolled tortilla in hot shortening until crisp and lightly browned. Drain on absorbent towels.
Assemble the chimichangas by placing each rolled tortilla on a plate and garnish with 1/4 cup of sour cream, 2 tablespoons of guacamole,1/3 cup of Cheddar cheese, lettuce and tomato wedges.

Modern Women HAVING MELTDOWN Over Passport Bros!

How much is known about the Voynich manuscript?

My paleography teacher told me that the Voynich Manuscript (Beinecke MS 408) is where your career goes to die. If you claim to be able to decipher it — no, you can’t. Literally every paleographer, cryptographer, code-breaker, linguist, etc. has taken a crack at it by now, and if none of them could decipher it, you definitely have not. If you claim to, you won’t be taken seriously.

We know basically nothing about its contexts beyond what we can see. It’s clearly an herbal of some kind, but the plants do not exist, and there are lots of other extremely strange images, like naked people bathing in a plant? Or being swallowed by it?

These are photos I took of a facsimile. They don’t let you see the real deal anymore unless you really have to, because so many people have touched it, it’s starting to damage the manuscript. The facsimiles are perfect reproductions.

The writing definitely looks like text, but it’s not in any known language or alphabet. Looking at it makes you feel like you suddenly forgot how to read. It looks so much like letters that you feel like you should be able to read it, but it’s just off:

All we know for sure is that it’s a real early modern manuscript, not a modern hoax. There’s a reference to it in the seventeenth century, so it’s at least that old, and the vellum is dated to the fifteenth century.

There’s lots of theories about what it could be, but none of them prevail, because we can’t rule any of them out. If it’s encoded, it doesn’t match any code-breaking technique that’s been used against it so far. If it’s a hoax, it’s an elaborate and expensive one. It honestly might be fiction, written in a conlang. That’s the only explanation that makes sense to me so far, because it would explain why the pictures are of imaginary plants and why the text doesn’t map to any known language. But Tolkienesque works of fiction with their own conlangs weren’t exactly common at the time; fantasy as we know it hadn’t been invented yet. Maybe it just dropped out of fairyland one day, I dunno.

An unreadable book in an unknown language with cryptic drawings of unreal plants and astrological charts sounds so fantastical, it’s hard to believe it’s real. Whether the Voynich Manuscript itself is fiction or not, it makes for some excellent fodder for modern fiction.

Investor Alert: Revolutionary ironmaking method will nullify tariffs and scramble iron ore markets

https://youtu.be/8WnvulH0URA

Quackers and the great Chinese Trench Coat story

Back in the late 1970’s I went to the “Army and Navy” store and was browsing around. And sure, as I tended to do, picked up a few interesting nick nacks. But there in the corner was something that caught my eye.

It was a Chinese “great coat”. Also known as a trench coat.

It was the most amazing thing that I ever owned. There was no way; NO WAY that you would ever get coal wearing this thing. It was something like triple insulated and had multiple pockets, and was awesome.

Now, you guys should know that I didn’t take with me to university, though I should have. And when I went back home, it was nowhere to be found. I guess that my brother must have sold it off. But man, what a great coat.

They are still sold here in China and if and when you come to China, I would suggest you all pick one of them up, as they are awesome. And cheap too!

Awesome!

Today…

We start the day off about a very ducky story and dressing in style.

Quackers

Once upon a time, in a cozy little pond surrounded by tall, swaying reeds, there lived a duck named Quackers. Quackers was no ordinary duck—he had a peculiar fondness for human clothing. Specifically, he adored sweaters. He didn’t know why, but there was something about the soft, warm texture and the way they smelled faintly of laundry soap that made his heart flutter.

One crisp autumn morning, as the leaves turned golden and the air grew chilly, Quackers was paddling around the pond, daydreaming about sweaters. He had seen humans wearing them all around the pond, and he longed to have one of his very own. Just as he was about to dive for a snack of pondweed, he spotted something bright red floating on the water.

Curious, Quackers paddled closer. To his delight, it was a sweater! A perfectly sized, chunky knit, red sweater with tiny white polka dots. It had fallen off a clothesline nearby, and the wind had carried it to the pond. Quackers’ eyes sparkled with excitement. He waddled onto a nearby rock, spread his wings, and carefully slipped the sweater over his head.

The sweater fit him perfectly, and it was so warm and cozy that Quackers couldn’t stop preening. He strutted around the pond, showing off his new attire to his fellow ducks. “Quack-quack!” he exclaimed proudly, as if to say, “Look at me! I’m the most stylish duck in the pond!”

The other ducks were initially confused but quickly grew envious of Quackers’ bold fashion choice. Soon, the entire flock was following him around, hoping to learn the secret to his confidence. Quackers, ever the trendsetter, taught them how to preen properly and strut with flair.

That winter, the pond was filled with ducks in sweaters of all colors—blue, green, even a few striped ones. Quackers had started a movement, and the humans who came to the pond couldn’t help but smile at the sight of a flock of ducks dressed in cozy knitwear.

From that day on, Quackers was known far and wide as the Duck of Style. And every time he waddled by the pond, he gave a little quack of joy, knowing that his love for sweaters had brought warmth—both to his heart and to the hearts of everyone who saw him.

The end. 🦆🧶

Is it possible for another country to overtake the United States economically, politically, or militarily in the future?

Yes it has been done successfully by China! If you don’t see it because you are blind, deaf or plainly dumb it doesn’t meant it is not happening!

Sure China cannot do shit 10 thousand miles from its shores but China don’t plan to do so!

In per parity purchasing power China is at least 150% bigger than the USA, in political influence China has 170/195 nations on earth fully supporting them.

The U.S. has 4–5 slave vassal states, 3 fellow native slaughtering nationals and 7–8 despicable colonial masters, and some 4–5 tiny Russian eye poking nations.

As their staunch supporters! Militarily China has more war ships; tanks, fighter jets, drones, missiles and army than the USA and it can give the U.S. such a big hiding that it will never be e same again!

How did your marriage end?

My husband left me, and my friend left her husband for my husband one weekend. I had only just met her husband a few days prior, but she obviously had a history with my husband. In the wake of the sudden changes, I offered her husband a place to stay since he was in a difficult situation. We both realized our exes weren’t going to file for divorce, so we took the initiative ourselves. My friend, being Catholic, struggled with the idea of divorce, while my husband expressed regret over his decision. However, we both knew what we wanted and confidently said NO to reconciling. We were beginning to really like each other. Once our divorces were finalized, we married—and now, after 46 years, we’re still happily together.

Gaucho Grill Sandwich

Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

1 cup cilantro, chopped, divided
3/4 cup lime juice, divided
3/4 cup parsley, fresh, chopped, divided
3 cups Wish-Bone Italian Dressing, divided
4 tablespoons garlic, minced
4 1/2 pounds skirt steaks
24 slices sourdough bread, toasted
36 slices tomatoes, sliced
24 slices red onions, sliced

Instructions

To make the marinade for the skirt steaks, combine 1/2 cup of the cilantro, 1/2 cup of the lime juice, 1/4 cup of the parsley, and 2 cups of the Wish-Bone Dressing. Hold refrigerated.
To make the sauce, combine the remaining 1/2 cup cilantro, 1/4 cup lime juice, 1/2 cup parsley, 1 cup Wish-Bone Italian Dressing, and the garlic. Hold refrigerated.
Marinate the skirt steaks in the reserved marinade for 2 hours.
Drain, grill until medium rare, and slice thinly.
To assemble each sandwich, mound 4 ounces of the steak onto 1 slice of the sourdough. Top with 3 slices of tomato, 2 slices red onion, 2 tablespoons of the sauce, and the remaining slice of bread.

China’s New J 40 stealth fighter jet, this aircraft is a true the best sixth generation fighter jet!

Learn about how dangerous China is today.

For a departed soul

Submitted into Contest #150 in response to: Write a story that either starts or ends with someone (or something) saying, “Please, don’t do it.”… view prompt

Jincy P Janardhanan

As she sat down beside the white wrap that covered the lifeless body of her uncle, she didn’t know what to think. His feet seemed so small inside it. It was lying so close – a small stretch of her hand and she could have touched it, yet her eyes failed. She dared not to look at the shroud. It was terrifying, to know for the first time that life was so little.

His life seemed so little. He had indeed lived for long – past seventy – so why should anyone worry? The closest of kith and kin could say he had lived long enough and had died content. He had a little smile on his face as he was lying down, waiting for his last respects. So why should I worry? I don’t know really. I had never known him all my life, anyway. And I’ll never know him again.

He had a chance, didn’t he? Why did everyone let him die? After all, it’s a life. Doesn’t it mean anything? You feel for the birds that often come by your house, but you didn’t feel for your husband? Why is anybody talking, really? Why is everyone here, everyone who didn’t think of him when he was alive? I’m sorry my brother, I can’t stand this. You were his son, yet you let him down too. You must have been his last hope, but you failed. Literally, anyone in this room could have demanded to save him and do the surgery to keep him alive – yet no one did. Why did he have to die that way?

He had four brothers and two sisters, and all of them were there, beside his dead body. But none of you was there for him, as he lay waiting for his death in the ICU for three days. He was silent, but he could still hear and feel, right? I wish he never heard any of your thoughts aloud.

Dear uncle, I’ll never know you. I hope you might’ve loved me even if you had never visited me. I hope you wished no ill will. I don’t believe in afterlives, but if you had more wishes, I wish they get fulfilled even in your absence. I pray to the Almighty that your soul shall rest in peace. Amen.

I couldn’t bear it. Was it pain? I don’t know. I only felt this helplessness, this belittlement of life and death right before me. It was choking me. Tears flowed relentlessly as I struggled for breath through my closed lips and dry throat. I couldn’t face anybody and I tried to look small – hugging my feet and covering my tear-stained face with my hand as I stared at a dusty corner of the room that no one noticed. I ran for life when my sister-in-law said we could take rest somewhere inside – I didn’t know what I was thinking. I had to let it all out.

My silent screams echoed in the bedroom as I hugged on to my sister for dear life, away from the shroud and the dead body. I took many deep breaths and looked through the window. Everything was silent. My body felt numb. I was a machine, learning. I’ll never know how many trials it will take for me to learn this new algorithm of life.

There are only a few steps here.

You’re an innocent child but you grow up into an adult. You’re young and you work hard to make a fortune. You build a family to spend all that fortune. You become poor and old till nobody wants you. You die.

I wish there was an element of love somewhere in the loop – there is none. History repeats. It’s money that rules the world and it’s rooted in the families. I remembered my dad. He’s a veteran and his fault? He had two girl children. He spent all his money on the dear house his father had built for their family in the olden days. He got himself a few blocks in his heart. So now he’s poor, unhealthy and father to two girls – Why should anyone want him anymore? And he was out of his home – the same home that he dreamt of sharing a part with all his brothers and their families.

Does that ring a bell? Look around and check your roots. Look at the outcasts and check the crimes that got ’em off their family trees. It’s history, and it repeats. It’s the same everywhere. It’s an infinite loop – the kind that never meets its exit condition.

That’s when I thought of some outliers in this history of the world – some of the biggest and richest families that every born child would know. There should have been some mistake, some kind of bug that occasionally breaks this code and that loop exits in an error 500. I saw my mom – I smiled, I know what that bug is.

I started thinking, hard. I’m a developer and I’m about to start my Masters in Computer Science next year. What else should I invest in, if not in making an AI that increases this bug in families and breaks the infinite loop in history? I can’t wait. Now I know my project and purpose.

She rose from her seat and washed her face several times until she was sure that no one would see her tears again. She tried putting on a smile – it was hard. She thought now she was brave enough to face the reality and looked out of her hiding place. There they were – her little cousins, too innocent to not know the weight of that shrouded body in the front room. She rushed to them, hugged them both and sat in-between them, holding their hands. They’ve come from afar upon notice of the death in our family. They didn’t know this place and were looking at different things curiously. My seven-year-old brother asks, “Are they rich?”. I was at a loss of words.

I wish I could one day make an AI that stops feeding little brains the philosophy of rich versus poor, black versus white, and girl versus boy, and instead teach the philosophy of seeing people as just fellow human beings, full of life. I should probably work in education. Maybe then I could make an algorithm that learns the loop of love and whenever a little friend tries to call someone ugly, my AI would whisper in his ears, “Please, don’t do it”.

Reality Finally Breaking Thru to Western Leaders: Ukraine has Lost the War

Is the Chinese board game Go the same as American chess?

First of all, Chess isn’t American.

The origin of Chess can be traced back to India all the way back to the 7 century CE. From there it was picked up by the Persians and then spread throughout Muslim worlds and then introduced to Southern Europe.

Go is very different from Chess.

In Chess, white goes first; in Go, black goes first.

Chess have different types of pieces, each piece has a different movement. The chess game started with a board of all the pieces, and as the game progress, the pieces move around according to the rules, and pieces are removed from the board.

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Go has 1 type of piece. Once placed on the board, the piece can not move. The game started with an empty board, with players placing their pieces on the board.

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The goal of Chess is to take your opponent’s pieces until you can take their King.

The goal of Go is to take territories of your enemy. Each player places their pieces trying to “surround” other player’s pieces. Unlike Chess, where “checkmate” is considered a win, different countries have slightly different rules to define the winning state of a Go game.

Go is more complicated than Chess.

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A curated collection of live streams and video loops from around the world. It’s like a digital aquarium or a window into different cultures and environments.

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Here’s some of the content…

Man Discovers GF Is Cheating With Her Ex, So He Packs Up Her Stuff & Dumps It On His Lawn

How has Taiwan survived and thrived while being constantly threatened with military attack by China?

Because from 1949 to 1970s, Taiwan was the side that was threatening war with Chinese mainland. Taiwan had the better navy and airforce, and conducted blocade of the Chinese coast, raiding and hijacking Chinese civilian ships, invading China’s airspace with spy planes and occasionally fighters and bombers. It was official national policy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to stay ready for WWIII, when it would retake mainland China, Mongolia, and by this map, invade the Soviet Union, too.

main qimg 4e2779b73f26d3adb5a818a2fafcd2f0

From 1978 to 1995, Deng Xiaoping decided WWIII was not happening any time soon, so China cut back on military, to focus on economic development.

That’s why China was caught completely unprepared militarily, when the 1996 Taiwanese election happened, when Taiwan started pushing for separation from China, and the Americans blocked the Taiwan Strait with their carriers, cutting off potential Chinese take-over.

At the time, the Chinese response to the carriers was this:

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It was 2008 when China fielded its first domestically produced 3rd generation fighter, the J10, an equivalent to the F-16. Taiwan had much more modern military equipmeny back then.

It was after the 2010s when Chinese mainland started to surpass Taiwan in terms of military equipment. That’s a very recent development.

Breaking down the ‘China Collapse’ theory with Jeffrey Sachs

If most urban planners are YIMBYs, why is it so hard to get high density, walkable cities in the U.S., U.K., Australia, etc.?

The HUGE problem with having walkable cities in the US is climate.

Everywhere in the US south of that red line occupies the same latitudes as The Sahara in Africa. We certainly don’t get as hot as The Sahara does, but it does get quite hot, and until you get very far west of Missouri, pretty darned humid, too.

From May until some time in September or even October, all you have to do in the southern US to break into a good sweat is just go stand outside for 5 or 10 minutes. Few outside the labor class are willing to subject themselves to that if they don’t have to.

Fun fact. Prior to the advent of air conditioning, Washington, D.C. was considered a hardship posting for foreign diplomats on account of the heat and humidity there during the summer months. Even NYC can get quite unpleasant in July and August.

The majority (supply your own “not all” like Rome, Barcelona, etc) of walkable cities in Europe are at least as far north as Paris and Vienna (and there are a lot of those). In all of North America, there are only 8 cities of any size that far north – Seattle and Anchorage in the US; the rest are in Canada, along the US border.

We don’t have walkable cities in the US because the weather for a solid half the year is just abysmal.

The US in RAGE: Putin’s Warning Was Effective┃Syrian Rebels Refused To Attack Russian Military Bases

Trump nominated 10 billionaires so far. How much do you think they will care about young men with high school diplomas?

They will care for their fellow Americans in the same way that healthcare insurance company CEOs care for their customers.

Does it really matter who the U.S. president is?

No, because US decline is systemic, and has been brought about by the US’s failure to invest in it own education, manufacturing and transport infrastructure over the past 40 years since Reagan.

Reversing this policy would require a long-term commitment and strategy which would take at least 20 years before it would show results.

The issue is that the American people do not have the patience for a long-term strategy, and the federal government does not have the tools to implement this strategy. State governments do not have the access to finance to implement a 20-year strategy.

For this reason, it makes no difference who is president. In practical terms, this means that the presidential elections are mostly a debate about how the deck chairs on the Titanic should be arranged after it has hit the iceberg.

There can be no change unless the form of government changes, and that is unlikely to happen.

How did the Chinese react to their century of humiliation which made them different from other countries which were colonized by the west?

When it was over, the Chinese were resolutely determined to NEVER let this happen again. They worked hard to make China strong, economically and militarily. They resolutely vowed to hold onto Taiwan, which is the last remaining reminder of China’s century of humiliation.

Mission accomplished. Today, China has the largest and strongest economy in the world. China surpassed the USA by PPP in 2014. China is the largest trading partner to over 120 countries.

China is the world’s sole industrial superpower. The USA doesn’t even come close.

China has the largest and strongest military in the world. It has the largest army. It has the largest navy. It has the most advanced stealth fighters and hypersonic missiles. The US military has been in decline for decades; the USA hides this fact well.

China is fully prepared to fight for Taiwan, should it foolishly decide to secede. Taiwan’s military is no match.

Check and mate.

Gilbert Doctorow: You won’t Believe how Powerful Russia’s Oreshnik Missile is

The Vase of N’Hahn

Submitted into Contest #150 in response to: Write a story that either starts or ends with someone (or something) saying, “Please, don’t do it.”… view prompt

Seán McNicholl

His breath caught in his chest, his heart skipped and his eyes dilated as they fell upon her. The elderly attendant led her out, his white gloves caressing her smooth curved body. Murmurs, quietly excited and amorous, began in the front row and swiftly spread across the onlookers as though carried on a breath of wind.

There she stood: the Vase of N’Hahn.

Jack wanted her. Jack had to have her.

He had never been more certain of any fact in his life. He must have her. His mind, within the breadth of a moment, had been totally stolen. His imagination was filled with her red and ruby complexion. She was all he could see.

The bidding began.

“Please don’t do it”, muttered his friends but he ignored them.

Hands were raised, calls were shouted out. Higher and higher it rose. Jack matched every bid until it was just he and a fellow rival who was perched on the far side of the room. His hand, Jack’s hand, his hand, Jack’s hand. Higher and higher.

People close to the rival could see the beads of sweat starting to form on the poor mans brow, each bead accounted for by a raise of the hand. A small stream ran quickly down his forehead and wetted his deep brown eyes. He blinked it away.

Jack’s hand went up. The rival hesitated. He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed his brow. A victorious, self-serving grin broke across Jack’s face. He knew he had the man broke. It might take a few more bids but the vase was his and his alone.

Surely, just as he thought, the man raised his hand twice more before giving in.

The beast within Jack roared.

****

He ushered them in, demanding more so than imploring them to be careful. The two men grunted in assent as they broke the doorway, each carrying the end of a brown wooden crate; “Fragile” decorating it on all sides.

“Follow me”, uttered Jack quickly as though the proximity of the men to that which he loved was repulsive to him.

“In here, in here!”, as he led them into the back room, which he had dubbed ‘The Study’, though study had never taken place within its walls.

Large mahogany bookshelves did stand upon three of the walls, with many unread books collecting the dust that sifted through the room. The fourth wall held the window which looked into the back garden. A towering hedge with ageing leaves obscured any view, which delighted Jack, as that meant no one could see in. No one could peer at her without him knowing or inviting.

As a result the room lay draped in shadows which scurried to the corners as soon as the door was opened and from the corners the shadows watched; watched the the men lay the box on the floor; watched as the men pried the box open and listened as Jack whimpered anxiously; watched as she was set upon the rich brown centre table which lay barren.

Jack dismissed the men without a word of thanks and followed them out, ensuring the front door was locked.

He had her alone. That which he had longed for. That which he had loved since first he saw her.

A chill of nerves ran across him. What was he to do now?

He tip toed back to the doorway and peer in.

There she sat, as beautiful as ever. Her redness more ruby in the dim, her ruby now appearing black. He admired her for a time from the doorway before moving closer.

Then he admired her from the tables edge, drinking in every curve and every line.

The shadows watched on.

With trembling hands he reached for her and felt her cool, smooth skin beneath his fingers.

She was flawless.

In his hands she even seemed to glow. The dim moved back and the shadows hid behind the bookcases.

He stared at her longingly, lovingly.

He had her.

*****

The chatter patted around the living room gaily. Spirits were high but none so much as Jack’s. He felt lighter than the air he was breathing. He floated from conversation to conversation, out to the kitchen to bring more tea and then back again, never letting his feet be marred by the cold ground on which everyone stood. He was above them all.

“So, when can we see it?”, a female voice enquired. A murmur of assent passed amongst them and rose up to meet Jack on his high.

“Now, I suppose, if you wish to”, he said offhandedly as though he couldn’t care less about it, though deep within himself the fire of his pride was stoked, and the bellows of attention inflamed him evermore.

He led the small troupe out across the hall to the back room, to the study.

It’s door stood magnanimous before them. The large key protruded from its home awaiting its turn. Jack kept his back to them but smiled to himself as he reached for the key, his anticipation for their approval superseded even their anticipation for seeing her. They had all heard so much about her, and if their dear friend was in love with it so much, it meant a great deal to them.

The door swung silently on its hinges. The shadows that were pawing over the vase scuttled a retreat again to the corners and eyed the strangers warily.

The troupe made their advance, falling in line behind their beloved friend.

Wordlessly he gestured to her sitting on the table. They gathered round and looked on.

Their eyes sat on her for a few moments before flickering between each other, no one wanting to speak. From somewhere beyond the shadows awkwardness presented itself, quietly resting its arms on the shoulders of all in the room. Jack felt it.

“What?” He asked impetuously, “what is it?”

Silence greeted him. Awkwardness waved at him.

“It’s nice”, came a single voice from a face with hazel eyes and a few nodded along.

“Nice!?”, he bemoaned, “Nice!? Can’t you see? Can’t you appreciate her?”

The two friends, Silence and Awkwardness, conversed together once again.

Jacks blood ran red, red like her skin that sat on the table.

“Well then”, he restrained quietly, “if you can’t appreciate her then I suggest you leave”.

Voices attempted to make reparation, proclaiming previously withheld praise, but it was to no avail. It was obvious this was mere flattery and falsehood.

A voice of reason broke rank, it’s tone a steely blue.

“A lot of money for something shabby”.

Jack flew to rage and embraced the passion, engulfing it within his chest.

“Shabby?! She is beautiful! Flawless! The image of perfection sits before you but you are all too blind to see it!”

Jack’s arms gesticulated wildly whilst some blue eyes rolled and other looked skeptically at one another.

“Get out!” Jack roared, “get out if you can’t see!”, and the disgruntled and wounded crowd made their way beyond the hallway.

Soon he was left alone with her, just he and her and the dim. The snap of the door shutting broke the stillness. His heart settled and his breathing steadied. The tempest had past.

He stood alone with her, gazing at her for some time. Gradually and almost unnoticed, like a tide encroaching upon the shore, a sense of unease washed over him and soon he was drowning in it. He felt unworthy to be here with her, how could his eyes look upon her beauty? She deserved the quietness and the solitude, where only the shadows could fondle and caress her. He turned abruptly and left the room, stealing one last glance before the door shut and the key turned.

******

Many months had passed but his mind still lingered on her.

During fits of passion where he could not control himself he found himself peering through that small keyhole, if only to glimpse her perfection. He never dared open the door. How could he? How could he allow himself to see such beauty? How could he be so arrogant? So selfish?

She deserved reverence, idolatry, not to be gawked at and pawed at by someone a lowly as himself. No, he never allowed himself to use her like that. How could he? He loved her.

Jack often sat thinking about her, though his face never showed it. He held the same look as if he we pondering a puzzle or enjoying a book. Within his mind he sat in a fog, her image clouding his every thought.

And it was just this expression he held whilst he sat outside the small cafe, awaiting his coffee.

The waitress smiled at him as she laid it before him.

“Good morning sir?” She asked politely.

“There are many things good about it I suppose”, he replied genially.

“The weather is certainly one”, she answered.

For it had been an exceptionally good week given the season, and this morning the sun was freely bathing itself within a blue ocean above, with not a captive cloud to be seen.

The waitress smiled once again and disappeared back within the dark cafe.

Jack sipped his coffee but the taste did not arouse him. Nothing did anymore. Not since he had seen her. The world had slipped into a lesser dimension since and only in his dreams, when he held he once again, did anything stir him.

Even that sun sitting within a cloudless sky seemed grey. For all he was aware it could have been a miserable November day.

He sipped again and breathed deeply.

His mind attempted to return to her but he struggled. The fog within his mind had thinned somewhat and was rolling like an early morning mist.

He breathed deeply again. Thinner and thinner, as though the sun was burning it off as he sat.

He stirred deep within himself.

Something was in the air. Something was dogging his mind and awakening his senses.

He breathed again.

There was a scent, a richly sweet scent that the air carried to him.

“How strange”, he thought to himself as he sipped the coffee, his tastebud tingling.

The fog dissipated entirely. Calmness and peace lightly breezes over him.

He threw his eyes to the sky and squinted at the sun. It was certainly a good morning.

The smell strengthened around him and he sat contently within it.

His eyes fell across the road and amidst the purple spots that now marred his vision he saw the source of his peace; a flower shop with blooming pink roses littering its open windows.

He languidly finished his coffee, paid and sauntered across the road in his new reality.

The scent intensified as he approached and he smiled.

“Peony roses, sir”, the dumply lady in an apron said to him, her blue eyes beaming. “Tough as old boots, they are, can survive frost, flood and drought”.

Jack nodded and handed over the required amount, lifting the pot and plant and taking the scent home with him.

He found a home for the rose amongst the barren flower bed that rose up beyond his bedroom window and soon the rose was planted in her new home.

When Jack awoke in the mornings his mind was filled with her scent. As he looked out the window there she sat against a sky blue backdrop. Every moment of his life was now filled with the scent of the rose and the joy she brought with her

The scent spread itself across the house, into every nook and cranny. Nowhere was left untouched by her influence.

Everywhere except the back room.

Jack stood before the door. The key protruding from the lock. He waited.

A chill of fear ran through him, but for what reason he could not say.

He breathed deeply and once more the rose filled him, every inch of him and his fear was quelled.

The door swung noiselessly once again and the shadows bid their retreat.

Jack walked to the brown table and looked down.

There she sat.

No dust touched her, no mark spoiled her, yet she sat changed.

Her red glow was dimmed to a rustic brown.

Her skin showed cracks and flaws he had not seen before.

The dim no longer retreated from her.

There she sat, cold and lifeless.

“Very nice”, said the lady who had entered behind him.

She paid her money, lifted the vase and left the house.

Jack stood by the table and breathed deeply once again. The scent of joy all around him.

Grilled Mexican Chicken Sandwiches

Yield: 4 open-faced sandwiches

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
4 boneless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups Mexican cheese blend
1/3 cup mayonnaise
4 slices sourdough bread
1/2 cup chunky salsa

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine oil, garlic, chili powder, and cayenne. Using a rubber spatula, spread mixture over both sides of the chicken.
Prepare grill. Grill chicken until juices run clear.
Combine 1 cup of the cheese blend and the mayonnaise; mix well. Toast bread on edge of grill, turn. Spread toasted side of the bread evenly with cheese/mayonnaise mix. Grill, cheese side up, 2 more minutes or until cheese begins to melt.
Place a piece of chicken on toasted cheese bread and top with salsa. Sprinkle with remaining cheese

A nice story about turtles

Once upon a time, in the murky swamps of the bayou, a group of turtles and alligators decided to have a race. The turtles, known for their slow and steady pace, had a clever idea: they would ride on the backs of the alligators to speed up the race. The alligators, proud of their strength and speed, agreed, thinking it would be a fun challenge.

The day of the race arrived, and the swamp was alive with excitement. The turtles climbed onto the backs of the alligators, each pair forming a team. The starting line was marked by a tall cypress tree, and the finish line was a shimmering lagoon on the other side of the swamp.

The race began with a loud splash. The alligators surged forward, their powerful tails propelling them through the water. The turtles, perched on their backs, held on tight, their little legs dangling as they cheered each other on.

The alligators were fast, but they were also competitive. Some of them tried to outmaneuver their opponents, weaving through the water and cutting corners. The turtles, however, had a different strategy. They noticed that the alligators were so focused on winning that they weren’t paying attention to the path ahead.

As the race progressed, the turtles spotted a hidden shortcut. It was a narrow channel that led directly to the lagoon, but it was tricky to navigate. The turtles whispered to their alligator partners, suggesting they take the shortcut. Most of the alligators ignored them, too confident in their own speed.

But one team, a wise old turtle named Shelldon and his alligator partner, Gator, listened. Shelldon had a reputation for being clever and resourceful. When he suggested the shortcut, Gator hesitated but decided to trust him.

As the other alligators continued on their straight path, Gator veered off into the narrow channel. The water was shallow, and the channel was filled with obstacles—branches, rocks, and even a few hungry-looking fish. But Shelldon guided Gator through it all, using his sharp eyes to spot the safest route.

Meanwhile, the other alligators were making good progress, but they were also getting tired. Their competitive nature had pushed them too hard, and they were starting to slow down.

When Gator and Shelldon emerged from the shortcut, they were ahead of the pack. The lagoon was in sight, and the finish line was just a few feet away. With a final burst of speed, Gator crossed the line, and Shelldon leaped off his back, landing triumphantly in the water.

The other alligators and turtles arrived shortly after, exhausted but impressed. They realized that Shelldon’s cleverness and Gator’s trust in him had won the race. The turtles celebrated their victory, and the alligators, though they had lost, couldn’t help but admire the unique way the turtles had outsmarted them.

From that day on, the turtles and alligators continued to race, but they always remembered the lesson they had learned: sometimes, the best way to win isn’t by being the fastest, but by being the smartest. And Shelldon, the clever old turtle, became a legend in the swamp, known for his ability to turn even the slowest pace into a winning strategy.

Genesis II (1973)

I’ve got a BIG (happy) surprise for you all. This is the full movie. It is a Science Fiction movie that was made for televisions, and that I haven’t seen since the mid-1970’s. I thought that it was lost for all eternity.

WARNING: the host of the YouTube Channel interrupts the movie from time to time with some cheesy narratives. Sorry. But, still the entire movie is presented here.

This script was written by Gene Roddenberry who was THE guy to started the Star Trek franchise, and stars the guy who starred in the Stanley Kubrick movie “A Space Odyssey”.

It takes place in a world that exists after world war 3.

And I have NEVER forgotten some of the scenes such as the “pleasure stems”, and the “NUKE BATT POW” and “EMERG DECOM” scene.

A well forgotten classic and is a great lazy Saturday background watch. Have some fun you all. -MM

In a post-apocalyptic future, NASA scientist Dylan Hunt awakens from suspended animation into a world torn apart by a global conflict. 

As he navigates this desolate landscape, he encounters PAX, a society dedicated to preserving knowledge and rebuilding civilization. 

However, his ideals clash with the group's strict pacifist principles as he faces off against the powerful Tyranians. 

This 1973 science fiction film created by Gene Roddenberry explores themes of survival, morality, and the struggle to rebuild a fractured world.

The tale of the racoon of Sarah Furnace

When I was a young boy, perhaps 11 or 12 years old, I was hiking in the local woods with my friends.

The old discontinued rail line spur from East Brady was unused, and we used to ride the dirt access road from it to the nearby community of Sarah Furnace.

There, at that “town” were the aunts and uncles of Deano and Dan (my neighbors). And the highway would loop down though the woods to this dead-end of a isolated town. Very beautiful but truly isolated.

Not much going on. You could sleep in the middle of the highway and never see a car at all.

But we were playing there. Near the river, in the woods.

And there in the wood was a stream.

And so we played in the stream. It was just a small moving splash of water over some stones and whatever. Some moss, but most of the water was running fine, and the woods encroached on the stream with all sorts of vegetation nearby.

There was a huge tree, perhaps an oak or chestnut, that had fallen and collapsed over the stream, and we were playing on it. We were pretending that the tree was a spaceship and we were role playing the characters of the television show “Star Trek”.

Oh, for certain, we must of played about on that tree for a good forty five minutes or so, when one of the boys looked down in the stream and saw the remains of a long dead racoon.

It was just a bunch of bones on the fragments of a racoon pelt, with all the bones exposed and washed clean.

Now, being boys we started to play with the bones, and my friends (Deano and Dan) got the bones dislodged and put them in a old box that they found and took it to their father. Of course, they were putting the bones int heir mouth and what not.

I myself was curious but most certainly didn’t want to touch the bones at all. Saying that they were filthy.

And I was right.

But when the father saw that, he got furious and immediately took the two boys to the hospital where they got rabies shots. I didn’t. Of course. I didn’t want to have anything to do with the dead bones of a wild animal.

But their father was a medic in the Vietnam war and wasn’t taking any chances and for two months the two boys got the painful weekly Rabies injections just to play it safe. And when my father asked me what I did with the bones I told him that it was ugly and dirty and I didn’t want anything to do with it, and so he listened to me and I didn’t get the injections.

Boyhood. 1960s style.

Riding bicycles to small railroad villages in the Pennsylvania woods. This one was “Sarah Furnace” which was a small cluster of hills near an old smelting furnace on the river. Quietest downtown ever. With only five remaining families living in the town.

Not a great story for today. But, you know, I did want to share a memory with you all. There isn’t much left of the town of Sarah Furnace. It might look big, but it’s only a single state highway and overgrown grasses around many old abandoned buildings.

Tale of MM boyhood. I hope you enjoy it.

Today…

Saving Sarah Furnace: Sheetz to preserve important part of Claysburg area history

Sarah Furnace Sheetz 04web 1100x825 — Sarah Furnace Sheetz 04web 1100×825

SPROUL — Sheetz is taking steps to preserve an important part of Claysburg area history.

The company plans to renovate the historic buildings on the Sarah Furnace property at the intersection of Dunnings Highway and Quarry Road in Sproul.

Many of the buildings, which were originally used for an iron-making operation, are about 190 years old.

“We have been waiting for years for someone to do renovations to the Sarah Furnace property, and Sheetz is actually going to do it now. It is a very large undertaking, and only a great company like Sheetz has that financial capability,” said Rich Allison, historian and founder of Claysburg PAST History group and one of the founders of Claysburg Education Foundation. “It was the very first industrial site in the township employing people other than farming. The iron-making operations of central Pennsylvania all were highly successful in the early 1800s until the beginning of the steel industry around the 1850s. We are so grateful that this property will be saved and renovated.”

“As a company, we have always kept an eye on the Sarah Furnace property. It’s such a historic and important landmark for our area that happens to be located in close proximity to our campus in Claysburg. We want to ensure that through our renovations the significance of this property is not lost upon the people of the Claysburg area,” said Sheetz spokesman Nick Ruffner.

Sarah Furnace Sheetz 03web 1100x825 — Sarah Furnace Sheetz 03web 1100×825

Sheetz’s initial plans include the 1832 Shoenberger Mansion and a historic barn located on the property. The company purchased the property from Harbison Walker International in 2020.

In 1832, Dr. Peter Shoenberger, who was the iron-making king of Pennsylvania and possibly the United States at the time, built an iron-making furnace near Sproul, on the road that now leads to the Sheetz complex at the Walter Industrial Park.

Sarah Furnace closed in 1881 and was dismantled, Allison said.

Shoenberger also built the mansion located at the corner of Dunnings Highway and Quarry Road. Throughout the 21-room mansion were fireplaces made with black marble imported from Greece — a showcase of a mansion at the time. A kiln was constructed in the yard to manufacture the bricks for the house since transporting them would have been very difficult at the time.

The barn was built to house 54 mules for transporting iron ore from Ore Hill to Sproul, Allison said.

Sheetz’s initial plans for the Sarah Furnace property in Sproul call for renovating the 1832 Shoenberger Mansion and historic barn. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

Doug Hileman and his family were the last to live in the mansion, moving out in 2016 when he retired.

“I lived there for 39 years until I retired. I called Sheetz and told them, ‘You better buy it.’ It was a great building. My kids grew up there. It was a beautiful home with so much history. After Harbison Walker bought it, it was not maintained as well as it should have been,” said Hileman, who was plant manager at Sproul. “I am tickled to death with what Sheetz is doing. I told them I would help them in any way I could.”

Sheetz eventually plans to renovate all of the buildings located on the Sarah Furnace property, including the Ironmaster’s House, located adjacent to the Shoenberger Mansion, along with other adjacent buildings, Ruffner said.

“These buildings have many stories to tell from a historical standpoint. Dr. Shoenberger and the site certainly has a lot of history, but we’re so grateful that Sheetz is preserving that history,” Allison said.

Architectural work for the project is being handled by Matthew Millan Architects Inc., a firm with a long history of conducting restorations on historic buildings.

Permitting at the Sarah Furnace site is expected to start this summer, with building design wrapping up in fall 2023. Construction work is expected to begin in late spring 2024, Ruffner said.

It’s Official: Europe Not Invited to U.S. – Russia Talks on Ukraine

Hal Turner World February 16, 2025

The USA has announced that the Europeans will not be present at the upcoming peace talks concerning Ukraine.

A meeting between the Americans and Russians in Saudi Arabia, likely at the end of THIS month, has now been confirmed.

The fact that Europeans are being deliberately kept OUT of this meeting, by the United States, has caused horrified reactions in Europe; so much so, that there seems to be an actual Hissy-Fit taking place!

They simply do not understand why they are being sidelined, and seem totally unaware of their actual role in NATO and in the world.

Your trusted servant, Hal Turner, wants to help Europe understand. So, Europe . . . . Here is your role:

NATO military spending is about $1.3 TRILLION. Of that, the United States spends $811 BILLION. That puts the U.S. spending at about Sixty-Six percent (66%) of NATO.

There are presently thirty-two (32) Member states in NATO, yet one — the United States — provides 66% of the defense spending. One country out of 32 countries provides two-thirds of NATO military spending.

Ergo, that one country, gets to decide who does or does not attend.

Need further help, Europe? OK. Here:

The chart above shows how much the United States has to spend on Defense, in order to provide protection for itself and all those little NATO member countries.

Given this reality, it is quite clear that the United States is the absolute sole, essential, country and as such, the United States decides who does what.

Now, maybe the Europeans thought that they were “equals” in NATO. Harsh reality proves otherwise.

THAT is why Europe cannot attend the US-Russia meeting.

It is the US that will be called upon most – and worst – if the Russia-Ukraine conflict spreads. And the so-called “leaders” of many of those little countries in Europe, seem to by psychiatrically delusional in their approach to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

For instance, the tiny countries of the United Kingdom and Estonia have the absolute most militant attitude and approach to the situation between Russia and Ukraine. You would think, from the things they say, that they are powerful. Reality shows otherwise.

The United States Army has about 1.1 Million troops. The British Army has a whopping . . . . . . seventy-seven thousand (77,000) troops. The British Army can’t even fill-up Wembley Stadium in London! Estonia has six-thousand (6,000) troops. Radio City music hall in New York City holds more people than the Estonian Army has in it.

What, exactly, do the British and the Estonians think their armies could possibly do against the Russian Army?

Realistically, both countries could do precisely nothing. Yet, for some reason, both countries think THEY should be at the US-Russia Negotiations??????

No.

If there was going to be an actual war in Europe between Russia and “NATO” it would actually be between the United States and Russia. NATO just doesn’t have enough weight to do anything meaningful.

As such, there is no reason whatsoever to include our NATO vassals in the discussions with Russia, about Ukraine.

Europe may not like this reality, but it is the reality nonetheless.

Besides, it has been Europe that pushed and pushed and pushed the Russia-Ukraine situation and actually CAUSED the war. Why would the United States suffer allowing those very people sabotaging peace talks so they can push more?

Why America Can’t Stop Trade with China

Outstanding video that explains REALITY which differs from the media narrative.

Why do some people think that the US Navy is collapsing and has been surpassed by the Chinese Navy? But the US has more aircraft carriers, destroyers, nuclear submarines, and more budget.

How do you think War between US and China would go?

US Navy will move near Coastal China and unleash a barrage of missiles on China and China will whimper and make a deal?

This ain’t 1841

China has enough missiles to pulverize every Ship 50 times over and decimate any Naval fleet that fires on the Chinese Coastline

You have 70,000 Missiles against 3,600 Missiles from the US

China won’t go to Coastal US and fire on Florida or Newport Beach or Maine either

Same result

The US Navy is near OBSOLETE

The Houthis are able to give them headaches every single day

Imagine 1,000 Drones armed with explosives flying over your Navy

Each costing $ 30,000 a piece

Even if 10% make a connection, your losses amount to $ 500 Million

Seventeen times more than the Chinese spend

And they can churn out 12 Drones for every one of yours at a fourth of the cost

The day of the US Navy or any Global Navy is over

Today a Navy protects your coastline which the Chinese Navy does. It’s Zone of Operations is South China Sea, Sea of Japan, Korean Peninsula and the Arctic

It has a limited presence even in the Indian Ocean or Oceania Pacific (Australia)

The US Navy has 70% of it’s fleet that is superfluous and unnecessary to defend the US because nobody is gonna attack the US

ACCs are sitting ducks too

This is a new era of warfare

Automation, Robots, Drones, Swarms, Missiles are the In thing

Aircraft, ACCs, Destroyers are no longer of any use for anything beyond Territorial Defense

Feminists Have Started to Notice That Men Are Suffering

How does China keep its traditional culture alive and thriving in the modern world?

China employs several effective strategies to keep its traditional culture alive and thriving in the modern world:

First, education and incorporation into the school curriculum. Traditional Chinese culture is integrated into the national education system from primary to secondary and even higher education. For example, students learn classical Chinese literature, such as the works of Confucius, Mencius, and ancient poets like Li Bai and Du Fu. They study calligraphy, practicing different styles of writing characters, which helps them understand the aesthetic and cultural connotations behind this unique art form. In history classes, they explore the long history of China, including the development of traditional festivals, folk customs, and historical events that have shaped the cultural identity.

Besides, schools also organize a wide variety of extracurricular activities related to traditional culture. There are traditional Chinese painting clubs, where students can learn the techniques of ink wash painting and express their creativity. Many schools hold Chinese opera performances or invite professional opera actors to give lectures and demonstrations, introducing students to the different roles, singing styles, and storylines of this ancient performing art.

Second, Cultural Heritage Protection and Restoration. China has been vigorously protecting its numerous historical sites. For instance, the Forbidden City in Beijing, which was the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties, undergoes continuous restoration and maintenance work. Advanced conservation techniques are used to preserve its architecture, paintings, and cultural relics inside. It is now not only a world-renowned tourist attraction but also a vivid showcase of traditional Chinese architecture and imperial culture. The Great Wall, too, has sections that are regularly repaired and maintained to ensure its long-term survival while allowing people to experience its grandeur and historical significance.

There are many efforts to safeguard intangible cultural heritage items. For example, traditional handicrafts like Suzhou embroidery, which involves intricate stitching to create beautiful and vivid patterns on silk fabrics, are passed down through master-apprentice systems. The government provides support to these inheritors, including financial subsidies and platforms for them to display and sell their works, ensuring that these skills don’t disappear in the modern era. Similarly, traditional folk music, dances, and storytelling traditions are documented, taught in communities, and performed at various cultural festivals.

Third, Promotion through Media and the Arts. There has been a proliferation of TV shows and films that showcase traditional Chinese culture. Historical dramas like “Empresses in the Palace” vividly depict the life and etiquette in the imperial court of the Qing Dynasty, introducing audiences to traditional clothing styles, court rituals, and hierarchical systems. Animated films such as “Ne Zha” draw inspiration from Chinese mythology, presenting traditional stories in a modern and visually appealing way to a wide audience, including children, and sparking their interest in ancient tales and cultural values.

Contemporary Chinese writers often incorporate elements of traditional culture into their works. Some novels explore themes from ancient history or reimagine classic stories, making them relevant and accessible to modern readers. Online platforms also play a significant role. There are numerous cultural blogs, video channels, and social media accounts dedicated to explaining traditional cultural knowledge, like the meaning and origin of Chinese festivals, the making of traditional snacks, or the stories behind traditional architecture, reaching a large number of people both in China and around the world.

Fourth, Revitalization in Daily Life and Festivals. Traditional Chinese festivals are celebrated with great enthusiasm. During the Spring Festival, families gather together to have reunion dinners, paste Spring Festival couplets (poetic phrases written on red paper) on doors, and set off firecrackers (in some areas where it’s permitted). The Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for people to admire the full moon, eat mooncakes, and share the stories of Chang’e and the Jade Rabbit. These festivals not only maintain cultural traditions but also strengthen family and social bonds, passing down cultural values from generation to generation.

Traditional cultural elements are increasingly integrated into modern life. For example, many modern interior design styles incorporate traditional Chinese furniture or decorative elements like Chinese porcelain vases, folding screens with traditional paintings, or wooden carvings. Fashion designers also draw inspiration from traditional Chinese clothing, creating modern apparel that combines traditional patterns and modern silhouettes, making traditional culture more visible and fashionable in daily life.

Private Equity’s Ruthless Takeover Of The Last Affordable Housing In America

I do not buy Chinese products (unless disposable) because I know they will be low quality. Why does China only seem to make low end products? Why do they not mimic Germany where the standard is higher?

My Chinese partner was at a street market somewhere in England, alongside his boss and a few colleagues.

He stopped and looked at some products. The boss turned to him and said: “Why would you buy that cheap Chinese crap?”

My partner, who was quite offended by the remark and rightfully so, responded: “Because it’s cheap, and because it’s all you guys keep importing. I’ll get the good stuff when I go home over the holidays.”

The thing is, people in China enjoy luxury goods. Often at a higher quality and lower cost than we do in Europe. Chinese products aren’t “cheap”, it’s just that their quality stuff is not sold over here. At least not to a great extent.

On a side note, my (European) parents used to live in China. We’d always ask them to buy stuff for us that would be cheaper there than here. And, the other way around, they’d buy some stuff when they were back here that they couldn’t get at a decent quality back in China.

So, you might be right that “Made in China”, in general, equals low quality if you buy cheap stuff in Europe. But there’s a million Chinese brands you haven’t even heard of, and some are of superior quality. You might be surprised if you started shopping outside the low cost markets 😊

Second side note: quality stuff in China costs roughly as much there as non-Chinese quality stuff costs here. That’s likely why we don’t import those things. We don’t need their quality brands because we have our own, same as they don’t need ours because they have their own equal or superior products.

The answer to your question is that they do make high end products, you just don’t see them unless you move there.

Predators (2010) : Why don’t you tell them the truth ? She knows what it is !

How awful was Steve Jobs as a person?

Brilliant people are frequently difficult — the thing that makes them brilliant also makes them a little too different, sometimes, for social conventions.

Somebody’s Watching Me

Submitted into Contest #115 in response to: Write a story where a device goes haywire.… view prompt

Tanya Humphreys

As Fiona stepped out of the Forever 21 and into the airy brightness of the mall, the chorus of ‘Somebody’s Watching Me’ sounded from behind her. She spun around; her long auburn hair swirled like a satin sheet. No one there.‘Ah, my phone.’ She thought, though she still sported a furrowed brow over a frowning mouth. She wiggled it out of her jeggings back pocket and looked at the screen.Penny came out of the store, carrying a humongous yellow shopping bag. She said, “What is that?”Fiona glanced up at her cherub-like blond friend and said, “I don’t even know what that is. I didn’t put it on my phone. It says, ‘Scam Likely. I get a LOT of those.” She was about to hit the decline button when the tune cut off.Penny tossed her hair over her shoulder. She did that a lot. She said, “Did Bobby put it in there?”Fiona said, “I don’t know who else could have. He did give it to me last month for my birthday. And he does like funning with me.”Bobby was her 19-year-old big brother.A familiar whistle noise sounded, a text alert. It always sounded to Fiona like it was saying, ‘hey you’ in whistle-speak. She said, “Oh great. Probably another one saying, ‘refinance your home!’ Or ‘pay your taxes!’ I get, like, 50 a day.”Penny commiserated, “Ugh. So annoying. Can’t you block it?”

Fiona said, “I do, but they just come in from other numbers.”

Penny said, “If you keep frowning like that, you’ll get forehead wrinkles.”

When Fiona didn’t respond, Penny asked, “What is it?”

It says, “If you do not stab Joseph Hurley in the throat, your brother will be in a terrible car accident.”

“WHAAAT?! That’s crazy! It must be Bobby messing with you again. Who’s Joseph Hurley?”

“My neighbor. He’s like, 80-something. Nice as pie.” Fiona said. Her healthy glow had turned the color of sour milk.

Penny shook her friend’s arm in an attempt to bring her back to reality, “Hey, forget about it, it’s just a stupid prank.”

Fiona said, “Yeah, you’re right. It has to be, right?”

Penny, still holding Fiona’s arm, pulled her in the direction of the neighboring store. “C’mon! Express is your fav! Then Chipotle for lunch!”

Fiona stuffed her new phone into the snug pocket and let herself be pulled down the mall.

***

Far from the Northfair Shopping Mall in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Josephine Parker ran in the middle of a rural road in Shelby, Montana. The middle was fine, very few vehicles travelled the rutted, nearly forsaken country road and that’s why she liked it. It was just paved enough to be safe and joined up with her own road in a two-mile-long loop. Ralphie, her Labradoodle, ran a little ahead, or a little behind, depending on the odors du jour. He was a big, bouncy, dirty-cream colored cross breed with soft, feminine curly hair-fur. When it grew longer, she teased him, calling him, ‘Little Lord Fauntleroy.’ Joe’s short red ponytail bobbed side to side like a pendulum.

As she cleared the last shady copse of trees, her pop-rock playlist was interrupted by an unfamiliar ringtone. Annoyed, she slowed to a fast walk and plucked the phone from the arm holster she wore on her left. ‘What the…?’ she thought. Although she didn’t know the name of the song, or who sang it, she recognized it as one currently accompanying an insurance company ad on tv. The company ran the Halloween-themed ad every October. It was catchy but not catchy enough for her to add it to her iTunes. Too eighties.

Ralphie trotted on ahead until he realized his human had stopped.

The screen said, ‘Scam Likely’ and ‘I always feel like, somebody’s watching me…’ played twice more, then cut off. Joe put the phone back in its holder and quickened her pace.

‘Honk-honk’. Her text alert. ‘Whatever,’ She thought. ‘It can wait.’

She went in through her back kitchen door, usually left unlocked in the day. Ralphie stayed out on the porch, sloppily gulping from his water dish. He’d use the doggy door when he was ready to come inside.

Joe guzzled a third of a cool Smart Water, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, then carried the bottle with her to the bathroom. She turned on the shower, and while waiting for it to get hot, she unfastened the phone holster and set it on the towel shelf by the shower. Then she peeled off the rest of her sweat soaked clothing.

After showering, she started dinner for her and her husband, Peter, who was due home from work any minute.

At five-fifteen, she poured herself a glass of chardonnay and glanced at the clock on the stove again. ‘Odd’ she thought, ‘He always texts me if he’s gonna be late.’ Then she remembered she’d left her phone in the bathroom upstairs.

She sighed, ‘Yup, there’s his text. Not too late though. Cool.’ She smiled. Peter was a nerd. She’d married a ‘nice guy’ instead of one like her earlier mistakes, the ‘bad boys.’ At twenty-nine, she finally grew up, and wizened up in the process. He always texted when he was running late. He always garnished the texts with heart-y emojis, turning them into love notes. She smiled.

When she closed his text, she saw the one she’d forgotten. She opened it. “If you do not stab Annie Stubins in the throat, Ralphie will die a horrible death.”

Annie was the fourteen-year-old girl who dog sat Ralphie when her and Peter went somewhere dogs weren’t welcome. “This is stupid.” She said aloud and deleted it, then she said to herself, ‘Must be someone playing a joke. Well, joke’s on them. They got the wrong number.’

Ralphie started barking. Excitedly, not menacingly. Peter was home.

***

Fiona waited with Penny outside on the porch of Jesse’s house. The party was winding down, but the hip-hop was still loud enough to be heard down the block. Bobby was coming to pick them up, so they’d be back at Fiona’s in time for her 1 o’clock curfew

At five minutes to one, Fiona started fidgeting. “We’re going to be late.”

Penny reassured her bestie, “It won’t be your fault. It’ll be Bobby’s.”

Fiona only nodded. She had a bad feeling in her gut, it was clenched as tight as a rubber band ball.

At one-fifteen, she tried texting him. No response. When she tried calling, she was sent straight to voicemail. At one thirty, Jesse’s dad offered to drive the girls home. Grateful, they said yes.

Just before two am, Jessie’s Dad’s old model four runner pulled into Fiona’s driveway. Bobby’s car was not there. He never came home.

***

Joe brought the empty popcorn bowl into the kitchen and placed it by the sink. She heard the creepy music from the living room, the credits to the horror movie they’d watched were rolling. She looked out the kitchen window, across the yard, towards the woods.

Peter touched her waist gently and she jumped. He put his arms around her and said, “It’ll be okay. I’m sure he’ll show up. He’s a big dog. Let’s not worry yet.” As he tried to reassure his distraught wife, an escaped tear slid down his cheek.

***

The two teenage hackers in the shadowy room stared at the computer screen on the desk. Next to the computer was a blue mason jar, the kind with a rubber seal and metal wire latch. There was now 600 dollars in the fat turquoise jar. The month before, one pawn was caught in the act and sent to prison, the other committed suicide. That made the pot extra fat this month.

The man in black had paid the boys well, he was amused to see them placing bets and encouraged depraved behavior.

They were in Suki’s dark basement bedroom; the window was curtained heavily; the only light was the brand new 24-inch computer screen. The inky black devoured everything but their rapt boyish faces, and Suki’s hands as they tapped the keyboard.

Matthew slapped Suki’s shoulder and said, “Duuuude! I thought your girl was gonna crack and actually do it man!”

Suki replied, “I know, right? She’s such a twit. She’ll crack the next round for sure.”

“I don’t know…my chick’s back on her gnarly meds. Hey, wanna up the ante? Another hundred says the psycho chick offs herself.”

Wallets came out, the soft shushing of crispy bills, then the faint crump as they were crushed into the jar. Suki clamped the lid down with his thumb and winced. It didn’t throb much anymore; the slice had been no bigger than a deep paper cut, it must have gotten infected because it was still tender after over six months.

Matthew caught the wince. He remained silent but looked down at his own thumb, still encased in a black fabric Curaid. It had been six months since the pact with the man in black. He shuddered at the memory of the man’s sickly pallor, so pale was the skin stretched tight over his skull, it looked translucent. With blue veins at his temples, like rivers on a map. His tall, gaunt frame was clothed in tight black jeans, black jack boots, and a black fleece hoodie. From within the dark hood, he’d emitted a gravelly, whispery voice. Matthew recalled the painful icy sizzle when the man’s hand had touched his own, when he’d taken blood from his thumb.

“Hey, incoming.” Said Suki. His email program was open, one was highlighted. A slight tremor shivered through his hand, making his fingers flicker like butterfly wings. “Heh heh,” he nervously laughed as he opened the email.

Though Matthew peeked over his shoulder at the screen, Suki insisted on reading aloud. “Nice work, little hackers. What fine little demons you are. Here are your next messages…”

***

Fiona jumped. She felt faint as the dreaded first chorus line rang from her phone…’I always feel like, somebody’s watching me…’ This time it only rang once then went to text. ‘whooo-hoo’.

Penny said, “Nooooo!” She leaned over the bed and grabbed Fiona’s arm. They were in Fiona’s way-girly pink room, binge watching American Horror Story.

Both their eyes were wide, Fiona’s were filling with tears. She said, “I can’t.” She shook her hands in front of her, they were like nervous little wrens. She said, “040194. Justin Bieber’s birthday.”

Penny rolled her eyes and said, “Okay.” And reached for the glitter covered iPhone. After a minute she said, “Oh wow. Now it says you have to put an ax in Sue-Ann Marshall’s head, or your mom gets hit by a bus.”

“Sue-Ann? But she’s so nice. She’s in two of my classes and I’ve known her since third grade. Oh Pen-pen, what am I going to do?”

***

“I think she’ll do it!” Exclaimed Matthew. “Did you see her face? She’s cracking!”

On the computer screen was the girl’s pink bedroom. Suki hit the ex in the corner and the image was replaced by a screen divided into four views: bedroom, living room, kitchen, and bathroom. He doubled tapped the living room scene and it filled the screen.

He picked up his cell phone and sent the message to Josephine’s phone.

***

In the Parker’s living room, the old pop song sang tinnily. The couple were watching tv on the couch, on the coffee table before them, an iPhone pulsed with green light. Next to the phone was a box of Kleenex and a little pile of wadded, damp tissues. Before the phone rang a second time, Joe snatched it up, hit the red button and screamed, “Where’s my dog!? What have—”

The song cut off, the text alert sounded immediately, ‘Honk-honk’.

Peter studied his wife’s face. Her pretty features were contorted into a mural of fury, frustration, and incredulity. He asked, “What’s it say?”

Joe relayed the message, “If you do not put an ax in Harold Marsten’s head, Peter gets decapitated.” She looked up into her soul mate’s face with frightened owl eyes.

Peter said, “Harold? Little Harry? He’s only ten!”

“He’s a little shit…” Joe muttered under her breath.

“Joe! You’re not—”

“—No, no. I’d never! I couldn’t…”

***

Suki said, “Did you see that? She’s gonna do it.”

Matthew said, “Duuude. I’ll bet she does it on Halloween.”

Suki said, “I’ll take that bet. That’s tomorrow.”

***

In a cavernous dwelling, hidden from the world by a veil of unearthly conjuring, sat a thin, lanky figure stooped over an iPad sized computer screen. He wore a shimmering black silk robe, with the hood pulled over his head. His white beak of a nose protruded from it like the spadix of a cala lily. His bony shoulders shook as he snickered, the sound like an asthmatic cat expelling a furball. The room was lit by brass wall sconces against red velvet wallpaper, the Victorian furnishings were dark mahogany, and as knobby as the man.

On his nine-inch screen, Josephine Parker said, “—No, no. I’d never! I couldn’t…”

Out loud, the man in black hissed, “Ah but you could.”

He pulled a bowl across the table closer to him, reached into it with fingers like bare, stretched bones, and plucked out a few kernels of popcorn.

***

Fiona dressed as Marie Antoinette, Penny had done a fabulous job of her makeup and fake slashed throat. Penny herself, had worn all sexy black and done her make-up Día de los Muertos style like she did every year. Half her face was regular makeup, half was white with stick-on sequins and black ‘stitching’. She wanted to be a professional make-up artist when she grew up.

The girls climbed the front steps of the school. Halloween themed music streamed through the open doors to the gymnasium. The song the DJ was spinning was Michael Jackson’s Thriller.

Penny said, “Ugh. This song is so old. This dance is gonna be totally lame.”

Fiona said, “Maybe, but we don’t have to stay long.”

“Why’d you want to come here anyways?”

“Jesse’s party won’t get going until after ten—”

Penny sucked air harshly and cut Fiona off, “—You’re going to do it!”

Fiona dragged her eyes away from the girl dressed like Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. Her outfit was complete with a little stuffed dog in a basket.

“Fiona!” shrieked Penny. She stepped in front of Fiona, cutting off her view of Sue-Ann Marshall in the blue gingham pinafore.

“Penny. They took my brother. I can’t lose my mom too. I’ve got to.”

“I get it. In your shoes, I’d do the same. I’ll help you. Let’s just do it and get it over with.”

“I love you Penny. You’re a true sister. Check this out.” Fiona lifted her long, puffy skirt. She had a belt slung low on her hips; Penny saw it was her Gucci fanny pack. Stuck into the belt was a hatchet, the steel flashed crimson briefly, reflecting the flashing red lights around the dancefloor.

“She’s heading to the bathroom! C’mon.” said Fiona. “I’ll follow her in, you stand watch outside.”

***

In the darkness of the basement room, both the boys said, “WOAHHHH! She did it!!!”

Matthew grabbed for the jar, but Suki said, “Hang on! The night’s not over. It could be a tie. How cool would that be? Giant pot next month!”

Matthew said, “I bet Josephine would do it on Halloween. But your girl did it first. If Miz Parker comes through tonight it’ll be a tie anyways.”

Suki minimized the Fiona screen and popped up the Josephine one.

The camera showed a sparkling clean, brightly lit kitchen. As Joe was re-filling the candy bowl, the doorbell bing-bonged.

“I’ll get it!” Called Joe from over her shoulder towards the living room.

The kitchen went dark as she exited it.

The camera in the living room ceiling came to life and followed her across the room, showing an above-her-head view. The room was dark, the eerie flickering light from the spooky movie on tv was the only illumination. The camera angle changed from overhead to her back as she reached the front door. The ax looked huge in her small hand.

She placed the candy on the little table by the narrow window and opened the door.

A miniature pirate stood on the stoop, grinning like a little fiend. It was just after ten, the street behind Harold was deserted. He was only out this late because he lived only three homes down.

“Trick or Treat!” he screamed and held his bulging pillowcase out and open. In the yellow porchlight, Joe was a ghastly silhuette as she raised the ax and brought it down in front of her. She hollered, “Trick!”

The ‘thunk’ was like a hammer hitting a large pumpkin. The small figure before her collapsed. She wasted no time and dragged the body inside where it was swallowed by darkness when the door slammed shut. Peter was waiting behind the door. He draped a blanket over the body.

***

“Holy shit dude! This was the best month ever! Who cares if it’s a tie?”

They high fived. The scene on the screen was too dim to make out anymore so Suki turned it off.

Matthew said, “I guess he’ll be in touch shortly. He’ll be pleased.”

***

“Did the light go off yet?” whispered Joe in the dark.

“Wait.” Peter whispered back.

The tiny red light in the ceiling fixture winked off. “There.” He said in a normal voice.

“Great job Harold!” Said Joe as she pulled the blanket off the boy.

He sat up. “That was fun!”

Peter opened his wallet and handed the kid a twenty.

***

Deep within the black hood, two eyes opened, sucking in light like a cat’s does. They glowed bright amber ringed in red. They were very, very angry.

The Fugitive (1993) – Dr. Kimble saves a little boy’s life at Cook County Hospital

What is the rudest thing another shopper has told you while waiting in line?

That I should go back to my own damned country. I’m American, I was born in Texas, raised in Iowa. When I get a tan I turn into a deep olive toned American.

My daughter, kindergarten at the time, and I were at the store and it was a long line so we were passing the time working on her colors and some simple words, in Spanish.

A woman behind me clearly did not appreciate my efforts in raising a bilingual child and went about getting huffier and huffier that I was teaching her bad habits and that this is America and she should speak American. Generally, I agree with her, this is America and speaking the language is rather important, however I also feel that there is no harm in knowing a second language and since I only speak the two (American and Spanish; I hate calling it English for some reason, I don’t know why because technically anyone one north, central or south America is American if you think about it, we should be called United Stateseans or something like that…) anywhoo….

So, yes, this woman yelled at me for teaching my five year old daughter how to speak Spanish…

I went on to have a conversation with the cashier (that I knew personally) about the woman in ASL. That really pissed her off. She knew we were talking about her.

Is there any strong evidence that China will not and has no chance of surpassing America to be become a rising economic power? Additionally are most people skeptic of China’s chance of making it and whether they will?

The US is declining so fast, that China does not need to do anything to surpass it. So the enemy of the US is itself, not China.

The abuse of the US sanctions, causing the US to lose its USD hegemony.
The US unable to print more money as it has been, with uncontrollable national debt will cause the never ending inflation in the US.
The Americans/political parties keep electing idiots like Biden/Trump as the POTUS. Without a good leader like Xi, the problems will only get worse.
The US inciting conflicts around the world, which helps the MIC, but creating more enemies. Without the ability to print more money, its military will be forced reduction to cut costs.

Without sanctions and technology monopoly, the US is unable to hurt China’s economy. Starting a war with China would be fatal as the US is too broke to keep the warfare longer than a year, and China has nukes and Russia as a military ally.

Pineapple Brown Sugar Ham

This is one of my favorite ways to prepare a spiral ham. It is SO delicious!

Ingredients

1 pre-cooked spiral ham, bone-in or boneless, either will work
3 1/2 cups brown sugar, divided use
1/2 cup honey
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple tidbits, undrained*

Instructions

Cover the bottom of a large slow cooker with 2 cups brown sugar.
Place ham on top of the brown sugar, opening the slices slightly with your fingers.
Evenly pour the honey over the ham.
Add the pineapple around the sides (with the juice) and some on top.
Top with the remaining 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, making sure it is evenly distributed over the entire top of the ham.
Cover and cook on LOW for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

Notes

* I chop these up a little more if they are large.

Although Europe accounts for three percent of global battery cell production, it aims to take 25 percent of the market by the end of the decade. What steps should Europe take to achieve that goal?

No one can stop you from aiming.

it’s not impossible to take 25% market share by the end of the decade but it’s not an easy target as current market leaders are not sitting idle.

There are many ways to achieve that goal. Being pissed off with the American bully factor, I suggest to Europe should look to Africa and S. America. It’s not that Europe has no technological capabilities but their snobbery hinders their advancement.

Europe has to find their own steps as they move along. Standing up to the US will have ramifications but it’s time Europe faces it head on and move on with fear.

Groundhog Day Clip | I Am A God | Full Scene | Bill Murray

Supergiant Goooooooooold Deposit!

It is reported that geologists have detected over 40 gold veins, with a reserve of 300 tonnes of gold, within a depth of 2,000 meters in central China’s Hunan Province.

The site’s gold reserve within the depth of 3,000 meters is further estimated at over 1,000 tonnes, valued at 600 billion yuan (about 83 billion U.S. dollars).

A Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing

Submitted into Contest #145 in response to: Write about a character who wakes up in someone else’s clothes — or utterly weird apparel they don’t recognize as their own.… view prompt

Graham Kinross

TW: Swearing, brief references to the beast with two backs.

I woke up with a headache that could crack a god’s skull. It panged for the pure blackness of deep space. Dusty floorboards kissed my cheek as I grumbled to my feet. Dancing in the air, particles of dust were keeping the party going. Throbbing agony pulsed with the beat of my heart. The ache extended far beyond the confines of my head into the air beyond.

Curtains that didn’t deserve the name were letting in most of the sun from outside despite being drawn. I gave them a middle finger to let the bastards know what I thought of them.

It wasn’t my home. I was sure of little, but I was sure of that. The familiar scent of grass was absent.

I’d been drinking the night before. And presumably some of the morning. A look at my phone might answer some questions. I patted my pockets. They were closer to the rest of me than usual. I’d clearly had too many wheatgrass shots. No phone.

Glasses? Where had I put my glasses?

The living room where I’d woken was minimalist. Posters of mountain ranges and the moon clung feebly to tape that had become emotionally attached to the wall. Someone was going to lose their deposit when that didn’t come off.

Where had I been? The bar called Ram Ewe? A vague memory of two guys headbutting each other flickered with the indecision of a streetlight in a dodgy neighbourhood.

Jessie lay in his own drool in the hallway. A sheet shrunk away from me as he turned. Only a collar and a sheet? I didn’t need to see that. Tail wagging as his lip curved with a smile. I guessed that someone in his dream was scratching behind his ear.

A bathroom towel pouring from the tiles of its home onto the carpet of the hall assured me I didn’t have to worry about making a mess.

My stomach grumbled as I staggered. I didn’t know what my tummy was saying and for that reason it kept talking, nagging at me. Running water made me think of the stream at the bottom of the garden.

Scents of cooking meat tickled my nose. It should have turned my stomach, not turned it on. That’s what you need, it said. Eat that.

I splashed the running water on my face and let it drip down my snout. Instead of dripping down my overbite into my mouth it fell with a splash into the sink. I felt my face. My hoof was too dextrous. My eyes confirmed it wasn’t cloven or hoofish. It was a paw. I had an underbite.

“What the fuck?” I murmured.

An image in the mirror looked up just as I did.

A reflection of a wolf.

I fell back, slipping on toilet roll and banging into the toilet. The seat slapped the porcelain with a clang.

Jessie barked in the hallway. Scrabbling sounds said he was disgracing the poor bedsheet further to cover himself.

“You alright in there?” The voice was female, vulpine and warm. Warm the way a predator’s heart is warm as it chases down prey through the fields. Warm like the trickle of sweat down your back as you run for your life.

“I’m fine,” I growled through teeth that were triangular instead of rectangular. It was wrong. It was all wrong.

“I’m making breakfast,” said the voice from the kitchen. “You must be ravenous after last night. I know I am.”

My paw, that should have been a hoof, opened the bathroom door. She tilted her head. Grey ears twitched. A wet black nose twitched.

“You smell like grass. Did you roll out of my bed through a field?” Her unnaturally round pupils focused on me. My heart began to beat a drumroll. “Never had it like that before. Was it your first time?” A smile that would have been reassuring if it wasn’t attached to the animals who eat my kind showed the bottom of a few teeth.

“First time yeah,” I nodded. I was trying hard not to wet myself.

“Aww. You’re a changed man now. There’s nothing like the first time.”

I’ve definitely changed.

“Where am I?” Asked Jessie, rubbing his head.

“Shouldn’t a sheepdog know that?” Asked the she wolf.

“I’d like to know where I am as well,” I said, sheepishly. “And what I did last night.”

“The answer to question two is not what, but who, me.” She pointed to herself, looking hurt. Perhaps insulted was a better word. I felt like I was about to be the only one who was hurting. “You’re in Lunaburg.”

“I went drinking with my buddy Barry,” said Jessie. “Then I was with you. Now I’m here.” He winced. “I’m sure I was wearing clothes for most of it.” He stood with a long protrusion from the sheet at the back.

“It’s me, Jessie,” I said to my friend. He was one of those friends who was a friend to everyone but not close friends with anyone. He went to all the parties. He knew sheep, foxes and apparently wolves. He got in trouble and had wild stories, corroborated by wildly blurry photos on his beleaguered phone. “I’m still Barry, despite whatever happened last night.”

“Barry,” snorted the she wolf. “Sounds like a sheep’s name to me.”

“I get told that a lot,” I said. Mostly by sheep who think it’s an excellent name.

“Barry?” Jessie asked. “Barry Ra-”

“Ready to go, yeah.” I cut him off before he could tell her my name was Ramstein. It was a sheep’s name without a doubt. “Thank you for the offer of breakfast,” I hesitated, not knowing her name.

“Blevine,” she said. Her hackles were up. Every impulse I had was telling me to run. Another opposing set of impulses were telling me to bite and rut with her.

“Wonderful to lose my virginity to you, and know you, in that order, I guess. I need to go. I’ve lost my phone.” And my body. “I really think me, and Jessie, need to find our things and work out what happened last night.”

“I don’t suppose you have any clothes?” Jessie asked. He used his friendly voice. It was the voice that had people calling him a good boy and rubbing his belly.

“No,” said Blevine. Her steely eyes sent a signal to my legs to shake. My feet sent a signal to my bladder that it was time to relax a bit. My bladder agreed, sending an ambassador downhill.

“Did you just piss yourself?” Blevine asked, throwing up her paws.

“A little bit,” I winced.

“This isn’t your territory, get out.” She pointed to the door. “Urgh, boys.”

“Clothes?” Jessie asked, his puppy dog eyes pleaded. His unwilling toga begged for mercy.

“Out!”

We were shuffled out into a hallway that stank of urine. In my new body I knew too much from the smell of those markings. I knew what the neighbours had been eating, drinking. Too much.

I’m a sheep.

“I’m naked,” moaned Jessie.

“You’re wearing a sheet,” I said.

“But it’s just a sheet and I’ve lost my phone and my wallet.”

I grabbed him by the scruff and growled in his face. “Who cares? You can get all of that back. I’m a sheep. At least I was. I’ve lost my body Jessie. What do I do about that? I’ve lost my body and my memory.” We padded down the staircase from Blevine’s flat.

“And your virginity.” He gave me a thumbs up. “And your phone, and clothes,” said the party animal. “And you’re covered in piss.” He opened a door into the street.

“That’s not helpful.”

“It was a night to remember though,” he smiled.

“BUT I DON’T REMEMBER,” I yelled. My voice was a growl that would have scared my whole flock to death. I scared myself.

“Memory’s a bit woolly, is it?” He smiled the same smile everyone has when they’ve just told a shit pun.

I punched him. It felt good. I had a newborn lust for violence. “What do I do? I just had sex with a wolf. What if she gets pregnant? Would the kid be half wolf, half sheep? What would you even call that?”

“A weep?” Jessie rubbed his chest where I’d thumped him. His tail had sagged between his legs. “Maybe you’re just dreaming.” He shrugged. “Have you tried pinching yourself.”

“When I dream, I count family members,” I said. “This isn’t a dream or a nightmare.”

“How can you be sure?” Asked the sheepdog.

“Because I would have woken up by now in a cold sweat.”

“I usually wake up in cold drool,” he scratched behind his ears, tongue lolling. “Come on. You can come to my place until we get this sorted out.”

“Really?”

“Sure. Come-bye.”

“Thank you.”

“Ewe are welcome,” he said.

“Good boy.” I patted his head. The tail emerged from the back of the toga, wagging.

My 4-year-old child complains that she is afraid of her teacher. Her teacher seems to be nice. What could be the problem?

A child does not have the power to be manipulative the way an adult does. Listen to your child- there is a reason.

When I was six, my sister and I went to a classmate’s house every day after school as his mother was our babysitter. She was a cruel woman. Firstly, she never fed us or our classmate/her son. Coming from a full day of school, we were hungry. Instead, she kept us outside in below freezing temperature and only brought us inside right before we were to be picked up. She neglected all of us, and only minded her infant daughter, whom she adored. Of course there was the abusive language she used towards us, especially to her son.

The parts of the house that weren’t visible from the front door was as if a tornado had gone through it – especially their attic which was full of mice and God knows what. However, there would be times where we would be so hungry that the three of us would sneak up to the attic and rummage through the junk and rat poo because we would occasionally find an old Hershey’s Kiss on the floor from when she stuck a bag of them up there.

She would also try to pit us against each other Lord of the Flies style; after not being fed for hours, my sister did something that inadvertently got her angry. She then gave her son and I 5 Goldfish crackers and none for my sister. She told her that she doesn’t get to eat because she was bad. I was so hungry that I really wanted to eat my 5 measly crackers but I couldn’t let my sister starve so I gave her two of them in secret.

source: Sandytoesandpopsicles.com

Anyway, her demeanour completely changed whenever my mother came to pick us up. She became very sweet, she told her how we were such good girls, and how we had such a good time, gave us each a nice hug etc. My sister and I noticed how bogus she was being but we didn’t think to say anything to our mom about it. We figured that it was just the way it was but we would just say privately to each other that at least we got to go home whereas our classmate had to live there.

After almost the entire school year, my mom picked us up one day as per usual, thinking everything was fine. My sister then casually asked my mom, out of sheer curiosity and nothing more, “Mommy, how come Kathryn is so nice to us when you’re there but when you’re not there, she’s so mean to us?” My mom then slammed the car breaks and said, “what? What do you mean?” We then explained to her exactly what had been going on, and we could see her turning red and the rage building up in her eyes. You have to understand, my mom is the sweetest, most patient and kindest lady, very polite and soft spoken.

The next day, she picked us up after school and brought us to Kathryn’s house – Kathryn opened the door, smiling and being fake nice as usual- until my mom explained politely that we were not returning to her house after school anymore. Kathryn’s face changed, she lost her temper and started swearing at my mother. Basically she became how she always was when my mother wasn’t around. It was a funny sight seeing this woman go ape-shit on my mom because my mom is such a calm presence that the woman really just looked like a foolish monkey hopping around in her doorway 🤣

Moral of the story is, if your young child is afraid of a certain adult, even if that adult seems nice, please listen to your child.

Groundhog Day: So, No Flapjacks? (Bill Murray Scene)

“This Looks So M16-Ish To Me”: Russian Special Forces Receive New Main Battle Rifle

Russian special forces, commonly known as “Spetsnaz,” are set to receive a newly designed main battle rifle that closely resembles the German Heckler & Koch 417 automatic assault rifle.

The Russian media outlet TASS News Agency reports that the new semi-automatic rifle is chambered in .308 caliber, described as “lighter than analogs” and offering “high precision.”

Named Titan, the rifle is reportedly “already engaged in the zone of the Ukrainian operation,” according to a media outlet citing the Russian arms company SWC.

“Semiautomatic Titan rifle of .308 caliber has been designed for Russian special task units. It can be used as a sniper or assault rifle. Experts say the new universal rifle has good characteristics and is in demand among scouts and commandos,” SWC stated.

SWC added, “The .308 caliber cartridge is powerful and reliable. Russia produces it in various options, including armor-piercing. Therefore, the rifle is popular among the Russian military.”

In October, the Russian media outlet Sputnik reported that the Russian Army received a new sniper rifle, the STM-308, to replace the Dragunov platform.

Earlier this year, the US Army began fielding its brand-new Next Generation Squad Weapon rifles: the Sig Sauer XM7, intended to replace the M4 carbine in close combat formations, and the XM250, which will replace the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon.

The X account Defense Politics Asia commented on the Titan, stating that it “looks so M16-ish to me.“

China does not play

Liu Liange, former chairman of the Bank of China, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for accepting “extremely large” bribes amounting to 121 million yuan ($16.7 million),

“Tyranny in communist China!”

main qimg e9d3596e1821c71d67feb3ac2fc89266

After all

In the western world banksters who are the captains of industry and HEROES!

In the great USA, banksters sit at the top of the pyramid and never go to prison and are domestic HEROES!

Shorpy

Are we in an era where the USA is no longer the only superpower, but with Russia and China now, we’re in the era of a multipolar world?

You mean you haven’t figured that out yet? USA is no longer the Hegemon, and China proves there doesn’t even have to be one. We CAN all get along and improve the world without fighting for who is top dog in the pack.

J35 Stealth Fighter, Zhuhai Airshow and US China Competition

What is one secret that you have kept from your child until now?

We initially fostered long term 3 children . All siblings aged almost 5 , 6 and 7½. We loved them from the moment they arrived and wanted them to know that they’d had their last move and they were family forever and so we adopted them.

Here they are a year later about 5 6 and 8.

We were quite old when we did this as we were both aged 51 at the time. To try to stop them worrying about losing their mum again we took a few years off my wife’s age. I stayed the same as I didn’t seem so important!

They never did do the maths and never wondered how our grown up son was only about 16 years younger than his mum or how I would have been 25 at the time.

When my wife and I were coming to our 60th birthdays we owned up and confessed. By this time it didn’t matter and they just accepted it and the reason for our deception. They were completely at ease and happy in their immediate and extended family.

My offer is this: Nothing” | The Godfather Part II | CLIP

The Trials of Ralph of Hairstow-on-Stretford

Submitted into Contest #145 in response to: Write about a character who wakes up in someone else’s clothes — or utterly weird apparel they don’t recognize as their own.… view prompt

Michał Przywara

It’s a slap what wakes me, right across my face. Is that Gemma, I wonder? Before my eyes can open I loose a mighty burp and trumpet a righteous wind.“Good lord!” a man yells.“By all that’s holy!” says another. “That is foul indeed!”I try to open my eyes. My lids are thick, heavy, covered with honey or something. When I crack them it’s painful bright out and I wince. I could have sworn it was night just a moment ago, but everything’s blurry. Vision, memory, all of it. Like that time Gemma said she was expecting yet another mouth to feed.I’m on my feet. In town? In the market? Two men hold me by the arms. They’re big and they have cudgels at their belts. There’s a third one in front of me with a pointy white beard and a fancy kettle helmet. He scowls like he’s drunk a pot of piss.“Have you no shame?” he says.I try to speak but my mouth’s sticky too. Filled with wool, feels like. I hack up something yellow and spit on the ground. It’s when I notice something’s wrong with my legs. I’m not wearing my boots. I’m not even wearing my hose. And everything looks like it’s covered in… feathers?A bolt of thunder rips through my head and I grunt. That’ll be the devil taking his due for all that beer last night. I swear, this time I might be done with the stuff. At least for a few days.“Put him up!” the man in front shouts, and his two thugs start walking me. “Let’s get this over with.”“What’s happening?” I manage. My voice croaks and I cough again. It’s unbelievable how dry my mouth is. It’s like I’ve eaten one of those charred bricks Gemma calls bread.“Ralph from Hairstow-on-Stretford,” the man with the beard says. I think he does, anyway. My head’s spinning and I stare at the muddy ground. Something’s carving up my guts from the inside and I feel it coming up.Oh, it’s just a belch. But it’s loud, loud enough I think even the Good Lord appreciates it. And oh Lord, does it ever feel good getting rid of that.“Bloody hell!” the bearded man says. “Just put him in.”The two men holding me push me forward and then shove my head down. My neck and hands are resting on a wooden bar. Then there’s a crash all around me. My ears ring. I instinctively pull up but find I can’t move. My head and my hands are stuck.They put me in a bloody pillory!“Well now,” says the bearded man, standing in front of me. He’s got a taxman’s grin.No matter how hard I struggle, I can’t move. The wood is too heavy, too tight. I can barely rotate my head. At least I can breathe.“What’s the meaning of this, eh?” I say.“Ralph of Hairstow-on-Stretford,” he says again. Don’t like how he says my name like that, all long and official like. “That is who you are, correct?”“Yeah, what of it?”“For your antics last night,” he says, biting each of his words like he was eating one of Gemma’s meals and was expecting it to bite back. Which it might. “For your disturbing of the night’s peace, for your public disorder, and for your wanton drunkenness, you are hereby sentenced to the pillory until Vespers.”“You’ve got the wrong man!”“You just admitted you’re Ralph.”Hmm. This one’s clever.“And besides,” he says. He walks right up right to me, shoves his face nearly in mine so’s our noses is almost touching. “To call you a man would be most uncharitable to real men.” Ouch. “I see nary but a scofflaw, a blaggard. A wild beast.”He steps back and his face softens, looking very much like my dear old dad right before the tree flattened him. “Take this time to reflect on your life, and pray God will have mercy on your soul, because if you stay on this path you’re bound for the noose.”My guts start writhing something fierce and I let another one tear. Something I ate last night must have really not sat well with me, like any meal Gemma has ever made.“Disgusting,” says the bearded man, and then he and his goons stalk off. Pfft. Who needs them.I jostle about but the pillory holds firm. As a carpenter I appreciate the craftsmanship. As a man stuck in the pillory, not as much.My neck hurts – well, my everything hurts, but my neck hurts particularly – so I give it a rest and look down. I see my feet and legs again, and when I wiggle my toes I confirm, without a doubt, I have no boots. And no hose. And there are feathers everywhere. I’m covered in them. Fluffy white feathers everywhere, and a thick, greasy, sticky, sickly yellow brown underneath.Bloody hell! Have I been tarred and feathered? What kind of monster tars and feathers a man just for having a quiet evening brew with his friends? Have we been conquered by the bleeding Huns? A sudden wave of itch washes over me, on top of all the bruises both inside and out. I’ve seen many a man get tarred before and I’m not looking forward to peeling the stuff off. Leaves your skin red and raw for days. Like listening to Gemma go on about the rent.When I see my maypole dangle in the wind I yelp and flinch. Not a lot of room to flinch in a pillory though.“Bloody hell!” They took my hose and feathered me everywhere.“Stop your fidgeting,” a man says.I look to my right and see my pillory is actually a two-fer. It’s one of the double models, and there’s another inmate beside me. A man about my age, looks a mite familiar but I can’t quite place his face. It’s a little plain, like a turnip. I guess if he’s here with me this morning he must have been there with me last night too.

“Hey mate!” I say. “Quite a night, innit?”

I think he says “yes” but it kind of sounds like a huff. I take a closer look at him, which isn’t easy what with being stuck in this thing, and I see he has his boots and his hose. And his tunic. And he’s not been tarred nor feathered!

“Hey! Why didn’t they tar and feather you?”

“You don’t get tarred and feathered for disturbing the peace.”

“Well then why’d they do it to me!?”

“They didn’t,” he says. And I swear there’s a little smirk on his smug turnip.

“Well then who did?”

“’Twas I.” Yes, definitely a smirk.

“What!?” The cheek on this one. “Why? What did I ever do to you?”

His smirk turns to a snarl. “Because, you wanker, you hit on my wife! Right in front of everyone. The bloody nerve of it.”

I remember – vaguely. Loud singing in good company, a roaring fire keeping the spring chill at bay, and ceaseless beer for endless cheer. Ah, yes, and there she is. She sways in on voluptuous hips, Aphrodite risen from the waves. Her bosom a sunkiss’d mountain, bouncing with each delicate step like… um… a very large bosom indeed. We spent the peerless eve in quiet consultation, discussing poetics and the beautifuller things in life.

Not at all like that spindly reed, Gemma. Though fair is fair, I’ll grant she’s a mighty lass what with chopping all that firewood.

“Well forgive me,” I say. “But what man can resist such beauty? And anyway, is that a reason to tar and feather a body?”

“Truth be told, I’d have been satisfied giving you a thrashing. But you started a riot and fled before we got our hands on you. The tarring was for running. And for the sheep.”

I choke on my breath. “The what?”

“The sheep. Why do you think the reeve was so keen on getting you into the pillory this morning?”

Oh sweet Lord above, what!? I don’t remember a thing.

“Gave them a righteous fright,” he continues. “We found you coddling Beth when we finally tracked you down. Half way across town. All the other sheep gone, scattered into the hills.” He tsks. “And the hell you raised! Bloody near woke everyone.”

My memories are a blur, but something’s coming back. I remember jumping a fence. An old woman yelling. There was a dog that spoke to me, and I crossed a field and–

“–Ow!” I yell, as something strikes me across the arse. Children laugh.

“John-John,” says the other inmate. “Come here.” A pair of boys round the pillory from behind us. They look about ten and one of the rosy cheeked little shites is holding a big stick.

“Yes da?” says the boy.

“Go on home now and help your mama out.”

“Yes da,” he says. He looks forlornly at his stick, then drops it and runs off. His companion runs with him, but turns around and throws a half-eaten apple at me. I close my eyes to shield myself from the worst of it, except the worst of it hits me in the gooseberries.

“Best get used to that,” the man says. “The folk here love a good pillory. It’ll get real fun when the market opens.”

“Great.” I feel sick. I can’t believe I’m thinking it, but maybe I have drunk too much. Lord, if Gemma saw me now I’d never hear the end of it. “Look mate, I want to, erm, apologize. You know, if I’ve done you any harm and all.”

He grunts. “Tell it to the Good Lord above.”

“No, I mean it. I’ve not been well. Things haven’t been… they’ve not been well at home. With my own wife.”

“Please stop talking, Ralph.”

“She’s turned so cold, so cold. Like a fish. Like the heart of winter, only she has no heart. Her whole wretched family is like that. All of them, born on the wrong side of the river. Bloody fish-people. You know what I mean.”

His face gets red.

“And money’s been tight! Isn’t it always, friend, isn’t it always.”

“I do just fine.” His teeth are clenched.

“And all this talk of war has me so worried. Is it true? Is the king fighting the Huns?”

He grunts. “The Huns? Are you daft? There’s not been a Hun for centuries. What next? The Romans?”

“The French then, whatever. Can you blame a man, with all this upheaval about?”

He rolls his eyes.

“Oh!” I say, just realizing where I’ve seen him before. “You’re Osbert, aren’t you? The barkeep?”

“Right.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Osbert.”

“We’ve met before, you dolt.”

“Right,” I say. “Yesterday. Only my memory’s not too great.”

“Yesterday nothing, Ralph! Dozens of times. Last time just in the autumn when your fourth was born.” He looks at me as though he expects something but I have no idea what it might be. I don’t know why people are always doing that. Maybe there’s something going round. “For the sake of the Lord, Ralph! I’m Gemma’s cousin!”

“Oh!” Right. That’s where I’ve seen Osbert before. Right.

We stand in silence for a while, because that’s how pillories work. Well, I’m silent anyway, trying to will my skin to stop crawling. Osbert keeps muttering under his breath. Seems like he’s mad about something.

Every passing breeze gives me goose bumps but the blighted pine tar gunks it all up and makes everything feel off. It’s like my skin’s crawling over and under itself, and it reminds me of Gemma descaling fish. That’s nice of her ’cause I don’t like scales, it’s just a shame she goes on to ruin the rest of the fish too. On the bright side, the feathers are pretty warm. Not as nice as my hose and tunic, but it could be worse. Actually, they might be better than my clothes.

That’s when it hits me. Osbert is Gemma’s cousin. Cousin Osbert. Right, I’d come to town for a reason.

“Osbert!”

“What is it now!?” he snaps.

“Osbert, old chum, listen. As I said, things are a little tight at home. Me and Gem were wondering, could you spot us a loan?”

He turns to me, as much as he’s able in the pillory. His eyes are wide and his jaw hangs slack. “A loan? How absolutely shameless! Not a shred of it! No I will not give you a loan, you reprobate.”

“Please?”

“You haven’t even paid me for all the beer and food you pissed away yesterday!”

“Well, I’ll pay you when I get the loan.”

Osbert starts laughing, big heaving guffaws.

Well that’s just great. Wait till Gemma hears about this. Her cousin is an absolute boor and won’t even come to the aid of his family. And for all he knows, we’re dying! A Hun if ever I saw one. I tell you, men in Hairstow-on-Stretford don’t behave like that.

Nevertheless, I’m here on a mission. I need to try to sway his wicked heart. “If you’d have come to me for money–”

He just laughs louder.

It takes him a good while to settle down, and if I’m honest, I’m starting to find this whole pillory thing demeaning. But finally I hear the church bells ring, and our time is up. I cheer.

“What are you so happy about?” Osbert says.

“The bells, Osbert! We’re free now. Let’s go grab a beer and talk about that loan.”

Again he stares at me. He mumbles something, sounds like “Blessed are the simple,” but I have no idea why. Then he says, “That’s just Terce, Ralph. We’re here till Vespers. Well after sunset.”

People start filing into the market, which was empty a moment before, and the noise of them fills the air. “Terce also marks the opening of the market,” he adds.

“Bloody hell!”

It’s going to be a long day. I miss Gemma.

Will Smith Becomes a Men in Black | Men in Black

Lithuania’s Regret

Lithuania’s new Prime Minister Palutskas

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Lithuania, a small Eastern European country with a population of less than 2 million and a GDP of only US$70 billion, has been provoking us on the Taiwan issue at the instigation of the United States. Even if China downgrades the relationship between the two countries to that of an agent, they still stubbornly clamor that it is their right to interact with Taiwan and China has no right to interfere.

Now, three years have passed and the Lithuanian government has entered a new term. Palutskas, the Social Democratic Party’s prime ministerial candidate who won the parliamentary election, said in an interview that he hopes that Lithuania’s relations with China can be normalized. He admitted that Lithuania’s original permission for the Taiwan authorities to establish the so-called “Taiwan Representative Office” was a “major diplomatic mistake.”

China’s other countries punishment, First we sanction other countries is either to stop selling our products to them. For example, during the Diaoyu Islands crisis between China and Japan, we suspended the supply of rare earths to Japan, which made Japanese chemical companies very uncomfortable. Or Second stop their product being sold in China. A few years ago, when Australia was in the midst of anti-China sentiment, China raised tariffs on their wine, leading to a massive oversupply crisis in the country’s wine industry.

But Lithuania is different. This country has a very small size in international trade, and its trade structure is not very complementary to that of China. At that time, the total trade volume between the two neutral countries was less than 2.3 billion US dollars. This loss could be completely offset by the United States and Europe through anti-China.

Lithuanian Minister of Economy and Innovation

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It is no wonder that Lithuania’s then Minister of Economy and Innovation, Amonait, said he was not afraid of Chinese sanctions. However, just as Lithuania was dancing happily, a report from Reuters made them feel disappointed.

It is said that China has asked multinational corporations to choose between cutting ties with Lithuanian companies or being excluded from the Chinese market.

Some people say that China’s expansion of sanctions is imitating the long-arm jurisdiction of the United States. I would like to refute that although it is step copying the US method, there are vastly different in nature. The original intention of the United States’ long-arm jurisdiction is to maintain hegemony, and China’s expansion of sanctions is to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The logic of the former is that even if the development of other countries is reasonable, as long as it touches the interests of the United States, it will attack you, which is naked aggression. The logic of ours is that if you invade me, I will fight back. This is called active defense.

In 2021, Lithuania’s GDP was only approximately US$55 billion, with exports of 33.1 billion, mostly in the form of parts or raw materials, such as machinery and equipment, metal processing, chemicals, wood, plastics, automotive equipment, etc.

Lithuania is a country of typical upstream country in the foreign trade pillar supply chain.

Although Lithuania does not export much directly to China, the multinational corporations that buy from it, that is, its customers, have very close trade relations with China.

This trade takes two forms.

The first is that Lithuania sells its products to a multinational company, which then uses them to produce other supporting products and sells them to China.

Among the chemicals exported from Lithuania is polyacetal, which is used in the production of gears, pipe parts, bearings and fan blades, Lithuania can be considered a first-tier supplier to the Chinese automobile market.

The other type is multinational companies that have no connection with China in the upstream and downstream of the supply chain, but do business with Lithuania and also have a large amount of trade with China.

For example, there is a company in Lithuania called TPSC, which specializes in steel and metal milling and metal machining.

Its downstream partners:

Like Sweden’s Saab Heavy Industries, Volvo Heavy Truck, Germany’s Siemens, Mercedes-Benz, and France Alstom. They all have large amounts of fixed assets and businesses in China, and their value often starts at tens of billions of dollars.

China requires multinational companies to choose one of two options: either cut off ties with Lithuanian companies or cut off ties with the Chinese market. It seems to be a multiple-choice question, but in fact it is a compulsory question.

Because the former is a small workshop worth only a few hundred million dollars that can find alternatives at any time, while the latter is a supermarket that contributes trillions of dollars to the market every year and has an ever-growing consumption potential.

Any company with a normal mind knows how to answer this question.

Germany Continental AG, the world’s top auto parts manufacturer, which has door and seat controller production lines in Lithuania. After China introduced sanctions, Continental AG transferred production capacity from Lithuania to other factories overnight.

Immediately afterwards, some multinational companies in the Netherlands and France issued warnings to their Lithuanian partner companies, saying that they might terminate their procurement contracts with Lithuania in 2022.

Since Lithuania’s partners basically all have trade relations with China, once the situation develops to the point where multinational companies collectively terminate cooperation with Lithuania, Lithuania will be equivalent to being kicked out of the global supply chain.

As a country whose exports account for 60% of its GDP, I need not tell you how dire the outcome will be if it is eliminated from globalization. So when the news of expanding sanctions spread, Chinese netizens were stunned.

They thought our country was too powerful. The effect of our sanction :

Data shows that after being sanctioned, Lithuania’s exports plummeted by 80% and imports fell by 40%, causing serious impact on its domestic industry, agriculture and services.

In less than a year, the country incurred an additional debt of $47 billion, 1,300 companies went bankrupt and 60,000 workers were laid off.

This is the first time that China has imposed all-round sanctions on other countries after more than 40 years of integration into the globalized system.

IMO big part of the reason for this is that China has learned the lessons from the collapse of the Soviet Union. When Lithuania declared independence from the Soviet Union, Moscow negotiated for eleven months and sent troops, but to no avail. The two sides were deadlocked until February 4, 1991. The United States, unable to bear it any longer, asked Iceland to recognize Lithuania’s independence to test the Soviet Union’s bottom line.

However, the cowardly Gorbachev did not take firm and strong countermeasures because he was afraid of damaging relations with Western countries and failing to get their support for the 500-day reform plan.

At the same time, it ordered the Soviet Union to stop its repressive actions. When the United States saw that the Soviet Union did not react, it quickly instigated more countries to recognize Lithuania’s independence, directly creating the fait accompli in international diplomacy that the Soviet Union had lost Lithuania!

Everyone should be clear about the final result. Lithuania’s substantive independence became the first territory and the first domino of the collapse of the Soviet Union. This marked the beginning of the disintegration of the Red Empire.

Then the United States will repeat on us the same tactics it used against the Soviet Union. If this trend continues, it will cause endless harm. This is why we must teach Lithuania a lesson and make it pay a heavy price.

Now, three years have passed, and there is no second Lithuania in Central and Eastern Europe, nor in the world.Even Lithuania began to reflect on its mistakes. This is what is called “strike the first blow to prevent a hundred blows”.

Iphone is dead in Chinese costumer eyes no matter what Tim Cook would do, even if he kneel down at Tian An Men Square. But He has to make Iphone in China to sell to the outside China market, oh the Irony.

Why Everyone Is Quitting The 40 Hour Work Week

Spicy Pepperoni and Capicola Stromboli

If you have a craving for classic Stromboli taste, look no further than your Air Fryer! To make delicious Stromboli at home, simply stuff store bought pizza dough with spicy capicola, Cabot Garlic and Dill Cheddar, Hot Pepper Spread, and then air fry! Serve slices with marinara.

Prep: 20 min | Cook: 12 min | Yield: 4 servings

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

Flour for dusting
1 (1 pound) ball pizza dough, cut in half
1/2 cup jarred hot pepper or “hoagie spread”
6 ounces Cabot Garlic and Dill Cheddar, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
2 ounces spicy capicola, sliced thin
2 ounces pepperoni, sliced thin
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 cup marinara sauce, warmed

Instructions

Dust work surface with flour.
Roll pizza dough into two flat rectangles, each roughly the size of a sheet of paper.
Spread hot pepper spread over the dough, leaving about an inch along each side. Top with cheddar, capicola and pepperoni, dividing evenly and leaving a border around edge of dough.
Roll up Stromboli, starting with narrow end, making a roll about 8-inches wide by 3 inches thick. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Brush oil over the rolls and sprinkle with garlic salt. Slash three small steam vents in the top of the Stromboli.
Coat Air Fryer basket generously with cooking spray. Set one Stromboli in the bottom of the basket and set into the Air Fryer. Air fry at 350 degrees F for 11 to 12 minutes. Remove the Stromboli from the basket, and repeat air frying the second Stromboli roll.
Remove the second Stromboli from the basket. If it sticks to the basket, release the screen from the bottom and run a butter knife along the bottom of the Stromboli to loosen it. Allow the Stromboli to cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving with the marinara sauce.

Predators – We Have A Real Problem [HD]

Would you rather live in a completely managed democracy or an actual dictatorship?

Meaningless labels tbh.

In that the UK calls itself a FULL democracy… yet doesn’t mean any criteria of democracy.

There’s no fair and free elections.
There’s no for the people.
There’s no of the people either.

What people REALLY care about is material living standards. That’s something that affects you every single day multiple times per day.

Singapore is the poster child for this.

It has very high living standards, but no real democracy, no real right to protest, no real choices in their elections, massive censorship and considerable social restrictions.

You want this?

Media Today IGNORES Nuclear Threat! w/ Scott Ritter

What should you do when someone has taken your assigned seat and refuses to move on an airplane?

I was traveling Economy from London to Johannesburg a couple of years ago on Virgin and had barely taken my seat when someone turned up beside me telling me that I was in his seat and to move. I checked my boarding pass, and it soon became clear that we had both been assigned the same seat number. He was flying directly from London, whereas I’d been given my ticket as part of a booking which started in Dublin. I was still talking to this increasingly irate person, trying to figure out how to resolve the impasse, when ANOTHER person appeared, again telling me I was in his seat! Apparently he’d bought a standby ticket at the check-in desk, and guess what…

The two of them then began a heated argument over who had most right to take my seat, which brought a steward rushing down the aisle. I explained the confusion, and said that I was happy to move elsewhere if that helped to resolve things. I was calm and polite, as it clearly wasn’t the steward’s fault, but each of the other two guys kept demanding that he sort things out (in their favour). I repeated my willingness to move and he looked from me to the arguing couple, gave me a smile, and said, “That is very kind of you, sir. YOU will be flying on in First Class!” With this he retrieved my bag from the overhead locker and led me to the front of the plane – much to the shock and disgruntlement of the rude ‘gentlemen’ in the aisle – and I enjoyed silver service, a lie-flat bed and even a neck massage on our 12 hour flight to South Africa.

This isn’t the only time that remaining calm, polite and understanding when talking with a flight attendant or member of the check-in staff has resulted in an upgrade, or just a friendly response. Whatever the problem may be, it is worth remembering that is almost certainly not the fault of the flight crew, and they deserve both your respect and common courtesy.

Richard Wolff: Capitalists Have Never Been More Incompetent

The Garden of Beauty

Submitted into Contest #145 in response to: Write about a character who wakes up in someone else’s clothes — or utterly weird apparel they don’t recognize as their own.… view prompt

Hannah P. Simmons

Awake.I blink twice. That’s all it takes for me to realize I am lying on my back. Above me a night sky glitters with stars unlike any night sky I have ever seen. Hues of cobalt and lavender intertwine, as though placed by the gentle strokes of an artist’s brush, while stars shimmer and blink, like jewels kissed fleetingly by the light.And I gaze up at this masterpiece through thin branches, speckled with leaves that shake as the boughs sway to and fro.For a moment, I don’t move. But then, I hear the music. It drifts through the dark on a gentle breeze that raises goosebumps along my arms. This tune… do I know it? It seems so familiar, yet so strange. Like a memory that had all but faded from my recall, only to bring itself forward in a last moment of rebellion, refusing to be forgotten.The breeze moves over me again, and I shiver. Why am I cold? I know I grabbed my favorite cardigan from the closet before I left home.But I’m not wearing my cardigan. In fact… I’m not wearing my clothes at all. I should be looking at my legs and seeing a faded pair of jeans, leading up to one of the random t-shirts I own and pulled just as randomly from the closet.But I’m looking down at a red silk skirt, tiered and trimmed with gold. It’s so beautiful, I’m almost frightened to touch it, but I do. The fabric is softer than anything I’ve ever brought into my sewing room. I muse to myself it might even be the coveted Mulberry Silk I’ve dreamed of getting my hands on.I slide up the full skirt to a tightly laced bodice that accentuates the curve of my hip, resting itself just atop the bones. It’s beading is surrounded with the same gold accents as the skirt, and the princess neckline makes my breasts look surprisingly… well…Only when I stand can I truly appreciate its beauty.But then, the music calls me again, almost so clearly that I can hear my name on the strings of the violin that seems to carry the melody. It pulls me from the bower where I awoke and leads along a flowered path. I pause to gently stroke petals of pink, and white, and lilac that blush at me along my way.My breath catches as I remember flowers don’t bloom at night.Closer, and closer, louder and louder, til I am in the full height of the haunting tune that has drawn me to itself. Before me is a garden, so fragrant its perfumes almost overwhelm me. Pillars encircle a polished marble floor, where men and women dance in gowns and garments more astounding than I’ve ever seen. All manner of silks and satins and velvets, lavishly embellished.And all of them black, and white, and gray.My red gown seems like a rose amid the ashes as I slowly begin to move among them. Yet I wander through them as if unseen. Each couple has eyes only for the one in their arms, their gazes fixated on each other with a fascination I’ve never experienced.No one has ever looked at me like that.Then, I see him. He stands in the center of the revelry, his eyes drifting over the waves of fabric that swirl about him. Feathers, pearl, and lace adorn the edges of his collar and sleeves. Black curls flow down his back and over his shoulders, framing his pale, entrancing face. His eyes are so amber, I almost believe they could be golden, like the strokes that line his eyes and highlight the length of his dark lashes.He smiles at me with a playful, almost boyish grin, then extends his hand.“Dance with me, Valyrie,” he whispers.

I don’t remember moving towards him. When he speaks my name, it’s as if the music fades, and everything around me vanishes, only returning once I find myself in his arms.

His hands take command of me. One gently pressing against my own palm, the other gripping firmly across my back and pulling me till all I can see are his golden eyes. We move together like we have done so our whole lives. I’m not even truly aware of my feet touching the floor.

“Who… are you?” I finally ask.

He laughs, softly. “I don’t expect you would know me. But I know you.”

In that moment, my eyes leave him, and take in the grandeur once more. “Who are you?” I ask again. “Where is this place?”

“Shhh,” he chides me, releasing my hand to grip my chin and turn my face back to him. “So many questions. You’ll have your answers, after we dance.”

This time, I can’t look away. Instead, I find myself searching those amber eyes. Looking into them as if gazing down into a well. I drop a pebble, and it splashes in the center, sending ripples out to the edges, and I watch those ripples with childish fascination.

“Speak to me,” he says. “Tell me what thoughts I must compete with for your attention.”

My lips seem suddenly parched, and my words catch in my throat. “You’re…”

“Yes?” he prods, that smile still teasing across his lips.

“You’re so… beautiful. Everything here is… beautiful,” I manage.

“I surround myself with beauty,” he replies. “I love beautiful things, and I must have them.”

His words are pointed, and I feel my cheeks flushing. This seems to please him. “The beautiful things I find, I keep in my gardens.”

“How many gardens do you have?”

“Many. Enough to hold all the beautiful things in the world,” he assures me.

I bite my lip, uncertain of myself. “And… the ugly things?”

A coldness comes to his eyes. An almost cruel delight that frightens me. His iris widens til the golden band of color all but vanishes. “The ugly things, I burn.”

My breath quickens, and I allow the music to fill the silence between us a moment.

“H-how did I get here? Did you,” I’m scared to say it, but I do anyway. “Did you take me?”

“No, my sweet. I did not take you. You came to me.”

I came? How? How could I come here when I don’t even know where HERE is?

“Ah, ah, ah,” he shakes his head, bringing his face close to mine. “You’re letting the questions take away your attention again. And I won’t have that.”

He brings his lips to my ear, and nibbles on the lobe. When I gasp, he laughs again, a pleased, low growl. His lips move along my neck, and across my chest, teeth teasing my skin with sensations I’ve never felt. I hold my breath as he lifts his face to look at me.

“That’s better,” he remarks. “There is nothing else, right now. Only the dance, do you understand?”

I nod, and feel his hands tightening as we glide across the floor. Everything around me begins to blur, so that only his face remains.

His beautiful, cruel face.

When the bells begin to ring, I realize I have lost track of everything. Of time. Of place. Of myself. Perhaps it’s been minutes, perhaps it’s been years. I don’t know. But the bells break the music so that their deep, empty chime echoes through the night.

“The bells toll the end,” he tells me. “Now… you will remember.”

DONG

I was in my car. Driving to work? No… to the park. We were planting rose bushes today.

DONG

The road was wet. It had rained overnight.

DONG

Car. Next to me. Swerved. I went through the guardrail.

DONG

Lights. Sirens. The ambulance came.

DONG

But it was too late. I was… I was…

DONG

I am…

DONG

He pulls me closer, til my chest is against his. “That’s right, Valyrie. You’re mine now.”

DONG

I look at him with a new understanding. A new fear. “You’re…” I can’t force myself to say it.

DONG

“Don’t be afraid. You weren’t meant to be burned.”

DONG

His lips press to mine. Gently. Carefully. And I feel my breath being pulled from me.

DONG

My dress.

My lovely red dress.

It’s changing. The color is fading as though washed with days, no, with years of sunlight. Paler and paler, till no trace of its vibrant hue is left. Only shades of black. And white. And gray.

He is changing, too. His skin begins to melt away, like wax from a candle, evaporating with each chime. His perfect lips, and golden eyes, and raven locks, all fading away, till I find myself staring into empty sockets and white bone.

And his smile.

DONG

What is the rudest thing another shopper has told you while waiting in line?

I was at Safeway to pick up a prescription for my sick Daughter . She was crying uncontrollably! I was holding her and trying to comfort her . An older lady looked at me and said I should spank her for crying ! I had just gotten back from being in the Emergency Room with my child . She has an abscess on her tonsil you old bag of dirt ! That is why she is crying . I was so pissed off . She is lucky I held back . I seriously wanted to smack that old bitch in the face . Later as I was leaving to go to my car I noticed the old bag . She had locked her keys in the car ! Karma is also a bitch . No help from me .

Sponge Covers Stone Temple Pilots’ “Vasoline” in Howard Stern’s Studio

Bride price is a huge burden of young Chinese men who want to get married. Should it be abolished for good?

Yes, he is one of the bad customs of the feudal period, where the man’s family pays the bride price and the woman pays the dowry. Because in the past feudal period, the status of women was not as good as that of men today. Life is more in need of security.

Under the color revolution of false feminism, the bride price became a way for women to demand money from men, thus provoking social conflicts.

And call it

Post-marital security (i.e. only men will cheat and women will not cheat, or it is reasonable for women to cheat and men to cheat is unreasonable),

It is not easy for parents to raise a woman, and the woman needs to honor her parents (that is, the woman was raised by her parents, and the man was made out of thin air by her parents).

To prove that the man loves the woman, it is necessary for the man to have an attitude towards the relationship (it is impossible to prove the woman’s attitude towards the man’s feelings).

These logics shatter many men’s desire for love.

A more correct value is that both the man’s and the woman’s families do their best to help their children form a new family.

Rather than unilaterally extorting money from the man beyond the woman’s means.

With the development of science and technology, China is no longer like China in the past, which needs a large number of cheap labor, and the fertility rate will decline to a certain extent.

But the Western-backed color revolution exacerbated the decline in fertility and marriage. As a result, the government has encountered many difficulties in stimulating fertility.

Fallout 4 – Beginning scene

Taquitos

These are the best taquitos! I like to serve them with guacamole and sour cream for dipping. They’re certainly not traditional taquitos, but they are delicious.

Ingredients

Pork, beef or chicken
1 can Mexican beer
Garlic salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Cumin (comino), to taste
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 can or jar chile verde
Corn tortillas
Melted cheese for drizzling (optional)

Instructions

Add all ingredients except melted cheese to a slow cooker.
Cook for 8 to 10 hours on LOW.
Drain juice.
Put filling on corn tortillas and roll up. Secure with a wooden pick.
Fry until tortilla is crispy. Remove wooden pick to serve.
Drizzle with melted cheese, if desired.

How long can China survive without us if we stop buying their products? How many countries are as dependent on China as we are?

Today is 2024/11/12.

I wonder if this question is generated by AI. Because I am puzzled how American, or westerners in general, still think China cannot survive without the West esp USA.

The narrative about China economic collapsed has been circulating around for 10 years. But China is still standing strong as of 2024.

At the beginning of 2024, IMF forecast China’s GDP growth is 5% while USA, 2% & Europe close to 0. Today in Nov, China is 4-something hoping to reach 5%.

How people still believe China will collapse is beyond description.

One word: ignorance. Dont read enough. Dont do thinking.

Another word: naive. Dont understand USA is afraid of losing global dominance to the rising China. Knowing it cannot compete with China, what is left for USA to do is to demonise China. But naive people dont understand geopolitics.

I hope this is an AI generated question. And not by ignorant or naive westerners.

What is the nastiest thing you’ve done for revenge?

My area has a problem with rampant porch pirates. So, I regularly save my prime shipping boxes to recycle as rubbish bins when it’s time to empty my cat box. I then seal them back up and leave them out on the porch and watch the “free garbage pickup” on our camera. I also post the pictures on social media so my friends and neighbors can also experience the joy of watching people get EXACTLY what they deserve. It never gets old watching some asshat sneak off all smugly with a box full of turds! 🤣🤣🤣

Edit:

It is hilarious to me how many people assume I can get into some sort of legal trouble for this. Our local police are fully aware of my actions! 🤣

Also, to address a couple of points I am repeatedly asked about this on quora and social media sites:

Yes, the majority of these decoy packages are located and properly disposed of after they are taken. (Not that they create any more rubbish than the packaging off someone’s stolen holiday gifts)

And no, I don’t feel the need to obscure my address from the packaging. There are a couple of reasons for this. Firstly, my prank hinges on the packages looking new. Secondly, if one is stealing a package with the address label in tact, it would be hard to argue that “mail theft” was not the intended crime. And thirdly, I’m simply not worried about retribution from any of these idiots. To return for revenge would risk further exposure on film, more likelihood of arrest, and the possibility of meeting a deadly object if said intruder seems violent. Most people, even thieving lowlifes, have at least a basic sense of self preservation.

Atomic Bombings Opening Scene | Fallout 2024

What is the rudest thing another shopper has told you while waiting in line?

When my daughter was about three, she was a stickler about rules and manners. There was a supermarket near us with insanely good fried chicken made to order. People waited patiently on line for ages for that chicken. One day, as she and I waited, a women bumped into her and walked on. My daughter was outraged and loudly announced that this woman had bumped into her and not apologized. When she got no response, she began telling everyone on line.

Anyway, the woman yelled, “I don’t have to apologize to a baby!” You can imagine the reaction that got from my daughter. The rest of the people on line got a good laugh.

What is the rudest thing another shopper has told you while waiting in line?

It was the day before Thanksgiving. The grocery store was a mad house. I had grabbed some rolls and butter, and a few other things I had forgotten. I went to the self checkout line, as I only had a few items. The line probably had 10–12 people ahead of me. It was moving reasonably fast, all things considered. The lady in front of me was obviously frazzled and eager to rush home. When she finally got checked out, she grabbed her receipt and bags and ran towards the exit – leaving her purse behind on the checkout station. I quickly grabbed the purse, laid my items down and ran after her. I finally caught her in the parking lot and she was so thankful she started crying. I ran back inside to find everyone else in line just as shocked as I was, most people said things like, “that was very nice of you!”, or “I hope there’s someone like you around if I ever forgot my purse!”. I would do it again in a heart beat. One old hag towards the back piped up, “If that dumb b#$ch can’t remember her purse, why should we all have to suffer and wait?!, I would’ve taken it!” Keep in mind, from the time I ran out after her to the time I got back must have been less than two minutes. I was appalled and didn’t know how to respond. Maybe I was just raised differently.

What is a Tiki Bar?

Jessica Ellis
Updated: May 23, 2024

A tiki bar is an island-themed bar and restaurant that specializes in complicated fruit cocktails. They are generally decorated extravagantly with tropical décor, including island flowers and plants, surfboards and tiki carvings. Modern tiki bars often try to not only create an island look, but also make it appear vintage mid-20th century, when the style first became popular.

The original tiki bar is believed to be Don the Beachcomber, named after its founder, Donn Beach. Founded in the early 1930s, this Los Angeles bar was originally beach-themed, featuring starfish and fishing nets. Later on, the founder decided to make it exclusively Polynesian in atmosphere by adding traditional décor including carved tikis. With this, the trend truly began. Don the Beachcomber became a chain including 16 restaurants across the country.

After World War II, some returning soldiers found themselves longing for the tropical atmosphere of the South Pacific. They became a large portion of tiki bar patrons, and the popularity of the bars continued to grow. With the admission of Hawaii as a U.S. state in 1959, the appeal of a romantic, island-theme bar gained even more popularity.

Donn Beach, leaving his chain of bars to other managers, moved to Hawaii to open Waikiki Beach, a bar considered one of the two best examples of the style. The other contender for top status was the Los Angeles chain, Trader Vic’s. This chain, which still has 25 locations, was a friendly rival of the Don the Beachcomber restaurants, and the both claim to have invented the mai tai, a famous rum cocktail.

After the 1960s, tiki bars fell out of fashion, possibly due in part to the unpopular American war with Vietnam. After nearly thirty years of lowered popularity, retro trends of the 1990s brought the style roaring back. By focusing on the vintage post-World War II look of the décor, the bars now not only feature a tropical escape but also a nostalgic look at America of the mid-20th century.

The main focus of the tiki bar has consistently been complex, colorful cocktails. Often, bartenders were secretive about their recipes, sometimes even removing bottle labels so that customers couldn’t figure out the drinks. Drinks often have amusing or image-evoking names such as Scorpion, Zombie, Coconut Lime Ricky and Guava Daiquiri of the Party Gods. Many drinks are rum based, but often feature colored liqueurs like chartreuse, Blue Curacao or Midori.

If you wish to create a tiki bar in your backyard, many online companies sell bars made entirely of bamboo, some featuring matching stools and thatched roofs. These sets begin around $2,000 US Dollars (USD). With a few strands of colorful lights and some tropical plants, you can throw your own luaus and tropical parties all year round.

The United Kingdom just entered the FIRST phase of World War 3 against Russia | Redacted News

Don’t be a steam-shovel.

I want to talk about the steam-shovel graveyard that I discovered on the edge of Milford, Massachusetts.

Back in the day, those big yellow construction vehicles and dozers were all steam powered. And the biggest of them were called “steam-shovels”. Oh, for certain, they played a major role in the taming of the Industrial Revolution, but they became obsolete.

And were discarded.

And forgotten.

And one day, I am walking though the beautiful Massachusetts woods when I come into a lightly wooded glade; one that must have been a field decades ago, and there they were. Steam-shovel after steam-shovel. SO many. I started counting them.

I counted 37 of them. Then gave up.

Some had trees growing inside of them. Others were so ruined that they looked like rusty paper.

This is one of those things that you never think about.

What happened when the steam-shovels became obsolete?

Ah.

They went to Milford Massachusetts to die.

Don’t be a steam-shovel.

Today…

Why don’t churches open their doors at night so that homeless people have a warm place to sleep? Would you continue to give money to your church despite the fact they don’t help the homeless?

A youth church in my hometown used to do that. The door was always open, and the underfloor heating ran all night in winter.

In thanks, the homeless used to shit in the corners, despite there being a public toilet just outside the door. A free one, I might add.

A newly bought set of hymn books, worth a few hundred euros, had been pissed on and needed to be replaced, and their insurance wouldn’t cover it because the door had been unlocked.

They got angry phone calls from parents because they’d made teenage volunteers scrub the shit stains out of the floor and only told them afterwards what it was, and hadn’t provided anything even resembling proper equipment for handling human waste.

There were regular attempts to break into the sacristy to get at the valuables stored there, or to cause more damage to church property. Probably both.

The people who came there had no respect for the building or its occupants. They were actively, maliciously, destructive. At one point, somebody had not only shat on the altar, but also apparently spent some time stamping their still wet shit into the stone. The whole thing had to be replaced, which wasn’t cheap.

That was the point where their pastor decided that maybe locked doors served a good purpose after all.

Lots of churches do support homeless shelters or soup kitchens / food pantries.

And did you know that there are other issues in the world than homeless people? Shocking, I know. Some churches even do ridiculous things like send money to schools in India or Africa so kids there can get an education and have a better future! How dare they! Or support hospitals and clinics in developing countries! Or orphanages! What a disgusting waste of money!

Panama Agrees to “Not Renew” China Belt and Road Initiative; Will try to cancel early

Hal Turner World February 02, 2025

The President of Panama, José Raúl Mulino has announced that following his meeting yesterday with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Panama has decided not to renew its 2017 Memo with China, regarding their “Belt and Road Initiative.”

Moreover, Panama told Secretary Rubio they will look towards voiding their Agreements with the Chinese Government prior to their End Dates set for 2027 and 2028.

Ah. The war with China has begun.

Good thing that China has a deep sea port in Chili (finished last year). Rendering the strategic importance of the Panama canal less important.

The primary goods transiting this Panama canal are (I believe, but am not sure) is to the United States. China can access South America via the Chilian Port to the West, and directly to the Eastern side via African sea routes.

We shall see.

Bottom line; I think that China has expected this to occur and has arranged other systems to utilize. -MM

Among Russia, the USA, and China, which do you trust the most, and which do you trust the least, and why?

That’s easy

The US – I trust the least

Simple reason

They are Liars and have been caught twice

First was the Iraqi WMD Lie

Second was the S&P and Moody both rating the Subprime Security CDOs as AAA or A+, 8 months before they went bust – clearly being in on the scam

The Chinese & Russians – I trust more as long as what they say makes sense

Also simple

I haven’t had evidence of China or Russia lying on major issues

I don’t count what Western Media say

Like I said, I lost trust of them when Powell lied to the UN about WMD in Ukraine

The Ukraine war is the best example

The West said Putin would collapse six times and Russia would collapse and Russia had enough weapons and missiles for 6 weeks

My own logic said this was BS

As early as 2022 , I stubbornly wrote off all the nonsense spread about Russian imminent collapse by people like Mischa firrer as total propaganda

Myself and a few others including the now banned Alexander Finnegan

Today logic has won and everyone admits Russia is winning

New Trump Foreign Policy?

How do you objectively evaluate China’s military strength?

We already know three incontrovertible facts:

China has the world’s largest army (over 2 million).
China has the world’s largest navy (more than 400 ships).
China has an enormous nuclear arsenal (at least 500 nuclear weapons).

China is technologically very advanced, especially in the military.

China has advanced hypersonic missiles (the USA doesn’t).
China has the very advanced J-20 and J-35 stealth fighters.
China has the advanced Type 003 supercarrier with a very innovative electromagnetic catapult.
China has been making huge breakthroughs in submarine technology.

China’s shipbuilding capacity is 232 times greater than that of the USA. China can replenish its navy much, much faster than America can.

We also know that the US military is facing a number of huge challenges:

Maintenance is a continuing woe, especially in the navy and the air force.
At any given time, only about half of the F-35 fleet is operational.
The US military has a serious recruitment crisis.

Some more facts:

The USA hasn’t won a significant military victory since WWII.
The USA has lost nearly all its wars, particularly against rice farmers and goat herders armed with AK-47.
The last military peers the USA fought with were the Imperial Japanese and German Nazi. Today, the USA doesn’t know how to fight against a true military peer.

Given all of the above, I judge China’s military strength to be at least on par with the USA. Objectively speaking.

What was buying a gun like before background checks were implemented?

My parents bought me my first shotgun when I was 12 years old. They ordered it out of the Sears & Roebuck catalog (the big Christmas Wish Book) that had quite a few pages of guns available by mail order. The shotgun was delivered like anything else they ordered. It wasn’t the shotgun I had circled in the catalog and I was disappointed. My grandmother was visiting us for the holiday and sat me down and had a talk with me about gratitude. I acquiesced, and was glad I had a new shotgun. That afternoon my dad and my grandmother drove me out to the farm so I could try it out. I had walked about 50′ when a covey of birds flushed out of some cover and I got the very first bird I’d ever shot at on the wing and I fell in love with the shotgun. I carried that 16 gauge, bolt action shotgun for 10 years, harvesting hundreds of birds; pheasants, quail, doves, ducks, and geese, before I got a nice semi-auto 12 gauge.

When I was 13 and my older brother was 16, we walked to the farm store and went in and bought a Remington 870 pump shotgun in 12 gauge for our dad for his birthday. He’d always had to borrow a shotgun to go bird hunting and had bought me one before he had one himself! My brother and I walked a mile right down the sidewalk along Main Street going home with that shotgun and a box of shells… swapping who got to carry the shotgun a few times. Nobody thought anything about 2 boys walking down the street with a shotgun.

Guns have never been the problem. Society has become the problem.

Cheers | Cold Opens: Season 1

Your life matters

A couple of years ago, I noticed a hunchbacked figure standing in our front garden, but I had no idea what it was doing there. Instead of approaching the figure, I watched it patiently, and noticed that she seemed to be pulling weeds. And then she was gone.

Over the next few weeks and months, the woman reappeared on an irregular basis, and proceeded with pulling weeds on her own in our frontyard, slowly and decidedly, but also absently — as if she was meditating.

Sometimes, I also heard her singing.

One day, we walked up to her to have a chat. And so she told us she was a widow who had lived on her own for almost a decade now, only a couple of houses further down the road, and that in lack of any company (except for a son who only seemed to surface if he needed something), one day she had decided to pull some weeds — be cause she loved doing that.

And she had chosen our frontyard.

She asked us if that was alright, and we happily acknowledged. It was the start of a curious frontyard relationship which sublimated through (watching) pulling weeds, (listening to) old forgotten songs, waving hallo to each other with a smile, and the occasional short chat. It lasted for some years.

One day, the weeds kept on growing and the old songs started to fade, and in front of her old house, an ugly “TO SELL” sign appeared which symbolized her passing. In between the high grass and long thistles in our frontyard, you could still find some crumbled musical notes if you had some luck.

So to answer your question: it does matter to anyone.

It matters to us.

Steam Punk Aesthetic

What is the biggest lie that Chinese government tells its people?

As a Chinese who lived in China for 21 years, and in US for 6 years.

I think the biggest lie is how advanced western world is.

In Chinese TV or news, we are told how American kids do housework start from small age, how people are so polite and aware of protecting environment, how good their health system is, and the list goes on.

So in China, most people think white people are so educated and nice, and US is like heaven.

After I came to US, I realize it’s not like that at all.

All mankind in this world are alike, we have same weaknesses. I am not saying US is bad, but it’s not much different from China to my opinion.

Most Americans in my age that I know don’t know how to cook.

And the American health system is so so so expensive, maybe the quality is better, but it’s way too much more expensive compare to China.

Again, I am not saying US is bad, it’s better than China in some areas, I am gonna list few things that I really appreciate:

First, bribing is much less in US than China. I don’t see people bribing in US, but in China, people have to send money to doctors or teachers sometimes.

Second, the competition is less in US than in China, people don’t need to work extra hours most of the time.

Third, media has more freedom to judge the government. Last, obviously people in US can enjoy a more advanced living condition.

But, it’s not as good as how it has been said in China.

Wouldn’t raising tariffs on foreign goods be better for American products? Especially since American laborers make so much more than foreign countries pay for labor?

What American products? Trump wants to slap a 60% tariff on all Chinese imports, and 10% on all others. Guess where many American companies do their manufacturing. Hint: not in America. Hanes and Fruit of the Loom do not make their stuff here. Tariffs are not going to change that. It’s simply going to increase prices on undies, t-shirts, and sweatshirts. What about consumer electronics? Are any being manufactured in the US? No. Everything from phones to computers to car parts to washing machines are made elsewhere, even when they have an American corporate name slapped on them. A few are put together here from Chinese and other foreign-made parts. Tariffs won’t help them. I could go on here, but I think you get the picture.

Pretty much every economist agrees: tariffs are bad, m’kay. The best-case scenario is that they are used to protect specific American industries, but there are few American industries to protect and Trump’s tariffs are anything but specific. American corporations will not build new factories in response to Trump’s tariffs because they are too expensive and take too long to build, and by the time these projects are completed, Trump and his tariffs will likely be gone. American corporations have built a worldwide supply chain, with parts and goods coming from everywhere in the world. As a truck driver, I’ve seen this with my own eyes. And we all saw what happened when it was disrupted. Remember? This is how business is done now.

The problem now, and in case you were wondering why Biden didn’t get rid of all of Trump’s tariffs from the first go-round, is that Americans, (half of them, anyway), have come to believe tariffs are good. Stubborn ignorance is extremely difficult to overcome. People will complain about high prices while having zero understanding of why they are high.

What is your opinion on Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on Chinese imports? What potential consequences could this have for American consumers?

The Current Value of China US trade is approximately around $ 600 Billion a year

China exports approximately $ 460 Billion of Goods and Services to US and US exports close to $ 140 Billion of Good and Services to China

Scenario : Flat 60% Tariffs from US on all Chinese Exports & No Reciprocal Tariffs from China

Impact on China :—

In three years – the Total Trade with China would shrink to $ 394 Billion a year
That would translate to $ 282 Billion of Exports in Goods and Services and $ 112 Billion of Imports from USA
It’s still a $ 170 Billion a year trade surplus
Impact on GDP is 16% or roughly around 0.80% a year
Number of Jobs lost due to transfers to Vietnam, Mexico and India would range at around 30%
Currently around 4.25 Million jobs are dependent on US Exports, so Around 1.4 Million Chinese will lose their jobs
That will rise unemployment from 5.1% to 7.6% in the course of three years

Impact on US :-

If US replaces these imports with Vietnamese or Mexican then they are still mostly Chinese owned
There would be an average of 36% added to the inflation or close to 1.44%-1.80% a year of additional inflation
It would take 8–12 years to stabilize and around $ 80 Billion in subsidy investments
So Inflation will be 40% higher for the first 2–3 years, then 30% higher for the next 2–3 years and then rest at around 15% higher for the last 6–8 years
However the Chinese Economy will still make 60% of their export revenue back thanks to Vietnam and Mexico and India and regain back around 0.48% a year in GDP growth

Loss to China

$ 70-$90 Billion Export Revenue a year
1.4 Million Job Losses over 3 years
0.32% to 0.40% a year dip in GDP Growth (4.7% go 4.30%/4.40%)

Loss to USA

1.50% additional inflation on an Average for the next 12 years
Value Addition to US Economy lowered by 18% for the next 8–10 years
No extra jobs created

Economic Impact on Chinese Economy (3/5 yr) :- $ 607 Billion / $ 895 Billion

Economic Impact on US Economy (3/5 yr) :- $ 2143 Billion / $ 3535 Billion

So the per capita Chinese over 5 years will lose around $ 611 each

The per capita American will lose around $ 10,552 each over the next 5 years

Conclusion

Even assuming Trump imposes 60% Flat Tariffs across Chinese Goods – China’s cumulative five year loss would be $ 700 Billion in terms of Job Losses & Export Substitution

US loses $ 3.6 Trillion in Inflation rise and Value addition substitution

China can solve this by rising its fiscal deficit to 0.9% (From 3.4% to 4.3%)

US needs to raise its Fiscal deficit to 1% or from 6.1% to 7.1%

EVEN IF CHINA DOESN’T RETALIATE IN ANY WAY IF TRUMP IMPOSES 60% TARIFFS FLAT ON CHINESE IMPORTS – US LOSES FAR MORE THAN CHINA DOES AND FOR FAR LONGER

Now Imagine if China retaliated and imposed an export tariff of 60% on all components it exports to Vietnam and India and Mexico which will be used in Assembly of Exports to US

Imagine if Trump demanded even 30% Imports be made in US instead

US would be Royally Fucked.

Scenario : Win – Win Partnership

Trump removes tariffs from China and China goes back to buying US Farm Products and other exports

Trump agrees to remove export controls on technology and go back to 1/1/2019 status

Impact on China :-

In three years Total Trade would rise to $ 775 Billion a year
This would translate to $ 513 Billion of Imports and $ 262 Billion of Exports
Trade surplus will shrink from $ 320 Billion a year to $ 251 Billion a year
China gains nothing at all except that Chinese domestic high technology and advanced technology budding industries will slow down significantly
Why buy Chinese Chips when TSMC floods China with 3 nm Chips and why buy Ascend Servers when A100 floods the country and why spend billions to try and make EUVs when ASML sells you everything again without restrictions

Impact on USA :—

Continuing Deflation due to China
Controlled Inflation
Controlled Value Addition
Minimum 75,000 new farming Jobs added in 3 years
Farmers Revenue growth between 7% to 9% a year over 5 years (Against (-) 4% to (-)8% a year over the last 5 years)

Conclusion :—

US gains far more than China does with a win win partnership and maintains Tech Dominance for at least another 20 years

So as you can see

Chinese want Trump or Biden to do what they are doing

It causes short term pain but ultimately surges them faster to Tech Independence with the losses being painful but not irreparable

Meanwhile it will cause the US massive pain and damage and weaken them even further and make them more miserable

Meanwhile if the US decide to end the tariffs and export controls tomorrow

China loses $ 60 Billion Trade Surplus a year with US & with a flood of US Technology back in China, the local innovation slows down badly

It helps US significantly and is bad for China

They say when Stupidity and Corruption and Evil combine together – It’s end of the system

That’s the fate of the US

Any guy with brains would have kept the win win situation with China and maintained No 1 Status for another 30–40 years minimum

China gains with Trump or Biden and may actually lose with someone like Newsom in the White House

Chicken Cacciatore Soup

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked rotini
3 cans vegetable broth
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 8 ounces)
1 (30-ounce) jar of extra chunky spaghetti sauce with mushrooms and diced onions
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic puree
1/3 teaspoon Italian seasoning
3 teaspoons red wine (optional)
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, cut up in juice
1 medium zucchini sliced

Instructions

Cook rotini according to package directions, substituting 1 can vegetable broth for part of the water.
Cook until done (about 10 minutes). Drain and set aside.
Cut chicken breasts into a 1 inch dice. In a large pan, combine spaghetti sauce, 2 cans of vegetable broth, onions, garlic puree, chicken, Italian seasoning, red wine, tomatoes and zucchini.
Cook until vegetables are tender and chicken is cooked through (20 to 30 minutes).
Add cooked rotini, and cook until heated through.

Biden… OMG!

It’s so pathetic it is funny.

Why does China hate the United States so much? Is it because they’re number 1 and China is not?

This is quite understandable. The United States and China are like two shops in a community. China was running its business well, but the U.S. frequently tells the community residents that Chinese products are subpar and has its neighbors loitering in front of China’s shop, taking over their territory. This makes it difficult for China to do business and leads community residents to think that those working in that shop aren’t good people. As a result, many Chinese people develop a negative view of the U.S., and if their interests are directly harmed because of this, it can turn into resentment.

It is well known that China’s GDP is now the second largest in the world, and its manufacturing, cutting-edge technology, and international influence are all significant. To maintain its global hegemony, the U.S. has begun to fully suppress China’s development. Economic sanctions, factional opposition, and smear campaigns are all tactics the U.S. employs. The trade war that began in 2018, along with international efforts to encircle China and create issues in the South China Sea, openly violates the China-U.S. Joint Communiqué by selling military weapons to Taiwan, and undermining China’s human rights and democracy issues have all dealt blows to China’s economy and international image.

As China’s countermeasures rendered these tactics ineffective, the U.S. escalated its efforts, completely breaking through the bottom lines of international law and national ethics. It imposed extremely high tariffs on electric vehicles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaic cells imported from China, simply because Chinese products far exceed American ones in terms of cost-effectiveness and technology. The U.S. has also unfoundedly exaggerated the “China threat” narrative, openly defining China-U.S. relations as a “new Cold War” in Congress, and even passed a bill to spend billions of dollars on efforts to discredit China. Even in U.S. elections, political support is often leveraged through an anti-China stance. It can be said that hostility toward China has become a form of political correctness—public and widely accepted—forcing China, which originally focused on its own development, to endure unfair external obstacles.

However, in the past decade or so, the United States had a huge attraction for the Chinese people, and the aspects of legal justice, advanced science and technology, high living standards, democracy and freedom made the Chinese people yearn for this so-called “most developed” country. But the actions of the United States today have made it clear to the vast majority of Chinese people that it is not the country they once thought it was. Instead of treating China with respect and friendship, the United States has been repeatedly suppressing and hostile towards China, just like it did with the Soviet Union and Japan before. It has also been creating and stirring up conflicts internationally in order to sell more weapons, including supporting Israel’s genocide, paying no attention to the international opposition or the lives of people in Gaza. Furthermore, the number of countries targeted by the United States for economic sanctions has increased by nearly tenfold in the past decade, affecting nearly 40 countries and half of the world’s population. While they are constantly accusing China of human rights issues, they are committing the most egregious violations of human rights and undermining people’s livelihoods, not just in China but around the world. People all over the world are disappointed in them.

Moreover, the “democratic atmosphere” that was hyped in the United States has long disappeared. The widening gap between the rich and the poor, the imperfections of the social welfare system, and the increasing pressure of inflation have made the rich richer and the poor poorer, and have also led to severe discrimination against minority groups and vulnerable populations. Racism, economic inequality, and social division are everywhere, but the leaders and capitalist groups at the top of the United States do not care. Instead, they keep drumming up the “China threat” to divert the attention of their citizens, and even shift the core of their domestic problems onto China, making their citizens believe that China is to blame for everything. As a result, 40 million people are living below the poverty line, 28 million people have no health insurance, an average of 300 people die every day from taking too much medicine, and more than 100 people die every day from gun injuries. Such a country no longer have anything to do with its image as the “freest and most democratic,” and even 78% of Americans themselves are dissatisfied with the way things are going in their country.

In general, the decline in favorable opinion of the United States does not exist only in China, but in the whole world, perhaps God is really “abandoning the United States”. Anyway, the United States has fallen to this point is self-inflicted. Such a country, relying on its economic and military strength, arbitrarily oppresses other countries, restricts the development of emerging countries, interferes in the internal affairs of other countries, and provokes disputes, wars that cause countless deaths, which is no wonder hated by the whole world. The so-called “first” has always been a false proposition, but a rhetoric used to beautify the means of exploitation and repression. All human beings are equal, and those who naturally treat other countries and nations as inferior and only allow themselves to control resources and interests should be resisted, spurned and condemned by the whole world.

Trump Will Make China Greater Again

You are woken from your sleep by a cellphone alert that an ICBM is streaking towards where you live. It will impact in 15 minutes. What do you do?

This happened to me while I was living in Japan. Three times.

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6:02 AM on August 29, my phone started blaring. In my sleepy stupor, I thought it was my alarm… but it was too early for that… and wait, that sounds like the earthquake alert. I roll over to pick up my phone and see the above message.

I’m not entirely literate in Japanese, so all I can really gather from the message at first is:

ミサイル – mis-sai-ru…. missai-ru… missile. Missile?!
北…からミサイルが…された…です。 – …a missile has… had something done to it… from someplace North?
…な建物や地下に…して下さい。 – Please do something toward some kind of building or underground. Go there?

I’ve moved now from my bed to the toilet with my phone in hand, still staring at the message and trying to wake up. Then it occurs to me that I can put screenshots into the Google Translate app. Cleaning up Google’s brutal translation, it reads:

Missile inbound. Missile inbound. North Korea has fired a missile. Please evacuate to a secure building or go underground.

Only Japan would add “please” to an evacuation alert.

By now I’ve moved to the kitchen and am looking out the window. We were given a list of shelters and safe locations by our school, but I remembered that all of them were at least a couple miles away from my house and all I had was a bike.

How far is the missile? How fast do they go, anyway?
Would it be safer to hole up in my apartment or to try and make it to a shelter?

I start changing my clothes, in case I decided to leave.

Why would they strike Gunma anyway?

…and the most sobering thought…

Would I rather be inside at home when it hits or biking frantically?

I eventually decided to stay in my apartment.

It’s not that I don’t value my life, I do. I just figured that it would take me at least 15 minutes to get to a shelter with the winding roads of Japan and a good chance I’d make a wrong turn or two on my first trip to this place, wherever it was.

How long would it take a missile to sail from North Korea to Japan? At what point was the alert issued? An hour away? 30 minutes? 5?

I return to the toilet, this time putting the lid down and just sat there. It was the center of the apartment, had no windows, and was the safest place I could think of while I started checking News sites and replying to my coworkers’ messages who were in the same state of confusion as I was.

Luckily, I didn’t have to make peace with anyone, as a short time later it was announced that the missile had, in fact, flown over the country’s airspace and landed somewhere in the Pacific.

This happened twice more. By the third time, I rolled my eyes and went back to bed, tired of being woken up just to find that North Korea had been flashing their peacock feathers again.

The Law of Rare Events

Submitted into Contest #174 in response to: Write a story about a brilliant scientist making a startling discovery.… view prompt

Terry Wayne Carpenter

This story contains sensitive content

Warning: sexual fetish content.A darkness passes over the quiescent surveillance of drones mining precious metals beneath the ocean floor. What else could be hiding down here? Drones are the only things capable of withstanding the pressure and heat this deep in earth’s crust. The drones and their Spider Captain, of course.Upon first glance, Chester Jones thinks nothing of it, and goes back to thumbing through the photos stored on his phone: Annika… Nata… Anita… Cherise… Only five more days until the transport arrives and he can get out of this pressurized prison.Chester whistles more anxiously than a steaming tea kettle, thumping his restless leg on the floor, fearing he is on the brink of becoming a product of his environment. There is no internet access five miles deep in the sweltering heat of the Izu-Ogasawara Trench.There it is again.“What is that?”He tips the brim of his School of Mines hat back and leans in to study the feed more closely, certain his eyes deceive him. It appears to be the lecherous tentacles of an octopus investigating one of S.P-I.D.R. Captain’s many drones. (Subterranean Poly-Intelligent Drone Regulator)Drones continue to chisel and shape the bore toward the Moho, oblivious to this life that should not, could not, be where it is.The only other life that survives below the subsurface biosphere are tube worms and microbes. Even the tube worms keep their distance from the Moho.Hydrothermal vents gave humanity access to the Mohorovičić discontinuity and its wealth of resources – namely the heat and pressure necessary to create the strongest, lightest alloys known to mankind – but it also gave that same access to the wildlife of the sea.For humanity to conquer space, it needs metal. This metal. But the nearly six thousand species in the sprawling ecosystem are protected by the U.P.I.N. (United Pacific Island Nations) charter, which is why there is a marine biologist aboard every mining ship. Every once in a while, a stray crab or fish falls into the mohole, but immediately dies because of the conditions. This octopus however, is very much alive. Alive and playful.“Hey Ronin, you awake?” Chester says. “You better get down here.”Chester watches the sway of the cephalopod in the currents and hydrothermal plumes along the sides of the mohole. It seems to be increasing in speed around the drones. Nothing in the subduction zone moves that fast.“You better get Pania, too.” Ronin radios back.“I’m not disturbing Pania. You do it.” Chester objects, remembering the last time he interrupted Dr. Pania Kahuhara during one of her many sessions inside the Ersatz.“Just wake her up, Chester.”Pania is stiff and recumbent inside the Ersatz, dreaming the vivid dreams of another world. One of her choosing. Her body sleeps, but her mind is stimulated. Either side of the ersatz divide, whether waking or sleeping, is punctuated at both ends by blinding white light, causing a sensation that you are always waking up into something like reality. It is so real, the pod itself is labeled Ersatz, in order to distinguish which of the two sides is in fact reality.Though it is company policy not to yuck other people’s yum, the awkwardness of interrupting Dr. Kahuhara in the midst of shokushu goukan in the Ersatz, was more than Chester could then and still presently can handle. Something about his Australian bluntness that is usually endearing, but often veers into a flaw of character.“Ahem… Dr. Kahuhara?” Chester squawks over the coms. “I hate to interrupt sushi night, but there’s a situation requiring your attention on the bridge.”Pania opens her eyes in irritation, climbs out of the Ersatz rested, and joins Ronin and Chester, both fixated on a monitor staring at what appears to be nothing.“What are we looking at, boys?”“Wait for it…” Chester points at a grouping of rough hewn stone next to some hydrothermal tunneling. “It’s going to move again.”Chester zooms in as close to the spot as possible, and then Pania sees it, the subtlest of squirms, and an oscillation of the eyes. It is a camouflaged octopus.“That’s… impossible.” She leans in close and studies what she cannot believe. “What’s the depth?”“We’re at about 45 kilometers.”“Bullshit.”“Look.” Chester points to the instruments.“That- there’s no way.” She looks closer. “Can we get it to move? Like really move. I want to know how big it is. I can’t tell.”Drones nearby creep toward the indistinguishable spot, reaching out tooling appendages to delicately rustle the creature.As the drones enter its orbit, the octopus changes color from pallid gray to bright shimmering red, bolting from the wall, vectoring into the center of the shaft and splaying out its tentacles in a pinwheel, expressing its extremities fully in an isotoxal octagram, finally jutting beyond the camera’s reach and into the darkness.“Don’t lose it.” Pania cries. “What good are those drones?”“They’re mining drones, not sentries.” Ronin says, arms folded, brow furrowed.Chester brings up dozens of cameras in a grid on the monitor, surveilling thousands of feet of the plunging tunnel, not one showing movement beyond the hydrothermal effluent migrating toward the surface.“We have to find it again.” Pania says. “We must know how it survives down there.”🐙🐙🐙

“Congratulations gentleman, we’ve just had our first encounter with an unexplainable species of marine life.” Pania addresses the two men in front of a wide video display of the octopus in the midst of its escape, backlit by the distant floodlights of the drones. “Here’s what we know: by size, the creature appears to fit into the Giant Pacific Octopus range, at somewhere between sixteen and twenty feet in diameter; it’s coloration would also suggest Pacific Octopus, the previous maximum depth for a Pacific Giant was 1,500 meters, and hyperthermophiles were thought to be at the physical limits of life just below the seafloor… but our little friend – Kali – was all the way down to 45,000 meters.”

“Grigori,” Chester says.

“What?”

“I saw the critter first, which means I get to name it.” Chester spits a mixture of sunflower seeds and Skoal into a plastic cup. “-and I’m naming it Grigori.”

“It’s just a nickname. We will have to give it an official name at some point, once we know more about its physiology, habits and habitat, and where exactly it fits into the evolutionary tree.” Pania says, returning to her dossier. “What we don’t know about… Grigori, is precisely how he/she got down to this depth, what its food source is, and why we haven’t seen it before now.”

“The Law of Rare Events,” Ronin says. “It’s predictable. A Poisson distribution of binomial random variables predicts this. It’s only a matter of time.”

“You wanna translate that into English for us bogans?” Chester says.

“The more times we travel down into the mohole, the deeper microorganisms go, the deeper large organisms go, and eventually, through that exploration, eventually the rare breakthrough event occurs and one survives. The probability of a breakthrough event is small, but predictably, inevitably it will happen.” Ronin holds his palm out to Chester, flexing his fingers in universal code for ‘gimmie,’ to which Chester obliges with a sprinkling of seeds.

“The questions are then, why and how?” Pania says. “Without answers to those, this isn’t a rare event, it’s an impossible event.”

“You have a Law of Impossible Events?” Chester asks.

“I have a theory,” Ronin says. “In organic chemistry, there is something called the Grignard Reaction Mechanism. Basically, organometallics form when magnesium bonds carbon to various metals. These can only occur in a waterless environment. However, my theory is that because of the extremely high temperatures, and extremely high pressure preventing the water from boiling at these depths, and the plethora of amalgams – if a creature started metabolizing magnesium and high volumes of other metals on a regular basis, eventually-”

“The Law of Rare events.” Pania says. “You’d get an organometallic life form. A carbon-based animal with metallic properties. Like organometallic skin. A creature like that could travel to these depths, in these temperatures, under this pressure.”

“Precisely.” Ronin says. “And an octopus would be particularly primed to accomplish this because of its regenerative ability.”

“Holy shit.” Chester looks at the other two. “We’re gonna be famous. We discovered a Robot Octopus. A Robo-pus!”

“It’s a working theory.” Ronin says. “We won’t know for sure unless we capture it and do some tests.”

“To that end,” Pania says. “Since we cannot continue mining operations until the creature is located and removed, I propose pulling Spider Captain away from the Moho and use it to force the octopus to the seafloor, where we can then use bait to lure it into captivity. We can flood the cargo hold and put it there.”

“What kind of bait exactly?”

“Well, we’re almost out of supplies, and there is that chuck roast in the freezer-”

“No. No way.” Chester jumps up in protest. “First you try to take my naming rights, now you want to take my meat?”

“It’s the only meat substance we have that won’t dissolve in the conditions near the hydrothermal vents.”

“That’s my celebratory chuck!” Chester says. “For going home. My last meal down here.”

“If we can catch this thing, you can buy all the chuck you can handle.” Ronin says. “Heck, you’ll be able to buy the whole damn cow.”

🐙🐙🐙

“This better work,” Chester pouts. “Damn octopus gets sous vide steak, while I’m sitting here, living off of sunflower seeds and crab paste.”

Ronin overrides the S.P-I.D.R. Captain’s internal intelligence and allows Chester to take manual control of the rig. It disengages with its stirring bit glooped in plastic rock at the edge of the Moho. The bit is shaped like an industrial whisk, and sticks straight up into the water bordering the smoldering glow.

Spider Captain thrusts itself upward in slow squirts toward the surface, illuminating the shaft with its broad flood lights, the hollow hum of the magnetohydrodynamic drive at its epicenter.

“Okay, good,” Pania says. “We can see everything.”

Spider Captain picks up drones as it goes, clearing the path to the seafloor. After several kilometers, the silhouette of the elusive octopus emerges.

“There it is,” Pania says, lurched over Chester’s shoulder. “Track it.”

The octopus climbs gradually, keeping steady pace ahead of the ascending Spider Captain.

As soon as the octopus reaches the seafloor, it darts between triangulations of rock, coral, tube worm colonies, and drones strobing lights at it, until it settles on the chuck roast at the mouth of the cargo hold. Spider Captain continues its chase, forcing the creature into the back of the bay, the drop door closing behind them.

🐙🐙🐙

The crew sleeps, having captured their prey, which has found a comfortable corner to lay inside its cell. Pania is the last to bed down, deciding to stay up and observe the creature in some semblance of stasis. Her eyelids grow heavy and her thoughts sway between her newfound discovery and the Ersatz. Thoughts of ravishing tentacles in every orifice.

She can’t remember when the dark fantasy started, or if it had always been there. A product of her upbringing, conditioning from living her entire life on the water, always around these creatures, a symbiosis with the sea. She wasn’t the first, certainly not the only one; shokushu goukan has been around for thousands of years, proliferating across the pacific, across the world.

36 hours until the transit submarine arrives. 36 hours until the world will know of their discovery, and all Pania can think about is her libidinous thirst for submission to the cephalopod. Was this why she became a marine biologist? Was this why she was miles deep in the Izu-Bonin arc? Was it fate or had she willed it all into being? The circumstances and the discovery.

I’ll be on every news show and podcast in the world, she thinks. I’ll be famous. Will they know? Will someone hack my Ersatz file? It’s happened before. Celebrities are always being hacked for their Ersatz fantasies.

Dozing off, Pania is startled by loud banging noises coming from the cargo bay. It’s Kali. She’s suctioned to the electrical paneling near the air lock door, piercing through the metal with her beak.

“That’s impossible. That’s T12 Alloy.”

Pania alerts the other two and sets the ship to red alert.

“We’ve got a serious problem.”

Dazed and startled, the two men crash into the observation room.

“She’s trying to break through the door.” Pania points at the monitor. “If she gets through it’ll flood the whole ship.”

“Use spider captain to peel her off the panel.” Ronin shouts commands to Chester, who mans the controls. Robotic limbs swing across the bay, molesting the octopus from behind. It’s only a temporary distraction, and Kali doesn’t stop tearing through the panel, using just two of her tentacles to rip the mechanical arm in half.

Ronin rushes to the airlock, putting on a deep diver suit, grabbing a welding rod he intends to use as a weapon.

“You can’t!” Pania yells. “You can’t kill her.”

“If I don’t, we’re all dead.”

Ronin closes the airlock, which quickly floods with steam and rising water. As soon as the port into the cargo bay opens, he races toward the sieging octopus. Chester flings a battery of repurposed mining appendages from Spider Captain at the creature, to no avail. The Octopus’s skin is too tough to penetrate with standard utensils. Ronin attacks with the welding rod, the bright tip of which catches the octopus’s attention. Tentacles wrap around his leg, flipping him sideways, immobilizing him in the briny water, making it impossible for him to retaliate in his cumbersome suit. Suddenly, his torso is snapped in half from the torque force of the muscular metallic tendrils. Kali enters the airlock unimpeded.

Boiling water erupts into the hallway outside the airlock as Kali enters the ship. Chester and Pania flee the scalding water, heading for port doors slowly closing in emergency. Chester trips on the mouth of the port, and Kali grabs him by the ankle. It is too late for Pania to save him. She watches his red face disappear into the pillows of water, as Kali drags him back into the jaws of death.

Pania rushes to the Ersatz pod, the only possibly safe place on the ship, but it’s only a matter of time before Kali finds her way through the port doors.

Which will get to her first — the transport, now an unassuming rescue ship, or the excited omnipresent monster outside the doors, born from the hellish improbable deep?

Upon seeing Kali drill through the second port door, Pania realizes she has less time than she thought and climbs into the Ersatz.

No time; she’s coming too fast.

Water and steam flood into the compartment as the lid of her coffin slowly closes, the raging tentacles above the glass slowly dissolve into the bright white light of the Ersatz.

The final ride

What’s the dark side of Switzerland?

When I was posted to Zürich, back in the 1990s, a colleague of mine said: “Switzerland is a wonderful place. Too bad it is inhabited by the Swiss”.

At first I didn’t subscribe with his rather radical views about the country, but after living there for a few months (and having had some run-ins with the natives and their rather peculiar views about people who, in their eyes, “didn’t belong”), I had to admit that they weren’t too much off the mark.

Maybe not all the Swiss, but a large chunk of the population over 50 at the time appeared to harbor a lingering disdain toward people who acted or looked “foreign” in their eyes, or simply didn’t conform to what they believed were the “rules” in force. And they wasted no time in making their point known right there and then, like they were the anointed guardians of an established order of things.

Pretty soon, anytime I parked my car in the street without steering my front wheels straight and parallel to the sidewalk, someone was there wagging his finger at me and pointing at them.

Within 24 hours from getting the keys to my rental apartment, an anonymous note mysteriously appeared in my mailbox, intimating to put a label with my name on it.

I was lucky enough to find an apartment in a building that once hosted a workshop, and was subsequently renovated to host a warehouse on the ground floor and my apartment on the upper floor, without anyone living above or beneath me. I listened to horror stories from my coworkers who had the misfortune to rent apartments in buildings where old and cranky Swiss neighbors made life unbearable for them by stealing and destroying their mail, having garbage strewn on their doorsteps, their laundry soiled or ripped when left in the communal washer/dryer, etc. And of course anytime they complained with the superintendent or the police, it was their word against their Swiss neighbors’, and guess who was always found at fault?

This attitude is masterfully resumed in a citation of the renowned Swiss author and playwright Friedrich Dürrenmatt: “Any Swiss is both a prisoner and his own warden”.

Trump’s Victory Speech Was Absolute Cinema

Will the Balikatan combat drills between the US and the Philippines change China’s position in the South China Sea?

During the US-Philippines military exercise, soldiers on the warships were warned that it was strictly forbidden to use personal mobile phones on the deck. They were worried about being monitored by the Chinese Navy’s Type 815A electronic reconnaissance ship. The US-Philippines fleet did not even dare to turn on the radar, for fear that the electromagnetic signal would be captured by China’s Type 815A electronic reconnaissance ship at close range.

The imaginary enemy of the US-Philippines shoulder-to-shoulder maritime military exercise was originally China, and now it has come to the area near the South China Sea on the west side of the Philippine Palawan Province and Luzon Island. Since the US amphibious assault ships, dock landing ships, Philippine landing ships, patrol ships and even fighter jets are performing hard, China’s Type 815A electronic reconnaissance ship will certainly be a spectator.

Now, the US-Philippines warships are in an awkward situation. If the military exercise continues. Then, electronic signal communication must be carried out between warships, and communication must be maintained between aircraft and warships. Anti-submarine aircraft must send out electronic detection signals. Even US nuclear submarines must communicate by radio. However, China’s Type 815A electronic reconnaissance ship stayed quietly beside them, patiently waiting to receive various signals and instructions from them!! 🤣

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Philippines: “discovered a Chinese ship”
South Korea: “there’s no display on the radar”
Japan: “the radar screen is full of snow”
USA: “how did you find it”
Philippines: “see with my eyes”

China’s Type 815A electronic reconnaissance ship swaggered into the US-Philippines exercise area, and it was so close that it could be seen clearly with the naked eye. Did you see the surprised expressions of the Filipino soldiers in the camera? 😁

The West calls China’s Type 815A electronic reconnaissance ship “ghost”, and the Chinese call it “Street Fighter / 街溜子”. It is the most advanced electronic reconnaissance ship in the world.

Since US and Philippine warships are keen on running naked in front of Chinese electronic reconnaissance ships, the Chinese certainly like to watch. Why not?

There is no need for the Philippines to be so petty. Since the purpose of the US-Philippines military exercise is to “deter China,” why did it send a diplomatic letter to protest against the Chinese watching?

If you want to “deter China” and force China to change its position in the South China Sea, you have to show something that can “deter” China. Am I right? 🤣

Joining the French Foreign Legion

Does the development of the high-power microwave weapon by Chinese scientists indicate that China is catching up the US in military technology?

My country’s high-power microwave weapons have been put into use, and low-configuration versions have begun to be exported.

High-power microwave weapons use high-power microwaves to irradiate targets. High-voltage currents are generated on the surface of the target. These currents enter the target through antennas and cables, breaking down or burning its electronic components, thereby disabling the target or even physically damaging the target.

High-power microwave weapons are directed energy weapons, which means they rely on radiation energy to kill targets rather than physical projectiles.

High-power microwave weapons are a powerful weapon to restrain drones.

China does not need to catch up with all US military technologies, but only needs to lead the US in some areas.

Mao said a long time ago, “You fight in your way and we fight in ours.”

After all, the military strategies of China and the United States are different.

China adheres to the national defence strategy of self-defence, focusing on the development of defensive weapons, and does not need too many offensive weapons. Focusing on defence has been China’s military ideology since ancient times, and the Great Wall is the best proof of that.
The United States pursues a “preemptive, unilateral” military strategy, with its main military assets deployed overseas. It has few domestic military forces and weak national defense capabilities. Therefore, terrorists easily broke through the U.S. defenses in the “9/11” incident.

A stray cat jumped on my car and wouldn’t leave no matter how I shooed it

Have you ever seen an employee get fired on the spot because of you?

I locked my keys in my car with it running one night, after work.
The tow truck took about 3 hours to come.
I was hungry – starving, exhausted and had to pee.
After many set backs with AAA, and many calls, only to find I’d again been moved to the end of the service line, I kinda lost it.

I was sick of someone asking me if someone else had a key.
(Would I still be standing there, on the phone with them, with my legs crossed if they did?)
I was tired of being asked if I could knock on someone’s door in the complex?
(If I could have … If it weren’t a complex, I’d have peed in the bushes.)
I was tired of hearing 5 minutes.

Someone finally showed, and he quickly got me unlocked.

Now, as he was doing this, a tow truck with a kid driver showed up. I forget the exchange, but he was annoyed I already, finally, had someone there. He was rude enough I asked for his manager’s card. I was in no shape to be trifled with. I reminded him that he could nicely give it to me, or I could just dial the number in BIG LETTERS on the side of his truck. He gave me a card.

As he made a U-turn to drive away, his little snit girl friend leaned out the window and yelled, “Biiiiiiiiitch.” I thought, “Oh, child, you have no idea.”

So I called the number. My husband was a family, 2-man company. I know how hard people work. I got the guy on the phone and sho-nuff, he was a small business and had two trucks. I told him up front, that I understood and wasn’t looking to necessarily make trouble, but I was certain he didn’t want people treated the way they did me. The driver had a legal and service liability sitting beside him in the truck, which could seriously impact his business.

We closed on chummy terms and I know that kid was probably ripped a new one. I’m also sure they blamed “that bitch” for getting them in trouble instead of looking at what they were doing. After all, that’s what teenagers do.

But… he could have very well lost his job. Hopefully he lost that snotty little girl friend.

Adopted

Shorpy

Bear Mace

Why are Western countries so rich when most of the manufacturing and production happens elsewhere?

Tom started as a cashier at a store. He was at the forefront of everything. After a few years he got promoted to be the manager of the store. Few more years as a general manager. The General Manager no longer produces anything tangible – he doesn’t move the stuff, doesn’t handle the cash register, doesn’t code the website and doesn’t do the direct sales. But, he still makes a lot of money. How?

It is a fallacy that you need to produce something tangible to make money. People who think that probably never took a business course. The greatest value lies in producing the intangbiles – of coordinating production, leading the execution of concepts, selling ideas to investors and creating the strategy of what business the company should be in. Tangibles are a commodity. Intangibles are rarer & thus highly valued.

Of course, you need to start producing the tangibles to be able to qualify to produce the intangibles. No one would let you create strategy until you spent years in the front lines.

Use the same analogy for economies. When an economy is small & less mature, it produces only the tangibles – food and later clothes, steel and then a plenty of low value commodities. You can touch and feel the production. Unfortunately, all of these are low valued. Then it gets promoted. It starts involving in design, research and innovation — all of them are intangibles. Slowly it moves out of all the commodities and moves up the ladder helping in coordination.

A lot of times the General Manager is primarily there because he has spent years in the company and so well connected. He becomes the primary way to connect the whole company. That is the role that London and New York do. They have been out there for centuries dealing with this and have become the center of trade. Other times, the GM can produce an ingenious strategy that might revolutionize the way they do business.

Think of a company like Apple. The physical phone you touch and feel is made in Taiwan & China. Those are less than 10% value of the product. The primary value is in connecting all the ideas to produce a product that makes sense to the customer or at the least convince everyone that it makes sense for them. That is a strength that Silicon Valley almost monopolizes.

If you really understand what McKinsey or Goldman Sachs do, you will not have much trouble understanding how US and UK economy work.

Many countries in Western Europe and the US do the high level coordination and produce the intangibles – consulting, software, finance, marketing and high tech manufacturing. Even the manufacturing at the levels some German companies like Siemens do involves a lot of the intangibles. That is why they are rich.

Donald Trump Wins. Here’s What to Do Next

“The entire country is screwed.”

Diary of a Scientist

Submitted into Contest #174 in response to: Write a story about a brilliant scientist making a startling discovery.… view prompt

Jack Bell

Saturday, May 26Getting fired may well be the making of me. Can science, true science, flourish in a large institution? The Melville Neurological Institute talked a good game, always promising me freedom of scientific research, but, when it came to the crunch, they let the bean-counters shut me down.I don’t think I was unreasonable. I recognize the need for institutional bureaucracy—I enjoy a regular supply of clean pipettes as much as the next research scientist—but no bean-counter EVER comes into MY laboratory and tells me what to do with my elevators and spreaders!Turning my basement into a functioning laboratory is proving a challenge, but I remain upbeat. Fortunately, my good friend and colleague from the institute, Percy Jarmon, has helped with some software and equipment, stuff that won’t be missed—even by the bean-counters!Sunday, May 27Who died and made electricians lords of the universe? Christ, just put the wires in and leave a reliable on-off switch! How hard can it be?I’m impatient to get back to my research, is all. Darwin dallied and Wallace almost filched his Beagle. There’s something very zeitgeist about my current investigations. How does a person’s state-of-mind interact with his or her physical capabilities? Science has kid-gloved this terrain for too long. Provocative evidence lies fallow. For instance, the 98-pound woman who lifts a burning bus off her baby. It’s a well-documented phenomenon and one that obviously involves telekinesis. Telekinesis?! Is that sound of a thousand bean-counters having a synchronized heart-attack? Ha!But I say: let me see the worst, even if it lie hidden in the deepest irrational recesses of mother-love.Perhaps if these spirit-levelling dunderheads could provide me with three square inches of clean bench space, I could begin. Christ.Monday, May 28This diary is to be an old-fashioned document of scientific record. So I don’t have to write an entry every day. I’ll just record the pertinent scientific facts as they occur.If there ever are any. The place looks like a toilet. And don’t even get me started on plumbers.Tuesday, May 29So even a tea urn requires a triplicate bivouac in Brussels? Forget it. I’ll use a saucepan. I’m happy with the seat of my pants. Remember Alexander Fleming. Refused to wash himself and discovered a cure for the clap. And Wood from Pfizer. Took a pill for heartburn and got a ten-hour erection. That’s the science I seek! Wild, free! Isaac Newton stuck a bare bodkin behind his eyeball to see what was there! Yes! I dare to dream of a science without red tape!But try telling a plasterer that.Wednesday, May 30What a mess. Boxes of broken flasks, rubberless Bunsen burners…

The old lady next door is deaf and her Chihuahua is a rat-faced, yap-throated, four-legged fur-ball of depraved pellet-spitting fecundity. Science, at its best, is supposed to be meditative.

Talked to Percy at Melville and, he’s right, I have to be patient.

Of course, Doctor Percy Jarmon has always been three-parts bean-counter. A good research scientist, don’t get me wrong. He’s done some solid work. Just prefers not to rock the boat. The brain remains a neat computational bottom-liner in Percy’s carefully scrubbed hands.

Thursday, May 31

Not much doing.

What’s the point of very little dogs, when you get right down to it?

Friday, June 1

total wank

* * *

Wednesday, July 20

You can’t stop science! Ha! Wheels turn, seams rupture, secrets heave!

Had a bit of luck, actually. The old lady next door moved away two weeks ago. And took her little dilly doggy with her. Bye-bye poo-poo.

Anyway, just spent the last two hours talking to Jarrod Johnson, the young chap who, along with his lovely wife Jasmine, has moved in. A very nice young couple, Jarrod and Jasmine, newlyweds, eager to begin a family.

When Jarrod found out I was a neurological research scientist, he showed an almost puppy-dog like enthusiasm. He shyly told me he’d never fully outgrown his love of dinosaurs. At school, chemistry had been his favorite subject. On the internet, he can’t get enough of Richard Dawkins. He works in a bank and seems to crave the microwave-manna of popular science.

So he was only too happy to help with my basement experiments! He’ll be over tomorrow, a bank holiday apparently, at 9:00 a.m. The world seems to be rolling on its back and asking me to tickle its tummy! Jarrod isn’t all that bright, but he’s a very pleasant, open, friendly sort of chap. A scientist cannot ask for more.

. . .

Just spoke to Percy, and he’s going to drop round this evening. He wants to see how the basement scrubs up, and even wants to meet Jarrod. I prickled a little, but didn’t argue. Percy’s help with converting the basement has been tremendous. Also, as a sounding board for my research aims, he’s been invaluable—encouraging despite his bean-tending skepticism.

Now that I’m finally about to dive in, he’s probably a bit nervous. If I were to create some sort of scientific scandal, his name could be tarnished by association. So I humored the old bean.

Thursday, July 21

What a day! Mark well the date! And affix to it your humble servant’s moniker, Doctor Richard Wrigglesworth!

I don’t want to get ahead of myself. What comes of today’s extraordinary breakthrough remains to be seen. But, doubt it not, the annals begin to gape.

Jarrod arrived at nine sharp and, after coffee and a scone, we got straight down to it. It was meant to be nothing but grunt work, building a database for future work. Jarrod sat at a table with just a LED monitor and a 5kg dumbbell before him. I flashed on the screen a series of images. Jarrod looked at each image for exactly eighteen seconds, then performed three standard bicep-curls with the dumbbell. An EEG cap and profuse body-sensor coverage recorded Jarrod’s every bodily blip and mental halloo.

After five hours of this, the data-collection was solid, but I was starting to worry. Jarrod really was a nice guy, didn’t have a bad word for anyone or anything. But was he, as a subject, a little bland, a little lacking in character, personality or substance? I was after dark mysteries of the mind, but Jarrod seemed a whole lot of sunshine and lollipops. Even the photograph of a Chihuahua being dangled over the ferociously eager maw of a wood-chipper didn’t provoke much more than a mild hiccup in his breezy brain wave.

Then it happened. His eyes locked on the screen, a growl sounded from somewhere sub-thoracic. He began flipping the dumbbell about like it was a tea-cozy. The readouts and dials fritzed. According to the computer, the dumbbell now weighed exactly 34 grams… What happened to the other 4,966?!

Even after I shut off the monitor, it took a good thirty seconds for Jarrod to return to normal.

It remains, I have to say, somewhat of a mystery. But a mystery with a big “THIS WAY” arrow attached. The photograph that set him off was of a duck attacking a cute little rhesus monkey. The juvenile monkey had been sitting on the ground, eating a piece of melon, but was in the process of dropping it as he leapt quite hilariously away from the incoming duck. It was supposed to be a brain-pan cleanser, some light relief before something more experimentally hardcore was flashed up.

I quizzed him at length, got him to free associate with ducks and monkeys, but he was a bit shaken and washed out. I suggested we start again tomorrow, and he was more than happy to. He had a flexi-day owing at the bank.

Now I have a sleepless night’s work ahead looking for relevant pictures. But I love it. Seriously, who’d want be anywhere other than Science, the bosom of all curiosity?

Friday, July 22

Burn it to ashes. That’s the likely fate of this record of crime and folly! Dear God! Dare I speak of today? Dare I not? Could it be only yesterday that I… but no, this is a scientific journal. If hell itself yawns, somebody has to stay calm and sift the sulphur.

Jarrod arrived at nine, dot on time. I asked for his thoughts on yesterday’s proceedings—and he seemed not to remember anything out of the ordinary. Odd. “The duck and monkey?” I enquired. All he could remember was a sort of pressure in his head, which he’d put down to the EEG cap being too tight. I let it go, assuring him that today the cap would be roomy.

I must have shown him upwards of thirty duck-and-monkey photos, interacting in various ways, some comic, some violent, some both. Nothing. So I flashed up yesterday’s photo. The effect of it was instantaneous and truly awful. He leapt from his seat, tearing off the EEG cap, flinging himself across the room, crashing into the card table upon which sit the tea and coffee and scones. From there he literally began trying to climb up the wall. Hard to do when one hand was busy holding his head as he cried, “Make it stop! My head’s going to explode!”

I raced to him. He fell, crashing heavily onto the card table, destroying it and our untouched morning tea. He uttered a ghastly groan as he thrashed about in the rubble, finally coming to rest on his side.

I gently rocked his shoulder. “Jarrod?” Was he dead?

But he stirred and, with my help, began to sit up. It was only as he opened his eyes and turned his head to me that I saw it. Almost too awful for words. A teaspoon. The handle fully buried in the side of his head, only the metallic bowl sticking out, like a malicious little supernumerary ear.

“Oh, God, Jarrod!” I whispered.

He was groggy. “Guurrgh…what happened?”

“Jarrod, how—how do you feel?—No, no, God, don’t shake your head!”

“Actually,” he said, breaking into a pleasant smile, “I feel pretty good. Sorry, Richard, but I don’t think I want to wear the brain cap thing again.”

“Oh, that’s fine, no worries. I think we’re pretty much finished, anyway. So, um…your head? You mentioned before, while you trying to climb the wall, that it was giving you some trouble?”

“Yeah,” he grinned, lifting a hand toward the side of his head—which I grabbed and lowered just in time! He continued, “No, it feels good now. All last night it felt weird, a weird sort of pressure. But it’s fine now.”

“Okay. Great. Science is a labyrinth, that’s for sure, ha ha.”

I helped him to a chair—not that he seemed in need of help. I grabbed my phone, thinking I’d call Percy. But, before I rang, I went upstairs and made a cheese, gherkin and lettuce sandwich. I also poured a large glass of milk and took both items down to Jarrod in the basement. He thanked me and tucked in with a healthy appetite.

Possibly I should have been rushing Jarrod to hospital, but something made me hesitate. Something about the spoon, twinkling like a satellite dish on the side of an exposed hillock. As he finished off his sandwich, I went to my bookcase up the far end of the room. This peculiar neurological situation was ringing a bell. Once, an iron rod went straight through some chap’s cerebellum. And he was right as rain. However, instead of pulling a reference book out, I got down on my knees and ran my tongue along the spines of the neatly arrayed books. Each and every one. Made my tongue quite dry and yuck.

Returning to Jarrod, who was downing the last of his milk, I said, “Jarrod, there’s something I have to tell you. It’s…it’s a bit shocking.”

After a little burp, he said, “What is it?”

Stumbling a little at how to speak of the spoon, I instead stayed silent and blew him a kiss. He laughed at that, then stood up, saying, “Same time tomorrow?”

I nodded. And he left.

That was, what, four hours ago? There are really only two theories possible here. The shocking incident with the spoon may have caused my psyche to fray or fracture in some hopefully temporary way. Or—and my blood runs cold to write this in black-and-white—Jarrod has, through the mother of all accidental discoveries, gained an advanced form of cerebrokinesis, the ability to control the minds of others. Oh, if only I could divine exactly where the inside tip of his teaspoon sits!

To be honest, I’d prefer all this to be the result of my own madness. But, as I sit here writing this, my thoughts seem depressingly orderly.

If indeed they be my thoughts.

. . .

You know what’ll stop me sleeping tonight? This question: if Jarrod has gained a cerebrokinetic ability, why would he make me lick my books? The sandwich, sure, perfectly alright. I would have made it for him anyway, without the mental strong-arming. But the blown kiss? Smacks of smart-arsery.

Sitting here, the sun going down, his bland smile starts to seem sinister.

Saturday, July 23

It’s midday. I know what I have to do, but I hesitate. I’m fairly certain it’s not MY hesitation, so I can only sit here, awaiting a stray moment where I might be able to strike with an uncontaminated will.

Jarrod arrived three hours ago, smiling, spoon jutting as brassily as a cuckoo in a new nest.

My first question was, “So what did Jasmine say?”

“Oh, I didn’t see her before she left to visit her mother.”

“Really? How convenient. A sudden emergency, was it?”

“No,” he said pleasantly, “a visit.”

Time to cut the crap. “Jarrod, I need to know if you can control my mind. Did you make me lick my books yesterday?”

He gave an uncharacteristic, chilling little hee hee!

“I did,” he said, before adding another hee hee!

Despite the giggling, he was in fact prepared to talk openly and honestly about the whole thing, which was a relief. At one stage I gave him a fifty dollar note from my wallet—but he was only joking around. I’ve no doubt he’ll give it back.

He was as surprised as me when, yesterday, his desire for a sandwich was realized by my actions. Actually, a lot more surprised than I was. I’d experienced it as the most natural thing in the world. He admitted the book-licking was spur-of-the-moment and experimental. The blown kiss, harmless byplay. Well, obviously it could’ve been worse.

“I guess you realize the enormity of this?” I said to him. “For science, the fate of the world, etcetera.”

“I dunno, I’m a bit disappointed. After I left here yesterday, I went down the street and—”

I gasped. “But didn’t people see your spoon?”

“I wore a hat, dummy. But, you know, it turns out I can only control your mind, no one else’s.”

I felt relieved by that, although I wasn’t entirely confident of that relief. I was, right then, starting to think a lot of rather flattering thoughts about Jarrod. Bland? He wasn’t bland: quite spry, the ole Jazza, always up and about, a real player, this lad…

Now, surely that was nonsense. I would never say “spry”.

“Jarrod,” I said, holding onto the table edge, “this is scientifically—well, it’s off the scale it’s so big. But, at a personal level, we need to get some rules in place. Surely you see my precarious position here?”

He said, “I swear never again, under any circumstances, to control your thoughts, Richard.”

I don’t think I’ve ever been struck by a statement of such deep and unarguable sincerity. I thanked him and he rose to go with a charming, lively, intelligent smile.

It was a good thirty minutes after he left that I began to have second-thoughts. Charming, lively and intelligent? Jarrod? Phooey. And you can kiss those fifty smackers goodbye while you’re at it. This was all deeply distressing and disorientating.

And I’ve been sitting here in the basement ever since, a single sterile teaspoon sitting on the table before me.

It’s a one-in-a-million shot, but my only chance. I’ll fight fire with fire.

I’ll do it for science.

—a knock at the door? Now! NOW!

* * *

THE MELVILLE NEUROLOGICAL NEWSLETTER

The Melville Neurological Institute would like to extend its heartiest congratulations to Doctor Percy Jarmon upon his recent Nobel prize nomination.

Doctor Jarmon’s work on the Yersinia fustus parasite appears to be conclusive and truly ground-breaking. This ancient, insidious parasite, almost undetectable after more than one-hundred-million years of co-evolution, has often been purported, but never proven. There now appears to be little doubt of its existence, thanks to Jarmon’s recent courageous and brilliantly innovative field-work.

The life cycle of Y. fustus turns out to be both simple and ingenious. After invading a host Homo sapiens, the bug, mimicking a billion-branched glial cell, quickly colonizes the cerebrum. Within a very short time the host develops an irrational but irresistible desire to violently puncture his own cranial vault, by any means necessary. Fantastic delusions, sometimes resulting in murder or art, often accompany this process. After the host’s skull is successfully punctured, the parasite’s spores are then released and have a very short time in which to find a new host.

The parasite seems to be very rare but, where it does exist, is rabidly contagious. The strain involved in Jarmon’s recent field-work has been destroyed.

When contacted by this newsletter, Jarmon’s only comment on his Nobel-nominated research was, “Hee hee!”

Is anyone else losing complete respect for the US at this point?

It’s the worst election result of my lifetime. And reveals something absolutely horrifying about my fellow Americans: they will vote for a literal criminal sociopath over a qualified black woman.

I thought Gore’s loss to W. Bush was terrible—but that was largely the result of cheating (it’s almost beyond question Gore got more votes in Florida than Bush did). …Then I thought Hillary’s loss to Trump was pretty awful as well, but it was a small comfort that HRC won the popular vote by literal millions (they’ve never been quite THAT far apart before).

With both, you could basically take comfort in the fact that the majority of the country clearly didn’t want the inferior candidate.

But now? Trump is a worse candidate than he was in 2016 in every way (mentally, morally, legally) and there were some horrible things about him then that either weren’t yet known (his charity fraud, his university fraud, his Stormy Daniels affair) or hadn’t happened yet (the indictments, the two impeachments, his horrible CoVid handling, becoming an adjudicated rapist, cheering on Putin for invading Ukraine, “The Big Lie,” his f***ing coup attempt, endless comments making it clear he wants to go after “the enemy within”).

By contrast, Kamala is arguably a better candidate than Biden or Hillary were, and she’s committed NONE of their supposed flaws (she did plenty of rallies in the Midwestern three, she did plenty of interviews that Hillary avoided, loads of energy that Biden was lacking, more clear than Biden, less legal baggage than either HRC or Joe, she didn’t bring up being a woman which supposedly turned people off of HRC) and ran a brilliant campaign from a terrific DNC to high-energy rallies to popular proposals (Trump’s are mostly about making people’s lives harder) to absolutely killing Trump at the debate.

But now we get this phony crap from Trump voters about how Kamala was a “bad candidate” (yeah…sure…) and from the media where they point out some mistakes she supposedly made (yeah…sure…) and how Trump will be better for the economy (yeah…sure…the guy who wrecked Obama’s economy and bankrupted three separate casinos and still believes in tariffs will magically give you a better economy…)

Point blank: this country would rather risk an autocratic regime, economic collapse, environmental ruin, and a complete wrecking of American justice and freedom than vote for a black woman. …It is a DISGUSTING result, and the fact that Trumpers are flying their covert KKK-flag openly on social media instead of being ashamed of voting for a criminal sociopath is repulsive.

Some fun pictures

TOP 100 Hyper-Realistic Female Robots INDISTINGUISHABLE From Humans

Why do so many Europeans seem to think the United States is backward?

Originally Answered: Why do so many Europeans seem to think the United States is backwards?

Possibly because they see us the way a repairman I once talked to saw the American engine maker Briggs & Stratton. I was buying my first mower, and I had bought a big yard and had put most of my cash into the purchase, so I was shopping carefully for a lawn tractor that would last a while but not clean me out.

I talked to this greasy guy with hearing aids at a repair shop where I happened to have some business, and he explained the difference between the Briggs & Stratton engines I’d grown up with and, well, everything else.

He said Briggs made the best engine in the world…in the 1940s…but that the rest of the world had moved on. Everyone else’s engines used newer alloys, fuel injection, superior noise and pollution controls, etc., while Briggs was still cranking out the same old reliable Joe that had been their cash cow for forever.

Understand, we weren’t talking best of class here, just your literal garden variety engine. He said “a Jap engine” would cost you half again as much, and if you ever let the oil get dirty or didn’t keep the filter clean, it was scrap. But if you kept the filters clean and changed the plugs every few years, it would start on the first crank, every time, for the life of the mower.

A Briggs, on the other hand, was cheap and would last forever—but you’d pay for it time and again. It would leak. It would lose compression. It would need its carburetor and points worked on every so often. But if you enjoyed working on engines, it could survive catching on fire and having the head knocked off with a sledge hammer, it just “never will run like shit.”

That’s the dichotomy here. Americans see America as the country that defeated Hitler and went to the moon. The old reliable. The “takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’.” The rest of the world sees us as an obsolete design, built on good principles, but trying really hard not to live by them, and getting away with it because we’re big and rich and mean. But our system “runs like shit,” and our population pays for its cheapness each and every day.

I’m not saying that’s right or that’s wrong, but I believe that’s how they see us. And if they judge us by our movies, they are not seeing any of the shiny bits that might make a counter argument.

The UK Sounds The ALARM: Russia Sunk The SHIP Сarrying British Soldiers┃RU Army Captured ‘TRUDOVOYE’

Chinese Meatball Soup

Ingredients

Soup

2 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 cup water
1 (6 ounce) package frozen snow pea pods
1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced
1 (1 1/2 inch) cube fresh ginger, finely grated
1 clove garlic, finely minced
Olive oil for roasting

Meatballs

1 pound lean ground beef, chuck or sirloin
3/4 cup oatmeal or bread crumbs
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced finely
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 egg

Vegetables

1/2 pound baby carrots, cut in half
1 1/2 cups fresh or canned bean sprouts

Instructions

Soup

Combine soup ingredients in large saucepan over low heat to simmer (reserve snow pea pods and carrots for broiling or stir frying).

Meatballs

Stir ingredients together, shape into 1 1/4 inch meatballs and place on lightly oiled broiler pan. Spray lightly with an olive oil spray if using very lean meat. Broil until nicely browned or bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes.

Vegetables

To roast the baby carrots, cut carrots in half, lengthwise. Rub in 1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil, and sprinkle between the meatballs on the broiler pan. Do the same with the thawed snow peas. Check while broiling, and remove carrots, snow peas and meatballs as they begin to brown. Drain on paper towels briefly and add to soup. If you wish to skip this step, you may alternatively brown the meatballs, snow peas and carrots in a wok.
With all ingredients now in soup, simmer over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes and season to taste with salt, pepper, a pinch of Chinese Red Pepper, if desired, and a dash of soy sauce.

Why is America doing its best to set China and Taiwan at war with each other? It’s half a world away from America and nothing to do with them. Why are they there at all?

There is only one answer: the United States wants to stop China’s rise! That’s why they want to suppress China with all their might and with everything they have.

Moreover, Taiwan is just one of the places, and if you scuttle the world pattern, you will find that the target of everything the United States has been doing all these years is China.

1. The Russian-Ukrainian war is not the ultimate goal of the United States; its ultimate goal is China.

The United States treats China as the number one enemy, whether economically or militarily, the United States has been unable to subdue China, so Washington provoked the Russian-Ukrainian war, the ultimate goal is to provoke a ‘New Cold War‘, through the Russian-Ukrainian war to Europe to create a ‘horror’ of the enemy Russia, so they are afraid of, under pressure to do the bidding of the United States.

The purpose of the United States in stirring up the ‘New Cold War’ is actually to unite the forces of the entire West and then deal with China with all its might.

The purpose of dealing with China is to maintain its hegemony. The United States believes that China has already threatened the global hegemony of the United States and that China must be eliminated as soon as possible.

2. The United States is endeavouring to make preparations for provoking a war in China’s neighbourhood.

After the United States has used the power of the Russia-Ukraine war to force its Western allies to listen to the United States, his next goal is to provoke a war around China to further unify its Western allies by forcing China to step in, and then to sanction China in the same way as it has sanctioned Russia.

In order to achieve this goal, the United States is bound to provoke a war in China’s neighbourhood to force China’s hand, and then the United States will lead the entire West to sanction China.

Based on this logic, China’s surrounding dangerous areas will be the next U.S. to provoke war conflict points, such as the Taiwan Strait, the Korean Peninsula, the South China Sea, China-India border are dangerous areas, especially the Taiwan Strait conflict, will be the next U.S. is bound to want to provoke a military conflict.

The intention of the United States in provoking a war in the said region is to force China to send troops, and then the United States and its allies condemn and even sanction China, urging its allies to impose sanctions on China as they did on Russia.

At the beginning of the Russo-Ukrainian war, the United States actually began to lay out early!

Especially in the Taiwan Strait, the United States and Britain have begun to discuss how to detonate the military conflict plan!

At the present stage, China has practically no choice but to make preparations for a military struggle, and it can only make preparations for the unification of Taiwan by force!

But in a twists and turns, Trump is back. Trump’s presence disrupted Biden’s deployment. 😁

The next 4 years with Trump in the White House will be 4 years of rapid development in China.

The Russia-Ukraine war won’t stop, the Middle East is in an even bigger crisis, Europe has been abandoned by the US, and the US is at the peak of domestic infighting.

China is on a rampage and the next 4 years will see us laying a solid foundation for a whole new order of global industry and trade!

Trump will mercilessly teach Europe, Japan, South Korea and other allies (parasites) a lesson, frantically withdrawing from all kinds of international organisations and international treaties and becoming more and more isolated, and that’s exactly when China is holding up the flag of free trade and developing at a high speed!

What is the result of the Trump era’s opening of a trade war and technology war against China?

China’s chip technology rapid breakthroughs, Huawei is far ahead; China’s position as an industrial hegemon is as stable as Mount Taishan, shipbuilding took nearly 3/4 of the world’s orders, and new energy vehicles rode in the dust; China’s foreign trade exports are increasing year by year, and it takes more than 1/3 of the global surplus.

Do you think the Trump still has cards? 🤣

Do you really think Russia can’t defeat Ukraine? You are too naive. China and Russia are comprehensive strategic partners, and the Chinese and Russian governments have the same strategy.

Yes, the United States and the West want to use war to consume Russia’s national strength, but the United States and the West are greedy for immediate benefits and do not know the consequences.

Protracted war is Russia’s strong point, and Russia also wants to use war to consume the United States and the West. The more the US and the West invest in Ukraine, the more it will be consumed.

Russia buys time for China, and the United States and the West will decline rapidly.

Trump DROPS his plan to DISMANTLE the Deep State! MASSIVE FOR AMERICA (MUST SEE)

Why did Trump win the 2024 election?

Yesterday I was walking in the city and two young Moroccan guys were discussing the US election outcome. “He did it, the old warrior!” said one of them, admiration obvious in his voice. These were two young Muslims from what Trump had referred to as “shithole countries” during his first tenure…

People underestimated how many people do love Trump.

The media, journalists, writers of opinion pieces and intellectuals were in this little bubble where everyone, surely, must have realized after the first Trump term that he was no good? And that’s just not the way of the world.

Oh but he’s was found guilty of sexual assault, surely now no one can vote for him?

Wrong!

No one gives a shit.

Chris Brown beat the living daylights out of Rihanna and I still hear people blast his music.

We think that, as soon as someone is accused of someone heinous, that’s it.

Curtains.

They’re done for.

Now, the world has moved on from #MeToo and “cancel culture” is dead and buried…

You cannot cancel someone when no one cares about his crimes.

Oh there’s Russian interference in the elections? Big deal — plenty of people find Putin kinda cool, anyway, and at least he’s “not woke”.

Elon Musk pushing fake news and misinformation on Twitter? Again, no one cares.

“But, he was mean to transgender people! He disowned his transgender daughter!” Yeah, that’s awful, sure. But no one cares.

There’s so many scandals, so many awful things you can accuse Trump and his allies off.

But in “real world”, people don’t care…

It also seems that people are tired of “woke” topics and the right has simply won the “culture wars”, at this point.

Because even Latinos, African Americans and other non-white ethnic groups voted for Trump in record numbers.

And I’ll let you in on a little secret — a lot of immigrants and their descendants are very religious. They don’t like LGBT issues, they couldn’t care less about transgenders, pronouns and puberty blockers being given to kids, in fact they’re highly susceptible to negative campaigning about such issues.

They actually are bothered by people saying “happy holidays” instead of “merry christmas” and other such things that progressives would dismiss as silly memes only boomers care about…

Kamala Harris and Tim Walz seemed to spend 80% of their campaign attacking the character of Trump.

When everyone already knows he’s a dickhead — and they don’t care because he’s their dickhead.

People almost always love the villains in movies more than the heroes. The Joker is far more popular than Batman ever was… and Kamala Harris made for a rather poor Batman.

U.S. Lost the Moon Because of Sanctioning China

Actually this is very interesting. Not a rehash of known stuff in a click-bait video. This is full of great intel.

How would imposing a tariff on all goods imported from China affect Americans and businesses in America?

Trump 1.0 started imposing tariff on all countries around the world, not just on China. Biden continued with Trump’s policy.

After 8 years (Trump+Biden), many US scholars said Trump’s tariff policy does not work (on China).

It was tariff that USA suffered (high) inflation.

The plan of Trump 1.0 was to attract US investors in China to go back to USA. After 8 years, it is found that some US investors still stay in China. Some did move out of China but to other southeast countries eg Thailand. … US investors still did not go back to USA. They continued to do business with China 1 way or another.

Those who added 1 extra step, say, to Thailand actually cost Americans more because they added this 1-extra step to the commodity price, worsening the US inflation.

(High) tariff on Chinese products has already proven a failure to Trump 1.0. Why Trump 2.0 continues to impose (high) tariff on China is beyond our understanding.

One possible reason is that USA-Trump badly needs money to boost the weak US economy. And that may be the reason why Biden continued with Trump’s policy too.

Since Americans hate tax increase, Trump & Biden had no choice but to disguise tax increase as tariff.

Tariff 2.0 is crazier/higher than tariff 1.0. Let us watch if tariff 2.0 will cause global recession.

Why do gun owners not understand that I don’t like being around guns and they should be banned for public safety?

Greetings from England, where we all apparently hate guns.

I believe you are confused.

The gun owners do understand that you don’t like being around guns, they just don’t care. Why should they?

Americans are often mistaken about their own gun laws. The public safety you speak of is partly due to the gun owners. They are why your government can never turn too tyrannical and why you can never be invaded by land. This is why you have a right to own guns. Its not necessarily to stop burglars, it’s to prevent your government from turning tyrannical.

Just like with our third world quality socialist health services, my country is always held up as a success story for banning guns. This is bullshit. Murders happen constantly in Britain and the lack of guns just makes it slower. Knives, acid and bombs are used instead. Murder is unfortunately natural, and British murders are incredibly brutal.

So in conclusion, if your government like mine is not currently sending everyone to prison for Facebook posts, and if your country doesnt have an acid attack epidemic going on, you have gun owners to thank for this. The very idea of killing or disfiguring someone with acid would become ridiculous in Britain if we had guns, but we don’t. We instead get our faces burned off by chemicals.

You arguably have gun owners to blame for murders on the streets (though i would disagree), but this pales in comparison to the genocide you will probably never face, unlike most countries eventually.

Why are anti gun owners so incredibly smug that they don’t think a disagreement towards themselves can even exist without ignorance? Is it just your smuggery that causes your smuggery or have you $e v e r$

actually accomplished anything in your life?

I bet your’e not even one of those loud, fat, friendly Americans we all love. You probably got purple hair and a constantly pissed off face.

Don’t travel. We don’t want you. We want the ‘rednecks’. You think I’m lying? Nobody wants to travel to your shitty liberal cities anymore either, just to get robbed and/or raped all whilst having to listen to unhygienic propaganda junkies barking unrequested opinions all day. We want to go to middle America where the men are strong and hard working, where the women are clean, beautiful and not hopelessly brainwashed like yourself. I bet it’s awesome in those places with all the gun owners; fresh air and friendly people. Meanwhile your town is probably covered in turd and homeless people.

Genocide Joe

Genocide Joe, may his feeble mumbling brain rest in peace, was extremely effective at restoring order to domestic American affairs, lining all US allies in a row, and making Sinophobia a global instead of solely an American policy.

Trump will throw a monkey wrench into that once again.

Trump will immediately throw Ukraine under the bus and let Europe deal with the fallout; he’ll raise major trade tensions with American partners; he’ll throw EVs and all environmental policy under the bus too; he’ll threaten the ICC and ICJ and likely cut off all funding to the UN once the General Assembly recommends expelling Israel.

He’ll recognize Israeli settlements. He’ll threaten and probably defund universities that allow Palestine supporters any freedom of speech, sowing pandemonium and terror in academia.

And that’s with ruling out the assumption that Project 2025 is real.

The Western alliance, which goes back to World War II, is too strong to suffer permanent damage from four years of demented leadership. So is American society, which is very resilient. But for the next four years, there will be tremendous chaos, infighting, and blows to prestige.

This is an opportunity for China to demonstrate its abilities at world leadership, as it did very successfully during the first Trump term.

Economically, China is prepared for the return of Trump. Its GDP is 25% larger than in 2020 and it’s much less dependent on US technological imports. The threat of major tariffs on Chinese exports to the US is serious. During this period, fiscal stimulus will have to be a key driver of growth. However, central government debt is very low. The spending and borrowing discipline exercised by the central government for many years has prepared it well for this occasion.

The combination of decreased export revenue and emergency-level use of fiscal stimulus will accelerate the transition to service- and consumption-led growth.

Trump Has Won the 2024 Election: Now What?

(2025 Update) A comparison between contemporaneous reality and the John Titor narrative and what we can probably expect in the next few years (duplicate)

Guys. This is a republish of my most popular post today 17JAN25. 

What is more, I am startled that someone dug out this ancient post, now, over four years old.

In this post, written in 2021, I predicted what 2025 would look like.

And, to my surprise, at the end of the post... every single one of my predictions has come true, or are in the process of becoming true. 

Except for one item: nuclear war.

Of course, we are only 17 days into 2025, so it is way to early to see THAT prediction has validity. Never the less, aside from some trivial issues, just about all of my trend-line predictions, and overall global conditions in 2025 has became reality.

Long term MM followers please take note, and you all might really get something out of this repost. -MM

A comparison between contemporaneous reality and the John Titor narrative and what we can probably expect in the next few years

Here, in this article, we look at the John Titor narrative (or predictions) and compare them to what we are currently experiencing on our own (shared) time-lines.

Obviously the dates and the events that he described are at variance with what is going on in the world today.

This is to be expected after all. He entered our world-line template with a 2% deviance from his, AND both of his two presence(s) altered our general trajectory for mass consciousness migration. So of course, what we are experiencing today and what we can expect, will be different from what his time-line described.

Two visits. — Two John Titors entered our time stream (world-line template)

I argue that while his narrative differs from our reality, there are enough similarities to be able to predict GENERAL TRENDS in our domestic and geo-Political future.

However, it is our shared consciousness that is driving the variances on the shared world-line template, and anything can happen.

Here, I will try to make some predictions on what I am observing and how they vary from the John Titor narrative.

Quick Review of terminology

Here’s a quick handy-dandy illustration to help you all from getting confused with unfamiliar terms or confusion.

The pre-birth world-line template is that surface that our travels tend to follow. We can “slide off” that surface template by techniques that I have discussed in other posts as part of the Prayer / Affirmation Campaign posts. In which case we enter a new world-line template.

Of course the John Titor narrative uses none of these terms.

We, here on Metallicman, use these terms to explain movement in the MWI. And it is with these terms that we will continue to discuss the similarities, the trends and the variances from what we observe and what John Titor reported.

Who is John Titor?

From the late 1990’s until around 2001, the Internet was “rocked” by the sudden appearance and subsequent disappearance of a Mr. John Titor. This person claimed to be a “time traveler” by using inter-dimensional travel.

He was rapidly dismissed as a hoax, in unity, by all the major debunking organizations, and his posts mysteriously disappeared off the Internet. Since then, all the sources that he posted on all found that their files related to John Titor were all corrupted and could not be reclaimed.

That was the case for over a decade.

Then, in 2014, a number of private individuals managed to piece together independently saved dialogs relating to John Titor. They constructed numerous websites that hosted these reclaimed dialogs, and posted them on the Internet for others to view.

It is the official belief here on Metallicman that the narrative by this John Titor fellow has much more validity...

... than the claim that it is simply a fictional story designed to amuse internet readers.

However, our belief is that the John Titor time-line is substantially different from the one where most (of the MM readership) reside. 

This significant difference is very important to understand the validity and accuracy of his descriptions.

Thus you cannot, and should not, take his narrative as a 100% accurate predictor of events on our world-line template. 

But instead, rather look at the TRENDS that he recounted and compare them to what we are experiencing.

If you wish to read his posts, and MM evaluations of his technology, you might find visiting the Metallicman Index on this subject enlightening.

John titor index

Is his predictions accurate?

I have no problems with the physics involved in his dimensional travel, or his “time travel” mechanism and mounting vehicle. It’s a method and a technique. It also solves certain problems that he did not get into because his readership was unaware of these other issues that crop up in dimensional travel.

One of the problems with world-line travel is the great diversity of world-lines. You can "clamp down" and lock onto very similar world-lines without much problem with his gravity sensors. But that is where you are stuck. If you wanted to go to a specific types of world-line, such as one where all Pizza has pineapple on it, you will be out of luck.

Not that it would be a problem mind you. Pizza with pineapple? Yuck!

The way around this is to additionally measure other criteria other than gravity.  The obvious is <redacted> but also <redacted> and other features similar to that are also important and can be used and are actually easy to measure. Obviously, you just need to use the appropriate filters on your sensors, and then the complete sensor kit would allow for a great deal of latitude in your world-line adventures.

His “predictions” are descriptive of [1] a completely different time-line and [2] a completely different world-line template. Therefore, it is like comparing apples to oranges. Both are fruits, but that is where the similarities end.

You simply cannot say that the future he described awaits us on this time-line. It simply does not.

But you CAN say that the same trends that he has described would be the same.

Trends and differences. — Trends stay the same while the specific details differ.

Why would our world-line template be different from his world-line template?

If both of our time-lines are different, how could the trends be the same?

It’s actually very simple. A change in trends are variances and deviations from world lines in excess of 4-5%. And he flatly described a similarity to our time-line or world-line template in the 1-2% range. Thus while the individual events, and times might be quite different, the trends would stay the same.

And what trends would stay the same?

Well, I would say that the trends that would stay the same, but manifest differently would include…

An American second Civil War
A major war with an Asian nation or two or three simultaneously.
Cultural evolution and changes such as social media.

Now that being said, we KNOW that the world-line template and time-line differs substantially from ours.

His provided dates are off by ten years or more.
Certain events that he described evolved differently.
The Geo-political relationships differ substantially from his descriptions.

Our shared template. — Our shared world-line template compared to John Titor’s.

What I know in my role with MAJ

Now for the good news.

Yes, I shouldn’t admit this. But, I do have an idea of what lies ahead – in general. Not much. Just a few, a precious few, glimpses of the future. And none of the glimpses are really bad. Meaning that, for me personally, and for my life my post-MAJestic retirement will be pleasant and tranquil.

How do I know this? Well, it's a long and complicated story, and I will write about my retirement sequence in ADC Pine Bluff in later articles. But for now, just know that my future as I have seen it, does not in any way, resemble the John Titor narrative personally.

I know that my location within China will be a safe one. And that (for the most part) where I live and retire within will avoid most all of the turmoil that the United States will go through.

I know that that is selfish, but it’s all that I have to go on. I was promised a “safe place’ from which to retire. And here I am in China. So I am assuming that all things that are said and done, that maybe the entire world will go through changes. But my “neck of the woods” will be relatively calm and stable.

But…

…I might be wrong.

Of course, there could be changes that might whisk me away from here, and go somewhere else. And maybe then this period in my life is not what I think it is. Who knows? But my “gut feeling” for what ever it is worth is that China is where I am retiring to and where I will spend the rest of my life.

We will see how correct I am. You do realize that I am often wrong. A full 50% of the time, don’t you know. LOL.

Of course, a nuclear explosion in my city could also end my life, but still fulfill the personal prophecy. LOL.

So, yeah. The John Titor narrative does not match what I have personally experienced on this world-line template, nor does it match the projections of my future.

But that is just me.

Now, what this tells me is that the John Titor narrative the Russia goes “ape shit” and starts wiping out the entire globe; Europe, America, The Middle East, and China just does NOT HAPPEN. Not on this shared world-line template.

And while we (our template and John Titor’s) share the same trends they manifest quite differently. And we will discuss that here…

Comparing some of the things that I anticipate will happen to the John Titor narrative

On the assumption that the knowledge that John Titor imparted in regards to his temporal displacement mechanism is beyond that of a casual hoaxer…

… we can assume that he is what he said he was, but that is of little use to us at all. Two different world-lines and time-lines and world-line templates have very little bearing and connection to each other.

But the trends do.

And here we will concentrate on the trends. Those 2.5% to 4% deviations that both of our world-line templates share.

And using that comparison we can extrapolate certain predictive trends.

Much the same way that we use the generational theory of the fourth turning writings to develop predictive trends as well.

And in this post we will be using both tools to look at our comparatively shared futures.

What John Titor said…

John Titor said many things that do not match the world as we see it today. In his world, way back twenty or so years ago he viewed the world as a mixture of independent nations all pretty much duplicating the trends in American (with the exception of South America).

And while his domestic and social trends seem to parallel the events that have followed since, they are often wildly wrong.

Crazy America. — 7DEC21. Trump supporters storm Congress and take over the building.

Certainly, today 7JAN21, it seems that the United States is getting embroiled in the very stirrings of a Civil War, that is not guaranteed. But it certainly does seem that way, doesn’t it?

But I can tell you’se guys personally that these kinds of details vary substantially from one world-line to the next. They mean nothing. Though the TRENDs might be maintained. Trends…

A disputed election.
A President that refuses to leave the White House.
Riots or rallies for one party or the other.
The news media freaks out.

So let’s look at what he said, then compare that to what we know, and then extrapolate from there…

John Titor made this statement…

The year 2008 was a general date by which time everyone will realize the world they thought they were living in was over. The civil war in the United States will start in 2004. I would describe it as having a Waco type event every month that steadily gets worse. The conflict will consume everyone in the US by 2012 and end in 2015 with a very short WWIII.

The only way that you can possible reconcile these dates with our time line is to add ten years to the dates. Creating this…

The year 2018 was a general date by which time everyone will realize the world they thought they were living in was over. The civil war in the United States will start in 2014. I would describe it as having a Waco type event every month that steadily gets worse. The conflict will consume everyone in the US by 2022 and end in 2025 with a very short WWIII.

Which pretty much makes sense and does agree with the Generational Theory of the Fourth Turning Cycles…

Yet, you know, if you forget the details and the dates you just look at the trends. And the trends are what is being duplicated.

Trends…

A point in time when people realize that America is not what they thought it was.
The start of a Civil War at some level of activity.
America gets involved in a World War III.

But then what?

I can, and will argue that anyone can massage any information to make it fit into what ever form one wants to justify their arguments. And that is something that we just don’t want to do here.

Let’s see some of the other things that he has said…

The United States is still a representative republic in 2046 but it was touch and go for a while.  

After the war, the U.S. had divided into 5 general areas based on their economic and defensive strengths. Many people blamed the government organization for the war and the last Constitutional Congress was held in 2020 to officially scrap the Constitution and start over.  

Fortunately, this exercise in anger pointed out how hard it was to come up with anything better.  It was decided the document wasn’t at fault.  

As a result, there have been a few small changes to the Constitution and the executive branch but you would easily recognize it. The average citizen is more educated about the Constitution and aware of the rights and responsibilities it gives them. 

Federal power has been decentralized and the focus of daily politics is in the state senates. Federal law has also been streamlined but much harder to change or make additions to.

Well, who knows what will happen? In my mind, however, this is overly optimistic given our contemporaneous events. The idea that the Federal Constitution would be maintained, and that all the State Constitutions would regain their power back from the federal government is a long-shot.

I cannot say what any TRENDS that this might represent, but rather that this little bit of trivia describes an evolutionary result within his origination life-line. And that the division of power on the many other world-lines could very dramatically diverge from this point outward.

John Titor described his “future”

Though, this sounds like is a very strong parallel with contemporaneous events.

“This is one example of a theory involving “time shells” progressing in size and intensity around a gravitational point from all matter. The more massive the object, the larger and more influential the time shells around it (like an onion). — Like an isobaric map of potential time lines and “intentions”.  

“Perhaps I should let you all in on a little secret. No one likes you in the future."

He predicted the “Federal Police”, which was the DHS that was established by President George Bush after 9-11.

From the age of 8 to 12, we lived away from the cities and spent most of our time in a farm community with other families avoiding conflict with the federal police and national guard.  By that time, it was pretty clear that we were not going back to what we had and the division between the “cities” and the “country” was well defined.

The John Titor future does not resemble our world-line template at all…

And he pretty much said that Russia would go “ape shit” and blow the shit out of American, Europe and China…

The civil war ended in 2015 when Russia attacked the U.S. cities (our enemy), China and Europe. As unusual and bad as my childhood might seem, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Africa is not a pleasant place to be in 2036 although I would characterize it as recovering.

But the thing is, on our world-line, not only isn’t Europe and China enemies with Russia, but they actively trade with Russia. The BRI from China goes into Western Russia.

While U.S. trade relations with China have soured, as each slap billions of dollars' worth of tariffs on each other's goods, trade relations between China and Russia are blossoming.

The Russian military and the Chinese military have officers in all of their HQ’s, and Europe while pretty much aligned with America has been breaking away from that tight binding alliance and getting more autonomy to trade with it’s neighbors.

Missile Notice Pact Extension is Proof That Russia, China ...
https://sputniknews.com/world/202012291081600910...

Dec 29, 2020 · MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia and China’s mutual extension of the missile launch notification agreement earlier this month is an indication that the two Eurasian giants do not see each other as threats, Moscow’s ambassador in Beijing Andrey Denisov said on Tuesday.

Of course, the United States does not like this cozy situation one bit!

U.S. “not going to allow Russia and China to continue …

And the John Titor narrative does not match contemporaneous situations on our shared world-line template.

Russia and China have always had a very strange relationship. Even the news I see now indicates that continued weapons deals to allies, border clashes and overpopulation will lead to hostilities.  

The West will become very unstable which gives China the confidence to “expand”. I’m assuming you are all aware that China has millions of male soldiers right now that they know will never be able to find wives.  The attack on Europe is in response to a unified European army that masses and moves East from Germany. 

Also, please be aware that from my viewpoint, Russia attacked my enemy who was in the U.S. cities.  Yes, the U.S. did counter attack.

Me thinks he reads too much American propaganda. There are some seriously invalidated statements here. They do not match the reality of modern contemporaneous China one bit.

There are no border classes between Russia and China.
Overpopulation in China does not exist. It is crowded, but the extreme bullshit that you read in America of starvation, lack of housing and infrastructure are all lies.
“Men cannot find wives.” Total and complete BULLSHIT.
There is no “unified” EU army.
“China is going to expand outward” Never happen. This is not in their 5, 10, 50 and 100 year plans.

The John Titor narrative describes a world that does not resemble anything that exists today on our present shared world-line template. making the John Titor narrative hilarious in it’s inaccuracies.

I guess you could say that. Taiwan, Japan and Korea were all “forcefully annexed” before N Day. 

I don’t remember a great deal about media coverage during the civil conflicts. I would probably characterize it the same way you see coverage of Waco, Ruby Ridge and Elian Gonzalez.

Again. This has very little resemblance to our reality.

He continues on about the World War

And it makes interesting reading.

The “pattern” of exchange in the war will not be a surprise.

Many people will perish as a result of starvation and disease. I would also submit that you already know if you’re safe or not. 

The trick is to not turn off your fear when you’ll need it the most. 

Australia is sort of interesting in what is unknown. After the war, they were not very cooperative or friendly (can’t blame them really). 

It is known they did repulse a Chinese invasion and most of their cities were hit. They have a trading relationship with the U.S. but I would characterize them as reclusive and ticked off. 

When people use phrases like “See what I mean”, “You’re not hearing what I’m saying” or “Something smells fishy”, they are indicating the primary sense they use to process information about a situation.  

I find it interesting that my credibility and the phrases that describe it hinge on economic terms and whether or not I have something to sell. I don’t. I also don’t know how to clarify my position any better so I would suggest that if what I say angers you, it might be best to just consider it fiction. 

Soon you’ll get bored and I will leave in a few months. Either way, it won’t be an issue. The “enemy” that was attacked by Russia in the U.S. was the forces of the government you live under right now.

He said that the US attacked Russia, and Russia responded.

He said that an aggressive China invaded Australia. I find that completely and wholly at odds with our present reality. It is so far-fetched and unrealistic that it makes me embarrassed that I even post on of his “predictions” on MM.

But the distrust that Australia has with America is understandable. This trend is understandable if you are at the very least paying attention to the relationship between Australia and China. Mike Pompeo and Trump worked with Hon Scott Morrison MP to sever ties with China, and trash trade while ramping up the military This has most assuredly tarnished the trading relationship. When Trump left, the ties remained severed and the wounds hurt.

There is a great deal of distrust in the Asia-Pacific rim regarding America right now.

Yes, I think the New World Order idea tried to establish itself. I would consider them the combination of the old U.S. federal system, Europe, Canada and Australia.

He said that…

South America went relatively unharmed. However, there is still a great deal of internal conflict with conventional arms

In regards to the World War III event…

Yes, EMP took out a great number of electronic devices.  That’s one of the reasons why we don’t have reliable technology laying around. 

However, in the opening hours of N Day, the Russians did not launch any high altitude detonations. They knew we would most likely clean up after them so they wanted everyone outside the cities to be able to communicate. 

Most of the warheads that hit the cities came in threes and exploded close to the ground. The heavy EMP damage was isolated to those areas.

Scary stuff.

I’ve noticed that when most Americans think about Canada in this time, they think about pine trees, chooks and back-bacon. It may interest you to know that most Canadians in 2036 are some of the most efficient, ruthless and dangerous people I know. God help Quebec.

Interesting.

The animal Kingdom is alive and well. I’m sure it suffered but there fewer people infringing on animal’s habitats now. 

Nuclear war is a very undesirable thing but it is not the end of the world. 

There are areas and cities we can’t enter and the environment did suffer a great deal of damage but we are recovering. 

Isn’t Hirroshima a thriving city today? The major physical affects include skin cancer, infertility, infection, etc. Almost everyone has some sort of physical remnant from the war.

The entire country was affected, not just the cities on the coasts.

(5) Were only cities along the Eastern Sea port hit in the Nuclear War, or all over the country? 

Mostly cities and large military areas in the entire country.

He continues that the War affected the entire world in one way or the other.

(16) Which country gets the worst in the war? 

Again, the entire world is affected. Even if you don’t take a direct hit, dying crops and no water can ruin your day.

Well, that is interesting, but the lead up does not match what our current reality actually is…

What our current reality describes

Our current reality describes something quite different.

And these differences will shape what the TRENDS will lead us all towards.

I believe, that I cannot prove, that there are elements in the Chinese, the Russia and the American governments that do not want the John Titor scenario to occur, and to this end, they have placed “fail safe” mechanisms in place.

For instance, using China, for I am most familiar with it, the election of Mr. Deng back in the 1970’s completely changed the path and course that China was on. And the ideal for the idealistic fervor for “spreading communism” all over the world ended in the late 1970’s. Of course, no one told that to any Americans. Who still have this terribly distorted idea of what China is like. Which, of course, propagated by endless lies and distortions.

What we see today is a unified Asia falling into place.

Russia and China are teaming up. They have strong agreements with the SE Asian nations, and both the European and Middle Eastern nations.

So let’s look at this.

Firstly, what Americans think about Geo-Political relationships after four years of trump and company…

Yes, I know it sounds and looks really bad, but isn’t this the exact way it is? The declared “enemies” of the United States are Iran, Russia, China, and North Korea. And the United States is fighting eight (x8) “hot” wars in the middle east, has over 800 military bases world-wide and is involved in all sorts of hidden wars sponsored by the CIA assets; the NID and NED.

This world view is in complete alignment with the John Titor narrative. It describes how an American conservative might view the world.

Which explains why the United States has so many military bases everywhere

You know “for democracy”.

Here is a map showing where all the military bases are all over the globe.

American military bases all over the world.

This map gives a distorted illusion. It provides the illusion that everywhere there is an American base, that that nation, country or territory is aligned socially, politically and militarily with the United States. Which isn’t even remotely true.

Now, let’s look at the world differently. Let’s see it as it actually in irregardless to what America or Americans might think about it or now.

The “real” reality 2021

Now this is a very simplified map. And I did so intentionally.

First off, I did not include any of the 8x eight nations that the USA is fighting wars in to be American allies.

Were America to be embroiled in other issues (Civil War, nuclear war, etc.) these nations could quickly flip to neutral or even align with one of America's "enemies". So I did not identify them as American-client-nations.

Taiwan is colored the same color as China, because after all, by UN treaty, and by Taiwanese law, it is a State of China. So this map accurately reflects the world as it is today, not what the USA wants it to be.

Taiwan stopped being an independent nation, and became a Chinese client state  in 1972 by [1] The Shanghai Communiqué and the 1982 [2] Joint Communiqué and [3] the August 17 Communiqué. It's the 23rd province of China.

All of this his was codified and made permanent on October 1971, when the United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 2758, which recognized the government of the People’s Republic of China as the only legitimate representative of China at the United Nations and established the One-China Principle.

Smaller nations, too small to color are not colored in. This includes Israel and Hawaii.

Nations in blue are the EU.

They try to be neutral, but their leanings over the last four years has been with their Asian neighbors Russia and China. This is true irregardless to what the American media might try to portray.

Likewise, even though America has military bases in Korea, and Japan, and throughout the SE Asia, these nations align with their larger neighbors, not with far-away America. North Korea might have US bases and an American military presence, but it’s largest trading partner and economic, racial (Han Chinese) and cultural heritage is with China.

Other nations that try to be neutral or independent such as Greenland, or African nations are left uncolored.

India is trying to stay neutral, although it’s ruling class and media are firmly aligned with the United States, but it is large enough to have it’s own yellow color.

Leaving the world, more or less, resembling this kind of map if you cut away all the bull-shit, and look at things from a social-economic perspective. Instead of one related to military might and military activities.

This is the world today, 2021…

So what do we see?

Look at the map. Can you see something interesting there?

America is pretty isolated in the world today.
Major, hard and consistent, American allies include Canada, the UK, and Australia.
The rest of the world is dominated by Russia and China which hold the lion share of factories, military weapons, political agreements, trade relationships and technology.
Europe is trying to be neutral, but leans East. Poland is an exception.
Australia should flip red in the next few years with all the problems that the PM Morrison caused though his alignments with Trump and company.

This is all very interesting. Eh.

It’s not what is being told to Americans through the American media. Instead America is being told to fear the rest of the world or else they will “steal our democracy”, and that America is the biggest, the toughest and the best in the world.

Of course, you could "nit pick" my assumptions and argue that the American neocons are actually correct, and that economic and technological and manufacturing capabilities are over-rated. You could argue that nothing has changed, and that national strength is a function of real and actual strength. If you believe this then maybe you should leave Metallicman and start reading the National Review.

Now, let’s imagine the world in the next four to five years.

The world in 2025.

In this we will follow existing trend lines. We will [1] assume that the USA will spend a significant amount of time, money and resources on domestic issues and problems . Which might include a civil war, or barring that, a civil disturbance.

[2] We assume that there will be repercussions for Morrison siding with Trump in his anti-China stance. And we will see Morrison and his nationalistic party lose the Australian elections.

[3] We will see the Chinese BRI expanding, and trade opening up to Europe.

[4] We will witness a complete pull-out and withdrawal of American troops out of Afghanistan.

[5] We might as well see a changes in political opinion regarding China and India relations. India will then wish to participate in the BRI rather than isolate and trust in the “goodwill” of America.

All of these are all just assumptions and extrapolations from what we are observing.

Resulting in this map…

Thus creating a situation of a combined Asia against the United States Empire.

Now, of course this is all extrapolations with some pretty major assumptions, and of course, anything can change in the future. So we will keep things simple…

A united Asia is rising in power with global reach. It controls most of the world’s factories, a sizable and competitive technological base, and a whole lot of people.

And how America will react to these changes will determine what the future for America and Americans will be.

American reactions to a changing world

Well, we already have seen how a neocon administration (Trump) would react to a changing global situation. But their actions were not very popular. Donald Trump lost his reelection, and the global community has looked askance at the United States ever since.

What will happen in the future is unknown, but if the trends continue as they seem to be doing, then we can expect the following…

Continued unrest in the United States.

Depending upon how the various State and Federal government handle this unrest will determine whether [1] the unrest will end, or [2] get much worse. My experience with the American government is one that indicates lack of originality, an arrogance and a true lack of creative understanding of the deep and substantive issues that America is embroiled in.

My guess is that…

The unrest will get worse, and it will be aggravated by cold, uncaring reactive measures taken at the State and Federal level.

Which pretty much means that at some point in time, that…

Some kind of Second Civil War will occur in the United States. Whether organized in sides, or balkanized, or just manifest as terrorism, there will be shootings and deaths.

And I sincerely hope that this does not happen. If it does it means that the same-old same-old playbook by the oligarchy will continue to play out. Two sides will fight each other, while the rulers watch from the ramparts.

And if the various governments are not able to suppress the domestic unrest, they will “pull out the old playbook”, and attack or try to create some kind of major foreign war as a distraction. Usually, in the past this has typically resulted in the unification of the nation against a foreign foe. However this time, the conditions are quite different. And the results of this action will be terrifying.

World War III. Russia / and or China will respond to American aggression with a preemptive nuclear salvo.

Conclusions

While the specifics regarding the John Titor narrative have no actual bearing on the realities on this world-line template that we share, the trends and the trend line does. If the current situation DOES NOT CHANGE then we can well expect a gloomy outlook.

It WILL NOT be like John Titor described.

But it will be awful.

What I can say that is the severity of the war that America will be embroiled in will be directly proportional to the arrogance of the American ruling oligarchy.

We will need to watch and see what will happen.

I like to believe that the promises made to me at the ADC Pine Bluff during my retirement has validity. And if so, then what ever occurs in the future will not be as horrible as our fears believe. There will be changes, and in the long term, for our children and for our descendants, the world will become a better place for everyone.

Do you want to see similar posts?

I hope that you found this post curious. Please take care. You can view other similar posts in my SHTF Index, here…

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Deductions from our lives

When I first started working I worked at various jobs. One of these positions was as a “stock boy” in a local supermarket. I would wear a red and white striped apron, a white short-sleeved shirt and a tie. My hair would always be groomed to be over the ears. No hair to ever touch the collar, and clean appearance.

At that time, we were paid by cash. The cash was in envelopes with the amounts and deductions on the cover. Like this…

Anyways, the accountant did all the proper calculations. hey were all shown on the envelope, bus she was stealing cash out of the envelopes. And I, being a boy of only 14 (you can work at that age with parental approval) didn’t catch on until much later. While all of the older co-workers always forced her to correctly pay in the correct amount.

Later, when I needed cash for college, I went though my unopened envelopes. Years worth of them. And discovered that while my envelope said that I earned $65, the envelope actually only contained perhaps $5.

Essentially I was working for free, or nearly free.

Meanwhile this small-town bandit was driving a brand new Lincoln continental, and treating me like dirt.

Word to the wise; if someone treats you like dirt they are either purposely hurting or harming you, or they plan to do so. Whether it is money, relations, work, career, or for some reason. Watch out.

So yeah, was I stupid?

No. I was young and had NO PARENTAL SUPPORT.

Where were my friends? Where was the management? Where was due diligence?

Gone, and I was just a young kid “learning the hard lessons of life” on my own, alone. You know; the “American way”.

Learn.

Bad people do bad things. Watch out for tell-tales and indicators.

Today…

How much control do we have over our lifespan through healthy behaviors and whether our genes set a strict limit.?

As a 71 year old and a hospice volunteer, I have a huge list of people whose lifespan did not conform to what we are told to expect from healthy living, making it easy to see that heredity or something else has a lot to do with life span. But you will have trouble finding that in a PubMed paper, because the illusion of control sells medical care, whole foods, and gym memberships.

Probably like everyone my age, I can list a number of people who smoked and drank and never exercised, but lived well into their nineties, and way too many who lived the recommended lifestyle and dropped dead at 52. My own mother died at 91 and never stopped smoking or living on coffee, steak and butter. Her son, my brother (same genes), lived the clean life and died of cardio vascular disease at 52, the week after he aced his annual physical.

And as a volunteer in long term care facilities, one of my often-repeated parlor tricks is to have young CNAs and nurses gathered in the common area with the elderly patients, who include some who are 90 and 100 years old and then I ask the patients whether they ever smoked. Without fail they will say they did smoke, and the younger medical staff is slack-jawed. In the 1950s through 1970s most people smoked, and plenty lived to be 100, but the risks have been so over-stated since then that the younger generation believes that anyone who smokes will die young.

Don’t get it wrong: I don’t smoke and I don’t advise it, but I do prefer reality to fantasy, at least in terms of health and longevity.

Tangy Beef Strips

Yield: 4 servings (about 4 1/2 cups)

Ingredients

1 (1 pound) boneless sirloin steak
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup sliced onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chili sauce
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups quartered fresh mushrooms
1/2 medium green bell pepper, cut into strips
1/2 medium red bell pepper, cut into strips
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
Hot cooked noodles

Instructions

Cut steak across grain into 1/4 inch thick slices.
In large skillet, quickly brown steak in 1 tablespoon oil; remove and set aside.
Sauté onions and garlic in remaining tablespoon oil until onions are tender.
Stir in chili sauce, water, beef bouillon granules, cumin and pepper. Heat to boiling; add mushrooms and peppers. Cover; simmer for 5 minutes.
Add reserved steak and any accumulated meat juices; heat.
Combine yogurt and cornstarch; stir into meat mixture. Heat until thickened.
Serve over hot cooked noodles.

What are the most unexpected challenges faced by long-term Las Vegas residents that tourists or newcomers might not anticipate?

Before I get to the challenges, let me hit on some facts that many Vegas visitors probably don’t realize:

The first unexpected aspect of Vegas living is that probably 80% of my friends, neighbors and co-workers avoided the Strip like the plague. It’s not like we drove down on Friday nights to hang out or go to the club. It wasn’t our playground. We’d go when someone came to town to visit and we had to go play tour guide. Or maybe once a year, we’d go check out a show or try a new restaurant. I’m sure the same could be said for San Franciscans visiting Pier 39 or New Orleanians hitting up Bourbon Street.

Those who did frequent the casinos as locals often paid the price. I saw careers destroyed by constant party lifestyle. And my wife one year was asked to help with an accounting project for a local exec who needed to tally up his winnings for the tax man. He literally brought her two black trash bags full of receipts. All totaled out, he was down about $740,000 on the year.

Most of the unexpected challenges were heat related. Funny things that I didn’t expect were how the heat affected car maintenance. Windshield wipers had to be replaced twice a year because they would bake and crack and when summer monsoon season would roll through, they didn’t work anymore. Car batteries died faster; most of mine lasted only 2–3 years, vs 7 or 8 years in other places I’ve lived.

Speaking of cars, driving in the rain in Vegas is horrendous. You may think it’s because it doesn’t rain much in the desert so people just don’t know how to drive there, and you’d be partially right. But Vegas roadways are also designed for extreme heat resistance, which also lets them hold onto more oil. When the rains come, all of that oil floats and driving on Vegas freeways becomes a slip-show. It was almost a guarantee that both major freeways through town would have major accidents on rainy days.

Raising a family brought some interesting challenges. Vegas is one of the least educated big cities in the country. It’s a town where for a long time you could make a decent living parking cars or selling cigarettes in a miniskirt, so it attracted people who were hard-working, but not particularly academic.

There’s also the constant sleaze. It doesn’t matter which way you’re headed out of town, you’re going to pass billboards for strip clubs and burlesque shows. I just didn’t want to have to explain to my 6 year old what that meant, which was one of my primary reasons for leaving.

As a young married couple, we didn’t mind Vegas. There’s plenty to do, flights are subsidized so travel is cheap, there’s a surprising amount of natural beauty between lakes, rivers, deserts, and even mountains (did you know there’s a ski resort less than an hour drive from the Strip?). But it’s not a place I’d want to raise a family.

As a police officer, what was your most ‘now that was stupid’ moment with a suspect?

We had a driver from Chicago who felt as though a 25 MPH speed limit at a crossing for a children’s park was a mere suggestion – especially when driving a convertible with a trophy blonde on his arm. It was a bright June Saturday afternoon, and the municipal pool was open. He decided to drive through the crowded crosswalk at 49 MPH, despite three warning signs: two reducing the speed and the ‘children present crosswalk’ sign.

My partner and I were just about to pull out of my driveway (we had stopped for cold drinks) and his speed kept us from entering the same street. I had enough presence of mind to grab the radar and lock in his speed as he passed the crosswalk. We got him stopped and out of his car and into ours. It was there he tried a Chicago-scheme on ‘Mayberry deputies Barney Fife and Gomer Pyle.’

My partner is writing a ticket (giving the mope a break instead of arresting him for ‘Criminal Recklessness with a Vehicle) when Mr. ‘Hugh-Hefner’s-Friend’ says, “Say, Officer, that’s a nice pen. I collect pens and I’d give you twenty dollars for that one.” JCT replies, “This is just a cheap thirty-nine-cent Bic – it’s not worth twenty bucks.” “But I collect them and its worth twenty to me.” “If you’re sure you want to buy it, I’ll sell it.” Then, “Just put the twenty in the console and I’ll give you the pen.” (Exchange made).

Mr. Jones asks us to unlock the door so he can get out. JCT says, “Hang on a minute, I haven’t finished writing your ticket yet. Rob, he just bought my pen, may I borrow yours?” “Of course, JCT.” I must say that the subject held his temper in check, but you could see the wheels turning for extracting his revenge from these two hick cops.

A month later we were in court as this ticket required a court appearance. The ADA had us give our evidence first, followed by Mr. Jones presenting his defense. “Your Honor, I bought this officer’s pen for twenty dollars so he wouldn’t write me the ticket, and I gave him the twenty and he sold the pen to me, then borrowed this other officer’s pen and wrote me the ticket.” Everyone in the courtroom was trying hard not to laugh as this guy had just presented evidence of a felony bribery confession.

The ADA then rose and said, “Your Honor, the State would like to present evidence corroborating Mr. Jones’ statements,” and the twenty-dollar bill in an evidence envelope was brought forth with fingerprints that had been lifted and matched to the defendant in other cases. JCT testified that he had Mr. Jones put the money in the console and waited until he was gone before putting it into the evidence envelope with latex gloves. Thus, he had never had the money in his hand nor had I, except to put it in the envelope.

Before the ADA could say anything more, the idiot shouted very angrily, “Your Honor, I gave these officers a BRIBE but they wrote the ticket anyway…” and his words tapered off as the full implication of what he was saying hit him like a mortar shell. “Mr. ____________,” the Judge said, “You have the right to remain silent; I suggest you exercise that right at this time.” That’s when the entire court erupted in laughter.

When the ADA suggested a fine of $1000 and 30 days in jail, all suspended, the Judge said it was not nearly enough and fined him $10,000 (the maximum), a year in jail, all suspended but for sixty-two days (he’d be serving thirty-one days minimum), and 1000 hours of community service. This guy had a helluva time – he tried to hire a lawyer for an appeal then but that was impossible. He probably spent $35K – $50K.

He got to be a celebrity around town – picking up trash at every festival and fair, cleaning up dog poop at the County Shelter, trimming tree limbs blocking signs, and weed-whacking at the football field. My partner and I would see him on hot summer days and take him to a convenience store for water or sodas, but mostly the bathroom and air-conditioning for a long break. Sometimes we’d take our lunch break at Mickey D’s or Subway, and he would be allowed to join us. Our treat.

He did his penance at first angrily, but as time went on his attitude changed remarkably. He found our town, while not as vibrant as Chicago, contained people who were friendly, if not gregarious. In a town of 8500 you soon learn who is driving the Corvette convertible every weekend to jail and back. There was no ‘good time’ for weekend jail, so he was doing thirty-one weekends or sixty-two days. Folks would see him working and stop by with water and words of encouragement. After a time, the Sheriff started having him escorted to church, and later to ‘churchin’ cookouts.’ And for years afterward he would drive down to visit his friends in the small town he once disdained.

Exposé – Point Of No Return

Why is China angry at the world?

It isn’t. Your question is nonsense.

China happily trades with the world. China is the largest trading partner to over 120 countries.

China is helping the world through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Over 150 countries participate in the BRI and they are grateful for China’s assistance.

China is leading the BRICS organization that aims to unify the world in peace and common prosperity. Over 40 countries have lined up to join.

China has 17 countries participating in its Tiangong space station program.

China is working to bring peace to the world. It brokered an historic peace deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia, and it’s trying to do the same in the Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine conflicts.

China is only angry at the United States because the US has been demonizing China, sanctioning China, and trying to provoke China into war.

What will be the winner in the upcoming contest between the S400s and F-35s over Iran?

Which Airbase does Israel use?

The flying distance is 1327 Kms from Israel to the nearest point on the Iranian Border

The F-35 has a safety fuel flying range of 1,500 Kms

You need to fly, hit your target and return back to base

That’s 2,674 Kms minimum

Almost double the safe range for an F-35

So Israel needs to take off from nearer Air Bases Or refuel at nearer Air Bases

That brings Saudi Arabia and Iraq bang into the middle of a Iranian Israel war and I am pretty sure they won’t make it easy

Against Saturated Air Defense – No combat aircraft can succeed beyond the first few salvos

Doesn’t matter if it’s the F-35 Or F-22

For shorter distances like 250–300 Kms – it’s easier to attack and retreat

Not for 2700 Kms!!!!!!

You can’t fly 1300 Kms in stealth mode and hit a target and come back another 1300 Kms without being spotted by Air Defence and hit with one of those missiles

Those S-400 missiles have a range of around 250 Kms at a height of 20 Kms

The F-35 would be toast

Israel will either hit Iranian Targets with F-35s if Iran agrees on the targets beforehand to give Israel face

Israel will hit Iranian Scientists and Military Personnel through Drone Attacks

Israel will hit Iranian facilities with Drones

medley RUFUS featuring CHAKA KHAN in SOULTRAIN

Has a drill sergeant ever encountered a recruit who ‘had it together’ too much to require what the drill sergeants do?

We had a kid in our flight (Air Force, 1991) who had his act together in Basic. Physically fit, tried out for Pararescue around week 4 (missed it by 1 pullup; instructors said he could try out again any time). Anyway, kid clearly wanted to be special forces and had prepped hard for Basic. Had his shit together, never had to be told twice how to do anything, all that jazz. A+ cadet.

One day, surprise inspection. T.I. (AF term for drill instructor) has us all go outside and stand at parade rest while he wandered through our barracks with himself and the 2nd T.I. After 10–15 minutes he calls us all back inside. We stand at attention at our bunks.

T.I. is going through everyone’s stuff, not really finding anything wrong. He gets to this guys clothes, starts going through his folded BDUs. Opens the pockets, and in every pocket is a tiny piece of paper – some kind of “Inspected By” thing. Now, keep in mind, these are in everyone’s BDUs when they’re issued, as far as I recall, and we all have to take a few minutes stripping them out when they were issues so we aren’t nabbed during an inspection for foreign material in our uniforms. And this kid, he’d stripped all of his out too. We all did, all at the same time. But the T.I. had spent those 10–15 minutes putting them back in his uniforms, so it looked like he’d forgot, and he got nailed. Gimme that 341!

The lesson was twofold (at least the way I understood it): First, no one gets through Basic unscathed. You might have your shit together, but they’ll find a way to bring you back to the pack. That lets everyone know they’re mortal; no one’s special; no one is better than anyone else, and you’re all in this together, as a team. But the other lesson was: This job (and life in generally, really) is gonna throw adversity at you no matter how much you have your shit together, because there will always be things you cannot control, and it’s how you deal with that adversity that matters.

Now, the funny epilogue to this story: We get to graduation day. We’re out under our dorm again in the hot Texas heat, in April (because the actual dorms are elevated, so there’s an overhang that whole flights can stand under for shade). The Tech Instructors are calling out names for graduation, and they get to this *other* kid in our flight named Copeland. T.I. calls his name then stops, and says, “Who the fuck is Copeland?”

For reals – the kid had made it through Basic without ever being noticed. I think we all silently cheered for him. I know I certainly did. It was kind of an awesome moment.

You can fly under the radar. But I don’t think it happens very often.

Taylor Dayne – Tell It To My Heart

China amazes us once again with this incredible infrastructure work!

The Qianchun interchange, in Guizhou province, is almost a 5-level labyrinth, with 18 ramps and 8 directions. Try to imagine driving on this road rollercoaster at 37 meters high

main qimg 06e15d3402a77eecefde5d9dcc5e7314

Are you already wondering how your navigator would behave here, which only needs the roundabout behind the house to smooth out the right exit? Don’t worry, Chinese officials claim that the signs and exits on the interchange are clearly marked and that even if you make mistakes, it is always easy to go back!

10 Things That Don’t Make Sense After 61!

Has a young child ever come up to you alone and asked for help? How did you react, and what did you do?

A neighbor (diagonal from me) fosters troubled kids (one at a time) and has adopted two, we are on friendly terms but not close. When she has a new kid and I’m around she makes a point of introducing the kids to me. A couple summers ago I met one such 12/13 year old boy and she made a point of telling him “if there’s ever a problem she’s a safe adult it’s OK to talk to her” which is a very sweet thing to say. A short time later (days or weeks) I have a knock on my door and answer its the boy shaking and teary.

“please you have to help! She’s going to call the cops and get rid of me I know it! I had to run away, can I stay here? Please don’t call the cops and get me arrested”

I sat with him on my deck in full view of their house (because kid+solo adult in a house alone sounds like a bad idea unless it’s a bigger emergency)

“why do you think she’s going to call the cops and get rid of you?” (not going to promise not to call the cops cause I don’t lie to kids like that)

“I did it I was so bad I’m so sorry I’m so sorry”

“I can see you are sorry honey, can you tell me what happened?” as I quietly visually check his hands/arms/clothes for a sign of a struggle/wounds/etc

“we were eating dinner!” he wails

“OK then what happened”

“I was telling her about school and I got too excited and I’m a bad kid”

“did you get in trouble at school?”

“no I got a gold star and all my questions right”

“that’s great, why do you think you did a bad thing?”

“I hit my glass and it knocked over and I wasted my milk and my whole plate of food!!” uncontrolled sobs “she’s going to call the cops and get rid of me!”

“did she yell at you?”

“no”

“did she hit you or hurt you?”

“no but she’s going to hate me”

“why do you think that?”

“I wasted all the food and milk!” as he looks at me like I’m an absolute idiot

“OK honey I don’t think she’s going to call the cops I think she’s probably worried about you, does she know you are here?”

“no I ran away”

“OK how about I call her and let her know where you are and see if she’s mad at you”

“hey (neighbor), I have (kid) here and he’s very upset and worried you are mad at him about dinner”

“oh thank God, he doesn’t know the area I was worried he’d go into traffic”

“he’s scared you are going to call the cops and have him arrested”

“please tell him I miss him and I’m not going to have him arrested”

“honey she’s not going to have you arrested”

Sniffle”she’s not?”

“nope, do you want to go back over?”

Long sob

“I’ll be right over to pick him up”

And that’s how I rescued a child from spilled milk. I later found out his previous family life would’ve resulted in beatings and worse after that infraction and his previous foster treated him very poorly. My neighbor had called the cops but only to report his running and she immediately called back to report he was found and safe, he’d had a history of running. Fortunately he’d made it a couple hundred feet when he remembered that I was “safe”. He only stayed with my neighbor a short time longer due to reunification but I still hope the best for him from time to time.

Shorpy

What is your biggest “only in the USA” moment?

I once knew a British graduate of Oxford who had married an American woman and immigrated to the US. He wanted to start an educational business — tutoring, test prep, college admissions counseling, all that sort of thing. The very week of his arrival in the country he had appointments with the principals of many of the best private schools in the city. He was able to broker deals with them, offering pro bono tutoring for needy students in exchange for referrals. With a steady flow of students, he hired many tutors (including me), secured a loan, easily opened offices in the middle of the city, and within two or three years had a thriving business earning him hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.

He said that none of this would have ever been possible in the UK. There would have been too much red tape, although not so much administratively as socially. There is no way he would have ever gained a hearing with these principals in the UK, he said. There would have to be some kind of introduction, some justification for his being there. He was also amazed at how glad people were to help him at every point along the way. People who had no stake in his success were nevertheless excited to see someone do so well and eager to participate in it. Americans loved a success story. There was no begrudgement: no sense of people asking, “Who do you think you are?” It was amazing to him that he, a foreigner moreover, could waltz in this way and be so welcomed, almost as if he himself were an American. What he had found was that if you could do the job, you would be invited to do it, no further questions asked. It took remarkable hutzpah on his part to pull this off, but that boldness was not seen as a fault, as it might have been in his native land. It was seen as a sign that this was someone who could get the job done.

People on Quora, eager always to seem in-the-know and anything but naive, love to criticize the USA and are hesitant to say anything positive about it. There are, undoubtedly, many American vices to criticize—as for any target so large. But when we think of the American success evident in so many areas of endeavor—when we ask what has caused it and what is likely to perpetuate it into the future—we would do well to also remember those American virtues that have enabled it.

What are the implications of the United States sending an advanced anti-missile system to Israel in response to missile attacks by Iran?

Not much.

Let’s break this down. A THAAD unit has 6 launchers with 8 missiles each. It is SOP to fire 2 missiles per incoming ballistic missile to “guarantee” a hit. So that THAAD system has 48 missiles.

It can theoretically intercept 24 ballistic missiles.

The last attack used 180 ballistic missiles and that was just a warning. In other words, Israel can expect hundreds of thousands of missiles per salvo and they will keep coming if Israel starts a war with Iran.

You can do the math yourself.

Also there has been some questions regarding how well US systems can intercept ballistic missiles. Patriot Pac 2 and 3 are also supposed to intercept ballistic missiles.

In the videos that we see. We can see one location that was attacked. You can see 1 being intercepted. That is the big explosion in the air. The rest either missed or barely did any damage and the missiles continued until they hit the ground. This is with the interceptor missiles coming up from the ground.

So let’s assume that THAAD does what the US says it does and intercepts 24 missiles. What about the other several hundred or thousands? The US only has 7 THAAD systems. Now the US has 6.

Why should you avoid Thailand for retirement?

Be kind to yourself and ask yourself,—What do I want in the twilight years of my life?

If you still want to think like when you are in the 40s then you may ponder harder if Thailand will be the right place for you.

What is in the heads of men or women in their 40s?

Look for business opportunities and build their business empires, or imagine themselves as Romeo or Juliet, and spend the money on drinking or shopping and thinking that only money brings happiness.

Then, Thailand is the ideal place for you to buy business and set up bars, pubs, and chic cafes. You will not only be Romeo but thorns among Juliets but you will soon look like an old ‘Walking Dead’

Why retire in Thailand? To enjoy sun sand and sea? That is a misconception if you think that’s what coming to Thailand is ultimately for.

What about being young at heart again leaving your family back home and starting a new life with a real gem – a Thai woman, for once, a woman to care for you before you leave this world?

That’s not wrong provided you get the right Thai woman (keep searching) but to leave your family back home is not right for any man (only by my std)

What could be the greater things about retirement in Thailand?

To stay in a ‘house that Jack built’ (many did that somehow) despite strict control laws but wise men say: ‘Where there’s a will, there’s a (legitimate) way living in a dream place a one-acre land with a barn, and a workshop of your own if you are a handyman, that’s everyman’s dream.

Get up early to greet the dawn and do the thing you ever wished you could and now you can! With friendly neighbors or respectful people around you. Not getting up late and doing nothing but drinking and doze off again.

Eat a variety of foods where your heart desires, not the same old crap you eat at home.

Imagine yourself surrounded by animals like monkeys and water buffaloes, a newfound love with your very own faithful Thai Bailey’ ( a Ridgeback dog -Mah Lang Arn) besides being a watch dog, it is capable of protecting you from the cobra… seriously.

All these without breaking the bank. Still can sell wild, wild, Western American authentic pizza like, ‘George’s Pizza’ ( George said—you are free to put ketchup).

main qimg a498a53923b96737c5deeaa53765d150

main qimg c5198f7cab2f522f55fe393dcf1eee6a

Yes, George’s Pizza and hamburgers that rock Phisanulok let alone Thailand.

That’s all my 2 cents—To experience your retirement that your peers would envy you (till you kick the bucket) with a careful plan in Thailand.

**Why should you avoid Thailand for retirement? If my answer is crap to you, go ahead and avoid Thailand**

Wanna be as happy as George Bowman, a Quora bro? what are you waiting for?- retire in Thailand and eat George’s Pizza!

Edited: I stumbled on one of George’s answer on the topic of Thailand and loved it, so I’m stuck ever since.

Japan has forgotten the lessons of World War two! Lavrov

A Life Beyond

Submitted into Contest #247 in response to: Imagine a world where exploration is forbidden, and write a story about a character who defies this rule to satisfy their innate curiosity.… view prompt

Carol Stewart

Warning… You are approaching the barrier, do not proceed… Warning…A hundred miles from his city centre dwelling, and several hundred yards from where he’d abandoned his one-person laser travelling pod, Enz entered the ‘no-go’ zone, setting off the alarm. The sun was already blackening, soon it would be eclipsed, and the lights which flashed and beamed before him, blue and amber from various levels on the high mirrored walls, would turn everything around him such a sickly shade of intense it would bring the city to a halt. Circuits frozen, power disconnected, pods immobile, gridlocked. Communication would be impossible, water blocked from flowing through the pipes. But only for a while. Only while he took his final steps. He’d take them slowly, he thought. Something as momentous as this deserved a countdown… StepTen… The speed of the traffic had slowed, he could hear the sound abating, no longer a whizz, but a hum. The drivers wouldn’t know why as yet, wouldn’t see him, or if they did, he’d be no more than a blur between the lights. A dog escaped its kennel? Inconsequential… StepNine… Enz looked down. His boots had changed colour absorbing the lights. He’d seen this once before when he’d fallen from the travelling pod as a boy, hearing the screams of his mother as he’d tumbled towards the mirrors, traffic brought to sudden stop. There are some doors you just don’t open, boy. Ever! She’d been fined a whole month’s pay for not securing the locks. A hundred and thirty-three years ago, and he still remembered… StepEight… The speed limit had been lower then and people had walked the zone’s perimeters, stopping every once in a while, to peer into the mirrors in the unlikely hope that they might find those elusive cracks that the old folks said were bound to still be there. The 2093 Mallet Attack had, if rumors were true, been a bad one. Vicious. And if this were the case, what there the chances that there was another city beyond, another ‘world’, that the authorities wished to prevent them from reaching? His grandfather had claimed he could vaguely remember when they’d put the barriers up, and according to his father, Enz’s great-grandpa, and his father before him, there had once been many different cities, smaller ones too – towns and villages, they were called. And the ‘countries’ which contained them. ‘The Continents’. Deserts, forests, rivers, seas, farmland, mountains, glaciers. It was hard to imagine what any of these might look like. Or the incredible modes of transport. Gliders, rockets, airplanes… people flying! All the way up in the sky and further, setting foot on some strange place called ‘The Moon’. Of course, these old folks’ tales were now regarded as myths, and he an eccentric for wanting to believe in them… StepSeven… His legs were getting weary. Strange to think he was both the oldest man alive, and oldest who had ever lived. Only weeks before, when he’d reached this astounding milestone, the city had seen fit to mark the occasion with a full day of rest for all and a historically-themed champagne banquet for the elite. Not that he’d been invited, but then he didn’t have much time left, so not one thought it seemly he attend. People were only allowed to reach a hundred and forty. After that, they’d be vaporized, although this hadn’t happened yet, so no one knew quite what to expect other than the procedure itself would take place in the brand new ‘Sterappropriate’ Hospital, and on this occasion only, in the presence of the press. Enz the oldest man ever. Enz, the eccentric exception. Headline news… StepSix… The mirrors towered over him, the lights beginning to blind. Warning… Warning… Harsh voices intermingled. Rage from the pods on the laser track. What are you doing, you decrepit moron? We need to be home in twelve seconds, can’t miss ‘together time’… blaring through the speakers. Don’t turn your head, he told himself, don’t pay attention… StepFive… He craned his neck till his eyes met the sky. The great black disc, a permanent fixture, was half-way across the sun now, and well before normal shutdown time. The power would be failing. Sorry, Zany. Sorry, Blitz and Fritz. He felt bad for the children. Their games would be interrupted, and their learning. He’d left them books, written, by his grandfather years back, but they didn’t know what to do with them. They found it hard to turn a page which didn’t require a finger-scan. Besides, they could barely read the words, or understand them. Archaic fantasy, as their parents called it, was beyond them, insisting, by way of various snide asides, that this was almost certainly for the best, and even their great-great grandparents refused to assist. Enz’s daughter had always mocked him for his outlandish way of thinking, and her children had chastised him. One day soon you’ll find yourself out of work, and you’ll only have yourself to blame. Teachers are meant to teach, not tell stories and lies. He was only seventy then, far too young to retire, so he’d had no other choice but comply if he had any hope of surviving… StepFour… Obligations. Responsibilities. He’d been free from those for a while now. A good long while, come to think of it. He’d received his city pension at a hundred, just shy of the government upping the age to a hundred and ten. The authorities weren’t happy when he’d then defied the lifespan expectation odds, and they’d had to pay him ‘more than he’d ever been worth’ for almost four times the number of years on which they’d figured. It had been a quiet four decades on the whole. He’d spent his time reading, not only his grandfather’s words, but other ancient literature kept in his apartment behind a panel in the flexible mind-metal wall. He’d taken a plethora of notes and gradually pieced together a plausible version of what might have gone before, and what indeed might still exist in some way, shape or form, outside the mirrors. He’d made a book of his findings, and on the day of the celebrations when her parents, members of the elite, had returned home oddly and adversely affected by the hitherto unknown effects of this new champagne commodity, he’d entrusted his papers to Zany. She was by far the most open-minded of the children. Clever too, she’d worked out how to turn the pages the moment he’d seized the chance to show her. Grandpa, Ezra! I didn’t know people could do that! This is – wow – amazing! …StepThree… If only he had enough time left to teach her the words, or to show her what he’d captured on his 21^st century smartphone. Antique technology, a relic for sure. A family heirloom, but considered ugly and useless by all, there was no point trying to sell it. It had fallen into his hands when his grandfather died, and eventually, after a great deal of trial and error, he had discovered that not only did it work as a simple notepad, but that it could also be used in ‘video mode’. The powers that be had, on two separate occasions, arrested him when they’d spotted it attached to the side of his travelling pod as he’d zoomed around the outskirts of the city, but both times they’d been forced to release him without charge. After all, as his rolling-eyed solicitor had said when he’d tossed the phone onto the interrogation room table for the second time in as many months, what was this thing, but an old piece of junk? Little did anyone know that it was on said ‘piece of junk’ that Enz had just captured his most precious footage. And how long he had spent replaying and examining it all. He’d almost given up finding anything, then he’d discovered ‘slow motion’ and ‘still’, and there it was. The crack in the mirror! The only one which remained from his grandfather’s time, when, according to his writings, his great-grandpa and a like-minded gang of his friends had staged the legendary Mallet Attack, a crime for which they’d spent the remainder of their days in jail. So much for it being some far-fetched story, his grandfather’s words forever dismissed as the ramblings of a fool. Just like the disc which blocked out the sun, when the books that Enz had read so clearly described the moon… StepTwo… All was dark and silent now, traffic at a standstill. Only the warning voice remained and those glaring, searching lights. In a moment he’d be vaporized. And perhaps the pain would be worse than any he might have felt had he kept his ‘Sterappropriate’ appointment. But he’d plucked up the courage to send his pod off track en route, so too late now! Besides, he had to know what was out there, if only for a second… StepOne… He reached towards the glass, felt for the crack and pressed. Nothing. He tried again. Harder. Not a cut on his hand. Not even so much as a scrape. Amber and blue, amber and blue. Neon bursts. Warning, warning, warning… And then he saw his own reflection, except his face didn’t look quite right. He moved a little closer. Eyes duller, he thought, but at the same time, brighter, more expressive. The lights perhaps, but then – the rest of it! Oh, how heavily lined his mirror self was! And the mouth was moving! So, that’s old Granpa Enz, then? A chuckle. When had he ever sounded like that? And why were the children behind him when he knew they weren’t there? Zany, Blitz and Fritz, all crowding round, smiling and laughing too, their movements not in any way stiff or restricted. So unusual. There had been a word he’d read in his grandfather’s book which described this. Natural? Yes, that’s what it was. And how beautiful! How wonderful to hear little Zany chattering on. Good job you arrived when you did, Gramps. Won’t be long before he’s gone. A hundred and forty, can’t exceed that, but he’s stuck holding on at the side there, and I think that’s what’s causing the glitch. ‘Course we could make another just like him and start all over again… Step Zero.

“It’s BEGUN, But MOST Don’t Know It YET…” – Richard Wolff

What meal have you served that brought tears to the eyes of the person you served it to?

1985 in Dallas there was a record ice storm. I had never seen anything like it. Cars in ditches, wrecks all over the place. Dallas was totally unprepared and the locals rarely seen snow so driving on ice was beyond them.

I was making money with a pick up and a tow strap with a few other odds and ends in the back. (Free tips: lower the tire pressure to 15/20 PSI makes them wider where the rubber hits the road, SLOW DOWN) Seen this old raggedy station wagon in a ditch and pulled over to see if I could make a quick $20. Calling AAA would give you several hours of wait at best.

Knew I would do it for less when “MeMa” as the kids were calling her stepped out, must have been 8 or better in there. Heard one telling her he was hungry then others chimed in. I hear “Baby I gotta pay him to pull the car out and need gas. I’ll find something when we get home.” Ragged car, clean looking but poorly dressed kids for the weather, no money. It had been a great day money wise so what the heck.

Pulled the wagon out, refused her money and told her I would follow her to a gas station we could see to be sure she made it OK. Place even had a McDonald. As they say in for a penny in for a pound. Told her to fill it I would pay then asked the kids if any one was hungry. That got me a load of ME! and YES!’s. Went and had coffee and a snack with them making sure everyone was feed well. When I said goodbye MeMa’s hug about crushed the breath out of me with happy tears falling out of her and a few little kids were hanging off my legs.

2022 and I still smile thinking about it.

Neil Howe: The Fourth Turning Is Here – How the USA’s Crisis Ends – The Realignment Podcast

The Renova Decision

Submitted into Contest #247 in response to: Set your story on a spaceship exploring the far reaches of space when something goes wrong.… view prompt

Jeff Macloud

The seven members of the executive council aboard the Amazonian were all but touching shoulders around the grey rectangular conference table. Deputy Governor Hunter Bryant, his tunic unbuttoned at the top, wiped sweat from his temples with his sleeve. Climate control was a major issue on the 923 year-old ship.Cleo el Masry, the vessel’s operations chief paused for effect, wrapping up her report on the impending deceleration decision. She sat back, her legs crossed at the knees, her hands smoothing the wrinkles out of a precisely tailored zip-up jumper that revealed nothing except that she was aggressively fit and fastidious. Most men found her beautiful. Hunter knew they had no chance.“The new probes have given us what we needed to know. The bottom line is,” she said, “Renova is teeming with life. That indicates a much higher probability of danger to any settlement. We need additional security forces, updated weapons, and a lot more ammo.”Rupert Shumar’s chair scooted and banged against the wall behind him as the science lead stood, “Bullshit!”Here we go again, Hunter thought, watching Rupert’s face redden all the way up past his balding hairline.Rupert aimed his wrath at Hunter. “You know the protocols. We should divert and avoid Renovan life,” turning now to face Cleo, ”not murder it.”“That protocol—,” Cleo began but stopped short at the withering scowl on Hunter’s face.Hunter knew that what he lacked in looks had been compensated two-fold in presence. He could hold a room.“Rupert,” Hunter began, “please have a seat.”Rupert sat, his bulk making the chair squeak.Hunter continued, “The protocol applies to intelligent life only, and…,” he held a hand up and shot a warning glare at Rupert who was bracing himself to stand again.Hunter finished, “the protocol clearly lists examples of technological signatures we can use to define intelligence.”“There is no evidence of intelligent life,” Cleo said, her cool tone contrasting with the room’s heat.“As we know it,” Rupert corrected.“As we know it,” Cleo allowed. “However, we have developed options that conserve life of all origins,” she looked at Rupert, who didn’t acknowledge her. “You’ll find them at Tab O on your tablets.”

“If we decelerate,” Rupert said without looking up, scrolling, “it cannot be undone.”

“But,” Cleo countered, “we have six months to deal with anything that pops up. Lots of smart people, too.”

Hunter glanced at the time. “I need to present our progress to the Governor over lunch. What about the rest of you? Let’s start on the left with life support. Max?”

“Thank you, deputy governor.” Max DuPont said wiping his brow, his voice low and gravelly despite his height. “Alexa, bring up my graphics on the table hologram, please.” He waited five seconds for that to occur, then continued. “First, if we choose to divert, food production needs to be prioritized to rebuild our stockpiles. We may need to ration certain items for some time. Next graphic please. Second, our gravity systems are in bad shape and need upgrades and repairs if we extend the mission. We are hoping for a deceleration scenario.”

“Thanks, Max,” Hunter said. “Alexa, use life support’s data to estimate priorities and timing for gravity system repair, starting in two weeks. Deliver those to my tablet before noon.”

“Certainly, Deputy Governor.” Alexa said.

Turning to his right now, “Medical?”

Kimbe Otumbo, unusually tall and bespectacled, stood to speak. “Yes, thank you, deputy governor. Colleagues, I’m honored to be h–,”

“I apologize, Kimbe. I have ten minutes before the governor’s lunch meeting.” Hunter knew Kimbe relished his chances to speak. He wasn’t arrogant or selfish. He was thorough. And he loved his job.

“Certainly,” the doctor fumbled with his glasses and set his tablet on the table. “Well, since time is limited, may I remind everyone that the data to support what I’m about to claim is at Tab M. As my colleague Cleo loves to say, there is a bottom line to my report. If we divert to Duonova, we – your mental health professionals – worry about panic and anxiety at levels conducive to mass hysteria and revolt.”

The table was hushed and still. The only sound was the clinking of Hunter’s glass as he swirled his ice water. He looked to Cleo. “Have we seen spikes in mental-health related deaths or crime?” Cleo, as operations lead, had executive responsibility for security and prisons, among many other departments.

Cleo nodded, “Alexa, bring up graphic thirty-seven from my briefing set. You all know the history. We have been focused on mental health for over two centuries now. Here’s the chart.”

Two centuries earlier, a design flaw caused a structural failure that slowed the Amazonian’s velocity and added 225 years to its mission. Three hundred and seventy-two deaths over two years were directly attributed to the accident. Most were either suicide, murder, or health problems related to drug and alcohol abuse. Nearly everyone on the Amazonian had family history with the tragedy. The chart had a massive spike, followed by a steep decline, that arrested about 200 years ago and was now a slow, steady climb with pot-holes and speed-bumps but no major changes.

“No spikes, lately” Cleo said, “but mental health-related stuff has been on a steady upswing for about two-hundred years, give or take.”

“What about the “Renova or Bust” lunatics?” Hunter asked.

“The “ROB” faction remains a challenge,” Cleo replied. “We all know about the two mass killi—”

Max chimed in, “Life support has those loopholes closed. Our security is tight. We will not allow that to happen again.”

Cleo held both hands up, “I wasn’t pointing fingers, Max.”

Hunter wondered if that were true.

Hunter, looking at the clock, pushed things forward. “Cleo, send me everything new on the ROB terrorists – membership, activity, anything the governor might ask about.”

Cleo nodded.

Hunter gestured to the medical officer, “Thanks, Kimbe,” and continued around the table.

Culture and Education agreed with Medical’s assessment of the mood of the population. They had run their own studies, which largely aligned.

Maintenance and Waste Management presented the top five problems with divert: shortage of electronics parts, shortage of propulsion parts, erosion of general education and the quality of maintenance training, recycling bottlenecks causing trash buildup, and security during any kind of uprising.

“OK, everyone. I will get this in front of Governor Fushima.” Hunter was standing to leave when Rupert spoke up.

“I think we, as a council, need to speak directly to the governor before she makes her decision.” Rupert said, eyes on his empty water glass.

Hunter cleared his throat. “I will deliver your concerns and recommendation to the governor and she will let everyone know what she decides.”

“So,” Rupert said, “the biggest decision any of us will ever be a part of comes down to one person’s whimsy,” and he looked into Cleo’s eyes this time, “or maybe two people’s whimsy.”

“Why are you so fucking dramatic,” Cleo said through her teeth, leaning across the table within strangling distance of Rupert. “Clarissa was elected. I assume you voted.”

“Clarissa,” Rupert repeated, grinning. “Well, I didn’t vote for your Clarissa. And I didn’t vote for you,” Rupert replied.

Cleo started to stand up.

“I meet,” Hunter broke in, “with the majority and minority leaders of both houses after I talk to the governor today. Congress is involved. The media will play their role. Nothing is being subverted here.”

“Yeah, well,” Rupert said. “I don’t trust any of the junta. No offense.” He stood and left the small room, bumping Cleo as he exited.

Hunter stood up. “Perfect timing.”

Everyone let out a nervous chuckle.

“I’ll talk to you all tomorrow. Same place, same time please.”

**********

“How were Rupert and Cleo?”

“Both arrogant. Cleo lets Rupert trigger her. She referred to you by first name in front of the council.”

Fushima grimaced. “I’ll talk to her.”

“Everyone knows, governor.”

“Not everyone. She needs to be careful.” The governor paused, then restarted.

“So,” she pushed the plate away and reclined, her chair protesting, “you’ve told me what they want, but not what you think.”

“I think you should decelerate.”

“Why?” Her tone reminded Hunter of his wife, long dead.

He blew out a breath. “Three reasons. One, nobody is interested in extending the mission 900 years. Two, we know very little about Novaduo compared to Renova. And, three,” he paused, thinking he might not say it, but deciding to, “you want to be the first Renovan president.”

“I do want to be president, Hunter,” Fushima paused, still smiling, eyes narrowed. “What do you want.” It was more of a challenge than a question.

Hunter lowered his head and clasped his hands in front of him as if in prayer. He had been dreaming lately of storms, the kind he saw and heard on the ancient videos from Old Earth, howling wind and the roar of heavy rainfall. The power and majesty of nature.

”To fall asleep in the rain,” Hunter said.

************

Later that night, in his dream, Hunter heard a familiar electronic tone through the pattering of raindrops on a metal roof. It sounded like an alert on his communications tablet. Seconds later, waking, he realized it was in fact his communications tablet. Rubbing his eyes, he said, “Alexa, who’s at the door?”

“Science director Rupert Shumar with Marine Corps Corporal Stewart.”

“Alexa, audio please.” There was a tone, then Hunter said, “Rupert, it’s late.”

“I know!” Hunter heard Rupert’s high-pitched response through the door before the tablet audio caught up.

“Alexa, open the front door,” Hunter said. He heard the men’s footfalls on his entry floor a few seconds later. He met them outside his bedroom in his robe.

Rupert held paper reports out to him. Hunter was awestruck at holding paper in his hands. He’d only held real paper twice before in his life.

After scanning the reports, Hunter asked, ”Those probes have been circling Renova for three days. Why am I just seeing this now?”

“Because we weren’t looking for that,” he said pointing at a specific paragraph, mindful that the Corporal didn’t have a need to know what they were discussing, “and we weren’t looking there.”

“Who figured it out?”

“Me. And Yevchenko.”

“Dissenting opinions?”

“None.”

“OK. Can I keep these?”

“Sign for them with the corporal here. Burn them when you’re done.”

Hence the paper, Hunter thought.

************

“Welcome everyone,” Hunter said. “Sorry for the lack of read aheads but this meeting is for your ears only. Thanks for leaving your tablets outside.”

Everyone nodded.

“Governor Fushima has approved the release of the following statement for you only, no staff, no media, no notes.”

Again, nods around the table.

“We have irrefutable evidence of intelligent life on Renova.”

Everyone looked at the science lead, who was looking at his hands.

“Rupert?” Hunter prompted.

“If you want the science, I’ll be happy to discuss once I’m told it’s OK. The approved statement for now is that unique and specific chemical signatures are escaping the surfaces of large bodies of water on Renova in types and quantities that do not occur in nature. Industrial processes are the only viable source. We now believe, with more than 90% certainty, that Renova contains intelligent aquatic life.”

“Fish people,” Kimbe said. “Fascinating.”

“Do not say ‘fish people’ to the media, Kimbe,” Hunter said, half smiling, half chastising. Nervous chuckles eased the tension.

Cleo got to the point, though. “So, divert is automatic. Intelligent life means divert.”

“Governor Fushima can make any decision she thinks best,” Hunter said. “But yes. The protocol is clear.”

Everyone was staring at Hunter, brows furrowed. Only Rupert seemed relaxed.

“Please be ready,” Hunter said when it was clear nobody had an immediate question. “This is going to anger a lot of people. And, remember, this announcement will be made by Governor Fushima and no one else.”

**********

Cleo, Hunter, and Governor Fushima met an hour later in the tiny conference room. Sweat dripped off Hunter’s nose onto the screen of his tablet. “Why aren’t we meeting in your apartments, governor?” He asked, wiping his face with a cloth napkin.

“Because I assume they’re bugged.”

Hunter shook his head. Cleo didn’t react at all, which told Hunter she already knew.

“Cleo, did you read all of the Renova report?” the governor asked.

“Yes, and everything we have on intelligent aquatic life.”

“Do you think it’s possible for us to settle unnoticed by the Renovans long enough to allow us to gain a foothold and prepare a defense?”

“Based on what I’ve read about their most likely technologies, it’s probable.”

Hunter jumped in, annoyed at the obvious tag-teaming of Fushima and Cleo, “But that doesn’t change the protocol, which is clear.”

Fushima shook her head in understanding, “Yes, of course. But I have authority to make my own decision, correct?”

“I’m surprised you’re even considering it, Governor, Hunter said. “You’ll be impeached if you disregard the protocol without justification.”

“It’s my job to look at all angles,” the governor said. And she switched her attention back to her operations chief.

“Cleo, if I announce divert, what will the ROB terrorists do?”

Cleo had Alexa pull up a graphic with three options. She went through them in order. First, they would probably attack life support, most likely water generation and gravity in the agricultural section of the ship, in an effort to force deceleration because of resource scarcity. If that didn’t work, they would attempt assassination hoping to replace Fushima with a leader sympathetic to their goals. Third, they would attempt mutiny within the crew.

Governor Fushima’s nearly painted on smile vanished. “You think ROB has access high enough to pull off mutiny? Who?”

Cleo shrugged, “We’ve done years worth of scrubbing. No one seems likely.”

“And yet you think it’s plausible.”

Cleo shrugged, “If I was running ROB, it’s what I’d do. Besides, they’ve had nine centuries to install sleeper agents.”

The governor looked closely at Cleo and Hunter. She’s paranoid, Hunter thought. He wondered how deeply Cleo was in on the governor’s plans.

“Alexa, analyze communications of the executive council over the last thirty days for suspicious or disloyal behavior. Report for my eyes only.”

“Yes, Governor.”

Hunter and Cleo both shifted their gazes from the governor to each other. Hunter realized Cleo was being held in the dark as well. Something was up.

Hunter leaned forward, “Governor, have you already made your decision?”

Fushima eyed Cleo, then said, “Yes.”

“So we’re diverting to Duonova, then.”

Fushima looked at her watch and left the room. Hunter watched Cleo chase after her.

**********

Hunter found Rupert waiting at his door when he returned to his quarters to freshen up.

“Rupert, you know we can’t talk here.”

“Please tell me you’re pushing to divert, Hunter.”

“Is your report accurate and honest?”

“Wha—of course it is!”

“Then how could I do anything else?”

Hunter watched Rupert scan him, deciding something.

“I’m hearing that Fushima is still considering deceleration,” Rupert finally said.

“From who,” Hunter responded, resisting the urge to grab Rupert by the collar.

“People talk. I have sources, just like everyone else.”

Hunter looked Rupert in the eyes, scanning.

“Rupert,” Hunter said, “do not do anything stupid. You are too valuable to our mission.”

“If we decelerate, knowing there is intelligent life on Renova, my mission is over. Because I will resign.”

“Don’t overreact. Your people look to you for leadership.”

“I am leading. I’m doing the right thing.” Rupert turned and walked away.

**********

Two days later, Hunter watched the governor’s address like everyone else, on the ship’s video conferencing system. Fushima was brief.

“Citizens of the Amazonian, I urge calm as you digest the news I”m about to give you. We have clear evidence of intelligent life on Renova. This means we cannot settle the planet and must divert to Duonova.”

She warned that unlawful activity would be dealt with severely. She asked citizens to report any activity by the Renova or Bust terrorists.

**********

The first violence happened four hours after the broadcast. Gangs broke into shops and looted.

The ship’s news services reported on the violence, “Security forces have killed twenty-five and wounded hundreds as ship-wide violence erupted following Governor Fushima’s decision to divert to Duonova.”

Damn them, Hunter thought, for ignoring the murdered and wounded cops.

“Detention centers are filled past capacity as the crackdown intensifies.”

The looting turned into rioting.

*********

Mid-riot, someone blew up the water production facility of the agricultural sector.

ROB did not claim responsibility, but their graffiti tags turned up everywhere.

Hunter guessed insiders had to be involved. It was a very precise attack, the damage conveniently contained.

********

Governor Fushima was forced to reverse her decision.

“Due to the criminal and immoral actions of a few terrorists,” she announced on video, “our mission must end at Renova. We no longer have enough water resources to divert.”

She assured the ship’s population there was plenty of water capacity to complete the deceleration and settlement.

“We will begin deceleration operations in three days. In six months, we will be Renovans.”

The rioting died.

********

Hunter, exhausted after sleepless days of emergency response leadership, found Rupert at his quarters door again.

He was in no mood to talk. Rupert wasn’t interested in talking, either. He handed Hunter a silicon envelope containing a letter of resignation along with a portable storage fob.

“What’s this?” Hunter indicated the fob.

“You’re a good man, Hunter,” Rupert said. “It’s a shame you were caught up in this. You might have made a good president.” He walked away.

Hunter found a single audio file on the fob. He transferred it to his tablet then listened to it. There were two voices. He didn’t know the first, but he recognized the second voice, Clarissa Fushima.

First voice: “Everything is set at the water plant.”

Fushima: “Do it now. Before the riots die down.”

Do you think the U.S. is losing its position as a global leader?

Honestly, U.S. elections are a mess. They reveal just how flawed the entire system can be. Between the drama, allegations of fraud, and the ridiculous influence of money, the whole thing often looks like a circus more than a democratic process.

Let’s start with the drama. Every election cycle, there are claims of voter fraud and interference, but the kicker is the documented attempts of militia groups planning voter intimidation. That’s not democracy; that’s chaos. When you hear stories about these kinds of tactics, it makes you wonder how fair and transparent the elections really are.

Then there’s the Electoral College, possibly one of the most frustrating aspects for anyone trying to understand American democracy. The fact that a candidate can win the presidency without winning the popular vote feels like a slap in the face to the principle of ‘one person, one vote.’ Add gerrymandering and voter suppression into the mix, and it’s clear many people’s voices aren’t heard equally.

American elections are also totally polarized. It’s like a battlefield where voters are divided into rigid camps with no room for nuance or compromise. Elections should be about policy and moving the country forward, but they often devolve into a tribalistic showdown. It’s more about beating the other side than actually solving any of the country’s problems.

Technology and media? They’re a double-edged sword. On one hand, they provide greater access to information, getting more people involved. On the other, they spread misinformation like wildfire. States are even rushing to legislate against AI-generated content before the primaries. It makes you question how much of what’s out there is even real.

Despite all this, there’s something telling about new U.S. citizens being eager to vote. It shows that despite its flaws, the system still holds some hope for people. They believe they can make a difference, even if the reality is that systemic issues and polarization are huge obstacles.

SCOOBY-DOO | 1950’s Super Panavision 70

What prevents China from kicking Tesla out of the country when the US is already giving BYD a hard time in America?

Common sense? Simple math? Both combined?

The BYD – ‘Build Your Dreams’ wasn’t designed for the American market. That’s not to say there aren’t a few million Americans smart enough to want one. The demography that supported the VW Beetle and then the Hyundai Pony remains. But the BYD wasn’t brought to market under the delusion Americans would play anything but a miniscule role in its profitability and success. Like the VW Beetle and Toyota pickup the BYD was designed as a people’s car for the global community. The BYD was designed for China’s 500 million households. The design and crafts-manship to price ratio makes it viable in India. Financial success was near guaranteed if even 1% of China’s households bought in a given year.

But the future, the near future, is Belts & Roads Initiative driven. 120 million African households aren’t served by grid power. For those villages a BYD-priced electric vehicle isn’t merely a means of transport — it’s a power hub. A village will be wanting several. Drive to a charging station on a nearby highway or in a nearby town, ‘tank up’, then return home where it can feed dozens of devices. And if the village invests in solar, wind, water, or biothermal generator? They won’t be waiting for rural electrification – won’t need it.

But. The name? That acronym (up to 2024 spelled in full on the car’s rear) “Build Your Dreams”? It speaks to what Americans could enjoy the benefit of . . . . if their governments freed them to do so. It helps obviate how the American system skews profit-making power toward those above median income and away from those below. An FYI at no additional cost.

But Tesla in China? Tesla, like Apple, is an icon of American tech. China’s leadership is quite confident that mature cost/benefit comparison will sway Chinese consumers to buy BYD and Huawei.

Musings

Is it true that if you keep playing the same slot machine that you will eventually win it all back?

Some years ago I went to Las Vegas and gambled $32,000.

You may be thinking I’m some kind of high-roller. I’m not. I only took $1,000 to gamble with.

So where did I get $32,000 from?

Well I was playing $25 craps on the pass line. Sometimes I won, sometimes I lost. But — crucially — when I won, I added my winnings to the pile of chips in front of me. I didn’t put it in a separate pile.

In other words, I was gambling the same money over and over again. The sum of all my bets was $32,000 but I never actually had $32,000 sitting in front of me.

So I exposed $32,000 to the risk of loss.

Now, when you hear about the house advantage it might sound quite slight. In craps, the pass line bet gives the house an advantage of 1.4%. But that’s not 1.4% of my original bank roll, it’s 1.4% of the total exposure, i.e. 1.4% of $32,000. So my expected loss was not $14, but $448 – just under half of my bankroll.

Christopher Susie gave an example of a machine with a payout of 90%, i.e. a house advantage of 10%.

If you play a $1 slot machine and take $1,000,000 to gamble with then the final outcome depends on whether you keep your winnings separate, or if you add them to your bucket and put them back in the machine.

If you keep your winnings separate, the Law of large numbers – Wikipedia says that you are highly likely to end up with about $900,000 after your one million plays at $1 each.

But if you keep gambling indefinitely your $1,000,000 will eventually whittle down to nothing.

Delacruzovich’s Dispatches

Posted by

Nikolai Delacruzovich

The alliance between China and Russia today is the development that the world needs in order the get over the hump of US dominance and hegemony. Such an alliance, despite Russia’s ostensible aversion to socialism/Marxism, is more valuable than even an existing USSR that is non-aligned with China.

Russia today is carving out a new, indigenous form of socialism, whether explicitly informed by Marxism or not. Russia is taking on the most pivotal role in the world’s global landscape by confronting the West directly, and militarily. China’s role is not to confront, but to open avenues for resistance. By presenting opportunities for economic development to those countries’ who refuse to align with the US and its vassals (EU, NATO) politically, China is bringing about a new wave of global resistance, just as the USSR did in it’s early years (but of a much different nature).

The transition to socialism will now take place gradually for most countries as alignment with the West becomes naturally counterintuitive, even to countries that have been traditionally anti-Communist.

Marxism is playing out as reality. It does not need to be referenced by name. The truth is too obvious to be ignored. Western hypocrisy has been laid bare for all to see.

Why are Chinese living standards so much lower than American living standards?

Are they? By what metric?

Right now you’ll use the but US GDP per capita is higher! GDP is higher.

A Chinese made medicine for cancer IIRC sells in the USA for 33 times the price in China. Is it 33 times better?

I can go to McDonalds if I want (I don’t want to) and buy a big Mac meal for 27RMB it’s 7RMB to $1USD meaning I can buy it for $3USD. Can you buy a big Mac Meal for 3USD?

Can you rent a home for $200 a month?

How much are your property taxes? In China 0% this is why I kept my Dongguan house empty for 3 years no problem at no cost.

How much does your medical care cost? My father had cancer and had full treatment from diagnosis to remission for $3000USD. He had no insurance he paid out of pocket.

How high is the crime rate?

How good is the justice system?

Can you leave your job without thinking but what about my medical insurance?

There’s tons of metrics that make the US far lower on in terms of living standards.

The only metric the US has is that they can sign waivers of liability and as such they can do things such as go skydiving without a licence or other silly things like that.

HARRY POTTER – 1950’s Super Panavision 70

Why is it bad to release an invasive species into a local ecosystem? Isn’t that the way the world works?

Let me introduce you to Thomas Austin, who probably had the same thought as you in 1859. He had been an avid rabbit hunter in England before he moved to Australia. That year, he asked his brother in England to send him 24 rabbits to hunt. He was a generous man and gave them away to anyone who wanted them. His dream of establishing a population of rabbits quickly turned into an ecological nightmare. Doing what rabbits do and having few predators, by 1867 they had multiplied uncontrollably and stripped bare large swathes of farm land in Victoria and started spreading to other states.

While they sometimes proved a useful food source in scarce times, their overgrazing had an immense and devastating impact on the ecology of Australia. Every year, they cause hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of damage to crops, natural vegetation and soil erosion. They also maintain the fox and feral cat populations, resulting in increased predation of native animals and contributing to the extinction of some species. They also eat seedlings of plants and threaten native plant regeneration. They can change the whole structure of vegetation communities, with flow-on effects for the native birds, reptiles, invertebrates and other animals. Rabbits have destroyed over 4 million km² of Australia and cost the country enormous sums of money.

Australian citizens, scientists, farmers and government officials tried fruitlessly to beat the rabbits. In 1907 the West Australian government finished a 1,837 km long anti-rabbit fence, the world’s longest fence. Unfortunately, the rabbits had already passed most of the fences before they were finished! By the 1920s, Australia’s rabbit population had swollen to 10 billion!

Imagine every Aussie being like this:

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World’s longest fence

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Oops, no point!

Rabbits’ competition for the same food source has led to the dwindling numbers of native animals like the bandicoot and bilby.

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Within a century, the whole continent had been overrun and ravaged by billions of rabbits. Conventional controls are labour intensive and time consuming and, faced with the rate at which rabbits breed, cannot hold down numbers. In 1950, Australian scientists declared war on the bunnies by introducing myxoma, a virus related to small pox.

Injection with the virus did not seem to work. The scientists didn’t know that the virus needed insects to spread. By mere chance, when they tried their experiment again on a rainy day expecting another failure, it worked!

Initially, myxomatosis caused enormous reductions in rabbit numbers. In some areas 99 per cent of the rabbits were killed. However, with the virus spread by mosquitoes, fatality rates varied across the country. In arid areas, where mosquitoes cannot survive, myxomatosis did not spread well.

In a classic evolutionary arms race, the rabbits are building resistance and the virus is losing its effectiveness.

Researchers are looking into new biological control agents, which could come from new viruses or more virulent strains of existing ones. A permanent solution seems to be always hopping out of sight and we are still losing to the rabbits. In the meantime we just have to live with this:

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Who was the greatest or most powerful Chinese military general/warlord from history?

Since the beginning of human history, all armies have only one function, which is to fight. To put it simply, it is to kill the enemy on the battlefield.

There is such a great man in China who completely changed the nature of the army and redefined the army:

the army is the people’s own army;
the army is a work team to complete political tasks;
the army is an engineering team to build the country;
the army is a rescue team for emergency relief…

The army is no longer just a violent group, but a collective with philosophical thoughts, ideals and aspirations, and moral constraints.

Since he came, all other armies in the world can only be called “old-style armies”!

As Expensive phones eat up the market, why aren’t people buying Chinese Flagship phones? All I hear is Samsung and Apple in profitable Flagship segment.

The West have a massive hardware advantage and a bit of a software advantage over the Chinese Flagship Phones

In fact the only Chinese flagship phone in the league of Apple and Samsung is Huawei and that’s struggling to get on par chips and yet on the markets where it is allowed to compete fairly, it does create a strong dent

The fact is the West has too much core technology in certain areas that prevent any other brand from coming into the picture

For instance when we had the Old Televisions – did you know that only SEVEN COMPANIES had a Patent and Royalty to make Picture Tubes from 1931 until 1987

The Beam Indexing Systems and Aquadag Patents were held with these seven companies – ALL OF WHOM WERE WESTERN (3 British, 2 Dutch, 1 West German and 1 American)

Even Matsushita and Sony made their own picture tubes but used technology from these seven companies until in 1987 when Sony managed to patent their own PT technology generously allowed to them after the Plaza Accords

Likewise when it comes to ICE CARS – the West dominates a lot of the premium technology

Let’s face it – they colonized us, enslaved us for 300 years and used our resources and our money for building a huge gap in technology that none of us can probably catch up until we have an equal footing when it comes to completely new technology

China is the only Nation on earth which has its own dominance in Core Technology in certain areas that isn’t either part of the Collective West nor a Lackey to the US like Japan and South Korea

One area is GREEN TECHNOLOGY and ENERGY

It’s an Area where China had a chance to actually compete from the inception instead of an Area where they had to face an uphill 20–30 year lead advantage by the West

They crushed the West and decimated them to smithereens

Not a single European or American could come close to China in Battery Cells, Solar Wafers, Advanced Coating and Green Turbines

Not in efficiency or in cost

In other Areas China may not beat the West but they produce on par with the West and have their own equally same quality adaptable Technology

High Speed Rail is one example

Steel Process is another example

China can produce the finest steel without any foreign technology today

China can make MRI machines without any foreign technology today

China has its own Pharmaceutical Industry that has made many strides

We live in a Matrix sadly dominated by the Western Machinery

The Mainland China is where you find a new and different world

It’s a 800 Million consumer market where Chinese Brands are fast gaining dominance and driving the Western Brands out

It’s where China is slowly shrugging off technological dependence on the West in every sphere possible from Servers to Processors to Memory

Give it some time

Maybe 20–30 years

First let China decimate the Western Brands through sheer competition in its own markets rather than protectionism and other legislative punitive measures like imposing a 700% Tariff on India made Iphones Or 600% Tariff on Western Engines

Chinas growth in Technology is around 6–7 years old

Its unfair to expect them to dominate the entire world in such a short time especially in areas where the West has dominated core technology for decades

Texas T-Bone Steaks

Yield: 2 steaks

Ingredients

2 T-bone steaks
1/2 teaspoon jalapeño powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 to 2 tablespoons butter
Salt to taste

Instructions

Reverse Sear

Heat oven to 275 degrees F.
In a bowl, combine jalapeño powder, garlic powder and cumin. Stir to combine.
Season the T-Bones generously on both sides with salt. Season again on both sides with jalapeño powder, garlic and cumin blend.
Place steaks on broiler pan and put into preheated oven.
Cook until internal temperature reaches 125 degrees F (about 45 to 60 minutes).
Let steaks rest for 10 minutes under foil.
Preheat skillet until piping hot.
Sear steaks for 1 minute per side. Serve immediately.

Pan-Sear

In a bowl, combine jalapeño powder, garlic powder and cumin. Stir to combine.
Place a cast iron or heavy based skillet over medium high heat. Place butter in the skillet to melt.
While the butter is melting, season the T-Bones generously on both sides with salt. Season again on both sides with jalapeño powder, garlic and cumin blend.
Once the pan is hot and the butter is bubbling, place the steaks in to cook. Turn every 30-60 seconds. Use a spoon to collect the hot, melted butter and scoop it repeatedly over the tops of the steaks to baste.
Continue until the steaks have reached your desired level of doneness.
Remove from pan and rest under foil at for at least 10 minutes before slicing and enjoying.

Nutrition

Per serving: Calories 320; Total fat 21g (Sat. fat 11g; Trans fat 1g); Cholest. 115mg; Sodium 85mg; Total Carb. 1g; Fiber 0g; Total Sugars 0g; Protein 32g; Vit D (4% DV); Calcium (4% DV); Iron (15% DV); Potas. (12% DV)

This recipe is an excellent source of protein, zinc, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and selenium, iron, riboflavin and phosphorus.

What’s the dark side of Sweden?

I am Ukrainian and have been living in Stockholm for more than 3 years now.

I would say Sweden, as country is good one to live in for many aspects like good social standards, security, nature and ecology, good work-life balance, high professional, service and quality standards. Also, I found it pretty interesting to observe Swedish society in details because of its unique way to self-organize, art of finding consensus and compromise. A lot of people commit for the sake of whole society despite they are quite individualistic same time. From one of the view points, it is really amazing how society is built and organized.

As the result, if you think rationally – you can not ever decide move away from the country because of the many good points comparing to any other country.

BUT…

There are dark sides when you step down from society to individual level.

Biggest “drawback” of people here I found is overshooting rationality. Even their famous “lagom” is a feature of it. Because of to be lagom means to be extremely rational, balanced in any aspect of the life. This makes things here really, absolutely boring. Rational + bad-climate and cold nordic temper equals in this case no warm, open, truthful emotions.
People here are quite individualistic and self-concentrated. They are stuck to self-effectiveness, their work and hobbies so basically they don’t have a room for other people around.
As mentioned by others here, political correctness is a good thing for society, but it really closes a door to meaningful (even if sometimes conflictual) conversations, making connections with people. You basically can’t make a connection with a person if you two only discuss the bad weather, upcoming in a half a year summer holidays and what kind of food you ate yesterday at family dinner.
It’s pretty closed society with more or less precise separation line between locals and immigrants (excluding probably people from west Europe and USA). That is pretty hard for immigrant to find a job or build a career in some “white” areas of business and professions. All the well-paid places and offices consist of 95% of locals or high-skilled expats from other first-world countries.
Things are crazy expensive here comparing to southern Europe, so people quite rarely hang out with friends. Almost never with colleagues outside working hours and yearly conferences.

So, living here you feel your life has high standards and possibilities but is quite isolated and low real happiness (not the one from indexes).

Interesting pictures

Neil Howe On The Fourth Turning: How Bad Will It Get, How Long Will It Last & What Comes Next? (PT1)

What countries will you never visit again?

India. Absolutely.

I made a mistake of travelling there with friends without the assistance of travel agent. We were cheated out of our money 3 times. There are scammers cheating tourists out of everything, hotel, transportation, food, travel guide, etc. We were once left without hotel room, without transportation and our belonging stolen. Had to seek help from our country’s high commission officer who fortunately, happened to be there.

The women in our group felt absolutely unsafe. Indian men staring, following, whistling. Public toilets are so incomprehensibly dirty and not fit for animals to seek relief in, let alone humans. Street food are numerous, colourful and exciting, yet none is safe for consumption. Abandoned children running about begging for food and totally ignored by adults. And very high density of people everywhere.

Initially we planned to spend 10 days in India, but we cut the trip short to only 3 days. Took a flight to Thailand instead. Never going to India again.

Have you ever come home from a hard day’s work and found a surprise waiting for you at home?

I was a telecom tech. It was early January along the Texas Gulf coast. I left home at 6AM & started work at 7. It was either raining or drizzling all day with a northeast wind & 40 degrees for a high. It was miserable. I finished the load & headed home at 6PM. That’s a 10 hour day in tough conditions.

It’s already dark as I’m driving home.

When I get home my 4 year daughter comes running out. She’s in her jammies & barefoot. The jammies are wet & muddy. I pick her up & we go in. Her mother is in bed. I run a tub of warm water & my little girl gets undressed & gets in the tub. I get her warm clothes out & make sure she gets a good bath. (Basically I sit on the toilet lid & make sure she gets herself clean, as she’s been taught.)

While she’s getting dressed I go out & start my 4wd because the rain is coming down harder & the road in & out is mud now.

My daughter & I go to Dairy Queen, her favorite restaurant in the world. While we’re there she tells me about the walk she took & the dogs (coyotes) she & our dogs met. Luckily all the heelers went with her. Daddy Dart, mama Belle & their 5 pup’s who were about 10 months & well into herder training. A significant force used to handling 1/2 ton steers. Coyotes? No problem. These dogs are “aggressive” to say the least. I’ve had a 1200 lb longhorn with a seven foot spread charge me & two dogs back him off, & they were 9 month pups.

That was the beginning of the end for me & the wife. Three years later I was raising my little girl on my own.

What was the most legendary “I quit!” that you know about or witnessed?

When I worked as a carpet installer I had long hair half way down my back, tattoos and would show up to peopes homes dressed in footy shorts, a T shirt and, no shoes ( no shoes they later realised was a blessing for I didn’t bring any shit in on their new carpet ).

There were those that prejudged me and to them I would apologise and say, “I am sorry and I would suggest they ring the firm and get them to send someone out more qualified “. I would then ask them where they would like me to put their carpet as I had allready delivered it no point taking it back with me.

Meanwhile they would ring up the firm to complain about my appearance and ask what had they sent to install their carpet ( they were mostly the upper rich that did this with no understanding that except for my hair everything else made it easier to do my job) the were just ignorant arseholes that judge by appearance.

On ringing the firm they were then informed that they sent their best layer out to do their job, simply because of the price, and materials involved, and the firm didn’t want any stuff ups either. Money doesn’t always equate to intelligence. They would hand me the phone and I would say to the boss in front of them to ask them to dissppear and not see me till the job is finished. For I would gladly leave and they could try and find someone more qualified.

I might sound like a smartarse blowing smoke up my own arse, but when you are working on a job and it has Teak skirting boards around the house, even if you do have 20 years experience, someone hovering over your shoulder is likely to distracted you and hit the bloody skirting board with your hammer. It was fun at the end of the day when they loved their job, and I was judgemental.

There were two though where I didn’t care what they offered to pay I quit and just said sorry I can’t help you and left. I still remained employed at the firm and had another job the next day. Meeting different and new people was one of the things I loved about my job. In 25 years I only met 5 people like this and only 2 of them were jobs I quit on and nothing would change my mind. I’m dure many other tradies can relate to this answer

In terms of size difference, how does the effectiveness of the Chinese military compare to that of the US forces?

Since the Chinese military began its reforms in 2014, it has started conducting high-intensity conventional warfare military exercises. These exercises simulate combat in different scenarios and against various levels of enemies.

Among these, elite divisions of the Chinese military sometimes face a hypothetical enemy preset to possess capabilities beyond current human levels, humorously referred to by soldiers as “ROBOTECH.”

(Commander of ROBOTECH)

When an elite division of the Chinese military encounters ROBOTECH during a simulated exercise, the following situations may arise:

1. ROBOTECH can disrupt all electronic communications of the Chinese military, forcing them to rely on primitive communication methods.

2. ROBOTECH has access to the real-time coordinates of all Chinese military positions.

3. ROBOTECH will not hesitate to utilize tactical nuclear weapons and biochemical weapons against the Chinese military. (These tactical actions are simulated through a training system and do not involve actual artillery or nuclear explosions.)

4. ROBOTECH possesses an extremely strong air force and conventional firepower, not only completely dominating air superiority but also capable of unleashing artillery shells over a wide area like raindrops.

5. ROBOTECH includes the world’s most elite ground units, along with the most advanced main battle tanks, heavy artillery, and tactical missiles, comprising personnel that are also from elite ranks of the Chinese military. Moreover, in the 2016 exercises, ROBOTECH already utilized suicide drones, and the quantity of drones far exceeded that of the current scale of the Russia-Ukraine war.

(The Chinese army was severely beaten by ROBOTECH.)

Unsurprisingly, even the elite units of the Chinese military generally lost to ROBOTECH. However, after numerous exercises, the once-overwhelmed elite divisions have progressed to being able to engage ROBOTECH in fierce battles, even achieving two miraculous victories and one draw.

BRICS rise and Europe’s economic decline w/ Alex Krainer

Don’t ever be convinced to do something that you are uncomfortable about

When I was in the ADC being “retired”, I was required to narrate my most despicable sexual fantasies They wanted all sorts of lurid stories and things that I would fantasize about during sex.

They wanted and insisted I do this as a requirement for me being discharged from prison. I would write about my most lurid fantasies and it would go into my “binder” proving (in my own words) what a despicable pervert I was.

*sigh*

Well, everyone has sexual fantasies.

And I am a writer, so I did it. Indeed, I gave the five pages of things that I found titillating to the authority at the ADC.

I really had two main sexual fantasies.

My top fantasy (by far) was having sex in a barn; rolling about in the hay. It really was something that I was really into, and it was my actual and real fantasy. And not only that, but my wife and I acted upon it. We would find a barn, slip in and then go at it.

Spring, Summer and Fall were my favorite adventures. Winter not so much. It’s collllld in those drafty places. But I don’t know why it was such a titillation to me. Maybe the smell of the hay, or the sneakiness of the adventure, or the threat of getting caught.

I know it sounds so silly. But it’s the truth It was a thing that I really liked and it would really help me get my rocks off. And my wife, who loved me, would also participate (obviously) with no qualms.

The other fantasy, ah…

You know, I really never got to spend any time around women. I worked in factories and in industry. And the most attractive gal was usually some fifty-year old cleaning lady. So my fantasy at that time was dating a professional secretary. These were the only women that were not hags within my immediate contacts.

Nice black three piece suit. And high heels, and of course glasses.

I never took action on that fantasy. Though, my wife would sometimes really titillate me with that fantasy.

But that was it.

So when the ADC demanded that I write my nastiest and dirtiest sexual fantasies on paper, and a minimum of five pages, I did so, and truthfully told about my fantasies.

And I handed the papers to the ADC professional.

He looked at it, started to read it, and yelled at me. “What shit is this!” He scowled and frowned at me.

Threw the papers back at me. Ordered me to do it again, and this time write about little children, and ordered me to make sure that no one was over the age of ten in the writing. Then he ordered me to leave.

I tried.

I tried, but I couldn’t. It was just way too alien for me.

So I said “fuck this” (to myself), and wrote nothing.

If they wanted to keep me in prison past my sentence, they would have to come up with a good reason. I just wasn’t going to write any bullshit.

But others in my barracks just told me to write anything. That it won’t matter. That I could even copy their stories. But, I said “fuck it”. And didn’t so a thing.

I was usually a passive guy, but this was one thing that I wouldn’t budge on.

And you know what?

It came time for me to leave. My sentence was up.

And yeah, and they let me go.

That bullshit of me having to write a document or they would hold me indefinably in prison was all bullshit. Bull Fucking Shit.

I was this close >||< to making a big mistake.

Now, what happened to the document that I wrote about sex in the barns, and my attractiveness to business women was eventually thrown away and forgotten. And with that, so was my memory of the entire event sequence.

But that’s the was the ADC worked and that’s the way the incarceration system worked. It would have all been on file; guaranteeing me lifetime in prison because some asshole insisted that I make up stories to put in my files and my binder.

*sigh*

Sex in a barn. In Fall with my someone who I loved.

Then home with my cats and a cup of coffee.

It’s astounding how evil people can twist such innocent and nice things for power, wealth and dominance.

Don’t ever be convinced to do something that you are uncomfortable about.

Today…

What is your opinion about China and Chinese people?

I’m an American who lived in China for 16 years. I basically grew up there, went to school there, worked there and even got married there (though it wasn’t to a Chinese).

I’ve lived all over the country and have had interactions with people from various ethnicities, socio-economic backgrounds, religions and in different areas of China.

There is no possible way for me to sum up what I think of “Chinese” people or the country itself, except that I feel it’s been downplayed as to how diverse it really is. In fact, I hate it when other foreigners say something is ‘typically Chinese’ or generalize…because they are such a diverse country. And sometimes I feel that Chinese nationals don’t even know or appreciate how genuinely diverse their country is.

Now that I’m back in the US, it’s very hard to explain to people what China is actually like or answer their many questions about life there. About the only things I can say that are general is: 1) There are indeed a lot of people; 2) Computer stuff is cheap; 3) Eating out is cheap; 4) Public transport is extremely cheap and very efficient.

Another observation I’ve had is despite all of its diversity and it’s huge population, somehow the government/businesses have managed to really streamline things for the most part. Just working in a Chinese company, my concepts of how to deal with a large volume of applications, paperwork and workload are much different than a lot of my peers here in the US. So when I did come back and start working for US companies, sometimes my managers would be shocked at how quickly I got so much done. Like they didn’t even understand it. Not to put them down in anyway. And occasionally I would even get in trouble for doing something differently than others and they would be like, “Why on earth would you do it this way? How did you even think of this?” but that was often before they could see the results.

But on the negative side of that, I had a hard time dealing with all of the personal needs of customers and the tailoring that a lot of Americans require. I’m using to dealing with a huge workload but that’s mostly uniform where people have chosen from a small category of options. I’m not as used to dealing with the incredible personal preferences of a handful of clients who can’t seem to make up their minds. In China, they don’t tend to give you a lot of ‘options’. And people don’t really expect them either. They tend to walk in when they want a service and already know exactly what they want. So it’s a much easier process of facilitating that.

What Would Happen if the US Decided to Not Pay its Debt?

Iranian missiles said to have completely destroyed Israeli Nevatim air base and other bases; Nevatim housed over 20 F-35 fighters which are all destroyed now, as well an advanced American X-band radar site. How is Israel going to get revenge now?

It was a pretty effective strike

The details are trickling in and it does appear that Israel has had 20 damaged F-35s (They aren’t using the word destroyed) but a damaged F35 is as bad as a destroyed one for minimum 12–18 weeks

The Radar site is definitely destroyed

It’s why Israel has postponed their attack on Iran

However the attack will happen

Mostly they will use Drones and they will hit Iranian Top Military and Intelligence Brass with US Intelligence and surveillance capabilities

The Ease of Lying About China, Part 4

Lies aren’t as easily accepted without some ground truth. Sometimes, they are just partial truths taken to extremes, often times out of ignorance and good faith. This is something that all Chinese people eventually realize after living in China for long enough; some people are better at working with partial pictures than others.

‘I don’t think it can get any harder’: reality check for China’s travel industry

Stark contract between an optimistic picture painted by China’s travel data and consumers who are reluctant to spend amid broader economic anxieties.

https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3281095/chinas-travel-industry-faces-reality-check-worst-ever-season

There was a great thread by Glenn Luk as usual, responding to this article. But more on that, there was a great supplementary thread by David Fishman, who succinctly highlights the issue of interpreting China by using three anecdotes he scraped together:

In elite control societies, what often goes dismissed are the experiences of the common person. This is especially true of the US where “middle class” has represented the top 10% of US society for decades— cue the many complaints of “middle class” houses in Hollywood films that are nothing short of multi-million dollar McMansions. The same can be said about the more liberal Chinese takes on China. I for one know the mood among the high performers of academia China. It is not the greatest, though I must say, I have been quite uncomfortable being in so many BMW SUVs (ostentatious wealth not really my style).

The reason why I do not share in these dour takes on China is because of my paternal family and the fortunes of people from back from the village. I know where those family members come from, what kind of temperament they have, and especially what they have nowadays. Back in 1998, we rode in a cheap knockoff sedan sporting a false police siren (to speed on country roads), driving over half paved, half dirt roads just to get to our T5 city. Ever since, I have watched them get far wealthier. Today my elder cousin does better than me; he owns 3 properties in a T1 city and rents two of them out for a very pretty penny, while I struggle as someone in the top 5% of the US to actually buy a cheap house ($850k) in the place I grew up. The difference between my cousin that is younger by a year and my other cousin who is graduating from undergrad this year is night and day; the former has moved to the US and lives a great life but had to be top of her class to do so, while the latter is pretty much the definition of academic mediocrity. Even so, her mentality bears all the hallmarks of polite urbanite (while I remember the former offering me a beer back when we were 13, as no one cared out in the sticks). That former cousin grew up in that T5 city, the latter cousin is basically a T1 city girl; both, it seems, can do quite well for themselves despite the wide gulf in effort. Hence, people who tell me that China is terrible for everyone but the elites are only going to get the stinkeye from me— it’s like they don’t even care that my family exists.

The pattern I’ve seen in a lot of the anti-China reporting is that they pay attention to only the elites. Keep in mind we are only talking about those reports from people who seem like they know what they are talking about, either because they have Chinese names or they actually bother going to China. On the surface, this is a remarkable step up from the typical “China expert” who knows no Chinese and hasn’t ever visited. Unfortunately this step up seems to be what is selling authenticity today, when in fact it is just clearing a minimum threshold of “not 100% fantasy.”

I have said this time and time again, even all the way back to random comments in 2015 or so: China is insanely complex. Its size should humble all who engage. When I hear about a foreigner who has stayed for 15–20+ years in China, I will usually go “wow, you must have a lot of insight!” But make no mistake, that’s not me calling them a China expert, that is me expecting that they have some very narrow experiences that strike very deep and true, and that I will be able to glean some insights on a tiny sliver of China through them. Most people of that degree of stay in China are likewise humble and know that we all are just in the business of exchanging very narrow and specific slivers of China. To those observing, particularly neophytes to the experience that is China, this subtext may go unnoticed.

David Fishman is a valuable resource. He has tons of stories from people he can reach on the streets. But I know better than to expect him to really know Chinese governance; he has little in the way of penetration into the government track lifestyle. He is also white, which means he won’t have the perspective of someone who can blend into the streets and watch China the way a Chinese person can. There are always limitations to one’s China experience, which is why we all fan out in our information gathering through guanxi (connections).

Yes, there are a lot of blatant lies about China. But just because they exist, don’t get complacent when someone comes by with experience or a Chinese name and starts generalizing. Specificity is the name of the game; pity that most Chinese people don’t feel safe sharing specifics. This is often the reason why you have to hit the streets and make your own guanxi. First, build trust, then get specifics. You never know when someone is withholding information from strangers but not their guanxi network.

But just to highlight, driving back to that T5 city from the T1 city took generally 2 hours in the late 90s. It was unwise to do after a rain as the mud would likely have made the roads unmanageable. In the late 00s, that drive went down to 1.5 hours; the road at the outskirts of the T5 city had massive potholes that you could not evade and would require cars to go at most 5 km/h. In the late 10s, I don’t recognize most of the city anymore. I don’t remember seeing any donkeys driving carts anymore, only the standard blue motor trike at the very bottom end. I can barely estimate that the town square that felt so hollow and eerie at night in the 00s (due to all of the empty concrete apartment shells, lack of lights, and echoing) was now a park with big trees and plenty of amenities.

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Remember, T5 city! Where those pink trees are was generally where a line of stores were, and back in the 00s one of those stores sold crappy CRT TVs. One of them played Shrek in Chinese dub, which captivated some 20-ish children as onlookers. I joined them as I was bored then. Everything now is unrecognizable.

Anecdotes aren’t that powerful, but they can serve as smell tests for the kind of China headlines that pander to American audiences. The more you have your own experiences to look back on, the more you too can be immunized to bold but bad China takes. Because the sad reality is, it is just too easy to lie about China, and even the truths are not that good either!

11 Harsh Realities of Life for a 60 year old retired man.

What is stopping China and the United States from becoming allies?

The truth: China desperately want to become friend with US, however, US sees China as a threat and want to see China lose.

Lived in both countries, what I’ve observed is in China, everyone (including main stream media like CCTV) is talking about US being the best country:

the higher level of democracy
the innovation
hollywood movies, hot actors / actress
advanced technologies, respect for skill and knowlege…
the list goes on…

When I actually get here, I’d say some of these high reviews are true, but overall it’s probably overrated.

Then when I start to read news on CNN, Fox, NY Times, I see lots of negative news about China.

food imported from China are poisons
Chinese constantly steal US intellectual property
in China everything is about building connections, just having the skills will fail you in China
Chinese government tortures minority
China ‘bully’ neighbouring countries.
… and the list goes on

Non of these are true – I’m not saying China is a perfect country, it’s far from perfect, but the real issue in China was never cared and covered by western media. All these news is designed to make people hate China.

Oven Swiss Steak

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 (1 1/2 pound) beef round steak, cut 3/4 inch thick
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons shortening
1 (16 ounce) can tomatoes, cut up
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

Cut meat into 6 serving-size portions.
Combine flour and salt; with meat mallet, pound 2 tablespoons of the mixture into meat on both sides. Brown meat on both sides in hot shortening.
Transfer meat to a 12 x 7 inch baking dish.
Blend remaining 2 tablespoons flour mixture into pan drippings.
Stir in undrained tomatoes, celery, carrot and Worcestershire sauce. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly; pour over meat.
Bake steak, covered, at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour or until meat is tender.

China’s first photonic chip pilot line opened in Wuxi leading the industry to take off

On September 25, at the 2024 Integrated Circuit (Wuxi) Innovation and Development Conference, the first photonic chip pilot line in China built by the Wuxi Photonic Chip Research Institute of Shanghai Jiao Tong University was officially put into use. This marks that photonic chips have officially entered the fast lane of industrialization, which will break through the limitations of computing paradigms and bring new imagination space for large-scale intelligent computing. A glorious era for photons is about to begin.

Photonic chips are the core of the new generation of information technology. They can meet the technical needs of transmission, computing, storage, and display in the fields of artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, cloud computing, biomedicine, etc. in the new round of scientific and technological revolution. They have become a new driving force for economic growth and an industrial highland for global competition.

The pilot platform has a total area of 17,000 square meters, integrating scientific research, production and services. It has complete supporting facilities and is equipped with more than 100 world-class CMOS process equipment, covering the full closed-loop process of thin-film lithium niobate photonic chips from lithography, thin film deposition, etching, wet process, cutting, measurement to packaging.

The platform also takes into account other material systems such as silicon and silicon nitride, builds N special process platforms, and forms a leading “1+N” advanced photonic device innovation platform. It can not only provide full-process technical services for universities, research institutes, and innovative enterprises, but also incubate photonic industry projects, efficiently link with industrial funds, open up the complete chain from product research and development to marketization, and accelerate the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements.

The pilot platform will not only accelerate the flywheel effect of technology iteration, promote the continuous optimization of process flow and the improvement of product innovation capabilities, but will also touch the technological frontier at an unprecedented speed, solve the long-standing structural contradictions between the innovation chain and the industrial chain, and ultimately achieve breaking up the obstacles in technology and industry.

The successful completion of the photonic chip pilot line is a vivid epitome of the cooperation between the university and the local government to achieve industrial breakthrough.

In 2021, City of Binhu introduced Shanghai Jiaotong University to establish the Shanghai Jiaotong University Wuxi Photonic Chip Research Institute project. The pilot line officially started construction in December 2022, the structure was capped in October 2023, and the first batch of equipment entered the site in January 2024. After intensive equipment debugging, it was officially put into use in September 2024. This landmark of the lake bay has achieved a leap from idea to physical implementation in an almost unrivaled manner. The physical structure was built according to the “Green Building Three Star” standard, and achieved key features such as anti-micro-vibration, constant temperature and humidity, and ultra-cleanliness to provides first-class guarantee for the R&D and production of photonic chips.

Now, walking into the nearly 6,000 square meters of high-grade micro-nano processing clean room of the photonic chip pilot line, people can see equipment neatly arranged, and technicians in clean clothes skillfully operating various equipment and observing the operating conditions of various product parameters.

The 9-meter-high first floor is divided into three floors, with the main equipment on the middle floor. In addition to the pipelines for supplying gas and chemicals, the invisible upper and lower mezzanines are also equipped with fresh air systems to transport clean air and maintain positive pressure in the room, which is then exhausted to the outside through the ventilation holes, so that the cleanliness level of the workshop reaches the 100, 1,000, and 10,000-level standards.

The world-class hardware, the leading domestic precision equipment, and the complete closed-loop control of the process are the three core elements supporting the industrialization of photonic chips. This pilot line is in line with the top-level planning and has reached international standards. After the pilot line is officially put into use, the annual production capacity is expected to reach 10,000 wafers. In the first quarter of 2025, the PDK will be officially released, and external wafer flow services will be provided.

Currently, the whole world is committed to solving the iteration problem caused by the lack of computing resources. Optical quantum computing is not only backward compatible with related technologies, but its theory and framework also enable exponential computing power that is endless. However, due to the lack of matching hardware systems and the immature industrial chain for landing products, optical computing and quantum computing cannot be commercialized. Currently, the world is starting from the same starting line, which provides China with an opportunity to surpass in technology.

The institute will focus on 6/8-inch thin-film lithium niobate wafers and thin-film lithium niobate modulators to overcome the engineering and technical challenges faced by the industrialization of thin-film lithium niobate photonic chips, develop wafer-level chip mass production processes, and achieve large-scale mass production of thin-film lithium niobate photonic chips to meet the high computing power needs of artificial intelligence development.

The Wuxi Photonic Chip Research Institute of Shanghai Jiao Tong University will continue to be a leader in new-quality productivity, continue to explore cutting-edge technologies in quantum science and technology and common key technologies, and rely on the photonic chip pilot line to carry out a three-in-one strategic layout of “platform + incubation + fund”. Focusing on new-generation information technologies such as core, light, intelligence, and computing, it will carry out scientific and technological achievement transformation and incubation and investment in entrepreneurship, explore new paradigms for the incubation of hard technology innovation, and help Binhu District and even Wuxi form a world-class photonic innovation ecosystem with clustered and large-scale development.

De-Dollarization: China Squeezes USD Debt By Guaranteeing RMB Bonds In The Global Markets

Is there any evidence that supports the argument that The United States is becoming a police state?

About a month ago, there was a noise complaint at the neighbor of my brother’s home.

The police arrived. My brother went over because his 11 year old son was there and wanted to ensure his son was okay. The police arrested my brother, charged him with resisting arrest, assault on an officer, aggravated battery on an officer.

These charges carry a two to twenty year prison sentence.

When I asked my brother what happened, he told me that the charges were made up. He asked about his son, the officers (3 of them) engaged him and decided to put him in the squad car. He never touched anyone. He never resisted. Because of the charges, he has no bail, and the bond hearing was set for a month out.

I asked, “Were the officer’s bodycams on?” He replied, “No.” They said all their cams were off.

I thought to myself. “Oh shit.” Then I replied, “Okay, sit tight, I’ll get you a lawyer.”

But to be honest…without any camera footage, my brother was cooked.

Now. I love my brother, and I know his character. I know there was no way he attacked three police officers. To be honest, if he did, they’d just shoot him. He’s a big black guy who spends a lot of time at the gym. No one would have challenged his death.

But, that’s not who he is. However…SOMETHING must have happened, right? It couldn’t be that he just walked up, the police then put him in the car and charged him. That’s not real.

2 to 20 years in prison. Three officers are saying he attacked them. Aggravated Battery on a police officer. All of this was a month ago…labor day weekend. No video evidence, so it’s their word and his. He’s so fucking cooked.

But wait. Remember the part where I said my brother walked over to his neighbor’s house?

The neighbor’s ring door camera activated, and his lawyer has not one…but three videos from ring cameras and security cameras covering the entire event.

You know what actually happened? Well, I’ll say it this way. As soon as the lawyer told the prosecution that they had camera footage from the ring camera, the prosecution dropped the assault and aggravated battery charge immediately. They downgraded the resisting arrest to a misdemeanor and gave my brother a 50,000 bond, which we immediately posted. They also added another charge (a misdemeanor), and handed the entire case from the felony prosecution to the misdemeanor prosecution who wanted to settle. My brother’s lawyer said…”No.” We want this fast tracked to trial. You’ve only seen one video. I have two more. The footage shows my brother walking up to the officers, them having a very normal conversation, and when my brother asked for his son, the officer told him “No.” My brother continued to ask, and the officer put him in cuffs and put him in the car for “protection of the officers.” That was it. No one even raised their voices.

Now. Because this is still in flight, and my brother has plans to sue for wrongful arrest or something…which he’ll lose, I won’t say which department this is, but will post all the details after the case and suite are done.

But here is the thing. Do you know what happened to the three police officers who made up the assault and aggravated battery on a police officer charges with the up to 20 year prison sentence?

Nothing.

Do you know what would have happened to my brother if those ring cameras didn’t kick in? I’m guessing he’d get about 7 years. What’s your guess?

That’s the definition of a police state. They can just make something up to throw you in prison…and in the 1 in a 1000 chance you are able to prove your innocence, nothing happens.

I still nearly tear up at the thought of how close he came. He’s a father of 4 who works for Mitsubishi building generators as a supervisor. And he nearly lost his freedom…for what. I yelled at him “You know never to engage with the police. You know better you fool.” All he could say is…”but my son was over there.” 30K for a lawyer (gone). 5K for the 50K bond (gone) all because you approached police.

I’ll update the results when I can. But more than likely…nothing will happen.

Have you ever suspected that a family member was guilty of murder?

I’m pretty sure Grandpa killed my cousin’s abusive ex-husband.

The ex ticked all the psycho boxes: he was physically, sexually, and verbally abusive. When my cousin finally started the divorce proceedings and got a restraining order, the ex repeatedly violated it. He’d make numerous harassing phone calls daily, show up at her workplace, and was arrested a couple times for trying to force his way into her house. Somehow he’d always make bail and within 24 hours or so be right back at it.

Shortly after the divorce was finalized and she got 100% custody of their son, the psycho broke into her home while she was at work and trashed the house. He left voicemails threatening to kill her. My cousin came and stayed with us for awhile so she could make arrangements to move and would not be home alone.

One day the calls stopped. She stopped seeing his truck around town. My cousin was still scared, it was not like him to just stop, and she figured he had gotten arrested, and would soon be out and back at it again. She said words to that effect one morning at breakfast. There sat Grandpa, reading the paper, with a cup of coffee and a Pall Mall Red. Without looking up he just said, “He won’t bother you again.”

And he didn’t. Going on twenty years and no one has seen or heard of the psycho ex. Grandpa knew something we didn’t, but he died in ’05 so he ain’t telling.

EDIT: to address some of the comments without posting repetitively, I suspect Grandpa got rid of the ex. I do not know if her ex is alive or dead. I don’t know for sure what, if anything Grandpa had to do with it. All I can say for sure is he said the ex wouldn’t bother her again and he hasn’t. Wouldn’t put it past the old man to have done his own problem solving though.

Grand Funk Legend Died & Saw the Afterlife – Mark Farner Tells All!

What is the most current lie told about China?

There are several major lies that are all equally current:

China is planning to invade Taiwan.
China is oppressing the Uyghurs in Xinjiang (genocide, forced labor, concentration camps, etc.).
China is oppressing the Chinese people in general (Xi Jinping is a dictator).
China’s economy is a disaster (property market, youth unemployment, demographics, etc.).
China can’t innovate; it can only steal IP.
China is debt-trapping African countries.

What do doctors do when a patient cannot pay for life-threatening surgery? Do surgeons let the patient die, or do the surgery at their own expense?

Once, when I was on duty in the Emergency Department during my residency training on a 36-hour shift, I noticed something. Something strange, something that was not normal.

There was this one kid, around 10 years old. I saw him wandering around the emergency department all day long. And just like that, it was midnight. I had time to reflect on the events of that night. That same kid was standing outside. So, I decided to find out what was happening to that boy, why was he wandering around the emergency room all day long by himself?

So when I approached him and asked him if I could help him I saw that he was really upset. After that he tried to avoid my questions but I insisted to find out what was going on with him, he asked if we can talk in a private place.

I took him into an office and he lifted his shirt and showed me a scar on his chest that was obviously from a previous heart surgery.

He confessed that he was looking for the doctor who had performed the surgery on him when he was a baby and asked where to find them.

Of course, I knew the surgeon who had operated on the child. But I insisted on knowing why he had been sitting in the emergency room all day looking for that surgeon.

Then I found out that the surgeon in question not only treated the kid for free, but also paid for all the costs of his surgery (since he didn’t have any kind of insurance) and also visited his home every two months after the surgery, paid his family’s rent, got them food and clothes (note this was years ago).

But for the last one and a half years the surgeon was not seen in the children’s house, and his mother did not even have money to pay the rent. That is why he was searching for him.

Sadly, the kid didn’t know that the surgeon had died a year and a half earlier, and he started crying when I told him.

Later that day I told some of my cardiac surgery friends about the incident. I found out that for the past year and a half since the cardiac surgeon’s death, many people have been coming to the hospital regularly asking where he was! Because no one apparently knew that not only did he pay for their surgeries (for those who were unable to pay), but he also made it his mission to help those people’s entire families. And even his wife and children did not know he did that.

What an incredible, inspiring and fascinating person he was.

He was Brigadier-General Dr. Muhammad Fayez in the Royal Medical Services of the Jordanian Armed Forces.

He was a cardiac surgery consultant and head of the cardiac surgery department when he died of a heart attack at the age of 52.

His typical day started at 8:00am and ended at 11:00pm. He was a talented, dedicated, humble and decent man who preferred to work behind the scenes. Didn’t want fame or fortune. A true human being.

UPDATE – Wife Has Known For 8 YEARS That Her Best Friend’s Husband Punched My Son And NEVER Told Me!

Cosmic Catastrophe: A Space Adventure Gone Awry

Submitted into Contest #247 in response to: Set your story on a spaceship exploring the far reaches of space when something goes wrong.… view prompt

Kayla Flemming

The hum of the spaceship’s engines filled the air as Captain Jackson surveyed the vast expanse of space stretching out before them. They were on a routine mission to explore the far reaches of the Galaxy, charting new star systems and collecting valuable data for the Intergalactic Alliance.But as they ventured further into uncharted territory, a sense of unease settled over the crew. There was something off about this sector of space – a feeling of foreboding that sent shivers down their spines.As they pressed on, their fears were realized when a sudden jolt rocked the ship, sending alarms blaring and lights flashing. Emergency protocols were initiated as the crew scrambled to assess the damage.”What happened?” Captain Jackson barked, his voice tense with urgency.”It looks like we hit some sort of anomaly,” replied Lieutenant Ramirez, her fingers flying across the control panel as she attempted to regain control of the ship.But their efforts were in vain as another jolt shook the vessel, this time more violently than before. Panic gripped the crew as they realized they were hurtling towards a nearby planet, their trajectory set on a collision course that spelled certain doom.

With time running out, Captain Jackson made a split-second decision – they would attempt a risky maneuver to evade the planet’s gravitational pull and regain control of the ship.

“Brace yourselves!” he shouted, his hands gripping the controls with steely determination.

As the ship plunged towards the planet’s surface, the crew held their breath, their hearts pounding in their chests. But just when it seemed all hope was lost, Captain Jackson’s daring maneuver paid off, and the ship veered away from the planet at the last possible moment.

Cheers erupted throughout the cockpit as the crew celebrated their narrow escape from disaster. But their relief was short-lived as they realized they were now adrift in the void of space, their navigation systems fried and their chances of survival dwindling by the second.

As they frantically searched for a way to repair the ship and plot a course home, Captain Jackson couldn’t help but wonder what other dangers lurked in the darkness of space, waiting to test their courage and resolve.

Despite the chaos that ensued, the crew of the spaceship refused to let fear dictate their actions. With determination in their hearts and a spirit of camaraderie that bound them together, they set out to explore the planet they had narrowly avoided crashing into. As they descended through the atmosphere, they were greeted by a breathtaking landscape unlike anything they had ever seen before – towering mountains, shimmering lakes, and lush forests stretching out to the horizon.

Eager to uncover the secrets of this alien world, the crew donned their spacesuits and ventured out onto the surface, their eyes wide with wonder as they took in the sights and sounds of this new frontier.

But their sense of adventure soon turned to apprehension as they encountered strange and wondrous creatures lurking in the shadows – creatures with scales as hard as steel, eyes that glowed with an otherworldly light, and voices that echoed through the caverns like whispers from the void.

Undeterred, the crew pressed on, their curiosity driving them ever forward in their quest for knowledge and discovery. And though they faced countless challenges and obstacles along the way, their indomitable spirit carried them through, guiding them on a journey of exploration that would change their lives forever.

As they prepared to leave the planet behind and return to the safety of their ship, Captain Jackson couldn’t help but feel a sense of gratitude for the adventure they had shared together. For in the face of adversity, they had found strength in each other, forging bonds that would withstand the test of time.

Amidst the chaos and excitement of their unplanned detour, the crew found moments of levity that brought much-needed relief from the tension of their predicament.

From Lieutenant Ramirez’s failed attempts at fixing the ship’s malfunctioning systems to Ensign Johnson’s comical mishaps during their explorations on the planet’s surface, there was never a dull moment aboard the spaceship.

Even Captain Jackson, typically stoic and reserved, couldn’t help but crack a smile as he watched his crew stumble their way through one misadventure after another. But amidst the laughter and camaraderie, there was a sense of camaraderie that bound them together, a shared sense of purpose that gave them the strength to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

And as they finally set course for home, their ship repaired and their ship repaired and their spirits buoyed by the memories of their cosmic escapades, they knew that no matter what trials awaited them in the vast expanse of space, they would face them together, united in their quest for adventure and discovery.

The journey back to their home base was filled with moments of reflection and gratitude. Each member of the crew took the time to appreciate the bonds they had formed and the experiences they had shared during their time in the far reaches of space.

Lieutenant Ramirez, with her quick with and unwavering determination, became the heart and soul of the crew, guiding them through even the most challenging of situations with her calm demeanor and steady hand.

Ensign Johnson, despite his tendency to stumble into trouble, proved himself to be a valuable asset to the team, his ingenuity and resourcefulness saving them on more than one occasion.

And Captain Jackson, with his leadership and courage, inspired his crew to rise above their fears and doubts, leading them through adversity with unwavering resolve. As they neared their home base, a sense of anticipation filled the air. Though their journey had been fraught with danger and uncertainty, they had emerged stronger and more united than ever before.

And as they docked their ship and stepped onto solid ground once more, they knew that their adventure was far from over. For as long as there were stars in the sky and unexplored corners of the universe to discover, they would continue to journey forth, together, in search of the next great adventure that awaited them in the cosmos.

Shorpy

What was said at a funeral that you will never forget?

When I was eleven years old, a friend drowned while swimming alone at a local lake. He was alone because I had persuaded a mutual friend who was supposed to go with him, instead, to come visit me at my house, because I was grounded from leaving the house, but I could have a friend come over.

Denny’s was the first funeral I remember attending, and I walked into the funeral home alone. I was terrified and overcome with remorse and shame. Not quite knowing what to do, I slipped in the back and sat in the first chair I saw with no one near it.

Almost immediately, Denny’s mother came over and sat next to me. She said, “This is not your fault. You did not kill Denny. Tragic accidents happen all the time, sweetheart. Don’t carry this through your life. If you do, that will be a tragic accident too. When you leave today, leave any guilt you might feel right here so that we can bury it as well.

Then she hugged me while I cried. I did exactly as she said. And I have never forgotten the witness of her grace.

A MATTER OF SURVIVAL

Submitted into Contest #243 in response to: Write a story about a character who wakes up in space.… view prompt

Charles Corkery

A MATTER OF SURVIVAL The Shuttle He opened his eyes and knew, immediately, that something was amiss; no headache, no blurred vision, no sluggishness of his central nervous system, no disorientation of any kind. With growing trepidation, he turned to his right and, swallowing his anxiety, gazed at his digital, countdown screen: frozen at 9 years, 5 months, 3 weeks, 6 days and 19 hours. He had been in cryosleep for just 5 hours!What the f**k!Glen Thomas, Commander of Deep Space Shuttle, Commodore V11, noted for his coolness under pressure, began to perspire and panic at the same time. Sitting up, dressed only in khaki briefs and t-shirt, he looked across at the other two cryogenic sleeping pods alongside him and saw the red, illuminated screens of his colleagues ticking down the seconds and minutes in perfect harmony, unlike his own.Flight Engineers, Helen Jones and Matt Weitz slept peacefully inside their transparent cocoons, their body temperatures maintained at a perfect 32 degrees C, in a state of natural hibernation, heart beats slowed, hormones and composition of blood, breathing, cell replication and brain activity all altered for the next nine and a half years, when they would awaken as Commodore V11 reentered Earth’s atmosphere- as he, too, was meant to do. For some reason, his pod had malfunctioned!

As the man in charge of this mission, Glen had an intimate knowledge of his ship and understood that, once set, the timing device of a stasis pod could not be altered.

Nevertheless, heart thumping, he eased himself from the pod zone to the bridge of the craft, floating weightlessly, using his hands to push off bulkheads, hatches and overheads to reach the command centre of the shuttle where all typed modules relating to the workings of the ship were stored.

Breathing deeply, trying desperately to calm himself, he pulled down the tome that related directly to the cryogenic chambers and began to read. Within a few minutes, his worst fears were confirmed; the operational clock, once triggered, could not, under any circumstances, be recalibrated. For him, the ability to not age for the next nine and a half years was no longer an option.

Okay, okay. Stay calm. That’s not the end of the world, he told himself. Helen and Matt would get a shock when they snapped out of hibernation to find their commander almost a decade older than they remembered, sure. And life for him would be pretty damn unbearable in the interim but he could do it; would do it. Hell, he’d be a hero when they got back; maybe even secure a book deal.

Food! Jeez, he’d forgotten about how much sustenance he was going to need to make it through. These shuttles were not overstocked with nutritional products as the majority of travel time was spent in natural hibernation and space food, whether dehydrated, irradiated, freeze dried or thermo- stabilised, still added hugely to fuel costs for every pound stored on board. Time to calculate.

An hour later, having entered the nutritional info of every single item of food he had located in the shuttle into the command and data subsystem, including Helen’s specially packaged must haves, Cheetos, and Matt’s, similarly wrapped, Hershey Kisses, and allowing for a ration of 0.58 kilograms per day, he realised, heart plunging, that he had only enough fluids and solids to sustain life for just twelve months!

A year later, an emaciated, stinking, full bearded commander entered the pod zone for the first time in weeks. Initially, and for several months, he had checked on his colleagues several times per day but, as time had passed, he had limited himself to a once a week visit, the effort involved just too much for his weakened body. This time though, he had another reason for entering this part of the ship: the knowledge that, within the temperature controlled systems lay several litres of much needed water and he was going to figure out how to drain it. With all food having been consumed, although estimates were varied, it was believed that man could extend one’s life by up to two months living on water alone and there was no reason to maintain the perfect 32 degrees C that his hibernating colleagues were dwelling in.

The year had been the toughest of this man’s life. Having nothing to look at except the darkness of deep space that remained unchanged constantly outside the window of the bridge, nobody to talk to except himself, he had, slowly, drifted into semi-insanity. Unable to wash, shave or brush his teeth, with every drop of moisture being so precious, he had, knowingly, allowed himself to become a savage. Wild thoughts entered his mind and he would spend endless, comatose hours debating the rights and wrongs of each. Many, many times, he had considered cutting the power to his colleagues’ cryopods. If he had to suffer so, then why not them, too?

He had even thought about opening the pod of Matt Weitz and, while he was still disoriented, pulling him from his sleeping chamber and taking his place; sure that lifting the lid of the pod would not affect the countdown clock. But, always, the still rational part of his brain would win through and talk him out of this murderous act.

Many, many times, he had told himself that he should accept his fate, climb down into the sealed exit hatch bay and eject himself out into the void and, twice, had entered this part of the ship, fully intending to do the honourable thing. But, each time, something, whether an inbuilt survival instinct or a fatal optimism, prevented him from carrying through with his plan. He knew that he only had enough food and water to sustain him for twelve months; that death was inevitable. Yet, he could not quit; had to claw on to life, hoping, believing that a miracle might occur. His experience in space had confirmed him in his atheistic outlook and he did not, for one minute, give any credence to the existence of a God but, still, he found himself repeating the mantras that had been drilled into him as a child, brought up in a Christian household.

Now, as he drained the water from the tubing that surrounded all three pods, the brownish, foul smelling water seeping into the container he had brought here for this purpose, he looked, once again, at his two colleagues, sleeping peacefully, completely oblivious to the torment that he was going through and, against his better impulses, angry and envious thoughts flooded his brain. Why did his pod have to be the one that failed?

***

Breaking News

“We go now to Independence Square, NASA HQ, where NASA Administrator, Bob Nelson, is waiting to talk to us with the latest on the ill fated shuttle. Bob, thanks for coming on. What can you tell us?”

“I can now confirm, Mary, that our inquiry has shown, beyond any doubt, that the oxygen supply for the craft had defaulted and was responsible for the demise of our three brave astronauts”.

“Did they suffer, Bob?”

“No. All three were in hibernation, completely unaware of the system breakdown. They would all have died peacefully and painlessly in their sleep”.

“What about their families?”

“Well, none of our deep space astronauts are actually married, have children or are in relationships, Mary. It’s not something that is common knowledge but, I’m sure you’ll understand, they are away from home for a very long time. In this case, for example, Commodore V11 was on a twenty year voyage to Pluto and, while the cryogenic sleeping pods ensure that the occupants of the shuttle age only a year or two, the same would not apply to any relatives left on Earth. For that reason, we only train men and women who are prepared to forego a family life, at least until their later years”.

“Well, thanks for sharing that, Bob. Makes me wonder why anybody would want to put themselves through that though”.

“Mary, these are a very special breed of human; pioneers, if you like. They undertake only one deep space mission in their careers and they are expanding boundaries for the human race and, of course, they get extremely well compensated for it”.

“If they survive, Bob. If they survive”.

***

Human Health and Performance (HH+P) Medical and Clinical Unit Secure Ward, Johnson Space Center

“Okay, doc, let me have it”.

“Well, there’s no way to sugar coat this, Bob. Deep space, deep psychosis. It’s that simple”.

“Is he coherent?”

“Depends on what you mean by coherent. I can understand what he’s saying but that doesn’t mean he’s talking a whole lot of sense. He’s cognisant of his actions and, in many ways, as repulsive as they were, he was simply reverting to the human’s inbuilt instinct for survival. Throughout history, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of similar happenings where cannibalism has been a last resort. That plane crash in the Andes, for example. If they hadn’t made that choice to eat their former comrades, those guys would never have survived…”

“Difference is, doc, their comrades were already dead. Commander Glen Thomas chose to eat his living colleagues. Big distinction!”

“So what now, Bob? That’s the fourth time this has happened in recent years.”

“Well, we can never let this get out. It would decimate our entire deep space program budgets. So you know what to do, doc. Same as before. Just make it painless for the poor sap”.

***

Why is China being increasingly targeted? Are they really a threat to the future of the world?

The Chinese has been targeted since the mid 1800 when the first batch of Chinese went to the US to open up the East West railway lines. They were badly discriminated and I am sure many died. But in those days it is not illegal to kill a Chinese! Of course Anglo Saxon wants the world to forget everything from African slavery to Red Indians culling to Chinese exclusion act now that their victims are all dead and gone!

But so much to western human rights hypocrisy! We will always remember and we will remind you forever! Has anything change? No the white supremacy idea still exists and today Wall Street Journal or Economist still do racism with profit! The western media slur and demonised and get rewarded by the US government with 1.6 billion funding.

it is such a terrible thing to do to use monies instead of helping their 2.5 million homeless on incentives to lie and fabricate on China and the Chinese people. It is Deja Vu all over again. It is Chinese excision act 2025! But this time the world is on the Chinese side. Sure they are dogs and slaves like UK, Australia, Philippines! But there will always be people who stays on the wrong side of history.

Marriage Is Often a Terrible Deal | Orion Taraban

How will China’s “temporary anti-dumping measures” on brandy imported from the European Union affect the global brandy market?

I think a lot of it is because China sees little reason to support western countires who are almost universally taking antagonistic attitudes towards China. And what has China done. Basically it has just done better than the west. Funny thing is this is not new. It is repeated time and time again in history. Back in the 19th century the European invasions of China were brought about because the Western world wanted Chinese goods, but there was little that the Chinese wanted from the west, and so the British becaome the biggest drug cartel in the world, effectively forcing opium on the Chinese the same way drug dealers do it today, and then selling to those people. The Chinese government was too weak to do much against it, but at least were able to prevent the west from conquoring China (unlike Inida). Also during the 19th century, Chinese teams working on the American railroads were able to accomplish tasks other teams could not accomplish and were always more productive. For thier good work they were effectively presecuted by vigilanties. This is something that has happened to the Chinese diaspora throughout history. So similar to what has constantly happened to the Jews.

In part because the west is trying to isolate China. and doing western leadership constantly attempts to destroy China, China appears to feel that it is better to build relationships with the 90% that make up the rest of the world, and it has an added benefit in that doing this is economically better given that products and goods from those countries are less expensive than western countries. At the same time it gives Chinese the opportunity to now produce final products and sell them under Chinese brands, so the profit it much greater, and the dependence on the west is greatly reduced. These countries have proven to be a lot more appreciative of the Chinese, and why not. The Chinese products are so much cheaper than the western products, the Chinese are not buying lots of agricultural products from them, Chinese companies are also selling farm equipment at a fraction of the cost of the west to them so that they can be increase production, building factories in the countries (something the west never did to any extent), and significantly helping them build much better infrastructure in the countries. It is a big win for China, and a big win for those countries that struggled so long under Western imperialism and colonialsim and then Western neo-colonialism.

People talk about how China is so hated by the international community, but that is not the international community but the collective west.

China is learning that the doublespeak “International” community (the reality the collective west) is never going to be a friend to China, maybe because the Chinese are not white and have more power. It is much better to get the rest of the world to be with you, and isolate the west so that they can no longer do you any harm. Russia is learning the same lesson because the white people of the west also consider them untermensch. All the better for China.

And to make matters worse for the west the tactic they used in the 19th century will not work in the 21st century, that of forcing China to turn around, bend over and pull down its pants. As proof of this just look how dangerous is will be for the US Navy to operate within well over 1000km of China. This is proven by articles that admit the the F35 does not have enough range.

https://theaviationgeekclub.com/hasc-report-finds-that-f-35c-lacks-the-range-to-strike-enemy-targets/

China is now a regional hegemon. Its military can stop dead any attempts to intimidate China. They US is fuming. Nothing it does or can do against China works.

King of the Hill – 1950’s Super Panavision 70

Why do we exhibit a lack of fortitude and strength in failing to equip and empower our brethren in Russia and West Asia to combat Western Imperialism, despite the Western Imperialist supplying arms and munitions to eradicate them?

Western imperialism is closely linked to nationalism, racism, white supremacy, and Eurocentrism (America-centrism).

Should people follow the nationalist incitement of their governments and go to kill each other? No!

So-called patriotism, nationalism and chauvinism have always been the gravediggers of the proletariat.

Don’t forget that beyond these claims, there is communism.

Humanity is facing a series of serious problems, namely an insurmountable economic crisis, continuous wars, xenophobia, the impoverishment of the working class, and the destruction of the earth’s ecology, all of which cannot be solved by nationalism.

If we fall into the trap of nationalism, the entire human race will be destroyed. 200 million people died in endless wars in the 20th century alone.

Only by overthrowing this development model in this society can humanity escape this barbaric dead end. This is the message that the working class, especially the younger generation, wants to send to social movements in other countries.

In Japan, protests against the explosion and radiation effects of the Fukushima nuclear power plant have been one after another, and there is growing anger about the impact of the economic crisis.
In the United States, there have been a series of strikes by workers to protest against their incredible exploitation.
In many other countries, we can cite many examples, such as the Arab Spring, Spain, Greece, Bangladesh, etc., where the working class has been massively fired, unemployed and impoverished, and the pressure of work has been increasing.

The solution to so many problems is not nationalism in collusion with the state, but the Class struggle.

We cannot rely on the brutal burning of stores and production bases belonging to “foreign competitors” or calling for a boycott of foreign competitors’ goods to sanction opponents or overcome the crisis.

We need to unite the camp of the working class and then oppose another class camp with our class camp, rather than a conflict between countries.

Our slogan is still: the working class has no motherland and no borders!

We must inherit this internationalist tradition and break the shackles of nationalism.

The rulers want our young generation to swallow the nationalist pill, that is, the rulers threaten each other every day and launch propaganda for war. But we must firmly put forward our different proposals – Class struggle.

Only in this way can mankind not usher in the Third World War and not perish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-Mb_mknCk4

There is a scene in the Japanese film ‘Break Through! (パッチギ!, Patchigi!) ’:

The teacher takes out a copy of ‘Chairman Mao’s Quotations’ and introduces it to the students, saying, ‘Chairman Mao of China tells us this…’

Student: ‘Teacher, have you ever been to China?’

Teacher: ‘No, I haven’t, but I know.’

The students don’t give a damn. Then the teacher continues, ‘The world is yours and ours, but in the end it is yours. There is only one way to eliminate war…’

Student: ‘Is it the atomic bomb?’

Teacher: ‘Idiot, war originates from conflict among classes. Eliminating class differences can eliminate war. This is Chairman Mao’s theory.’

40 Brutal Truths I Wish I Knew in My 20s

1. Don’t become good at something you hate.

2. Go to bed and wake up at the exact same time every day.

3. Take care of your body; it’s the only one you have.

4. Stay close to people who want more for you, not from you.

5. Normalize leaving people in the reality they’ve chosen.

6. Being humble is thinking of yourself less, not thinking less of yourself.

7. You get tested the most when it’s your time to level up.

8. Improve yourself daily—make that your only addiction.

9. You teach people how to treat you.

10. Admit you’ve walked through the wrong door instead of staying in the wrong room.

11. Waiting for a sign is a sign.

12. Nothing you’ve gone through has made you weaker.

13. Everything wants you when you want nothing.

14. Be willing to be misunderstood for long periods of time to be successful.

15. When things get easy, go hard.

16. Only ask for advice from people who have been where you want to go.

17. The word “No” is a complete sentence.

18. Don’t dim your light to make others comfortable.

19. Have a primary aim for your life.

20. Stop reading books, start studying them.

21. Always assume positive intent.

22. Put your own mask on first before helping others.

23. Look for problems, don’t avoid them.

24. Your new life will cost you your old one.

25. Confidence comes from keeping commitments you make to yourself in private.

26. Dedicate a decade, not a day, to your goals.

27. Treat others the way you want to be treated.

28. Tell people about themselves; acknowledge their strengths.

29. If you keep running into bad people, you may be the problem.

30. Avoid drama and gossip at all costs.

31. Fear gives bad advice.

32. It’s never too late to change.

33. Get rid of all your vices.

34. If you’re addicted to your phone, your life isn’t interesting enough.

35. Take on as much responsibility as you can.

36. Don’t blame anyone else but yourself for your circumstances.

37. Be blissfully dissatisfied with where you’re at in life.

38. Make time for what matters to you.

39. Respect comes from admiration, not fear.

40. Life is a mirror, not a window.

China unveils the ultimate battery: 50 years without recharge, but with dangerous energy

Imagine walking around with a nuclear cell phone! The concept is not that farfetched after Chinese company Betavolt developed a battery the size of a coin that runs on nuclear energy and lasts for an incredible five decades. The technology is also applicable to drones and laptops and the energy density is 10 times more powerful than standard lithium-ion batteries of the same size.

Earth’s first miniaturized atomic energy system

Betavolt’s nuclear battery uses 63 nuclear isotopes positioned within a thumb-sized module. The energy created by the decaying isotopes is converted into electricity, a concept that has existed since the 20th century.

Startup Betavolt has begun pilot testing ahead of mass production for commercial purposes, and future applications include smartphones, drones, and laptops. They’re not the only company looking into similar technology, though. Australia’s PhosEnergy is also in the game after the Department of Defence awarded them $2.3 million to develop extra-long-life batteries.

Betavolt said in a statement:

“If policies permit, atomic energy batteries can allow a mobile phone to never be charged, and drones that can only fly for 15 minutes can fly continuously. Our atomic energy batteries can provide enduring power in diverse scenarios, such as aerospace, AI equipment, medical devices, microprocessors, advanced sensors, small drones, and micro-robots.”

The development of miniaturized nuclear batteries

Betavolt’s initial nuclear design delivers 100 microwatts of power and 3V voltage. It’s only 15x15x5 cubic millimeters big, which is great news for smaller electronic devices like phones. Betavolt’s plan includes developing a battery with 1 watt of power by 2025.

Scientists have been looking into the development of miniature nuclear batteries for many years. The US and the Soviet Union explored nuclear battery technology for use in underwater systems, remote science stations, and spacecraft. In those early days, however, the hardware was bulky and costly.

Aside from China, research institutions in Europe and America are also working on similar projects. The groundbreaking tech may revolutionize the world of electronics by removing the need to charge devices.

Design and safety of miniature nuclear batteries

Betavolt is certain that the design of their battery ensures its safety. It’s built with a layered structure to prevent it catching fire or exploding when exposed to a sudden force. The battery can also operate under a wide range of temperatures, from -60°C to 120°C.

Betavolt created the nuclear battery using nickel-63 as the energy source, which is a radioactive element. Diamond semiconductors are used to convert the energy to electricity. The single-crystal semiconductor is 10 microns thick, and a two-micron-thick nickel-63 sheet is placed between two converters. The energy that’s released as the radioactive element decays is what’s converted into an electrical current to power the device.

What about dangerous radiation?

Obviously, the main concern about nuclear energy is radiation. Betavolt is so confident of their battery’s safety that they claim it can be used to power medical devices inside the body, such as cochlear implants or pacemakers. After the radioactive element has finished decaying, a stable, harmless, non-radioactive isotope of copper is left behind, which has no environmental threat.

Betavolt’s BV100 battery is more secure compared to standard batteries. It does not explode or catch fire when exposed to high temperatures or punctured, making it a safer option.

Minimizing the risk

Betavolt claims the energy density of its miniature battery is 10 times higher than lithium-ion batteries. But they haven’t said much about the risk of beta radiation poisoning. The nickel-63 isotope releases beta radiation and converts it into electricity.

Beta particles are low-mass, high-speed, high-energy electrons that aren’t very dangerous. They can’t travel far as an X-ray or carry as much energy as an alpha particle. Although beta particles have sufficient impact to pierce several millimeters of skin, just a small amount of shielding is sufficient to provide suitable protection.

The biggest risk would come from swallowing one of these batteries, similar to the risk of standard lithium-ion batteries. Betavolt believes the potential of such long-life batteries outweighs the risks, and that their measures to make them safe for use in robotics and autonomous systems will ensure the public is safe.

Betavolt says this development puts the country of China “way ahead” of European and American scientific institutions and enterprises researching similar power sources. Production of the nuclear batteries has entered the pilot stage and mass production is expected to begin in 2025.

This news is brought to you by http://Diary24.com by Kelly L. October 9, 2024

Why is Iron Dome not effective against ballistic missiles?

The Iron Dome was not designed to defend against ballistic missiles, and definitely not the hypersonic missiles that Iran possesses.

Israel’s Iron Dome was designed principally against the low velocity short range home made rockets fired by Hamas from Gaza. It is adequate for those purpose given that Hamas does not possessed very many of those rockets. Even for low velocity weaponries such as Drones, Israel’s enemies can overwhelmed the Iron Dome by SWARMING the skies with it.

There are no missile system that exist currently in Western inventories, including those of Israel, that could effectively defend against a barrage of ballistic missiles – Iran had demonstrated that in its recent attacks when MOST of its missiles hit their target in Israel.

ADDITIONALLY, Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon had forced the evacuation of Israeli occupiers from Northern Israel by launching drones and rockets. The Iron Dome was not able to STOP those threats.

Should this war continue to ESCALATE, you will likely see the complete destruction of Israeli infrastructure – water supplies, electricity, port etc – because Israel and its allies just does not have the means to defend against those missiles that Iran and Hezbollah are known to possessed.

Some interesting pictures

Hawaiian Steak

Ingredients

Individual steaks, 1/2 inch thick or less
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pineapple slices
1 large can mushrooms

Instructions

Punch both sides of each steak well with a fork, then marinate for 24 to 36 hours in a marinade made by combining soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and sugar.
Simmer steaks on a low fire for 10 minutes in the marinade.
Remove them and place steaks in a 350 degree F oven for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on thickness of meat. Three minutes before removing steaks, place a pineapple slice on each.
To make gravy, slowly sauté a large can of mushrooms in butter. While doing so, boil down the sauce used for the marinade to make a gravy.
Combine mushrooms and reduced marinade sauce.
Serve individual steaks with the pineapple on top, over which has been poured a generous amount of gravy.

What is the most infuriating thing that doctors experience all the time?

He was brought to the ER in cardiac arrest. Feeble pulse, BP not recordable, he was connected to a ventilator.

He is your old case, the resident reminded me. I look at him. A flashback appears

–

Flashback

Despite my poor face-recognition software I remembered our last conversation.

‘Doctor, I stopped the medicine you gave and started this new ayurvedic medicine for diabetes, which I came across in Google search. I started it, now 3 months, and see the lab results, they are perfect’ he threw the lab test results on my table diffidently, with a look of someone who won a boxing match without a single punch. ‘And no side effects by the way’ the sarcasm was clear in his voice. Years of medical practice endowed me with the non-stick ‘mental coating’ that make me smile.

‘I am not the manufacturer of pills, and I don’t gain or lose by your choosing to take a pill’ I silently remind myself.

But yes, his blood sugar values were normal.

–

Fact Check

Diabetes is elevated blood sugar, and we know its consequences. Blood vessels, from heart to brain, from eyes to kidneys tend to get blocked in diabetes; leading to stroke, heart attack, kidney disease and loss off vision. But why does it happen? That’s still not clear, even if you read through every line of the 1250 pages of the latest edition of Joslin’s Text Book of Diabetes. Today we know that diabetes comes with a host of conditions like obesity, hypertension, low HDL and elevated triglyceride (known as metabolic syndrome) and could all be partially responsible for the development of vascular complications of diabetes.. Discovery of hyperinsulinemia (increased insulin levels) as the prime driver in type 2 diabetes has added a new dimension. The present understanding is that diabetes is a biochemical orchestra gone wrong, and high blood sugar may be just one single player. Reprimand him, throw him out, but your orchestra still doesn’t improve.

A study published in Lancet show that in a diabetic lowering of blood pressure and LDL cholesterol gives significant reduction of cardiovascular events but the quantum of benefit of lowering sugar is far lesser and has a J curve (more lowering may actually harm; even in the normal range).

A recent Swedish registry data published in New England Journal of Medicine shows that in a diabetic, lowering of blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, and stopping smoking along with blood sugar control conclusively prevent a heart attack, while only control of blood sugar doesn’t.

A researcher has aptly commented that ‘Diabetes is a cardiovascular disease with elevated blood sugar’. Control blood sugar, you could still be in danger.

–

The FDA now insists that all diabetic drugs should prove benefit in terms of cardio-vascular event reduction in large trials to be eligible for approval for treatment of diabetes. Mere sugar lowering won’t do.

–

I could see the big picture, at least a part of it. At least I knew that our knowledge is shallow. The myopic man, contended with a normal blood sugar value, lying helplessly still, connected to a host of tubes and a beeping monitor was blissfully unaware.

–

I don’t build my house myself; I trust the architect. I don’t stich my shirt, the tailor has my confidence. I believe that the local taxi driver knows roadblocks better than Google.

Funny that we all believe Google more than our doctor.

Not funny for the sobbing relatives, sitting outside the ICU praying for him to get well.

China has successfully developed a new type of standing oblique detonation ramjet engine, which has high energy conversion efficiency and strong adaptability, and is of great significance to improving rocket launch performance, reducing costs and deep space exploration.

The standing oblique detonation ramjet is actually a rocket engine that uses a special combustion mode. Its design is inspired by the propagation characteristics of the explosion wave. It generates powerful thrust by colliding the fuel and oxidizer at a high speed at a specific angle and triggering an explosion.

The standing oblique detonation ramjet engine not only has high working efficiency and long continuous working time, but also has great advantages in structure. The engine does not require any rotating or moving parts. It only uses the three parts of the air intake, hydrogen fuel injector and combustion chamber to form the whole device. Standing oblique detonation ramjet engines can only work under hypersonic airflow.

When a hypersonic aircraft flies in the air, the shockwave not only will make it difficult for the engine’s fuel to burn, but will also cause turbulence on the fuselage surface, causing the aircraft to vibrate violently in a short period of time that affects control, and may even cause the fuselage to disintegrate.

The aircraft thus has to be made into a special streamlined structure called wave rider. Its leading edge can “ride” on the shock wave in the hypersonic airflow, which will not cause vibration of the aircraft body, but make full use of the energy of the shock wave to maintain the stability of the flight attitude.

With the standing oblique detonation ramjet engine, the aircraft can fly at a speed of more than 5 times the speed of sound. With the wave rider technology, the aircraft can maintain a stable and controllable attitude during high-speed flight. The combination of the two technologies has laid a strong foundation for the breakthrough of the future military science and technology in China.

This technological breakthrough not only demonstrates China’s profound strength in aerospace science and technology, but also indicates that future spacecraft will have greater maneuverability and a wider range of applicability.

The uniqueness of this engine lies in its suitability for high-speed flight, especially in the field of hypersonic flight. Current aircraft can only reach speeds of several times the speed of sound, but with the help of this engine, aircraft can reach higher speeds, higher altitudes and longer distances.

This type of engine is mainly used in high-tech and high-efficiency industrial fields. For example, they play a vital role in industries such as aerospace, shipbuilding, power generation equipment, and heavy machinery. With its excellent performance and reliability, this type of engine provides strong power support for these industries and promotes technological progress and industrial development.

In terms of energy supply, they can improve energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption. In the field of transportation, whether it is cars, trains or planes, high-performance engines can improve operating efficiency and passenger experience. In the field of medical equipment, precision engine technology provides a more stable power source for medical devices, thereby improving the quality of medical services.

Have you ever walked out of a doctor’s office because the doctor was being disrespectful to you?

I went to see my new Internist with an itchy rash all over my body. My dermatologist had prescribed an antibiotic for a localized skin infection, and then gone out of town. I am allergic to a few antibiotics, but had never had an issue with this type before.

My internist entered the exam room, lifted one of my arms by the wrist and rotated it to see each side. He dropped it in my lap and said, “Doesn’t look too bad.” I told him I was a bit worried because of the previous allergic reactions I had experienced to antibiotics in the last few months (I was having chronic sinus infections at the time). He left the room without explanation and came back with a bottle of calamine lotion. He explained how to apply it. I looked at him skeptically and asked how it would help if the rash was caused by a medication I had taken orally. He sighed loudly several times and said, somewhat facetiously, “Well, just take Benedryl if you are so worried.” I said I had been told never to take Benedryl with the several medications I was taking for my autoimmune condition, as well as an SSRI and Benzodiazepine.

He became angry, and shouted, “Well then what do you want me to do?!” I pulled away from him on the edge of the exam table, as I meekly explained that I was usually given 5mg of prednisone for a few days for this type of reaction. “Do you even know how that medication works?” He spat at me. At the time, I was a pretty new college student and was also not great at reading sarcasm. I didn’t know he was asking a rhetorical question, so I answered him thoroughly, explaining the mechanism of action of corticosteroids for inflammation. His face got red and his eyes narrowed. “How do you know that? How do you know any of that?” I calmly reminded him I was a premed student studying biology, and that I liked to know what medications did before I took them. I was confused about his level of aggression, but I felt cornered and didn’t know what to do other than assert myself in as calm of a manner as I could. That is what I had been taught to do.

“Well, well…you know way too much for a girl. Especially a girl your age. This is very inappropriate for you to know this.” He stood up from his stool and walked out the door. I was frantically trying to figure out what I had done wrong. I started to cry. I called my mom and tried to tell her what had happened, hoping she could tell me what I missed. She said, “Hold on, he is calling on the other line.” She took the call. She later told me he told her the same he had said to me— that I knew too much, that my level of knowledge was inappropriate, and she cut him off, and said “Dr. ——, it sounds like you have a personal issue. What is inappropriate is this phone call.” She clicked back into my call and just said, “Leave. There’s something wrong with him.” I had not signed a release for him to speak with anyone about me, so technically, it was a HIPAA violation for him to contact my mom. He also contacted one of my specialists, who wouldn’t take his call. He left a message. I had not signed a release for them to speak either, as this was a new internist I was seeing. I am glad I did not, and glad I did not continue to see him.

Recently, I was seeing my current doctor, and out of habit, apologized for sounding like a know-it-all about a specific topic we were discussing. He said, “Never apologize for your knowledge. Never. It is one of your greatest attributes.” I told him I wished all doctors felt that way, and he responded, “If they don’t, it’s their problem, not yours.” Twelve years later, it really felt good to hear that.

Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure – 1950s Super Panavision 70

What are the best and worst feelings in the world?

Worst feeling: being told my daughter needed life threatening surgery on her skull, and that without it, she would end up with permanent brain damage due to premature closure of the growth plates in her skull.

I took my daughter to the doctors just for her yearly health check and was given this news. The diagnosis was Saethre–Chotzen syndrome.

About six months later, watching her head growing deformed by the day, she was finally admitted to Royal Children’s Hospital (Melbourne, Australia).

The following day, she was wheeled into surgery. I kissed her goodbye as she went to sleep under the anaesthetic, not expecting her to make it. The doctor looked grim. The dozen or so staff in the surgery theatre were silent. I was ushered away.

The neurosurgeon said before I left that if all went well, she’d be in surgery for 3-4 hours. The subsequent nine hours were the longest in my life.

Afterwards, the neurosurgeon said it was worse than he had suspected and he had to remove her entire skull from the ears up and completely rebuild it with dissolvable plates.

To then see her afterwards in ICU looking like this…

I was a mess. My wife wouldn’t fall apart for another few days.

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Don’t get me wrong, the hospital team are the best in the world. That night, as my wife lay beside my daughter’s ICU bed, she whispered to me ‘She’s going to pull through. I’m not worried about that now, but how the hell are we going to pay for all this?’

The best feeling for me, exceeding any joy that preceded it in my 50 years on Earth, was listening to my daughter singing the entire song Let it go from the movie Frozen, verbatim in Spanish (of all things) from a YouTube clipping she had watched the day before. She was doing this while building a sandcastle on the beach. It was a year post-op. Weird thing was, she didn’t know Spanish and could only speak English and Thai.

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I don’t know if God exists, but angels certainly do.

BTW, my wife, who comes from Thailand, still can’t believe that healthcare is free here in Australia (paid for via our taxes).

Is Israel engaged in a seven-front war?

In fact, Israel has only one front at war: the residual military value of the US.

All provocative actions taken by Israel are aimed at making it increasingly difficult for the US to tolerate the damage it has suffered in terms of international influence, and attempting to ultimately force the US to deploy military force into the Middle East.

As one of the most valuable political legacies of the founding fathers of the US, Jews were almost excluded from the core of the military system and appointed solely around economic operations, which to some extent ensured the security of the US and the world. Now, this design is gradually taking effect: fanatical Zionist zealots have to use extremely poor methods to try to manipulate the US military power – that is almost the only value left that America can be plundered by Zionists.

Subsequently, Zionists will attempt to expand/transfer their influence, they will try to parasitize regions such as Ukraine, HK, and India or somewhere else. Now, tens of thousands of Israelis have gone abroad to Ukraine, which is a country lacking defense capabilities of them. They are trying to bribe HK officials to let them in. Basically, they plan to give up on the US after draining it, maybe also Israeli land itself.

But I don’t think this behavior will succeed. Israel has offended almost all major countries on Earth at the same time. Israel is attempting to harm American interests and deceive and fool the US. The negotiation process between Israel and Lebanon was guaranteed by the national credibility of Britain and France, then Israel broke it. Israel attempted to interfere with China’s reunification process. It tried to intimidate Chinese UN peacekeeping soldiers. Israel directly conflicts with Russia on the battlefield. I can continue to list, but let’s save our time.

Honestly, I can’t see in which way this newly founded country can continue to exist, or even this outdated civilization.

Loyal Husband Catches Wife With Best Friend – She’s Toast & He’s Lawyering Up

Hound dog meets barbed quills

I grew up in rural Western Pennsylvania. And there, I had many friends.

Most of my friends were the children of blue collar workers, farmers, coal miners, railroad workers and steel workers. Just average people in a solid middle class life and lifestyle.

One of my friends lived on a small farm with cows, and a few acres of vegetables. They were self sufficient, and their refrigerator was always full of fresh (unpasteurized) milk. They had dogs and cats there as well.

The house was always filled with uncles and aunties and all their kids, perhaps twenty or so in total. It was always a kind of crazy free-for-all at their homestead.

The dogs were always digging, and roaming, and they did a lot of sleeping as well.

The dogs were these big old “Hound Dogs” who spent most of their time sniffing on the porch or just playing in the barn.

One day I went to visit that found the oldest dog in misery. He had tangled up with a porcupine and his face was completely covered in barbed quills. You needed a medical vet to extract them, and they didn’t have the time or the money, so the dog lived a life of misery for a few months before they could extract the quills.

Ugh!

Life on the farm could get really harsh. Don’t you think?

Today… Crazy Man is talking big.

We were hoping for some stability.

Ah…

I have always said, that Trump 2.0 will either go REALLY good, or REALLY bad. There’s not going to be a middle ground in all this.

Is all the proposed changes that he is making a good, or a bad thing?

Hum….

Trump is talking about annexing Canada

From Boomberg

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said “there isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States,” on the same day U.S. president-elect Donald Trump declared that he’s open to using “economic force” to acquire Canada.

Trump, speaking at a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, refused to rule out the use of military force to seize control of the Panama Canal and Greenland. He was also asked if he was considering using military force to acquire Canada.

“No, economic force,” he responded. “Because Canada and the United States, that would really be something.”

“You get rid of that artificially drawn line, and you take a look at what that looks like, and it would also be much better for national security. … We basically protect Canada.”

Trump has repeatedly suggested Canada could merge with the U.S. The first widely-reported example came during a Canadian delegation’s visit to Mar-a-Lago in early December, which Trudeau attended. Canadian officials chalked up Trump’s comments as a tease, but it appears the president-elect has since started to take the idea seriously.

“We’re losing $200 billion a year and more to protect Canada, and I said that to, as I called him, ‘Governor Trudeau.’ I said, ‘Listen, what would happen if we didn’t subsidize you?’ He said, ‘Canada would dissolve,’” Trump claimed.

In the past, Trump has accused Canada of accepting a $100-billion subsidy from the United States. It’s unclear exactly what he is referencing, but it may refer to the trade deficit between the two countries. A trade deficit occurs when the dollar value of a country’s imports is more than its exports. In 2023, the U.S. trade deficit with Canada was US$41 billion.

But on Tuesday, that purported $100-billion subsidy rose to $200 billion. CTVNews.ca has reached out to Trump’s media office to clarify what the $200-billion figure represents.

“I love the Canadian people, they’re great,” he said. “We’re spending hundreds of billions a year to take care of Canada. … We can’t do it forever.”

Not ‘a snowball’s chance in hell’: Trudeau

Shortly after Trump made his comments, Trudeau responded on social media.

“There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States. Workers and communities in both our countries benefit from being each other’s biggest trading and security partner.”

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly also lamented Trump’s comments, adding they “show a complete lack of understanding of what makes Canada a strong country,” she wrote on X.

“Our economy is strong. Our people are strong. We will never back down in the face of threats.”

Joly is widely considered a potential successor to Justin Trudeau, who announced he would resign from Liberal leadership on Monday, and eventually from his post as prime minister.

‘The world is better off’ because of Trudeau: Biden

U.S. President Joe Biden, meanwhile, wrote in a statement that he spoke with Trudeau on Monday.

Biden thanked Trudeau, calling him a “friend,” and adding “the world is better off because of him.”

“Over the last decade, Prime Minister Trudeau has led with commitment, optimism, and strategic vision. The U.S.-Canada alliance is stronger because of him. The American and Canadian people are safer because of him. And the world is better off because of him,” wrote the president.

Trudeau assumed power in 2015 towards the end of Barack Obama’s presidency. Biden was vice-president then. Nearly a decade later, Biden is preparing to hand the keys to the Oval Office to Trump, and Trudeau is leaving the PMO as the country braces for a tariff war with the United States.

“Together, we’ve tackled some of the toughest issues our nations faced in decades,” the letter continues, “from the COVID-19 pandemic, to climate change, to the scourge of fentanyl.”

The last point – the “scourge of fentanyl” – will remain a sticking point between Trump and the next prime minister. The president-elect mentioned controlling the dangerous drug as a condition to avoid 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian exports to the U.S. when he assumes power.

Canada-U.S. trade ‘supporting millions of jobs in each country’

The tariffs could seriously impact trade between the two countries. Last year, from January to November, the U.S. exported C$461.5 billion in goods to Canada and imported C$540.3 billion. The U.S. International Trade Association called the trade relationship the world’s largest and most comprehensive, supporting millions of jobs in each country.

“We have made generational investments to strengthen our supply chains and rebuild our economies from the bottom up and middle out—establishing North America as the most economically competitive region in the world,” Biden wrote.

“I am proud to call him my friend. And I will be forever grateful for his partnership and leadership.”

Trump takes different tone

Biden’s letter comes in stark contrast to Trump’s response to Trudeau’s resignation.

In a Truth Social post on Monday, Trump once again referred to Canada as the United States' 51st state, adding the U.S. “can no longer suffer the massive Trade Deficits and Subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat.”

“Justin Trudeau knew this, and resigned,” he wrote. “If Canada merged with the U.S., there would be no Tariffs, taxes would go way down … Together, what a great Nation it would be!!!”

On Tuesday, Trump also repeated his conversation with hockey star Wayne Gretsky.

“I have so many great friends [in Canada]. One of them is ‘The Great One’: Wayne Gretzky,” Trump mused.

“I told him run for prime minister … You’ll win in two seconds,” he said, possibly referring to the widely publicized Christmas Day visit between the president-elect and Gretzky.

“He said, ‘Well, am I going to run for prime minister or governor? You tell me,’” Trump recounted. “I said, ‘Let’s make it governor. I like it better.’”

Trump is talking about seizing Panama

From Axios

Trump floats "Gulf of America," seizing Panama Canal in wide-reaching presser

Erin Doherty

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump speaks during Turning Point USA's AmericaFest at the Phoenix Convention Center on December 22, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona

President-elect Trump speaks during Turning Point USA's AmericaFest at the Phoenix Convention Center on Dec. 22 in Phoenix, Ariz. Photo: Rebecca Noble/Getty Images

President-elect Trump during a lengthy press conference on Tuesday did not rule out using the U.S. military to reclaim the Panama Canal or acquire Greenland.

Why it matters: Speaking for over an hour during his second press conference since winning the White House, Trump floated renaming the 'Gulf of Mexico' to 'Gulf of America' and reiterated that he's "looking at" pardoning Jan. 6 defendants.

Driving the news: Trump's far-reaching press conference comes just one day after Congress certified his 2024 presidential victory. Here's some of what he said:

When asked by a reporter whether Trump would assure the world that he would not use military or economic coercion to gain control of Greenland and the Panama Canal, he said: "No, I can't assure you on either of those two."
"I can say this, we need them for economic security," the president-elect said.
Trump's remarks come as his son, Donald Trump Jr., is visiting Greenland on Tuesday, after the president-elect has signaled that the U.S. should try to acquire the territory.

Between the lines: Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino told the local newspaper La Estrella he will not respond to Trump's accusations about the Canal until the president-elect takes office Jan. 20.

A defiant Mulino has previously suggested that Trump's comments didn't matter until he actually became president.

Gulf of Mexico: Trump also said that "we're going to be changing the name of Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which has a beautiful ring."

His remarks, which raise questions about how the renaming process would actually work, are the latest example of Trump flexing his power on the global stage before he takes office.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said Tuesday she plans to introduce legislation renaming the Gulf of Mexico the "Gulf of America."

Jan. 6 defendants: One day after the four year anniversary of the Capitol riot, Trump said that "we'll be looking at the whole thing, but I'll be making major pardons."

He didn't specifically answer whether he would consider pardoning the Jan. 6 rioters who were charged with violent offenses.

Trump on the campaign trail repeatedly said he would pardon the rioters who were charged in connection to Jan. 6 on his "first day" in office.

Hostages held by Hamas: Trump said that "all hell will break out in the Middle east" if the hostages held by Hamas are not released by the time he takes office.

"And it will not be good for Hamas and it will not be good, frankly, for anyone. All hell will break out. I don't have to say anymore, but that's what it is."

Canada: Trump, who has mused about making Canada the 51st U.S. state, said that he would not use the military to make that happen but did not rule out using "economic force."

Zoom out: Trump earlier in his Tuesday press conference announced that billionaire Hussain Sajwani, chairman of Dubai-based developer Damac Properties, is investing at least $20 billion in the U.S. to back new data centers.

Go deeper: Trump announces $20 billion foreign investment in data centers

Axios' Ben Berkowitz contributed reporting.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's plans to introduce a bill to rename the Gulf of Mexico.

Trump is talking about annexing Greenland

From The Hill

Trump, allies fuel speculation over Greenland endgame
by Jared Gans and Sarakshi Rai - 01/07/25 6:32 PM ET

President-elect Trump is ramping up speculation about his endgame with Greenland as he doubles down on calls to acquire the Danish territory, putting observers and allies alike on edge.

Trump on Tuesday reiterated his desire to purchase the island during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago, the same day his son, Donald Trump Jr., made a visit there.

Observers have waved off the idea that the U.S. would realistically acquire Greenland. But President-elect Trump’s comments have nonetheless raised concerns, as well as renewed focused on the strategic importance of the island amid growing tensions with other Arctic players like China and Russia.

“It’s not clear yet what the endgame is,” said Rebecca Pincus, the director of the Polar Institute at the Wilson Center, a global affairs think tank. “Denmark is a founding member of NATO, and both the Danish and Greenlandic governments expressed pretty firm opposition to a sale of Greenland. I think that would be very, very challenging.”

Greenland has been of strategic importance to the U.S. at least since the beginning of the Cold War, when the so-called GIUK gap — the stretch of water between Greenland, Iceland and the U.K. — was essential in helping contain the Soviet navy.

“There is an argument that the North Atlantic matters, and because the North Atlantic matters, Greenland matters. Now there’s a separate question, whether the United States needs to own it,” said Jon Alterman, senior vice president and Zbigniew Brzezinski chair in global security and geostrategy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “The Danish response is, ‘We’ve been cooperating with you on this for three quarters of the century, there’s no need to change the status quo.'”

Alterman added that Trump likes to get attention and keep people on their toes, and “this is an example of persuading people that what they thought was settled isn’t settled.”

“So even if you’re not talking about if the United States is going to buy Greenland next week, the sense that this administration will not be satisfied with the status quo sends a message to U.S. adversaries and allies alike that the U.S. considers the world in play,” he said.

Daniel Fried, former U.S. ambassador to Poland and a fellow at the Atlantic Council, pointed to the 1951 treaty that gave the United States enormous control over Greenland’s defense. The treaty came after then-President Truman made “some halfhearted attempt” to buy Greenland in 1946.

“It’s an agreement that’s existed for so long that people have forgotten it, but it does,” Fried said. “Trump is right that the United States has security interests in Greenland. And if this agreement is inadequate, I’d like to know why and where it has fallen short, because it’s not been a problem.”

“And I don’t think they’ve made the case for why Greenland’s importance justifies this kind of threat and bullying,” he added. “Denmark has been a serious contributor to common security.”

Trump’s expressed interest in Greenland in recent weeks is not the first time he has mentioned the U.S. possibly acquiring the island. He first mentioned it as a possibility in 2019 during his first term in office, reportedly proposing that Denmark trade Puerto Rico for it.

Those plans never materialized, but Trump has put a renewed focus on obtaining it during the transition to his second term.

He reiterated his belief that the U.S. must acquire Greenland on two occasions on Tuesday, first calling into a meeting that his son was holding with some Greenlandic people. He referred to Greenland as “a very special place” that needs security both for itself and the world.

“We’re going to treat you well,” Trump said.

He later said at a press conference that he would not commit to not using economic or military force to take control of Greenland, along with the Panama Canal, and expressed concern about Chinese and Russian influence in the region.

Trump also vowed to levy tariffs on Denmark if it refuses to give up Greenland.

Denmark has owned Greenland for a few centuries and has gradually granted the island in the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans greater autonomy. Greenland voted for self-government in 2008, receiving control of domestic affairs while Denmark retains responsibility for foreign affairs, including defense.

The acquisition of Greenland has been floated multiple times over that period in U.S. history, but the prospect never progressed to a sale.

Both Denmark’s and Greenland’s governments have been steadfast in rejecting the idea of Greenland joining the U.S.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told a local TV station Tuesday that Greenlandic Prime Minister Múte Egede has been “very, very clear” that “Greenland is not for sale and will not be in the future.” She said the Greenlandic people have indicated support for that as well.

“We must not lose our long struggle for freedom,” Egede said last month, responding to Trump.

While experts cast doubt on the chances of an acquisition, they noted the strategic role of Greenland in the international order and argued that a strong U.S. presence in the area is critical to national security goals.

Alterman told The Hill that the president-elect “likes doing things and seeing what the reaction is.”

“One of the other things he has is a certain willingness to experiment and to do things over and over again and judge which approach does better,” he said. “I think his approach to his rallies was like a stand-up comedian honing an act. He means to elicit a response. He looks at the response and then he adapts.”

Pincus said Greenland’s geographic position is strategically significant, but it also has a “wealth” of natural resources including rare minerals and a “limitless potential” for hydropower from the Greenland ice sheet.

“You pair all those strengths and attributes with the population pursuing independence, it’s easy to understand why there would be increased interest in it,” she said.

Romain Chuffart, the president and managing director of the Arctic Institute, pointed to Egede’s statement Tuesday that “[our] future and fight for independence is our business.” He noted that part of Greenland’s foreign policy strategy for the next decade is “nothing about us, without us.”

Even with Trump pushing for acquisition and Denmark and Greenland soundly rejecting it, Chuffart said he views the chances of a standoff between the countries as “highly improbable.” But if one were to occur, it could damage U.S. credibility internationally, he added.

“If such a scenario were to occur, it would represent a significant failure of U.S. diplomacy and deal a serious blow to the country’s foreign policy credibility on the global stage,” Chuffart said.

Jim Townsend, a former deputy assistant secretary of Defense for European and NATO policy, acknowledged that China and Russia have been seeking to increase their influence in the region, as Trump has argued, but he said attempting to purchase Greenland is not the best way to address the issue.

He mentioned the U.S. purchase of Alaska from Russia in 1867 for strategic purposes and pointed out the world operates differently than it did then.

“If there’s an issue here, you meet with the Greenlanders and with Denmark to try to fix what the U.S. is concerned about,” Townsend said.

Trump Jr. Lands in Greenland !

Hal Turner World January 07, 2025

It appears Donald Trump, Sr. is quite serious about Greenland becoming part of the Untied States. He sent his son, Donald Trump, Jr. to that island nation today, on “Trump Force 1” which landed about an hour ago.

Meanwhile, President Trump’s other son, Eric, is now in Panama. Perhaps to talk about the Panama Canal?

HMMMMMMMM. . . . . .

Have you ever lost any respect for someone instantly?

I don’t know about you, but I was raised to behave respectfully from a young age; at the same time, I also learned early that behaving respectfully and truly respecting someone are two different things. Respectful behavior is a legitimate expectation, but real respect has to be earned.

My faith in the benevolence of all mankind was shaken when a drunken old man, a complete stranger who could have easily walked past me on the sidewalk, unexpectedly grabbed my hair, and brushed my head against the rough surface of a concrete wall. I was about five years old when this happened, and to this day I don’t understand why. But he didn’t lose my respect — because he never had it.

The same goes to most of my commanding officers in the army, or my former bosses in various workplaces, or for some kleptomaniac or deceitful “friends”. Most of them never earned my respect, so they couldn’t lose much of it.

There are though a couple of cases I’m still reluctant to share… But damn it, after so many decades I can tell someone about them.

If someone insults me, I might get a little angry, but that kind of anger soon passes. However, when the offense involves someone I love, I am no longer so forgiving. It was one of my childhood friends who did this, and in such a hypocritical way, disparaging a young colleague behind her back and praising her to her face, that I couldn’t swallow it anymore. It took years for the estranged relationship to ease somewhat, but the old friendship and respect have not been restored to this day.
And I wasn’t even in love, I just liked her…
In the other case, my high school sweetheart not only broke my heart, but shattered all the positive thoughts and impressions I had regarding her. After almost a decade of tumultuous, on-and-off relationship, I got fed up with the permanent tug of war, and her frequent, always unfounded jealousy scenes, and for the first time in the history of the world I wanted to break up with her. So she tried to blackmail me with a non-existent pregnancy, completely forgetting that I knew her medical history almost better than she did, and I knew full well that she couldn’t get pregnant.
Bummer.
I dropped her.
She followed me around, almost stalked me for years, trying to reconcile with me, but I couldn’t see her as the woman I loved, not anymore. Love, respect, desire — all gone.

I also had some not-so-pleasant experiences with a couple of relatives; only those who have no relatives cannot understand this… But as they say in my corner of the world, it is not appropriate to air the family’s laundry in public. So, that’s all about this topic.

Fortunately, the cases described above were rather the exceptions. I got my relatives and most of my superiors “ready-made”, but I could always choose my friends; and for the most part my instincts were correct.

Now if you had asked the opposite question, about people disappointed in me, I could have written a juicy story or two; but for now I got away with it. Thanks.

What is your opinion on China’s espionage activities in the Philippines?

The Philippines does not have much intelligence value, and the Chinese government does not need to send spies to the Philippines.

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Judging from the current international situation, the United States needs the Philippines to act like Ukraine, forcing China to go to war in the South China Sea, and then the United States gathers so-called allies to fight China, and finally the United States will reap the benefits.

China actually needs the Philippines to act like another failed Ukraine to test its military strength and rehearse for taking back Taiwan. For the Chinese, it is better to choose the Philippines as the battleground for the Sino-US rivalry than Taiwan because, after all, the Taiwanese are Chinese and the Chinese do not want civilian casualties in Taiwan. If it was a choice of two, China would certainly choose to sacrifice the Philippines over Taiwan.

Therefore, whether from the perspective of the United States or China, the Philippines needs to become the “Ukraine of Asia”, and sacrificing the Philippines is a matter of course.

The Philippines may still think that it is smart and that it is doing the right thing, but it does not realize that a great tragedy is about to happen.

Poor Filipinos, they have become the unjust ghosts of the test between China and the United States!

Twilight Zone Time Freezes

Russian Ambassador LEAVES U.S. – Takes Staff, Security, Crypto Gear and Classified Docs

Hal Turner World October 05, 2024

Russia’s ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, is “concluding” his diplomatic mission, Russian agencies reported late on Saturday.

“Russian Ambassador to the US, Anatoly Ivanovich Antonov, is concluding his Washington assignment and heading to Moscow,” Interfax agency cited a representative of the Foreign Ministry as saying.

The envoy will be returning to Moscow within hours.

HAL TURNER INTEL:

When the Ambassador left, his entourage took with them all the communications gear, cryptographic gear, classified documents, all Diplomatic Staff and – here’s the big “tell” — the entire Diplomatic Security Staff.

It is worth noting that Japan did similar things with their Embassy staff and gear, just prior to Pearl Harbor.

“It’s Getting WORSE And WORSE…” – Richard Wolff

He’s really right on this.

Why was the UK able to humiliate China so easily during the Opium Wars?

The main reason is that the rulers of the Qing Dynasty were a minority, and at this time, the Eight Banners Army of the Qing Dynasty was corrupt and vulnerable. In foreign wars, if defeated, the Qing rulers hoped to cede land and pay money, settle disputes, and maintain their rule.

They are more worried about the Han rebellion, so they dare not use nationalism to mobilize the largest number of Han people to resist the British invasion. If the Han people are mobilized, after repelling the British, the second overthrow may be the Manchu.

This consideration also occurred during the subsequent Sino Japanese War, when the Qing Dynasty gave up after a slight attack. But once foreign aggression intensifies, Han nationalism will inevitably be triggered.

Once triggered, firstly, the Qing Dynasty will perish, and secondly, it will fight the invaders to the end. This is the later history. Indeed, the Xinhai Revolution overthrew the Qing Dynasty, and in the subsequent War of Resistance Against Japan, China, as an agricultural country, fought against Japan as an industrialized country, persisting for 14 years and sacrificing 35 million people, but did not surrender, plunging Japan into a quagmire and causing continuous bloodshed. Eventually, Japan surrendered.

If China can’t even invade Taiwan, how could it possibly invade Japan?

Firstly, I was born and grew up in Taiwan.

Secondly, the statement “China can’t invade Taiwan” would have been true if it were made 30 years ago. It is nonsense in the current state of things.

Lastly, your question is comparing apples with oranges. China, or the typical Chinese mindset, sees these two in totally different contexts.

To China, Taiwan is a Chinese province destined to be recovered back into its fold, with its people regarded as Chinese citizens to be governed under the Chinese sovereignty eventually.

And Japan is a foreign nation that has committed massive, abhorrent, inhuman crimes against China without either fully, properly being held to account in the past or fully owning up to its moral liabilities today, while in the meantime having the nerve to threaten China’s security through tangible actions on a daily basis.

The goal of China’s “invasion”, or rather recovery, of Taiwan is to reclaim a piece of China’s own territory extorted from it by foreign imperial powers, most notably by Japan in 1895. This goal complicates the plan, as it is not sensible to bomb a piece of its own territory back to the Stone Age with thousands of cruise missiles.

China has no such scheme for Japan. Japan is not a province of China, and China has no interest in claiming its land or governing its people. To the Chinese mindset, it is just a nation that has slaughtered 30 million of its people in the most brutal and barbaric manner, and is showing increasing unrepentance and recalcitrance by the day again. If Japan ever meddles in Chinese or Taiwanese affairs ever again, what would happen?

It is like if your neighbor had killed your whole family, and now he is breaking down your door again, would you first think of how to occupy his house and make sure his kitchen remains intact so you could make dinner there tonight?

Not to mention that, you already reached a grudging truce with your neighbor that, you would let it go if he promised not to ever enter your house again. Now he is in your house again. Would you still let it go in honor of that fragile truce?

Herein lies the difference between Taiwan and Japan, in objective, and thus in degree of difficulty in action. One is much more challenging than the other, and that is not Japan.

Japan is easy.

What is Japan Likely to Do?

The Japanese know the above very well, except a handful of mouth-breathing octogenarian right-wing cockroaches still marching outside Yasukuni in imperial-era military uniforms. The other tough talking Japanese, whether it’s Ishihara, Aso, Takaichi, Koizumi, ishiba, or those saber-rattling cockroaches on the web, will all keep their heads down like mice and maggots should a conflict break out across the Taiwan Strait. None of them wants to see Japan ceasing to exist as a nation on this Earth because of his stupid impulse. This understanding will likely save Japan’s ass. If you don’t believe it, you can wait and see. It should be made obvious in pretty short order.

And China’s choice of action will be totally logical and understandable, just like the example of your neighbor above. With lessons learned twice in the past century at a price of over 30 million lives and countless properties lost, China simply cannot afford to take any chance again. Will you?

Fool me once, shame on you.

Fool me twice, shame on me.

Fool me thrice?

Steak Diane

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

2 (6 ounce) filet mignons, thawed
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons shallots, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon fresh chives, minced
1 teaspoon Brandy
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced

Instructions

Season both sides of steak with salt and pepper.
Melt butter in a heavy skillet; add mustard and shallots. Sauté over medium heat for 1 minute.
Add steaks and cook for approximately 4 minutes on each side for medium-rare.
Remove steaks to serving plate and keep warm.
Add into pan drippings, 1 tablespoon butter, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and chives. Cook for 2 minutes.
Add brandy; pour sauce over steaks.
Sprinkle parsley over the top.

Wife Has MELTDOWN After Husband Lets Kids Run Wild To Teach Her A Lesson About Undermining Him

Is the UK becoming a poor country due to recent economic and political events?

Becoming? The UK has always been poor outside London.

Think of the deep south in the USA. What do we think of.

We probably think of this

main qimg 115302bb29e56a0aec34a649e72e07be lq

The UK is even poorer without London.

main qimg 714d019ce622e6a21c72a5b3c3d035bd

but here’s the thing, the UK is poorer AND stuff costs more. Think of petrol at $3 per litre.

What is the reason behind the strong reaction of Chinese people when their country is criticized?

That’s the wrong question. The right question should be this:

What is the reason behind the strong reaction of Chinese people when their country is demonized, lied about, insulted and belittled?

The answer is this:

The Chinese people don’t like to be demonized, lied about, insulted and belittled by jealous and retarded people.

I don’t believe Taiwan will not become the next Ukraine disasters neither did Ukraine. Do you?

As a non-Chinese who would love for the Chinese to re-take Taiwan by the simple expedient of blockading the island and starving it into submission, I regret to say that I am 100% sure the Chinese will never re-take Taiwan either by force of arms or anything else other than waiting patiently for Taiwan to rejoin of its own free will.

Why? I am not Chinese but I can think of a few good reasons –

1.Any kind of coercion of military action, no matter how quickly, cheaply or efficiently achieved, is going to leave China with a potential hotbed of dissidents, American-paid trolls, covert subversives, provocateurs and other subversives and give them easy access to the Chinese mainland. Let me simplify that by saying that China does not need to open its doors and hug a whole nest of snakes at any time in the future.

2.Regardless of how the Taiwanese regard the mainland Chinese, the mainland Chinese still regard the Taiwanese as brothers under the skin I hear. Stupid, I know, but the Chinese never claimed 100% intelligence. For China to forcibly take Taiwan with the risk of thousands of deaths instigated by America, the Taiwanese would have to do something that could over-ride the Chinese regard for a brotherhood unwelcomed by so many Taiwanese. And for all their blather, I don’t think the Taiwanese have quite sunk to the Japanese/Korean/Filipino level of intelligence yet.

3.China does not need or want to engage America on a warfront. Not ever, but most especially now or in the foreseeable future and most especially not over Taiwan, and send so many Chinese to their deaths in a war it could easily win by allowing America to self-destruct as America seems so determined to do nowadays.

4.Going to war over Taiwan would involve too much destruction of the things the Chinese have so carefully and so painstakingly built up over the last 20 years – their infrastructure, economy and heritage conservancy efforts come to mind. Re-taking Taiwan is important to Xi Jinping, I understand, but not one of his primary objectives I suspect – eradicating poverty fully, building a strong society, infrastructure and economy would be.

5.Trying to take back Taiwan would be playing into America’s hands. And the Chinese are not likely to give the American emperors that kind of satisfaction by any means.

I playfully mocked him for being ugly at a preparty with our friends but then he stood up & did this

Why do most luxury replicas come from China?

This is a Rolex Oyster Perpetual

main qimg 06186f21029a1c9bb10badeea112c975

It costs $ 8000

It’s among the lower end watches

The Higher end watches could be as much as $ 80,000-$ 100,000

It has six key patents – Oystersteel, Everose Gold, Rolesor keys, Chromalight, RLX Titanium & Europium Dysprosium Hybridization

This is a Fake Rolex that you can buy for 1300 HKD in Mong Kok Or around $ 168

main qimg 7c7173a619c5bb0d91c118b453c421d4

5% what the Lowest Priced Rolex costs!!!!

It uses 3L Stainless Steel, Gold Plated Sterling Silver, Zinc Sulfide, Aluminum 7075

The cost of materials is 17% of the price of materials in a Genuine Rolex yet the performance and quality is close to 90% of an Original Rolex

The strap of 904L Stainless Steel can be purchased for 8% of what an Oystersteel copyright Rolex strap costs

China controls the supply chain for all the basic materials needed to make watches like seven grades of Stainless steel, Zinc Sulfide, Aluminum 7075 and Sterling Silver

It can make these materials for cents on the dollar

So it can easily make a Replica Rolex that can fool all but the experts (You do have fake rolexes for as little as 200 HKD but they are obvious to spot)

So China can easily make replicas at a fraction of the cost

When i was a kid, we had a Rodgers Penknife that was a rage among my generation of army brats

It cost ₹35/- in the late 1960s

The Americans made cheaper knives called PODGERS that sold for Six Bucks!!!!

Very little difference at 1/6 the price!!!

Back then US used to do exactly what China does and the world’s replica market was based on the UNITED STATES

Parisien fashions were replicated and sold for a tenth of the price in certain streets of New York and Chicago

A $ 60 Calf Leather Gloves sold in Bloomingdale could be had for $ 8 for Non Patent Leather just two streets away with the same label

An Original Mink stole cost $ 1200 in 1920 and a Fake Mink cost a mere $ 70 – $ 120

Today China does the same thing

Uses its abundant supply chain to make replicas at far lower cost

As a police officer, have you ever pulled over a celebrity?

Yeah. It was worthy of being told.

Pulled over for possible DUI

Me: May I see your license and registration?

Him: “Do you know who I am?”

Me: “You don’t know who you are? That is very serious.”

Him: “Do you know who I am?”

Me: “Sir, you must step out of your car. Not knowing who you are is possibly very serious.”

Him: “Dammit! Do you know who I am?”

Me: “Sir, if you do not get out of your car, I will have to forcibly remove you.”

Him: “F… y…”

I opened the car door, and gestured for him to get out. He did. I then turned him around, handcuffed him, and patted him down for weapons”

Me: “Sit on the curb and calm down. Once you calm down, I can remove the handcuffs.”

He sat down and glared angrily at the ground. After a bit he spoke.

Him: “I will have your badge for this.”

Me: “You don’t need my badge. You can have your own. Just complete the Los Angeles Police Academy and they will give you one for free.”

Him: “I’m gonna tell you who I am”

Me: “I just want your drivers license and registration.”

He started ranting about not knowing who he was again. So, I put him in the backseat of the patrol car, impounded his car ( we were on the freeway), and took him over to a mental hospital for a 72 hour forced commitment (5150 in California).

Two days later, my Captain called me aside. He said that was a great arrest. It turned out that the guy was one of the city’s councilman. The captain said again, “Good job.” I asked the captain if he was told to talk to me about the arrest. The captain said, “The brass told me to talk to you. I did that.” He laughed and walked away.

Spoiled Princess Rejects BF’s Proposal Telling Him To “Try Again”, Instead He Tells Her To Get Out!

Quandary

Submitted into Contest #247 in response to: Set your story on a spaceship exploring the far reaches of space when something goes wrong.… view prompt

Lyle Closs

I don’t like people. Never have. Arrogance, ignorance, mendacity, self-importance, superiority… I don’t like lists either.I’m not a prepper. If the end of the world comes I’ll be out on my porch with a welcoming smile. I have so little – they can have it all. It adds up to a pile of nought and a root cellar full of dust.My great pleasure is to sit out there and watch the days rise and subside, the mountains glow then surrender to the clouds. The snow falls like ash, the sun claws into my skin, the wind reaches through the cracks of my cabin, the cold informs me I am still alive.I had a family but she decided I wasn’t her type and took the kids away. I came home from the tyre factory with a lung full of carbon and a house full of silence. She left a note. It said ‘Bye’. Love died with a three letter word.I pinned the note to the front door for the landlord and drove away with my last paycheck and became a ghost of the person I had been. A ghost is a memory of someone who once lived. Seems about right.Vegas baby. A place to burn up and die. I turned the paycheck into chips and put them all on red, then red, then black, then black. It doubled each time. To hell with it. I put the lot on 23. It paid. Then black. It paid. Then 00. A ball drops into a spinning slot and you have more money than you’ve earned in your entire life.Fawning, flattering fools rose to the surface like scum from a rotting fish soup. It happens when you have a pile of cash. I’ve seen it now and it’s not just a trope in a bad movie. I’m not falling for that though. Faux admiration won’t ever open my wallet. If you need to be liked you’re just a bank waiting to be robbed.I cashed in and drove to Montana, opened a bank account in Butte and disappeared into the wooded hills. How I like it.My neighbors are bears and birds. I deal with people when I need stores. Sometimes I sit on my porch with my rifle and pretend someone is coming up the trail. I pretend to shoot them.Trouble is that fantasy would be followed by the reality of being arrested and having to deal with every kind of scum in the legal and penal system. Anyway I’ve never shot a living thing. The gun is for comfort. I like the mechanics of it. And if anyone tries to break into the cabin at night I’m ready. Just try it lowlife. Just fucking try it…Anyway, no sense getting carried away with imaginings. People imagining things is what got the world where it is today. Imagining that dealing drugs will provide a better life; that sacking half the workforce will improve the company; that beating up a woman makes you a man. If aliens investigated the people of this planet before arriving, they’d change their minds and head for Alpha Centauri. Who’d want to take over this pile of scat.Which brings me to today. It started with the powerful light shining through my window in the night. You know what it’s like. Your eyes snap open wide, your body’s as tense as a top E string. You wait for the next noise.The light disappeared. It was a starless dark night out. Low clouds. You strain to hear anything more but the only sound is the breeze in the trees. You peer out but nothing moves but the aspen leaves and pine needles.The next morning you remember it wasn’t a dream and you wander off into the woods with your coffee and toast.In a nearby clearing was a large object that I could only imagine was a radically new weapon. It was matt black, about half the size of my cabin, with projections everywhere and no clear front or back. That was just my first impression though. It looked, I realized, like a large spaceship model from a Star Wars movie. But why would a model spaceship be in a clearing in my forest?

Then a very small door opened, a mechanical arm reached out and placed a spherical object on the ground, then retracted. The door closed with a hiss. Hot damn!

The object on the ground projected a hazy light that fuzzed in the air then formed a hologram in the air. It was a weird creature which made strange noises and waved its multiple arms, bowed then sat on the ground with its ‘hands’ held open and its head bent down. It seemed to be acting submissive or at least not aggressive. I sat on the ground and sipped my coffee and took a bite of my toast as I stared at it.

“What the hell are you?” I said.

The hologram creature was about six inches tall. It watched me drinking. I put the coffee cup down by the projector. The mechanical arm came out, picked up my coffee and lifted it into the craft. Seconds later it put the cup back, empty.

“Thirsty huh?”

I put the rest of my toast and honey down. That too quickly disappeared. The hologram alien clapped its hands and bowed ecstatically. I had the distinct impression it was out of food and drink. Whatever ‘it’ was.

Then another door opened and an actual alien dragged itself to the opening. It seemed to be in bad shape. It was just six inches tall. Ugly as sin too. Just like the hologram. Slimy white skin, six eyes in the hairless head, six arms, four legs. Clothes like silk, multi-colored, all tassels and baubles. Some weird idea of fashion.

It babbled at me, a high-pitched gurling sort of speech. “You’re a damn fool if you think I can understand a thing you’re saying,” I replied.

It held up a hand – wait – and dragged itself back inside. The spaceship made a noise like an engine trying to start. The alien came back to the opening and shrugged. I wondered how many gestures were standard across the universe. It was telling me the vessel wouldn’t start. Well, there’s not a lot I can do to help. I shrugged.

It collapsed. Struggled to sit up. Draped its legs over the edge of the opening and stared at me with all its sad little eyes.

The mechanical arm took the projection ball back inside then I heard clicks and hissing and, one by one, it brought out 11 matt black spheres about 3 inches in diameter and put them on the grass. I was puzzled.

Maybe it read my confusion. The projector was brought back out and showed a hologram of an alien apparently dying. I couldn’t tell what was killing it, maybe a poison or some kind of gas. Nothing obvious anyway. It collapsed, much like my alien buddy did just now. It didn’t move though. Then the hologram wrapped the body in a white cloth into a nearly spherical shape then put the wrapped body into a matt black sphere. The arm pointed to the 11 spheres on the grass.

I pointed to the alien in the opening and held up one finger. The hologram held up one finger. Alone.

Then the last one babbled again and tried to stand up but it fell out of the opening onto the grass. I reached out to touch it. It raised it little head, held out a couple of hands and touched my fingers, then it sagged and sighed its last. Dead.

“Bloody hell mate. Don’t tell me that means you’re all dead?” I knocked on the hull of the spaceship but thing appeared.

The mechanical arm lifted the body and wrapped it in cloth, pulled out a final black sphere, gently placed the body into the sphere and closed it. 12 matt black spherical coffins.

I heard a faint humming at the limit of my hearing and the spheres sank into the ground with 12 puffs of smoke or steam and disappeared. I didn’t know how deep they went but later I checked with my old metal detector and it found nothing, so they were at least a few feet in. I imagined them sinking down to the mantel and melting in the lava.

The projector started up again and showed a hologram of an alien looking at me and shrugging. I shrugged back. The spaceship couldn’t start and now had no crew. It didn’t know what to do.

I didn’t know what to do either.

If I tell anyone, the world and its military will descend on my peace and that will be the end of it. I might as well have shot someone.

But I have in my grasp the biggest event in the history of the world. Surely there can’t be just one spaceship? Is an invasion on the way? Could it be stopped if this spaceship was studied by the world’s experts? Could we learn how to reach the stars?

I didn’t think about it for long though. It wasn’t really a quandary. I moved my woodpile and it’s now covered so no-one can see it.

I sit out there most days and talk to it. Sometimes I hear soft humming like it’s still trying to start up. There’s a gap in the pile so the mechanical arm can come out any time it wants.

Occasionally it puts out the projector and the holo-alien shrugs. What can I do? I shrug back and we sit and stare at each other.

What Would World War III Really Look Like? It’s Already Starting…

Authored by Brandon Smith via Alt-Market.us,

One of the most common assumptions I come across in the survival-sphere is the idea that the next world war would automatically necessitate global nuclear conflict and a Mad Max-like outcome. In other words, a lot of people assume we aren’t in a world war until the nukes start flying and the survivors are left fighting in soda can armor over an irradiated desert. This is a dangerous misunderstanding for a lot of reasons.

What people are overlooking is the fact that we are ALREADY in the middle of WWIII. They don’t realize it because they’ve based their entire concept of world war on Hollywood fantasy.

There are many ways in which wars are fought. In our current situation WWIII is being waged through proxies like Ukraine and Israel (and maybe Taiwan in the near future). The war is also being fought on the global economic stage using sanctions, inflation and the dumping of the US dollar as the world reserve. To be sure, these situations can easily escalate into something bigger and that is exactly what I suspect they will do. However, planetary nuclear war is the least likely scenario.

Survival and preparedness communities have a tendency to hyper-focus on the obviously Apocalyptic. We talk a lot about EMP strikes and split-second grid down calamities. We talk about solar flares, overnight economic crashes and nuclear holocaust. I think survivalists do this because it acts as a mental exercise – A way to better clarify what the best preparedness solutions are in the majority of cases, including the worst cases.

But as I’ve said for many years, collapse is a process, not an event.

These things happen slowly, and then all at once. If you went back in time ten years ago and warned people that in 2024 the US would be in the middle of a stagflationary crisis with a 30%-50% average price increase on all necessities, they would probably dismiss you as a doom-monger. Well, guess what, that’s exactly what a handful of alternative economists (myself included) were doing well over a decade ago, and we were dismissed over and over again – Welcome to our world.

The reason people refused to believe us is because the danger was not immediately obvious. The economic threat was not hitting them in their wallet yet. Stock markets seemed to be doing fine. The jobs market was still functioning somewhat normally. They could only view economic crisis through the lens of a total collapse. The idea that it would happen incrementally never crossed their minds.

Even today there are still people who argue that everything is fine. The stock market is “fine.” The labor market is “healthy.” If you suggest all is not well, you’re a “chicken little.” This is the incredible danger of having a Hollywood fantasy idea of collapse. We may never get to 100% systemic implosion; but even a 50% collapse is still a survival situation.

The same dynamic goes for WWIII. We must not overlook the dangers right in front of us simply because intercontinental ballistic nuclear missiles aren’t crisscrossing the sky.

Consider the proxy battleground case for a moment.

In October of 2023 I published an article titled ‘It’s A Trap! The Wave Of Repercussions As The Middle East Fights “The Last War.”’ In it I stated:

“Israel is going to pound Gaza into gravel, there’s no doubt about that. A ground invasion will meet far more resistance than the Israelis seem to expect, but Israel controls the air and Gaza is a fixed target with limited territory. The problem for them is not the Palestinians, but the multiple war fronts that will open up if they do what I think they are about to do (attempted sanitization).

Lebanon, Iran and Syria will all immediately engage and Israel will not be able to fight them all – Hell, the Israelis got their asses handed to them by Lebanon alone in 2006. This will result in inevitable demands for US/EU intervention.”

I also warned on the potential motives behind escalation in the Middle East:

“The timing of the conflict in Israel is incredibly beneficial to globalists, and this might explain Israel’s bizarre intel failure [October 7th]. Just as US and British leaders had prior knowledge of a potential Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 but warned no one because they WANTED to compel Americans to fight in WWII, the Palestinian incursion serves a similar purpose.”

I my article ‘Iran vs Israel: What Happens Next Now That Shots Have Been Fired?’ published in April, I predicted:

“A ground war between Iran and Israel is inevitable if the tit-for-tat continues, and much of it will be fought (at least in the beginning) in Lebanon and perhaps Syria. Iran has a mutual defense pact with both countries and Lebanon is generally a proxy for Iranian defense policy.

Iran will have active troops or proxy forces in all of these regions, not to mention the Houthis in Yemen striking ships in the Red Sea. There are questions in terms of how Iraq will respond to this situation, but there’s not a lot of love between the current government and Israel or the US.”

Not surprisingly there was a contingent of people that argued these things would “never happen” and talk of war between Iran and Israel was “doom mongering.” Those people were wrong (yet again), and I was right. Iran and Israel have now essentially declared war on each other and are exchanging missile barrages as I write this. The ground war will begin in Lebanon and expand from there.

Just as in Ukraine, the looming danger is that war between Israel and Iran will draw in larger military powers like the US and Russia.

People dismiss this outcome because their modern conception of global war needs to change; this world war will not be fought exactly like those in the past.

This time the weapons of mass destruction will be financial and resource driven instead of nuclear. If Iran moves to blockade the Strait of Hormuz (which I believe is imminent), Americans can be harmed financially through energy shortages and gas price spikes even without our soldiers deployed to fight.

There’s also the question of our wide open borders and how many potential terrorists slipped into the US during the Biden Administration’s illegal immigration bonanza. How many attacks (or false flag attacks) are being organized right now?

The regional conflicts could spread and go on for a decade or longer. It all adds up to a world war, but it may never be officially declared a world war. Perhaps there will be a limited nuclear event somewhere; maybe a false flag or a limited strike. But a nuclear war is not necessary to create the kind of chaos the globalists are looking for.

People also need to understand that the powers-that-be also have a lot to risk should a war devolve into nuclear exchange. If it was really that easy for them to launch warheads, wipe out the majority of the human population and then establish a global dynasty, they would have done it a long time ago.

Global war on such a scale is inherently unpredictable. The elites have spent trillions of dollars and the better part of the last century constructing the most complex surveillance and control grid in history. It would be foolish to turn it all to ash in the blink of an eye and I highly doubt that’s the plan. They would be putting themselves and their legacy at risk of being erased forever.

Does this mean I will be ignoring the potential for a nuclear event? No. I will always keep it in mind and have preps ready just in case. A single nuke set off anywhere west of your home could result in radioactive fallout that would take around three to four weeks to dissipate. That said, the danger of these sceanrios might be overstated.

Here’s an interesting fact to ponder: The US government has tested at least 1050 explosive nuclear devices over the decades. Around 216 of those were atmospheric tests that resulted in massive fallout across the country. Some people in close proximity got sick over many years from these tests, but they didn’t result in an overnight mass death event. Perhaps, at a moderate distance, these weapons are not as dangerous as we’re led to believe?

The greater effect of nuclear weapons comes not just from the resulting damage to national infrastructure, but also mass psychological disruption. The economic system would take an immediate dive from even one strike, and it could be anywhere in the world. A single nuke in Ukraine would send shockwaves through already unstable markets. The supply chain and food supply could be quickly disrupted.

If the globalists wanted to accelerate a worldwide collapse, they wouldn’t need a nuclear war, just one well placed device.

The biggest danger from WWIII is not nuclear exchange, but the disturbing changes societies go through when conflict inspires mass fear. Totalitarianism is much easier to institute during such a war. Freedom of speech is often suppressed and criticism of the government is often criminalized. People who rebel against this are accused of “working with the enemy.” Military conscription is usually enforced and young people are sent off to die overseas over a conflagration that makes little sense.

The economy nose dives and the supply chain tightens. Price controls and rationing are initiated. Black markets flourish but those who participate are aggressively targeted by the government. In the case of the US, armed revolution in many states is a certainty.

Public planning should focus far more on these eventualities and less on Hollywood images of Apocalypse.

Shorpy

STAR-BABES & STARSHIPS 5:- HIGH-OCTANE SCI-FI ADVENTURE

His Ridiculousness Justin Trudeau Has Resigned

Good to hear that His Ridiculousness has finally deigned to resign from his post as Prime Minister of Canada.

Trudeau was of little importance to people outside of Canada. I have never written about him. But I will remember him for his fake wokeness which was as authoritarian as his use of emergency powers against truckers who protested against Covid restrictions.

Justin Trudeau and family meeting a native of India
biggerArend Feenstra, a Canadian, who, with his wife and eight kids, has recently emigrated to Russia, feels relieved:

Trudeau’s reign of terror is finally coming to an end! Many Canadians have seen their lives dramatically altered over the last 9 years, savings wiped out, health destroyed… feeling helpless and hopeless, many of us have fled to other countries in order to keep our children safe. Although Trudeau’s resignation will not undo all the damage that he has done, it is a great start and hopefully the beginning of an end to the destructive and divisive liberal policies that have destroyed the Canada we all knew and loved. May God continue to bless all our beloved Canadians this year and may good overcome evil!God bless you all! We wish you a merry Christmas and a wonderful new year from our new home here in Russia!

Arend’s family has a video channel, Countryside Acres, on which they document their life. Their latest video, posted just two hours ago, is a review of their first year in Russia:

Posted by b on January 7, 2025 at 15:25 UTC | Permalink

Samba Steak stir fry

Seasoned beef strips stir fried to perfection with vegetables, then topped with pico de gallo.

Prep: 18 min | Cook: 12 min | Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Pico de Gallo

3/4 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped white onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons minced jalapeño pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Salt

Beef

1 pound round tip steaks, cut 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick
3 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced bell pepper, any color
1/2 medium white onion, cut into 1/2 inch wedges
1 medium jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced
Salt
8 small whole wheat tortillas (about 6 inch diameter), warmed

Rub

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground chipotle chile pepper

Instructions

Pico de Gallo

Combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeño pepper and lime juice in a medium bowl. Season with salt, as desired.
Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Beef

Stack beef steaks; cut lengthwise in half and then crosswise into 1 inch wide strips.
Combine beef and rub ingredients in large bowl; toss to coat evenly.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat until hot.
Add bell pepper, onion and jalapeño; stir fry for 5 to 8 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove from skillet; keep warm.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in same skillet until hot. Add half of beef; stir fry 1-2 minutes or until outside surface is no longer pink. (Do not overcook.) Remove from skillet; keep warm.
Repeat with remaining 1 teaspoon oil and beef.
Return all beef and vegetables to skillet. Season with salt, as desired.
Serve beef mixture in tortillas; top with Pico de Gallo.

I’m With the Banned

Jeremy Stevens

This story contains sensitive content

This story contains leftist political hot-buttons. Do not proceed if you are easily offended.“Do you promise you won’t leave me?”“Baby, how many times I gotta say it?”“More times than you have.”“I promise. I’m not going to leave you.”“It’s just…everyone I’ve ever loved has left.”“I am not everyone.”“And if we do this…”“Ssshhh…you talk too much.”“Just, go slow, ‘kay?”“You got nothing to fear.”—–“And you met him, where?”“At the dugout…”

“I mean, where, the first time?”

“Online.”

“Where online?”

“CuddlesClub. He said he was fifteen though…”

“And how long had you chatted with him, before…”

“Two months, maybe?”

“And when you met him…”

“He could have been fifteen, maybe.”

“But he wasn’t. You knew this, right?”

“Yes.”

“How did you know this?”

“Just the way you know things.”

—–

“But she’s only twelve.”

“The State does not give her permission.”

“She was raped.”

“Better than being a murderer.”

—–

Noam is playing with blocks on the floor. He uses them not only to build, but to spell. His latest word is “dim”; his phrase: We are a dim lot. Noam is going on four.

Naomi and I are cuddling on the torn loveseat. She entered my life when Noam was born. I am sixteen now; Naomi is nineteen. Naomi named him Noam, said it was a good name, said it meant “pleasantness” and that Noam Chomsky said we are born with “innate linguistic aptitude.”

“It’s a silent ‘fuck you’ to the suppression from the State,” she told me.

I didn’t get it at all then. I get it a bit more, now.

Naomi kisses my cheek, and hums Jack Johnson: …it’s so much better when we’re together.

—–

We are huddled in the shanty. The rain has finally stopped, so Naomi has gone out looking for food. So long as she stays to the alleys, she should be fine. Better food there, anyhow. Lots of restaurants; lots of waste. Last week her foraging yielded an unopened bag of pre-cooked, deveined, tail-removed shrimp. Noam found it delightful.

I was twelve when my parents were imprisoned. My father’d called the judge a sick beast and away they went, both of them. I was sitting behind them with some person in a white robe.

Now now, she tapped my knee. Now now.

I was fat with child and my back hurt. Heavily medicated, I haven’t much memory of those times. Naomi says there’s much we are not allowed to do. Being together is one of them.

“What happens if they find us together?”

“Just stick to the script.”

But Naomi is white, which is also a problem.

“Who’ll believe we’re sisters, Naomi? You’re white and I’m…”

Naomi just kisses me then. It is a hard kiss. Passionate. She grips the nape of my neck and puts her forehead to mine. “Sweet angel, I do so love you.”

—–

At four, Noam is still a thumb sucker. Despite our attempts at potty training he still has to wear diapers, and still Noam cannot speak intelligible words. His block spelling has plateaued. While we have no reliable source for nutrition, Naomi is resourceful and provides our RDA of the necessary food groups but still Noam’s eyes are jaundiced, his gums are bleeding, his skin is scaly. He’s been given to highs of rage and lows of slurping depression. He’s pulled out most of his hair; his fingertips and nails are nubbbed from scratching our earthen floor. I’ve tried to love on him —we both have— and sometimes he’ll relent but more often he’ll gnash and growl.

“What do you think the problem is, Naomi?”

“How well did you know his father?”

—–

It was on one of her last forays that Naomi returned with books. “I found them in the dumpster,” she exclaimed delightedly, “all brand new.”

Governor DeSatanist. We both knew it, but we dared not speak of it, FOR JESUS CHRIST HATH DECREED THAT the right the abort, the right same sex, the right to read, THE RIGHT TO EXPLORE OPTIONS are no longer rights, but SINS, all in the names of murder! defilement! propaganda!

“Oh, Naomi, what beautiful treasures. The Giving Tree. What in the world?”

“Sexist.”

“Exploring Civil Rights: The Movement.”

“Racially motivated.”

“Bridge to Terabithia? I loved this book.

“Promoting the occult.”

“Where the Wild Things Are.”

“Again. Too demonic, they say.”

“All of these were tossed? The Outsiders (too violent!), To Kill a Mockingbird (too mature!)…oh, I love this one but never heard of it: My Moms Love Me.”

We both looked down at our four-year-old, teething on a sandal.

—–

There is heavy foot traffic outside our tin-roofed shanty. They are marching in unison. Regimental, a tap-tap on the door: big bad white men instilling fear in two biracial dykes and a bastard invalid. We know why they are here. Surprised it took them so long.

The walls of our shanty are now lined with books: banned books, we assume, for they’d all been discarded. Several months ago, we’d opened our doors for exploration, purely word of mouth quite naturally as we —Naomi and I, and Noam— are not known to exist, not any longer. (For it’s been assumed, we assume, that we were wiped clean during the last fumigation, we fitting all their criteria of filth, after all.) Prior to finding us, our people had been fed the The History You Need to Know twenty-volume series; The Jesus Christ Giver’s Guide: How to be a Good Citizen; and The Lives of Hunter and Paisley five-volume series (Birth-Elementary Homeschool; Homeschool in the Neighborhood; College is not Necessary; Adulting with People Like You; Growing Old Quietly and Respectfully).

For the past several months, though, we’ve allowed our people to travel, to read with delight words that are actually said, emotions that are actually felt. Our people have been able to find comfort in words, healing words, words that have allowed them to transcend the NORM and to explore the lives of others, the majesty of foreign lands without the privilege of escape from this, our “home of the free because of the brave,” words and emotions that are now SINS because…because…

is there one right answer here?

Because independent thought is treachery. An enemy of progress.

Because “who controls the past controls the future, and who controls the present controls the past.” Because “the best books are those that tell you what you already know.”

Orwell, too, has been banned, of course. But we have him in our library.

Had, for we have been discovered.

—–

We are not going to be stoned, or burned like witches. We are not going to the rack or the gallows, or the chair. We are not going to be strapped to a gurney and punctured with needles. We are not going to be shot, or even gassed.

Our “fumigation” is the now-proverbial Jim Jones’ Drinking the Kool-Aid, though still we get to live, very much like the donkeys at the end of Pinocchio, also banned for its debauchery on Pleasure Island: as sheep in the fields, after the surgeries are complete, we shall follow without question, we shall bleat unintelligibly, we shall chew the cud from dawn ‘til dusk with those indistinguishable from ourselves.

We shall cause no further problems. We shall be obedient.

On my anniversary, he gave me a gift box but when i opened it, it were pictures of me & my affair

https://youtu.be/C4fgZ56gjl0

After F-35’s Detected, Israel Preparing Large Surface-to-Surface Missile Launches at Iran

Hal Turner World October 05, 2024

After the Russian government alerted Iran to the approach of four F-35 stealth jets toward Iran from the Persian Gulf yesterday, which reportedly caused an abort to that mission, Israel is now preparing surface-to-surface missile launches.

Information about Israel’s ballistic missile capabilities is sparse, but here’s what we know about the “likely” missiles to be used, which is speculated to be “Jericho II” missiles, seen in the FILE PHOTO above.

The Jericho II (YA-3) is a solid fuel, two-stage long-range ballistic missile system and a follow on from the Jericho I project. As many as 90 Jericho 2 missiles are currently based in caves near Zekharia (Sdot Micha Airbase), southeast of Tel Aviv.

Jericho II development began in 1977, and by 1986 there were reports of test firings. According to Missilethreat.com, a project of the George C. Marshall Institute, there is evidence the Jericho II originated as a joint Israeli-Iranian project, cooperation that ended with the loss of friendly relations after the 1979 Iranian Revolution overthrew the Shah’s rule.

There was a series of test launches into the Mediterranean from 1987 to 1992, the longest at around 1,300 km, mostly from the facility at Palmachim, south of Tel Aviv. Jane’s reports that a test launch of 1,400 km is believed to have taken place from South Africa’s Overberg Test Range in June 1989.

The Jericho II is 14.0 m long and 1.56 m wide, with a reported launch weight of 26,000 kg (although an alternative launch weight of 21,935 kg has been suggested). It has a 1,000 kg payload, capable of carrying a considerable amount of high explosives or a 1 Megaton yield nuclear warhead.

It uses a two-stage solid propellant engine with a separating warhead. The missile can be launched from a silo, a railroad flat car, or a mobile vehicle. This gives it the ability to be hidden, moved quickly, or kept in a hardened silo, largely ensuring survival against any attack. It has an active radar homing terminal guidance system similar to that of the Pershing II, for very accurate strikes.

The Jericho II forms the basis of the three-stage, 23 ton Shavit NEXT satellite launcher, first launched in 1988 from Palmachim. From the performance of Shavit it has been estimated that as a ballistic missile it has a maximum range of about 7,800 km with a 500 kg payload.

The Jericho II as an available Israeli counterattack option to Iraqi missile bombardment in the 1991 Gulf War is disputed. Jane’s at the time believed that Jericho II entered service in 1989. Researcher Seth Carus claims that, according to an Israeli source, the decision to operationally deploy the Jericho-2 was only made after 1994, several years after the Scud attacks had ended and a cease fire and disarmament regime were in place.

Raytheon Technologies, quoting Soviet intelligence archives, showed them believing the Jericho-2 to have been fully developed weapon in 1989, but did not indicate when it was available for deployment.

Investigators for the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace accessed commercial satellite images of the Sdot Micha Airbase near Zachariah, a suspected Jericho missile base, comparison shows expansion between 1989 and 1993 of the type that would accommodate suspected Jericho II launchers and missiles. Such an expansion would be more consistent with a post-1991 deployment chronology.

It is presently unknown how many such missiles Israel has.

US Military Sending More Assets

Additional Aerial-Refueling Tankers with the U.S. Air Force are enroute to the Middle East this morning, possibly ferrying a Squadron of F-22s, F-16s, or F-15Es which the Pentagon had previously stated would be Deploying soon to the Region.

Shown below, two KC-46A Pegasus tankers (reg: 20-46074 & 20-46073) from McGuire Air Force Base One C-5M Super Galaxy (reg: 86-0012) One C-17A Globemaster (reg: 01-0188) likely heading to the Middle East:

US refueling tankers huge cargo planes to ME

WaPo Editors – Ending The War Is Worse Than Losing

The Washington Post editors have long argued for prolonging the war in Ukraine.

In November 2022, when Ukraine was in a good position to negotiate an end to the war, they argued against it:

Mr. Zelensky and his supporters in the West undoubtedly understand that peace talks might eventually be necessary, his commitment to victory notwithstanding. And yet to declare that, or even imply it, before the time is right — before Ukraine’s armed forces have exhausted every opportunity to regain occupied territory — would convey slackening commitment. And that, in turn, can only convince Mr. Putin that time is on his side and that he should prolong the fighting.

Since then Ukraine’s armed forces have exhausted every opportunity to regain occupied territory – and failed. Russia was then and is now convinced that time is on its side.

Now, finally, the editors acknowledge that their war against Russia in Ukraine is lost. But they still insist that this can not be allowed to be formalized in a ceasefire or peace treaty.

While they are stomping their feet they fail to present an alternative:

Ukraine risks losing the war. A Trump-imposed bad deal would be worse. (archived)
A settlement that dismembers Ukraine and rewards Putin will undermine U.S. credibility.

As Russia is the dominating power in the war in Ukraine there will only be one deal that can be had. It will be along the parameters the Russia’s President Putin has laid out. That deal will certainly be less than optimal for the U.S. side but how would it be ‘worse’ for Ukraine than losing the war?

As for ‘credibility’:

A pullback now would convey that the United States and its allies lack staying power and that their promises come time-stamped as valid only until the next election date. How might China take such a message as its autocratic president, Xi Jinping, contemplates whether to make a military move to try to seize the self-governing democratic island of Taiwan?

The U.S. ‘lack of staying power’ is a feature of its democracy. It is well known that U.S. citizen’s opinions about supporting a war tend to change over time. Just ask the Vietnamese or the Taliban for experience with this. No unrealistic fear mongering about China will change that fact.

It is however good to learn that the editors (finally) see the situation of Ukraine as unsustainable as it is:

Ukraine is also losing troops at a rate far beyond what it can sustain and continue fighting. The official casualty estimate of 400,000 killed or wounded is considered a vast undercount. Thousands of exhausted Ukrainian soldiers are deserting the front lines.

The editors know that it is over for Ukraine but they still reject to acknowledge the consequences. They say that a deal over Ukraine, any deal, would be bad but there is not even a hint of what an alternative might be:

Ukraine can hardly survive another year of this devastating war. But the haste to find a negotiated settlement could produce a bad one that would reward Mr. Putin for his land grab and guarantee he will launch a new attack for more territory once he has a chance to rebuild his depleted arsenal. A poor settlement would also leave Ukrainians bitter after seeing their homes, schools and factories destroyed, and friends and family members killed. Much of their anger would be directed at the Western backers who betrayed them. This is a fight America, and Ukraine, cannot lose, especially with a bad deal.

The war is lost. A hasty settlement will be bad. Russia will be embolden and the Ukrainians will be sad.

But what else is there to do? The editors don’t know. They thus close with a sentence that does not even (‘cannot lose’) make sense.

Posted by b on January 7, 2025 at 16:38 UTC | Permalink

My Cheater GF Loses It After I Pretend To Be In An Open Relationship For 2 Months And Then Dump Her

Head games are terrible. Do not do it.

Harsh lessons learned while in a harsh place

When I left the USA and moved to China, I needed to earn money. So I started teaching English. It paid well, and I was able to get employed very quickly.

Instead of group classes, I taught one-on-one in these glass “fish bowl” like rooms.

People could walk around the room and watch me and the student learning, but they couldn’t hear us because of the acoustics.

It was a good set up. But it took a bit of a while to get used to having all kinds of people watching you all the time.

I had all kinds of students. From a super-wealthy great-grandmother (who I really liked, by the way) to a two year old child that I was expected to play with in English. (I hated the little kid sessions. It was too difficult for me.)

I tutored Judges, and businessmen. Housewives, and corporate executives. I tutored elementary school kids, and college kids.

Now there was this one girl. She was 11 years old and a Muslim from Xinjiang.

Nice girl. I liked her. I taught her out of this general English book, and her English we pretty good.

But…

As what happened often enough, was that the student would use the sessions to talk about other things rather than the lessons.

One man used the sessions as a counseling session.
Some young girls only wanted to talk about K-pop.
While some boys wanted to talk about video games.

And so on and so forth. So I would always allow the “free talk” so that they could learn.

And this 11 year old girl wanted to talk about boys, and girls and sex…

Oh, yeah. She wanted to know all the gritty details.

*sheech*

…

Well, initially, I kept my answers just short and “off the cuff”, brushing away her queries as nothing.

But oh, she was persistent.

As young girls always are.

So I started to give her the “birds and the bees” discussion that my father gave me back, back in the day.

And she “poo poo” that aside by saying “Oh, I know all about that”.

*sigh*

All the time this is going on, I’m wondering in my mind; “Is this a set up”? or, “Is someone trying to trip me up?”

Because after all, I’m some sort of evil pervert, don’t you know </sarcasm>.

She made no overt moves on me thank God, and I made sure that everything was above the table and being in a glass bubble really helped.

But still, she was an inquisitive girl and she was entering that period of raging hormones, and (you know) I was the ONLY non-family male that she could talk to in private and openly.

That’s the way many Muslim households were structured.

Girls were never permitted contact with males unaccompanied. And for her, this was her chance.

So, without getting too graphic, I kept things very light.

I talked about interests of young boys and girls. And when a boy likes you he gets interested and sometimes he gets so excited that he cannot stop being with you. His muscles get hard, and he becomes powerful. And the girl is always the soft person that controls him with soft actions and touches.

And that was the extent of it.

A sex-education teacher I was not.

And she wanted much more information, but I never dared get into it.

Now, all us teachers were paired with an assistant. I had two. And I should have (in hindsight) worked with them to resolve this quandary. I was terribly uncomfortable about the entire situation, but if anything was mentioned to the parents, everything would end, and I needed a paycheck.

Anyways, their account ran out and I never saw that girl again.

For seriously, for about seven months or so, she was really asking me these questions twice a week. In two 50-minute sessions.

*Phew*

One year later, one of the English Teachers from a different school branch was fired and arrested for playing around with a child. And then only four months later, yet another teacher from yet another branch was arrested and imprisoned.

And you know it!

China clamped down with stricter background checks on all the Z-visa workers.

By that time, I was on my way and moved to Pago Pago to build a hospital. And I was hitting the age ceiling for Z-visa access anyways. So, what I am saying is that I “missed a bullet”.

…

Strangely, it was my Sex Offender “training” in prison that taught me how to handle this, and other, situations.

The suspicion alone is enough to get you in trouble.
Avoid the most trivial of contact.
Be on camera, have witnesses, and never be alone with anyone.

And to this day. I follow this advice.

You won’t ever find me alone.

I always have friends, family or trusted people nearby, and no one can accuse me of anything. Firstly because I live in China and am filmed 24/7, but also that I know how things and situations can be twisted away from innocence into something evil.

Be alert all the time.

Take no chances.

Harsh lessons learned while in a hash place.

Today…

How much of a fool do you have to be to believe China is not feeling any impact from the US ban on access to high technology?

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-11/china-voices-concern-over-chip-curbs-in-call-with-raimondo

Anyone who has worked for even a month in these industries will know that such bans rarely have an immediate impact

Let me explain

ASML needs to make profits

ASML is a private company

China is not at war with either the US or the Netherlands

So ASML won’t blindly see Bloomberg and decide to stop selling EUV Machines or DUV Machines or Servicing such Machines the next day

First – they wait for a notification from the relevant dutch ministry

In the meantime it’s Business as usual and they will fulfill all their Chinese orders and load up spare parts in huge quantities

They aren’t breaking the law in any way

China typically quadrupled all orders in the past 2 years everytime before a Notification

Second – the notification is unclear and needs clarification

ASML will drag their feet and ask for clarifications from the relevant dutch ministry

For instance they may ask – Does China mean Hongkong also?

Until then they will presume it’s Business as usual and fulfill a boatload of orders from HK

HK placed a record orders from ASML and NVDIA in the past year and a half

Third – they will say they have already received full payment from China and the money has already been spent

Once they take the orders, they will tell the Dutch Government that they have received Billions of Euros from China and have spent a lot of the money already

So they have to deliver existing orders and only apply the bans to future orders

It’s a WTO offense to refuse to undertake full delivery of a contract after receiving payment

China has enough WTO Clout to ensure ASML can’t sell machines to anybody

They can seize ASML machines directly from the ports that they control and impound the cargo and drag litigation on and on until TSMC Or Samsung get grey hairs

Fully legal !!!

So either ASML refunds the money or deliver the orders

The Dutch Government have to shell out billions to China to repay them back and that’s taxpayers money

So ultimately the Dutch Government asks the US and the US which needs Congressional Approval for even €100 spending for a Non US Department simply doesn’t have the time

So US says “Aw hell ok. Deliver existing orders but ensure no more orders are taken”

So China can stockpile upto 3 years worth of equipment legally despite all the bans

Likewise same for servicing

ASML has trained employees in China who have been taught servicing and who have 3 years of spares

So they will simply not expand their operations but they won’t close down their existing operation unless they get a formal notification from the Dutch Government

Worst case – they will take the issue to court and drag the issue over

Even worse they will take the issue to a US Federal Court and drag the issue over

Everyone knows the Chinese have one party and that means they will REMEMBER

They know the US Government changes every four years

They know Raimondo could be become irrelevant by February

So they will and have allowed China to stockpile a lot of stuff to ensure that China is comfortable for a minimum 2–3 years

The Impact of the Curbs will be felt by 2026 or 2027 if China doesn’t have an alternate solution

So why are Chinese protesting to Raimondo?

Simple

To keep the US Political Machine happy

Remember if the Chinese seriously have a problem with the curbs – they won’t protest about it at all and bury the issue deep

The Chinese publish only issues they are firmly in control of

So it’s only by 2026 December – 2027 January when China will feel a pinch if they don’t get a handle on things by then

Would you break friends with someone who said they would feed your cat while you were on holiday but when you came back you found out they hadn’t been fed for 10 days because the friend couldn’t be bothered to go and feed them?

Our neighbor was gone for a month and had asked another neighbor to feed her cat and check the litterbox (locked in her bedroom) and also feed the little dogs. After a couple of weeks, she found out that the girl she had paid was afraid of cats and hadn’t even checked on the poor baby. She was okay, since plenty of food and water had been left out for her, but that litter box was something else. I hope she didn’t ask that girl again.

Argentina Dollarization Collapses, U.S. To Punish China “Slave Labor”, US Chips In Russia

R.I.P. ARGENTINA.

When you adopt a cat from a shelter, do you think the cat knows she has been adopted and has a forever home? Do you think she is happier or more content?

Our poor rescue kitty had first lived with cat hoarders, then another couple and their cat, so ours was the third home she’d been moved to. At first, she was so afraid and confused that she stayed in the closet, cowering in the darkest corner.

For the first few months, she would only explore at night when everyone was in bed. If anyone came near, she would scurry back to her hiding place.

Now, after more than a year, I think she finally believes that this is really her forever home. She gains in “cattitude” daily, and shows her love and appreciation by endless purring, cuddling and happy chirps.

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What is the last thing you heard from someone before they died?

“What is the last thing you heard from someone before they died?”

It was the last Sunday in July. My nephew was turning two, and his birthday party was at a local church. After the party, my in-laws took my son for the afternoon.

It was supposed to be a time for them to spend time with their oldest grandson, then a 7-year-old. They wanted to take him school shopping and spend time together at their home.

What happened was an afternoon of my father-in-law screaming at my son for doing things like wearing shoes in the house, asking questions, crying, looking at name brand crayons, etc.

My son did nothing to deserve any of that. He was a sweet kid who adored his grandparents.

My mother-in-law brought our son home after a few hours and apologized for her husband. She glossed over a lot of it, if I’m honest. We spent the evening working with our son trying to figure out what happened and start to mend the hurt that my father-in-law caused.

My husband and I then spent hours talking about how to handle it with my father-in-law to protect our son in the future. We weren’t sure the best way to set boundaries, but we were planning to confront him about it the following weekend.

The next morning, I was running late. I never ran late to work, but that day I couldn’t get moving. Just as I was about to leave, the phone rang.

Nothing good happens when the phone rings at 6:30 AM.

It was my sister-in-law.

They found my father-in-law dead in his car. Suicide.

It turns out that he was deep in gambling debt with zero retirement, a house in foreclosure, an overdue title loan, and a student loan he took out in my husband’s name without actually using it for my husband.

We were unaware of any of it.

Our kids were 5 and 7 when he passed, and we didn’t tell them the depth of what happened for many, many years. They were far too young when he died, and we didn’t want our son to think he had ANYTHING to do with this death. Their grandfather was sick, and he was going to have double knee transplant later in the week.

Twelve years later, and I’m still horrified at how he treated my son. His last memories of his grandfather are ugly, and it’s taken years of therapy to get the point of forgiveness.

BATMAN – 1950’s Super Panavision 70

What is prison like in Japan?

I’ve visited a friend of mine who got the minimum imprisonment. According to him, the minimum penalty in Japanese prisons consist of:

early morning waking up
Breakfeast
P1: Sitting on the ground without speaking, standing, making noise, laughing, and any other grumbling until noon. You can just read books silently.
Lunch
P1 position until evening.
Dinner
P1 position until sleep time.

Years go by like this, you may have some small breaks for urgent needs in this daily routine. This daily flow makes you either a wise man or a psychopath.

Edit1

I never expected that many views but anyway seeing this is beneficial to both Japan and its people.

Another info:

While talking to the inmates, you should speak Japanese and no translator is provided. If you speak in your native tongue, it will be rejected. So, simply you speak Japanese or don’t visit. That’s what I experienced. I spoke Japanese.

Edit 2

No cooler even it’s really hot and no heater even it’s really cold.

Severe Punishment

if you push the limits when you are in, so you got punished. It is like this: one hand is to tied up to nape and the other one is to back waist reversely. You gotta stay, sit, sleep, go to toilet simply live like this for one month or more depending on the mistake you have done. After you have finished, the special doctor unties the knots. Give a try for one hour and you will see what happens after untie.

A fun story

A man dies in a car crash and arrives at the Pearly Gates. He sadly says to St. Peter, “But I can’t die now, my wife and three children will miss me.” Kindly, St. Peter replies, “Please don’t fear, sir, I have a solution for you, though it does come with one condition.” The man asks, “What kind of condition?”

“Well,” Peter replies, “I can send you back to Earth, but you will need to assume the form of something living nearby: the neighbor’s dog, a chicken in a nearby farmyard, or a mouse living in your house’s walls.”

The man muses for a moment. “Well, my children are afraid of the neighbor’s dog and my wife hates mice in the house, so I suppose I’ll choose to be the chicken. My family loves visiting the chickens at the farmyard and this way, I can still keep in touch with them.” Peter nods obligingly and, within moments, the man has returned to Earth, as a chicken.

At first this feels odd to the man, but he gradually begins to take the matter in stride and develops friendships with the other chickens. After a little while, the man begins feel some discomfort; one of the other chickens informs him that it’s time to lay an egg, upon which the man does, and feels much better. A short while later, the man begins feeling discomfort again, so he lays another egg, then gradually begins laying more and more eggs, upon which he suddenly begins hearing his wife’s voice.

“Honey, honey!” she exclaims, tapping his shoulder. “Wake up! Your pooping in the bed again!”

Did The Korean War prove the USA and China are evenly matched militarily? As China succeeds in pushing the U.S. and U.N. out of North Korea but the U.S. succeeded in preventing China and North Korea from taking over the South and ended in a stalemate

China’s red line was for the US to not go beyond the 38th parallel line. Therefore the US was badly beaten.

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My GF Tearfully Blamed The Hallmark Channel & Red Wine After Cheating Cost Her A Ring

How will China deal with the catastrophic collapse of its working age population in the coming years?

Yes

The same old nonsense of the working population collapse

Let’s study first whether indeed there will be a catastrophic collapse and why only China will be affected

What does decline in working population mean?

It’s simple

It means that in an Economy – the people who work and earn a living are becoming lesser and lesser while those who are dependent on those who work and earn a living – are becoming higher and higher

This ideally happens under 3 Conditions:-

A. Rapidly Ageing population due to dramatic rise in standards increasing lifespans to a large extent

B. Rapid rise in Childbirth, almost at 3.5–4 times the normal rate

C. Major War with a lot of conscription and deaths

Obviously B can be ruled out for China and C is highly unlikely given that WWII type of decimation is unlikely unless Nukes are used

So that leaves A – Rapidly Ageing Population

Now the general belief is that today there are 272.66 Million people older than 55 years old today

That’s 19.26%

It is estimated that this number is likely to rise to as much as 32.02% by 2054 and 41.04% by 2075

Let us look at the five things about China that nobody else or very few know about:-

A. Chinese Retire on an Average at 55 years – 58 Years against 64–67 Years in Western Nations.

So today there are almost 59.8 Million Chinese who are deemed RETIRED in China but who are deemed WORKING in the West

If you just change the 55–58 into 64–67 , the numbers change to 15.92% in 2025, 26.36% in 2054 and 34.59% in 2075

This alone sees the working population rise from 46.8% in 2075 to 53.8% in 2075

B. Chinese have a largest savings in the planet – Typically a Chinese saves 45% against 19%-33% by Western Nations.

Thus Chinese Elderly People have extremely comfortable savings as compared to Americans or Europeans who have very little savings

C. Healthcare, Education and Food Distribution is STATE OWNED in Entirety –

Unlike the US where a Doctor can charge a Million and a Half Bucks for a procedure, in China everything is State Owned and Capped

Thus the Cost to keep an Old Man healthy is much much cheaper than in the West

Likewise Education is State owned and Food is price controlled – so Feeding people is much much cheaper in China and Educating Kids is also much cheaper

So the cost of keeping an Old Man alive is less than maybe a third in equivalent terms to keep an Old Man alive in US or Europe

D. Older People are changing generation by generation

Those who will turn 60+ in 2030–2050 would have been born post 1970–1990 and there would be a 64% chance of them being an Engineering Graduate and 35.3% chance of them being a an Engineering Post Graduate

They aren’t the same old people today who were born between 1930–1950 who are less educated, peasants and mainly laborers in a China where the middle class was barely 5%

The Quality of Elderly will rise dramatically, they will be investing and playing a far more proactive role in Society than today’s 60–90 year olds

Just look at Myself, Nagarajan Srinivas and Gopalkrishna Vishwanath and Subhash Mathur

We are far more active, definitely invest more, and play a proactive role in society than three 70 year olds in the 1990s

Unfortunately those who are Actuarians presume the Old People will always be the same dependent older generations, not realizing that the newer generation of older people would be far more proactive

Imagine someone like Anbazhagan Ambrose or Ravi Sundararaman in their sixties or seventies

They would be even more proactive

Same with China too

E. Work and it’s Nature will transform completely

Impossible to believe today’s definition of WORK is the same as that of 2075

For the same analysis – let’s see the ideal job in 1973 China and most Chinese were farmers or worked in State owned industries as longshoremen or unskilled laborers

In India the middle class were Govt employees and Teachers and others were farmers and tenant laborers and daily wage laborers

Today it’s different

It will be way different in 2075

Manual Jobs would be at an all time minimum and most jobs would need skills and analysis

So a large working class population would be a major NEGATIVE not a positive

The US Port strike against Automation is the best example

No such strikes in China

They love Automation for the exact same reason

So no need to get too worried

My guess is somehow if the world moves on past 2030, China will be in the best position by 2075–2100

The Thief

Submitted into Contest #232 in response to: Write a story set in a world with a dying sun, or where light is a scarce resource.… view prompt

Emily Heneisen

I duck behind a crumbling wall, dropping to my knees on cold dirt. The sharp edge catches my shoulder, the jagged brick ripping open my skin. Burning pain shoots through my arm, a silent cry squeezing its way through my throat. And that’s all it is: a soundless echo of pain, a reverberation that I refuse to give voice to. I clamp my mouth shut, hoping my moment of shock was inaudible in the night air. The taste of metal– of copper– coats my mouth and I realize I’ve bitten my tongue in the frenzy. I open my mouth again and spit crimson onto the dirt. Cody always said I had the grace of an elephant. Here I am, proving him right. My large belly doesn’t help matters; it is both my greatest blessing and most frequent inconvenience. But I won’t trade my baby for the world and neither will Cody. Despite the fire crackling underneath my skin and inside my veins, I will myself to breathe slowly through my mouth. I’m quieter this way, harder to track down.I made sure to cover my tracks when I escaped the citadel, but it was difficult to avoid the mud puddles near the outer rim of the city. I hope they couldn’t see any tracks in the darkness. Only the wealthy can afford fire or lights, and the cost is steep. The death of the sun forced new generations to be born with bigger eyes and better senses. While I can see faint shapes and outlines, I rely mostly on my other senses. I was born into the eternal night, and the absence of the sun is as normal to me as breathing, but that doesn’t mean I want the same for my son.These soldiers are older and less evolved to the permanent darkness. That’s why, if I can remain quiet, I have a chance of escape. The entrance of the alley will look like nothing more than a shadow on the bricks. The soldiers may be tasked with hunting me and retrieving what I stole, but I know they won’t waste their precious fire to find me. It would cost them more to replace a matchstick than the reward for my capture is worth. If they knew what was in my pocket, though, they would use all the torches in their arsenal.I hear hurried footsteps down the street. I press my back onto the brick wall, perhaps hoping to sink into it altogether. My pregnant belly sticks out far, too far. I may as well call out to my pursuers altogether. I turn my body so that my back faces the entrance of the alley. The position is risky. I can’t see anything but the dead end in front of me, although I suppose it won’t matter if they catch me. I am a mouse caught in a trap, and I’m praying for the cat to miss me. I push against the brick until I feel the pressure of a metal canister digging into my hip. I’m not sure what happens if the metal cracks, but I don’t want to risk finding out. As the footsteps– a lethal thunder of raging soldiers– draw nearer, I cease breathing altogether. If they find me, if they notice the tiny alley I’d taken cover in, everything we’d done for the past two years would be for nothing. All the planning, the observing, the fighting… all in vain if I was caught now.Flashes of green eyes pull me from my fear. His infectious laugh and his sideways smirk fill my senses. Cody. I have to escape the city for him, for our baby. He already laid out the plan. Now, I just have to follow it. I repeat the plan in my head, focusing only on him as the army gets closer to my position. I squeeze my eyes shut as the stomping grows louder and louder, nearer and nearer.And then they pass by, as though they can’t see the alley at all. I don’t feel the heat of torches, either. I was right. I stay in the alley for a few minutes as the army shuffles by, oblivious to the thief only a few feet away. They would kill for the canister in my pocket if they knew what was inside. Cody and I had killed for it. Now, I just have to get to the meeting point and it will all be over. We’ll be free. I wait until the marching is gone entirely. I will not risk a stray guard turning to find me. When I leave the alley, the street is empty once more. I dart across the cobblestone road, cutting across the path I was taking earlier. Cody meticulously crafted our plan, and I’m following it with precision. My heart clenches at the thought of him. He’s still in the citadel, distracting government leaders with that charm of his. They don’t know he’s in on the plan. Hopefully, they won’t discover his betrayal until we’re already beyond the towering walls of the city.I stumble through the small, humble town, a stark contrast to the towering, glass buildings and crystal chandeliers further south. Once, when the sun still lit up the sky, the citadel may have been beautiful. It is nearly impossible to see it in the dark. Now, it is remembered for its cold cruelty and busy noise. Perhaps the glass buildings are prettier than these wood cottages, but I’ll always associate them with the icy indifference of the government that now hunted me.I weave through side streets to avoid the market squares. They’re small, but even a few extra people is a risk I’m not willing to take. The path is winding, constantly taking me through narrow passageways. Some are merely cramped, but others force me to enter them backward to avoid crushing my stomach. Narrow, indeed.“Almost there,” I dare to whisper. I don’t know if I’m reassuring the baby or myself. The cobble road morphs into a wooded path, the stones fading into the dirt and grass. I stand at the entrance of the northern forest, a few miles from the citadel. I turn, and I can see the large screen above the main tower, a giant square of black that barely stands out from the night sky behind it. They only turn it on when they need to broadcast an important message. Anything else would be a waste of light. I face the woods again, and I can make out a tiny cottage just past the tree line. It’s worn down, the thatched roof caving in on the right side. Whoever lived here before had been gone for a long while.Once inside the cottage, I can barely make out shapes. The dim light of the moon doesn’t reach through the trees, and I’m left in pitch black. I feel my way around the room, stumbling into forgotten chairs and a dusty table. Suddenly, a bright light shines through the broken window. The screen above the citadel illuminates the sky. My heart sinks as I see the face displayed for the whole city to see.Traitor. Cody Fletcher is executed on charges of treason.Executed. I can’t breathe. Cody didn’t make it out in time. Those emerald eyes… I’ll never see them again. He’ll never hold me close or brighten my day. He’ll never meet his son.I reach into my pocket, pulling out the metal canister. We spent years planning this moment. He is supposed to be here with me. We knew the risks when we started the whole damn thing, but I never expected to lose him. I sink to my knees in the cottage as the light on the screen shuts off. The world was horribly quiet, and dark. So, so dark.“You’ll grow up knowing your father did everything for you,” I whisper down to my belly. “This was all for you.” I twist the top of the can open, and sparkling gold washes over me. For the first time in my life, I bathe in the warm glow of real sunlight. We never found out how the government obtained it, but we didn’t care. I am holding the only remnant of our dead star. Hopefully, my son will grow up in a world of light and happiness, and not the cold dark that I am accustomed to. Looking at the golden light, I think of Cody. His smile was just as bright as the sunlight pooling against the metal of the can. I prayed he would watch over the baby and see that our plan worked.

Badly Attacked! Assassination Attempt on Ibrahim Traoré as West Goes Insane!

Have you ever witnessed unruly behavior in a courtroom? If so, what transpired and how was it handled?

Someone bumped into my car and refused to pay for the repair, so I had to sue. She said I didn’t stand a chance because she worked at the country’s biggest car insurance agency and had access to the best of the best in terms of preparing for the trial.

This was small claims court, so no lawyers allowed, but she brought one of the agency’s lawyers anyway. Both of them yelled against me throughout the hearing, hardly letting me say a word. In addition, I was not up to par language wise because I’d only lived in the country for a few years. The judge limited herself to listening to them and nodding.

At last the judge turned to me. All I could utter was “B-but this is how trials are held in this country? Whoever yells more wins?!” to which the judge said “Exactly. That’s what I wanted to say – that is not how a trial works.” She then explained (for the sake of educating the public, as judges are supposed to do when appropriate) all that the woman and her lawyer had done that is forbidden in a courtroom. She also ruled additional compensation for me as punishment to them.

Where would you rather live: Tokyo or Beijing?

I lived in Tokyo for about 12 years and in Beijing for about 5. I left Tokyo for Beijing. I currently live in Shanghai. My answer to your question is ‘neither’… but if my choice was limited to these 2 cities and my work/life offering being perfectly equivalent, I would probably select (again) Beijing.

As most people pointed out, the biggest drawback living in Beijing is the pollution. That is the key reason I moved to Shanghai. Beyond that, the 2 cities are so different you will find good and bad things on both side and your choice will be determined by other factors than the cities’ features.

Choosing Tokyo instead of Beijing may seems a no-brainer considering the quality of services, internet ‘freedom’ and the visual/culinary esthetics of Japan. Talking Japanese is far easier to learn than Chinese among many other advantages that I am certain many will point-out and I used to appreciate greatly.

But…

These capital cities and their respective countries are currently taking a very different trajectory. China is generally progressing while Japan is taken into a slow spiral of regression which is painful to watch.

It’s easy to live well in Tokyo if you create your own comfortable bubble and blind yourself from the massive pile-up of social and environmental issues Japan is stacking against itself. By all means, choose Tokyo if you plan to live this way.

I personally prefer to be surrounded by optimistic Beijingers who have witnessed rapid positive changes and have become accustomed to try and integrate new ideas.

Beijing is not the rest of China and many massive, morally challenging (to say the least) problems are left to be addressed. The question is, do you prefer to be living in a place climbing rapidly upward or moving slowly downward?

What was the most devastating moment in your life that eventually bounced back from, and how?

I was a teenager.

I was attacked by a very large group of youths/teenagers/men it was 10+. It was pretty relentless. I remember my vision going blurred and it going pink before being knocked unconscious.

I woke up black and blue in hospital with a lot of broken bones and pretty much had to undergo multiple surgeries to put me back together again. Apparently they were jumping up and down on my head. To this day parts of my body hurt from this and some of the scars are still there despite 30+ years of fading.

My father saved me by going out and smashing the attackers to bits making them run away.

The police were not particularly interested and nobody was ever charged with it. The attackers actually were called cowards because they had to gang up on me. We moved away from that area and after that we always kept guns in the house. I kept guns in my homes.

I bounced back by simply living well. I recovered enough to go to 6th form college, but decided to explore a bit. I ended up meeting Liam setting up my own business and out performing every single one of those people almost all of them went on the dole and stayed there for the next 20 years 😀 :D.

It’s funny too as these useless fucks who’ve done nothing but suck up dole money think they’re the master race. You’d be surprised how many british are you deserved to be attacked! Only whites can live in the UK!

I laugh even harder as their country declines.

Woman Plans Girls Trip Without Him knowing and He DUMPS Her INSTANTLY

China may have the largest military personnel in the world, but size doesn’t matter when you’re going to face another super power like the U.S. What’s your opinion?

In my opinion, the US military is in decline…

it has a recruitment and morale crisis
it has a maintenance crisis, where ships and planes are heavily backlogged
it has not faced a peer adversary militarily since the Second World War
it has not had a significant military victory since the Second World War—it lost in Vietnam and Afghanistan!
its advanced military tech has reliability issues (e.g., the USS Gerald R. Ford’s EMALS and the F-35)
the Pentagon conducted numerous war games involving China and found that China won in every instance!

China’s military is extremely capable…

China has 232X the shipbuilding capacity of the USA, according to a leaked US Navy briefing—this means that China can much more easily replenish its lost ships
China bristles with A2/AD missiles, including hypersonic ones
China has the world’s largest navy, including formidable ships like the Type 055 heavy destroyer, the Type 052D destroyer, the Type 003 aircraft carrier, etc.
the J-20 Mighty Dragon is a frighteningly capable stealth fighter every bit the equal of the F-22 Raptor—and China has many more of them

A war in China’s own backyard gives China an overwhelming home field advantage. The US military would have a serious logistical problem.

What made you realize your life will never be the same?

In 2013, I got an excited call from my mom. She told me “I’ve won $2 million in the lottery, well, there’s a two in there somewhere, and I’ve decided to give it to you! I know you want to buy a house so badly.”

OK. I said I’d be right over. Arriving at my mom’s apartment, I saw her holding a large manilla envelope with “OFFICIAL DOCUMENT” and ”YOU’VE WON!” printed on it. On closer inspection, of course, there was tiny type that said “if you are holding the winning numbers.” The appeal on the inside was for her to send $25 “for processing.”

I looked down at a pile of mail that had accumulated mail. There were several envelopes like this one; apparently they hadn’t convinced her she was a “winner.” I also discovered that she had been sending blank checks to pay her bills, and had been putting all purchased on her credit cards, which now had a combined balance of over $20k. She could not write a check, but she knew how to get to the mall and whip out a piece of plastic.

I scolded her. I told her an educated woman like her should know a scam when she saw it. I think I even wrote “official document” on a napkin to show how it worked. I proceeded to toss all the envelopes in her recycling bin.

Mom yelled and lunged at me, recuing the lottery envelopes. “Someone has to win, and it could be me!” Her best friend was coming for dinner that night. I told her to please ask her friend (a younger and sensible teacher) about her opinion, and to gt rid of these if Friend said so.

I went home knowing what I suspected was true. Mom undeniably had dementia. She had been acting erratically for a few years, but I chalked it up to “mom being mom” and mom’s insistent “I’m old, of course I forget things!”

It took me all of 2014 and into 2015 to get her diagnosed. Finally, in February of 2015 she had an unexplained fall in her apartment, breaking 3 ribs. Her landlord, who heard her yelling and called me and we went to the ER. That incident was the first domino in me getting her tested for dementia (she failed the 30-question, getting an 8 out of 30. I got an MRI and a referral to an excellent neurologist and assessment program for mom.

That was the beginning of my journey with what was my mother’s frontotemporal dementia. Mom grew steadily worse, going from needing one aide in her home to requiring two aides (available 24/7) in a dementia facility. Mom gradually lost her ability to speak, then recognize me. She died in December of 2019.

I assumed her death would close a chapter and I would start over. It didn’t work out like that. Once mom was dead, so were so many relationships I had built over the years. All of her friends who would regularly call me to see how mom was doing (or to ask if I would escort them for a visit) stopped contact after the memorial service. What was left of my family declared “the holidays were always about seeing mom, we’re making other plans.” I got one letter from a far-flung relative of mom’s who told me “dementia sure runs in the family!” Hoo boy. One Quoran went so far as to suggest I already had dementia, based on their review of my personal account; the question was not about dementia.

I’m now 63 and I’m really lonely and afraid. I told my doctor and my son about my concerns. How do I know if I’m developing dementia if I live alone and am not in regular contact with anyone? I had a few bad falls in my old apartment, so I moved to a first-floor unit. Also, for all our disagreements, I miss my mother. That’s the one person you know “has your back,” at least in a decent familial relationship.

You really never get over losing your parents. I tell my adult son all about my childhood. I told him where our house was, the beach down the street were I spent my summer days and the woods were I rode my horse. One Christmas, my son gifted me a map of my hometown. Interestingly, the map cut off the area of where my house was, it just showed the downtown area. Of course I told him I loved it, but I also realized that nobody really cares about my childhood story.

Shorpy

Was the war in Iraq a mistake?

Yes.

By the way, so was the war in Afghanistan. And so was the war in Vietnam and so was the war in Korea.

My father fought bravely in Korea. He was bayoneted in the middle of the night at the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir — twice. Once, in the groin. He somehow barely survived. (Miraculously? He first woke up in a hospital in Los Angeles, 28 days after he had been bayoneted twice.).

My father somehow survived. He would never talk about it, and I did not learn that until about 12 years ago.

My father died three years ago — in 2021, at age 93 — but my dad would also be the first to explain in great detail how that war was a ridiculous, and unjustified war. He was proud of his duty, and was proud of his service to his nation — but he would also lecture you extensively how the U.S. has absolutely no justification for sending ground troops into that mess.

He would tell you the same exact thing about Vietnam, and also about Afghanistan, and about the second incursion into Iraq. With full detailed explanations. The U.S. military had no business being in any of those four locations.

Period.

R.I.P., dad.

And, thanks.

HUAWEI’s New 4nm Chip Just SHOCKED The World… NO ONE Expected This!

Do you believe the U.S. government’s actions against Chinese companies involved in forced labor are effective in promoting human rights?

Where is the evidence?

The US levels charges against a Chinese entity and enforces sanctions without due process or an independent redress mechanism.

This is no different from sanctioning Carrie lam and John Lee for the crime of being appointed chief executive of Hong Kong.

As to forced labor, plenty of US companies have business dealings in or with Xinjiang entities. Why are they not sanctioned? For example, there is Hilton, mcdonald’s, snickers and coca cola in urumqi, Xinjiang. I won’t be surprised if the bed linens and uniforms in Hilton hotel is made from Xinjiang cotton, a favorite “forced labor” target, drawing imagery from the South’s plantation slavery past.

Why are American companies in Xinjiang participating in forced labor? Why don’t they exit the province, since forced labor doesn’t exist elsewhere in china?

The excuses are so bland these days. Either “human rights” or “national security”. There is even a level 3 “do not travel” state department warning on China.

Come on. Who was the last American to get into trouble in china?

Plenty of Chinese tourists, visa holders and Chinese Americans have been targeted and hounded over the last two administrations. Thousands have fled since the closure of the Houston consulate.

It is just prejudice and manufactured enmity.

If the Xinjiang’s cotton industry is not using forced labor, then why are there calls to replace or abandon Xinjiang products?

China is the world’s largest cotton producer, with over 90% of the country’s total cotton production coming from Xinjiang. In 2023, Xinjiang’s cotton production reached 5.12 million tons. Xinjiang cotton, known for its high quality and large output, has always been popular worldwide.

So it’s not difficult to understand why there’re calls to “replace or abandon Xinjiang products.” Some countries can’t compete with Xinjiang’s cotton production in China, so they look for excuses to suppress Xinjiang. PVH Corp. of the US is such an example.

In recent years, absurd anti-China narratives, such as “forced labor” in Xinjiang, have seriously disrupted the order of global textile and garment industry. Many well-known global apparel companies have been compelled to make the so-called “politically correct” choice regarding the issue of Xinjiang cotton. PVH owns apparel brands such as Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger. PVH states that China is an “important growth engine” for the company, with revenues increasing by more than 20 percent last year, and that it also wants to focus on increasing brand awareness in China.

However, in a corporate responsibility report released in 2022, PVH said that Xinjiang is one of the regions where no direct or indirect sourcing is permitted. PVH ostensibly emphasizes the “importance” of the Chinese market, but what it is actually doing is cooperating with the US government’s discriminatory suppression of Xinjiang-related products, which has seriously undermined the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises as well as jeopardized China’s sovereignty, security and development interests. PVH must provide a clear and unequivocal explanation.

Pressuring multinational companies to withdraw from Xinjiang has been a common tactic employed by certain anti-China forces to discredit the nation and promote “decoupling” from China. There are many examples of this.

Last year, Volkswagen stated that an audit of its jointly owned site in Xinjiang had found no signs of forced labor. But recently, it was subjected to a presumption of guilt by FT which claimed that the audit failed to meet key aspects of the international standard. Similarly, German chemical giant BASF reported that its audits found no evidence of human rights violations at its joint ventures in Xinjiang, yet it was forced to accept “allegations inconsistent with corporate values” and divest from those joint ventures.

In the face of actions that obviously have non-commercial purposes, and discriminatory measures against China – particularly concerning Xinjiang-related products – China will, of course, use legal methods to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of relevant Chinese enterprises and industries, and to defend a fair and just international trade order. Hope multinational companies looking to expand their business in Xinjiang can trust the facts they observe, and avoid becoming victims of US political manipulation.

What is the most badass thing a private has said to a general?

Not a General, an Admiral. In the mid 90’s I was testing a freshly overhauled F404 in the test cell, at NAS Lemoore CA. Recently the AF had crash landed a C-21 (Lear 35) in Fresno, the local news portrayed the pilots as heroes because they “rode it in”, a Lear has no ejection seats. So anyway, I am putting an engine through it’s paces in the test cell, and through the reflection in the observation window I notice a few people quietly step in and are standing there. I am at full power, full afterburner, running high power tests. After bringing the engine back down to idle, someone asks “So what’s your job here sailor”, with out looking away from my instruments I respond, “I’m trying to blow this engine up”. Next I hear someone loudly clear their throat, I turn the engine over to my assistant, turned in my seat, and there, standing behind me, the Base CO, my Div O, my Master chief and….“Commander Light Attack Wing Pacific Fleet” Admiral Idon’trememberhisName. I snap to, and the Admiral says “Care to expound on that answer sailor? Thinking fast, I respond with “Well Sir, if I can’t break this engine, none of our pilots can, and no Navy jet will have to crash land in downtown Fresno”. He gives me a hard stare, smiles and says “Good fucking answer”, turns and walks out without another word. Please upvote, if you do like. Comments and questions welcome! Have a GREAT NAVY DAY!

Comedians That Stood Up AGAINST Woke Culture

Beef Tenderloin with Blue Cheese Stuffing

Grilled Flank Steak Stuffed with Blue Cheese and Serranos

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided
2 pound beef tenderloin
Salt and pepper to taste
2/3 to 3/4 cup beef broth

Instructions

Heat oven to 425 degrees F.
Combine the blue cheese, walnuts, parsley and 1 teaspoon of oregano in a bowl and mix well. Cut a long pocket in the top of the tenderloin, starting and ending 1/2 inch from the ends, cutting to within 1 inch of the bottom. Spoon the cheese mixture into the pocket. Press the sides of the meat together and secure with string. Rub the remaining teaspoon of oregano, salt and pepper on the tenderloin.
Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat reads 120 degrees F for rare, 125 degrees F for medium-rare or 135 to 145 degrees F for medium, about 25 to 45 minutes (the temperature will continue to rise 5 to 10 degrees out of the oven). Let stand for 5 minutes.
Remove to a platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Place the roasting pan over medium-high heat and add the beef broth. Cook until heated through, stirring to deglaze the pan. Pour into a sauceboat.
Slice the tenderloin and serve with the pan juices.

Attorneys, what is the worst result a client ever got in court because they absolutely refused to take your advice?

I had a Public Defender client who after three months of discussing his case with him, he was convinced that he knew more about criminal law and procedures than I did. After all, he had failed to make bail and had so many counselors incarcerated with him 24/7.

He had failed to sign a jury trial demand form several times – at 9:10 am the day of the Bench trial, he claimed he wanted a jury trial. He had refused to see me on the days set aside for PD visits, insisting on evening and weekend conferences. He refused to cooperate with the investigator assigned claiming that the investigator was giving everything to the police.

All of the above and more were reasons he claimed when asking for a new attorney at 9:15 the morning of his trial. The judge almost laughed at him before denying his request.

The State had a big hole in its case – they had failed to measure to see if he was within 1000 feet of a public park or school. It was an element of the Class A felony he was charged with along with two other Class B felonies for similar offenses at other locations.

The State rested its case – I DO NOT NEED TO CROSS-EXAMINE! It would allow me to state that the ‘1000-foot element’ had not been proven and the Class A felony cannot be proven. But if I ask a single question, it opens the State to Re-Direct Examine the officer to discuss OTHER CASES IN THE METH ROW NEIGHBORHOOD that are further away but have been measured.

All of a sudden there is a loud Stage Whisper in my ear “Ask him if he measured from my house to the park.”

“Be quiet, Mr. C_______. Let me handle the case.”

“Guddammit! Ask him if he measured from my house to the park! Did he measure?”

“Be quiet! I don’t want to ask him; it would be bad for your case if I do. Now be still.”

“You Motherfu…”

“C________, shut the fuck up! Keep your fucking mouth shut; let me finish this case for your benefit.”

Judge: Mr. C________. Mr. Winters is doing his best for you, and you need to let him conduct your case. Right now, you are walking a very thin line, and he is the only one that can assist you. If you continue to persist in the matter and Mr. Winters refuses to ask what you are demanding; I will have him state his reasons for the refusal on the record and let you ask the question on your own. So far, he has provided you a brilliant defense by asking nothing.”

Judge: “Mr. Winters?”

“I refuse, Your Honor. The State is unable to bring forth any evidence of the missing element. I don’t want the State to have a second bite of the apple. The State cannot prove a Class A felony was committed without that element.”

Judge: “Mr. C________, your attorney has refused to ask the question you want, and for reasons which only benefit you and are against the State’s case. I would advise you to follow his advice and not ask the question on your own.”

“I wanna ask the PO-lice officer if he measured.”

Judge: Go ahead then. It’s now a matter of record.”

Officer, did you measure from my house to the park?”

“No.”

“That’s all I wanted to know. I’m done.”

“The State would like to redirect, Your Honor.”

The rest is history: Three houses were measured farther away from the public park than his house in the week the warrants were served and raids conducted. The judge accepted this as a measurement.

Without the measurement, the worst-case scenario would have been a Class B felony; maximum sentence twenty years, out in ten.

WITH THE MEASUREMENT THAT HE INSISTED UPON he was convicted of the Class A felony and received a sentence of FIFTY YEARS, out in twenty-five.

Sometimes the truth does not set you free.

Russia: ” . . . American bases are among the first targets” if Ukraine uses Western Missiles to hit Russia

Hal Turner World October 09, 2024

Moscow would trigger a “contingency plan” outlined by President Vladimir Putin in the event that Ukraine receives permission to use Western-supplied long-range missiles for strikes deep inside Russia, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned.

Putin earlier said that any such strikes would be treated by Moscow as a direct attack by the countries that provided the weapons.

The diplomat was commenting on an upcoming meeting of Kiev’s foreign arms donors, which Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has been touting as “historic.” Moscow does not follow statements on the issue as it already has a response prepared, the foreign minister said.

“As soon as this decision is taken [by the West to allow Ukraine to use long-range missiles], if it is taken, we will learn that, and the contingency mentioned by Vladimir Putin will already be in action,” Lavrov told Russia’s Channel 1 broadcaster.

Power plants, bridges, defense factories, and American bases are among the first targets. That does not bode well for Scranton, PA, where an Army Ammunition Plant is located. Ukraine’s Zelensky met with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro at that plant a week ago, where the two autographed artillery shells to be used to kill Russian troops.

Many people in the area say “The only thing Zelensky and Governor Shapiro did with that visit, was to make Scranton a target for Russia.”

Putin has warned that any attack by Ukraine with Western-supplied long-range missiles would be treated by Moscow as being directly launched by NATO. He has suggested that Russia could arm enemies of the West with similar weapons in response.

Moscow is currently updating its nuclear doctrine to include an attack by a non-nuclear state backed by a nuclear one to the conditions which could trigger a nuclear retaliation from Russia.

Kiev has been asking the US and its allies to lift a ban on strikes deep inside Russia with their long-range weapons for months, blaming its recent setbacks on the battlefield on Western reluctance.

Russian officials previously claimed that the principal decision to grant Ukraine its wish had already been made, and that Western nations were choosing a means to present it to the general public.

Zelensky had hoped that the ban would be lifted during his visit last month to the US, where he presented his ‘victory plan’ to President Joe Biden. According to local media, US officials are skeptical about the Ukrainian leader’s proposal, which they do not consider viable for defeating Russia.

Moscow, which describes the Ukraine conflict as a US-led proxy war against Russia, has pledged to achieve its goals by any means necessary as its national security depends on it. The West is willing “to fight to the last Ukrainian” to inflict damage on Russia, the Kremlin has argued.

NATO Openly Preparing for War with Russia

NATO is no longer hiding that it is gearing up for a potential military conflict with Russia, Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Grushko has said, pointing to this year’s Steadfast Defender drills, the bloc’s largest maneuvers since the end of the Cold War.

The US-led military bloc has been expanding eastward for decades, despite assurances given to the Soviet Union in the run-up to German reunification in 1990 that it would not do so. Russia has repeatedly described the expansion toward its borders as a threat to its security.

Speaking to RIA Novosti on Tuesday, Grushko said that “now NATO representatives have stopped hiding that they are preparing for a potential armed clash with Russia.”

“Regional defense plans have been approved, concrete tasks for all of the bloc’s military command structures have been formulated. Possible options for military action against Russia are being continuously worked out,” the diplomat added.

He cited the Steadfast Defender exercise that ran from January through late May, saying that “for the first time, the enemy was not a fictitious state, but Russia.”

While NATO did not specifically name Russia in its announcement of the drills, it called the exercises preparation for a conflict with a “near-peer” adversary. NATO’s main security document identifies Russia as the bloc’s largest threat.

The drills, which were conducted near Russia’s western border, featured some 90,000 troops from all 32 NATO member states.

According to Grushko, “military budgets are being pumped [with money] and [Western] economies are being militarized.”

The deputy foreign minister insisted that “it was not Russia, but the North-Atlantic alliance that took the path of confrontation,” by refusing to engage in dialogue with Moscow. He concluded that NATO bears responsibility for a “major European security crisis.”

On Saturday, Germany’s Die Welt newspaper, citing a confidential NATO planning document, reported that in preparation for a potential conflict with Russia, the military bloc is planning to dramatically increase the number of combat and air defense units.

Over the past few months, several NATO member states have claimed that Russia could be harboring plans to attack the bloc.

Speaking on the sidelines of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) in June, Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed as “nonsense” and “bulls**t” allegations that Moscow plans to attack NATO.

In September, the Russian leader warned, however, that should Ukraine’s Western backers allow Kiev to use their missiles to hit targets deep inside Russia, “it will mean nothing less than the direct participation of NATO countries, the US and European countries, in the conflict in Ukraine.”

“The Russian Federation demands from Kiev the withdrawal of all Ukrainian military personnel from the four partially occupied territories and Ukraine’s renunciation of its intentions to join NATO,” said Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov in an interview with Newsweek.

Hal Turner Remarks

Any of you who have been distracted from the growing Russia-Ukraine conflict by the absurd Israel-Iran troubles, or who lost sight of the reality that the Russia-Ukraine situation is heading for direct nuclear confrontation between Russia and the West, are reminded: The conflict hasn’t gone away, and NATO is now openly pushing for direct war, which will get a lot of US killed, here in the US.

Emmanuel Todd On Europe’s Hopefully Fading Submission To The U.S.

This blog has been following the writings of Emmanuel Todd for some time:

Emmanuel Todd on Europe – December 19, 2008
Seeing Social Decline As A National Security Threat May Change Conservative Policies – November 30, 2018
Transgender – The Inability To Distinguish Facts From Wishes – March 14, 2024

In the later one I had quoted a New York Times review of Todd’s latest book:

This Prophetic Academic Now Foresees the West’s Defeat (archived) – New York Times, Mar 9 2024

American leadership is failing: That is the argument of an eccentric new book that since January has stood near the top of France’s best-seller lists. It is called “La Défaite de l’Occident” (“The Defeat of the West”). Its author, Emmanuel Todd, is a celebrated historian and anthropologist who in 1976, in a book called “The Final Fall,” used infant-mortality statistics to predict that the Soviet Union was headed for collapse.
…
While Mr. Todd is, again, not judgmental on sexual matters, he is judgmental on intellectual ones. The inability to distinguish facts from wishes astounds him at every turn of the Ukraine war. The American hope early in the war that China might cooperate in a sanctions regime against Russia, thereby helping the United States refine a weapon that would one day be aimed at China itself, is, for Mr. Todd, a “delirium.”

The Italian version of “The Defeat of the West”, Todd’s latest book, has just been published. It is the occasion for an interview with Corriere Di Bologna. The answers Todd is giving during the interview deserve your attention (edited machine translation):

Q:You argue that Europe has delegated the representation of the West to the United States and is now paying the price. How do you think this trend can be changed?A: “In the present state we cannot do anything else. A war has begun. It is the outcome of this war that will decide the fate of Europe. If Russia is defeated in Ukraine, European submission to the Americans would be prolonged for a century. If, as I believe, the United States is defeated, NATO will disintegrate and Europe will be left free.

Even more important than a Russian victory will be the halting of the Russian army on the Dnepr and the unwillingness of the Putin regime to attack western Europe militarily. With 144 million people, a shrinking population and 17 million square kilometers, the Russian state is already struggling to occupy its territory. Russia will have neither the means nor the desire to expand once the borders of pre-communist Russia are reconstituted. Western Russophobic hysteria fantasizing about the desire for Russian expansion in Europe is simply ridiculous to a serious historian.

The psychological shock awaiting Europeans will be to realize that NATO does not exist to protect us but to control us.”

Since the beginning of the recent phase of the war in Ukraine in February 2022, I have argued that Russia does not want to take all of Ukraine but only those parts which, up to 1922, had been traditional parts of Russia before the communists added them to the Ukrainian borderland.

It is nice to see that Emmanuel Todd agrees with this analysis:

It is difficult to discern what the planed end state of this operation is. Where is this going to stop?

Looking at this map I believe that the most advantageous end state for Russia would be the creation of a new independent country, call it Novorussiya, on the land east of the Dnieper and south along the coast that holds a majority ethnic Russian population and that, in 1922, had been attached to the Ukraine by Lenin. That state would be politically, culturally and militarily aligned with Russia.

ukradded

biggerThis would eliminate Ukrainian access to the Black Sea and create a land bridge towards the Moldavian breakaway Transnistria which is under Russian protection.

Excursus:

The yellow part of that map marked ‘Ukraine in 1654’ was actually the land of the Eastern Orthodox Zaporozhian Cossacks. Under threat from the Catholic Lithuanian-Polish Commonwealth, which at the time held the green parts under serfdom, they negotiated the Pereiaslav Agreement (1654) with Russia and pledged allegiance to the Tsar. They area thus became an autonomous part of Russia.

End Excursus

The rest of the Ukraine would be a land confined, mostly agricultural state, disarmed and too poor to be build up to a new threat to Russia anytime soon. Politically it would be dominated by fascists from Galicia which would then become a major problem for the European Union.

I have also argued previously that the current hostile German government position towards Russia is unnatural and will be corrected. In his interview Todd also agrees with this (edited machine translation):

Do you think Europe took the final step toward this subordination [to the U.S.] during the conflicts in the Balkans, and especially with the Kosovo issue?

“No, it all started in Ukraine. During the Iraq war, after Kosovo, Putin, Schröder and Chirac held joint press conferences. This terrified Washington. It seemed that America could be expelled from the European continent. Russia’s separation from Germany thus became a priority for American strategists. Making the situation in Ukraine worse served this purpose.

Forcing the Russians into war to prevent Ukraine’s de facto integration into NATO was, initially, a major diplomatic success for Washington. The shock of war paralyzed Germany and allowed the Americans, in general confusion, to blow up the Nordstream pipeline, a symbol of the economic understanding between Germany and Russia.

Of course, in a second phase, that of American defeat, American control over Europe will be pulverized. Germany and Russia will meet again. This conflict is in a sense artificial. The natural thing, in a low-fertility Europe, with its aging population, is the complementarity between German industry and Russian energy and mineral resources.”

The current situation and the sanctions on Russia are utterly harmful for Germany’s industry and the people depending on it. I therefore hope that the process of reconnecting Germany with Russia will proceed as soon as possible. The current government which, for whatever reason, had agreed with the U.S. course on Ukraine, should be punished for the great harm it has caused.

There are a few more bits in the Todd interview. I’ll leave it to you to read them.

Posted by b on October 9, 2024 at 14:40 UTC | Permalink

Cold is the Absence of Heat

Submitted into Contest #243 in response to: Write a story imagining ‘what if’ one historic invention had never happened. How would our world be different now?… view prompt

Jack Kimball

Commander John Forebear re-enters the airlock to Novac 3 and takes his place at the bridge’s command module. No sooner is he settled in than his headset sparks in static.”It’s a blue line here, John. Ice to every horizon, kind of mist-like, an artic blue, mythical. It’s really something.”The Commander smiles. Just like my science officer to admire the view. I love him, but it’s another thing to keep him focused on the task at hand.“I can see,” the Commander replies. “Your visuals are coming in fine, but you’re not on vacation, are you Officer Aaronson?” The monitor displays the surface of planet 87689-B, no longer the ice blue marble seen growing over the last eighteen months, but white arctic plains, endless mountain ranges, and red-ironed rock on knife edged peaks.The Commander’s headset crackles again from Aaronson. “You need to smell the roses more often my friend..”The Commander laughs. “You’ve never smelled a rose; you’ve never even seen one.””I read books. You should try it.”The Commander laughs again. “I do read books.””You read manuals on rocket technology. Those aren’t books.”Aaronson is on the surface, the Commander thinks. Back to business. “Let’s get on it, Science Officer. Have you centered the vein?””Affirmative,” Aaronson answers, coming in clear. “Data confirms crystal spectrum 2.5 klicks below the surface. Deploying the drill.”On the ship’s monitor, the Commander zooms in. Standing much larger and taller than the robotic derricks on Absolon 9, the drill first extends vertically. Once the upward extension completes, the blades spread out at the base, slowly expanding to thirty meters, reminding the Commander of the wings of a teeth mantis. The blades begin turning, spinning, ice flies as it grinds through the ice. The high, piercing sound of the drill fills the audio, and ice blocks spin off the blades as the diamond edged wings cut, tear, bore a hole in the planet.Soon the derrick has drilled itself out of sight from the command module. On the surface, Science Officer Aaronson puts on a propulsion vest. The tiny thrusters fire a blue flame, a throated growl as they lift him. Aaronson disappears as he descends the newly dug channel, a vertical mineshaft.An hour later, Aaronson patches in. “You need to get down here, Commander. You won’t believe this.”Descending the drill shaft along with Security Officer Dickens, the Commander realizes they don’t need headlamps. The ice walls are a translucent aqua glow, almost an ocean effect, the glow derived he suspects from its own organic energy source within the fabric of the ice. His gloved hand slides down the edge of the mineshaft. Clear, he thinks. I can see at least three meters into the ice. The purity of it.The Commander is not a worrier, but he worries as he descends. Not because of the shaft or the mine. He has mined all over the Federation, dozens of planets, and even if this shaft is twice the size of the largest, he still has the experience. It isn’t the cumbersome size of the derrick either. It’s what his security officer had said the night before. They had been together on the observation deck and it was about his friend Aaronson. The same subject Dickens had been harping on for the last year.

“To mine the ice is nothing,” Dickens had said, the reflection of a dark red nebula on his scared face. “It’s the softness of that Aaronson. He’s not like us; he lacks the killer instinct. When the time comes, Aaronson will be the weak link. Trust me, I’ve seen it before. We need to mine the ice, and I’m not letting him get in the way.”

Always the paranoid security officer, thinks the Commander. But he’s my security officer, and I like him being paranoid. It’s safer. His job is to protect all three of us, after all. He pours himself two fingers of scotch from their dwindling supply into his crystal glass. The blue planet hovers below in its own shimmering light, the plains, the mountains, the stars ablaze above.

Dickens grabs the scotch bottle with a flick of his eyes. “Have you seen his right earlobe? It’s the mark of a mystic. He hides it, but it’s typical of his kind, his race. He swears, what a joke, there’s some kind of life on the planet. He says he dreamed about them. Hallucinating is what I think. And we scanned for planet heat, nothing. The entire planet is absolute zero. If there’s a THEY, can they be absolute zero? There’s a reason Sector 12 threw out the mystics you know, why you don’t see them. They shipped them off, good riddance I say.

The Commander throws back his scotch. Corporate’s command was simple. Go to planet 87689-B, mine as much of what you can, bring back the mythical ice that doesn’t melt. Imagine the repercussions of a product with endless refrigeration? Fill the storage bay, bring it back. Zing, Pop, we’re all rich. Or, I’m rich. Corporate is already rich. The commander puts his hand on Dicken’s arm to assure him. “We mine the ice, fill the payload. Then we get the hell out. Aaronson will be fine.” And once I’m rich, I can retire to Absolom 7, the furthest from the insanity of the Federation I can get, a place without thought control, a place with hardly any people at all. What’s going on at Sector 12 is really not my business.

***

As the two men descend, their propulsion vests hold the descent, a hissing sound from the fuel, a blue flame. At the bottom of the shaft, Aaronson waves up to them in the blue glow, the channel now carved out at the bottom like a cathedral. It’s then the commander realizes the protruding vein of ice in front of him IS the core product, the color of the distinctive blue giving it away. The ice gives off a ghosting blue, fog like, the surface seeming to have a thin frothing skin. Ice that won’t melt. Corporate could mine this for decades. Who knows how long?

Aaronson’s voice breaks in the Commander’s headset. “I’m at your two o’clock. You have to see this. I’ve run the carbon dating spectronics.”

The science officer is standing at the entrance to one of many spidered tunnels off the base of the main dig. Behind him are the images of a junkyard of random space debris, dozens of pieces of metal embedded in a clear ice wall, as if a human expedition on a prior mining exploration had abandoned their probes, a launch vehicle, digging equipment, backhoes, mining tools. Ancient technology embedded in clear ice.

The Commander joins Aaronson in front of the ice wall. “I’ve never seen equipment like this. What’s the reading?”

“2.5 million years. Our earth was not yet civilized when these artifacts were brought here Commander.”

Aronson puts his hand on the ice wall in awe of what they’d found. “It’s a shame we can’t stay. Imagine what we could learn. And there are inscriptions on the equipment. There, on what looks like a backhoe, do you see?”

Just looking at artifacts from so long ago sends a shiver through the Commander, a déjà vu, a murmur, a whisper from an ancient past.

Aaronson speaks quietly to the Commander. “You sense it, don’t you? Can we stay?”

Dickens looks disgustedly at Aaronson. “No way science man. We’re not here for your witchy bullshit. If there’s intelligence, we’re in danger.”

Aaronson ignores Dickens, his eyes on the Commander. “Give me just three days to complete an archeological study. All I’m asking is three days, John.”

“Pfff,” Dickens snorts. “You’ve been whining about missing your family for the entire trip out. Now you want to stay?”

“I do. But there’s more.” Aaronson hesitates like he was holding back. “You both need to come with me.”

They follow Aaronson down an ice blue tunnel and enter a cavern opening up with caves on an ice cliff. Ice ladders access what looks like homes, abandoned cliff dwellings. Structures in ice of all sizes, a blue sheen to the ice, ghostly, present, unknown. But what really stands apart are the carvings. Circular discs of etchings, sculptures of some abstract design. Like Picasso of ages long past, or Phillips on Horizon’s Horn in the 8^th Quadrant. The brightest spot is a centerpiece on a small pedestal. There sits what looks like a pulsating diamond, sparkling white, about 20 centimeters tall. Around it is an artistically designed ice carved shrine. The diamond hums, it glitters organically.

Aronson puts his helmeted face inches from the diamond. “This is ice but like a queen I think. See how she produces ice from the base like tiny glaciers. The ice is the eggs. They don’t melt, we know that, but the queen is this diamond of ice, birthing the ice. This shrine is to worship the ice diamond, is my guess.”

Dickens picks up the diamond, examines it. “If they can’t protect it, they don’t deserve to keep it. Why are we only taking the ice when we can also take, as you say, the queen?”

Aaronson steps in front of Dickens. “We only came for the ice. We don’t know the ramifications. We need to study it.”

Dickens glances at the Commander who gestures to return the ice diamond. He sets the crystal diamond back on the pedestal.

Returning to the derrick, the three men prepare the container for some hours, collecting ice, storing it for the transfer.

The Commander closes the portal on the container. “Ok Aaronson, trigger the container to ascend to the surface. I’ve programmed the ascent to Novac 3.”

Aaronson and the Commander strap on their vests. Dickens joins them. Before he triggers the propulsion, Aaronson stops Dickens.

Aronson raises both of his hands. “He’s hiding the ice diamond in his pack Commander. Not a good idea Dickens. There’s more to this than you realize.”

“Don’t tell me science boy, we can take this. But… but…” Dickens grabs his helmet with both hands. Whatever is in his helmet eats on his face, his flesh is breaking up like black microbes gnawing on him.

He draws his laser sidearm, fires at Aaronson, whose chest lights up with a red flash. The charge dissipates in an electrical charge, Aaronson collapses to the ice. Dickens falls to his knees next to Aaronson and his hands desperately claw each side of his helmet. His screams pierce the Commander’s headset as the whites of Dicken’s eyes go black. His face in the clear visor helmet DISSOLVES, the flesh of his face dripping away, blood flowing down his cheeks with the white bones of his skull protruding. Finally, his mass slides down into the interior of his suit like sludge in a drain and his suit crumples on the ice.

The Commander thinks in a second. It was so simple. Go to planet 87689-B, mine as much as you can, fill the storage bay with a ton of the stuff. Bring it back. He takes hold of the pack. Carrying Aaronson, he stumbles to the main channel and fires his vest. The weight of two men may be too much. He turns the nozzle full on. But he’s rising too slowly and falls back a meter for every two he ascends. Aaronson moans on his back. As they rise up the channel, the sides of the shaft begin cracking like a crevasse closing in on them, the ice splintering, cascading down the channel. Pieces of ice reach out to strike at his legs, his arms, the iced sides moving in on them like a closing fist. The planet itself knows I have the queen.

Once on the surface, the Commander lays Aaronson in the shuttle. As they take off, the gravity of the planet seems to bend with an aurora of light, blues and pinks reach for them, a colored gravity aching to pull the shuttle back. But they dock on Novac 3 and soon all of the ship’s engines are firing, blasting in a blue-red fire, but the planet strains to hold the ship. 87689-B is not giving up. It seems to scream to pull the ship back, like a mother fighting for the return of her children, her queen, the ice. Finally, the planet lets go, spent with exhaustion. The planet gives out a collective gasp of loss. Novac 3 snaps into space, the stars streak by.

***

Two months later, Aaronson still hasn’t died. The commander has set him up in sickbay, the portrait of his wife, his two young children taped to the bulkhead above him. He has no consciousness, thinks the commander. He’s dying, a coma. He’ll never last a month, certainly not a year.

As the days become weeks, the Commander holds Aaronson’s sweating head in his berth. He feeds him food carefully ground so he can swallow. He washes Aaronson when he needs to be washed. And finally in desperation he lies next to his friend, begging to transfer his own heated life force. Wake up, Aaronson. Wake up. You’re the only friend I’ve got.

But strangely, the Commander meets him in dreams, an apparition in his sleep, coming to him out of a blue iced fog. “The ice melts,” Aaronson says in the dream. “Melts”. But how can this be? The ice does not melt, the crystal births more ice. But Aaronson says over and over, “The ice is the absence of heat,” his eyes unfocused, the light in his irises dying. There must be a message. Novac 3 rockets through space and the Commander drinks scotch on the observation deck, first two fingers, then four, then he’s out of counting fingers. He just drinks. There is no day. The nebula of greens and browns and pinks, the infinitum of space, silently watches. He drinks until the day he looks in the mirror of his cabin and examines his red-veined eyes, his face. Then he knows what to do.

********

Aaronson’s near lifeless body lies in the outstretched arms of the Commander. He stumbles with the weight, falls, rises again. He struggles on, the weight heavy. The propulsion vest he wears can hardly hold them both from plummeting down the mineshaft. He finds the ice caves, the ladders, the art. He then lays Aaronson carefully down at the altar where the ice diamond used to be, the queen. After taking his pack off, he removes the ice diamond and places it on the pedestal and kneels in front of it.

Behind the commander stands a blue presence, at least ten feet tall, a figure in raw ice, nothing more. The man is clear blue, the ice of his body shimmering like the planet itself. There is a crackling, like tinkling ice, as the man’s arm moves. He places a hand on the Commander’s shoulder, his arm joint re-forming as the ice breaks and splinters. Lights like nail-heads shine from his eyes. His head turns, a crinkling in his neck, a thin frothing crystal skin. Your man will be fine. He’ll get to stay, study us as he wants. Then we can get him back if he chooses. But not for you. Yours is a different path.

The commander turns. Half of his face is blue ice, he is transforming. He knows in his heart that soon the suit won’t be necessary. He smiles to himself. But what will happen when Novac 3 reaches the frontier of the Federation, passes the ashen worlds destroyed by war, the planets stripped of all resources and lain to waste? What will happen when the sickened and bitter society discovers the ice that won’t melt? He’s completed his mission. The ice is overflowing the container within the ship, and in another eighteen months it will reach the frontier. They will harvest a rare commodity, solving the refrigeration needs for the Federation.

Now he more than smiles, he laughs. The ice has a little surprise, he thinks. A little gift to the Corporation. It will spread throughout the Federation of Planets. And then he remembers his dream on Novac 3. He remembers the dream asking him, what is the absence of hate? He now knows the answer. The ice will spread, and those who have the emotion of anger, or vengeance, or loathing, or bigotry, or so many other tortures in the souls of humanity, will, like Dickens, MELT.

Picture porn

For your enjoyment.

How did 99.9% of Iranian missiles hit their target in Israel?

I don’t know if 99.9% of Iranian missiles hit their target in Israel. I doubt if there is anyone who would know.

HOWEVER, there are a lot of Sociol Media videos now posted that did show that a lot of missiles did get thru and hit their targets which included:

Three Air Force bases
The Mossad HQ in Tel Aviv

There were MINIMAL/NO video footages of any Iranian missiles intercepted.

It is clear from these MULTIPLE video footages that Israel missile defence system have FAILED. These will have outsized consequences – It demonstate that despite having powerful allies, Israel and the United States are not able to deter or prevent an attack on Israel.

In fact, the Israelis could not even STOP irregular forces like the Houthis. Other irregular forces are no doubt watching and there will also be preparing future attacks on Israel.

Having lost the myth of its invincibility, Israel days are NUMBERED as its situation can only deterioate from this point onward and it will likely dragged the United States down to the abyss with it.

Is it true that Chinese swords are inferior to Japanese katanas?

Well, Japanese warfare is a different ballgame from Chinese warfare.

If I may offer an analogy, studying the history of war in Japan next to the Chinese is akin to a controlled lab experiment vs. the chaos of the real world beyond.

Let me explain.

Japanese warfare, in sum, has been an endless wave of civil war, among a population that only reached 35m in the 1870s. It was 8m entering the sengoku period in the 1460s.

Now, Japan lies north, with the home islands sharing the same latitude as the Koreas and the northeastern Chinese provinces of Jilin and Heilongjiang. One of the most important cities in the latter was Ningguta, literally the numeral “six” in Manchu, and it was where the Qing dynasty sent exiles, because of its desolate nature.

Life in Japan is incredibly harsh, not least because the conditions were exacerbated by the mountainous terrain. My shifu described Japan as “Yunnan with Heilongjiang weather”.

Large-scale warfare in ancient Japan was rare, because the scale was limited by available resources, harsh winters and lack of connectivity over challenging terrain.

Competition over centuries consolidated power from tribes, to clans, daimyos and finally the shogunate, before passing back to the emperor during the meiji restoration.

In such a limited microcosm, warfare was necessarily stylized, and ritualistic. Wars of extermination and destruction were rare, and tactical evolution became a laborious race to improve weaponry, because neighboring states all fought and organized the same way.

Japan’s harsh winter and short growing season attracted men to blacksmithing. The standardization of the Japanese arsenal with the katana front and center allowed blacksmiths from all over Japan to optimize the form factor and recipe over millennia, resulting in the katana being ranked as a top blade of the ancient agrarian world.

The katana is not just a weapon. It is also an important ritualistic symbol of bushido, and extensively used in stylized personal combat among the samurai.

It is this sprinkling of sacred religion that drove Japanese sword culture towards an apex of quality.

China’s population heft, continental range of latitudes and numerous neighbors along a long border means weapons standardization and shared rules of war are practically impossible. The Chinese adapted arms that could counter the enemy’s strengths, instead of pursuing the refinement of a single form factor.

Japan probably made the best katana, or the curved narrow blade in history. But the best Chinese straight swords (jian), broadswords (dadao) and longswords (kanmadao) were no slouch, having been tested in combat against the best armies of the time.

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Hello animal lovers how do u deal with having too put ur cat too sleep..

buster was hes name buster was 18 and was my world..

what help you get thru this harrowing time..

and did u get burial or cremation..

Havent sleeped or eaten 2 days now..

I dont have any family supports witch sucks..

I need a hug but no one too hug..

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What can the World learn from studying the German Flak Towers of Worldy War 2?

Nazi Germany allocated great resources to infrastructure during WWII. Flak towers are one of these.

Anti-aircraft tower (Flaktürme) in Vienna.

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These towers were built to defend the Reich Empire from British air raids. These complex structures inclued radar stations within. These towers are considered urgent and top priority so all the related raw material (cement, pig iron etc.) was directed to these constructions. However apart from towers in Berlin, Hamburg and Vienna, other projects had to be cancelled due to shortage of raw material and funds.

10 feet thick concrete walls were unassailable for ordinary bombings. The anti aircraft guns situated on top of these towers were very effective since they can create no-fly zones when concentrated their firepower. For example the three towers formed a safe triangle over Berlin from Royal Air Force. These towers could be used as bomb shelters that can house thousands of people during air raids.

These towers were so impregnable that during the Battle of Berlin where there was no hope for Nazi capital’s survival, these towers could not be taken by Soviet Red Army because of their thick walls. The Soviets did not bother to waste valuable ammo on these towers and bypassed them in their quest to capture the Nazi capital. In the end the defenders had to surrender when they ran out of food and water.

All in all these giant towers exist today because it is too costly to demolish them. The lesson that can be learnt about their ordeal is that they served their purpose well.

Is it safe for a cat to eat meat that has been left out overnight?

Your housecat is by nature a scavenger, typically only hunting when the opportunity presents itself.

Left to forage in the great outdoors, they won’t necessarily pass up a festering carcass.

…which is another reason in addition to predation and traffic that indoor cats typically lead longer, healthier lives.

Personally, I’d be far more concerned about my felines eating highly salted fish or bulb vegetables than room temperature meats, but I also wouldn’t give them ANYTHING that I’d be scared to eat myself.

The two hour maximum for unrefrigerated food is a good rule of thumb for both people and pets.

Don’t squander those 9 lives on base negligence.

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Can you explain what Pattaya, Thailand is like?

The sun goes down and the lights come on along the Pattaya foreshore

I lived in Pattaya for seven years. I’ve heard it said, more than once, that Pattaya “is the world’s biggest brothel.” No doubt there’ll be people who’ll be offended by this statement. They’ll offer up a myriad reasons why they consider Pattaya to be one of the best places in the world to reside. For those who live there, or spend extended periods there, then this is understandable. They’re just protecting/defending their home turf.

The sign says it all

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The reality of Pattaya is it’s predominantly an adult entertainment/nightlife spot. The Beach front area, and the adjoining streets and laneways, are crammed with beer bars, gogo bars, massage parlours, and nightclubs, which are staffed by ladies who provide sexual services, for a price. This is an undeniable fact. The focal point of Pattaya was, is, and will be this beach front zone. Tourists who come to Pattaya, gravitate to this area for fun and entertainment. This area, and it’s associated support busnisesses of hotels, restaurants, cafes, and beauty shops, is the life blood of the town. There are other areas, such as Soi Buakhaow, which offer a similar entertainment services, albeit at a less expensive price, for long stay foreigners.

A typical bar scene in Pattaya

This in itself isn’t a bad thing. The town provides a service/location where single, foreign males can go for a paid for sexual liaison. It’s also an industry which provides employment for undeducted girls from the northern provinces of Thailand. For the most part, the girls working in the bars of Pattaya are from the rice farms of Isarn. Their motivation for choosing to work in these bar areas is simply poverty, and nothing else.

The girls along the avenue

The beaches of Pattaya, compared with Hua Hin and Phuket, are hardly remarkable. If you understand geography, then this isn’t difficult to discern. The coastline on this Gulf side of Thailand is shallow. Even when the tide is in, you’ll need to wade at least fifty meters from the shoreline to be in waist deep water. Because of this geographical constant, the water tends to be murky, warm, and unavoidably polluted with run off and plastic. Even over in Jomtien, which is considered a cleaner beach area, if you swim with goggles the amount of plastic seen on the seabed is quite shocking.

Along the Pattaya foreshore

If you reside in Pattaya, for any length of time you’ll come to understand it’s a bakingly hot place, especially from March to May. The landscape is predominantly flat. Yes, there’s a hill/peak which forms a headland between Pattaya and Jomtien but this is an isolated geographical feature. The surrounding landscape is flat and scorching. Compounding this is the radiated heat from the concrete urban sprawl. For this reason the majority of foreigners residing there will either stay at home in the afternoons, or head to the air-conditioned relief of shopping malls or bars. And therein lies the crux of Pattaya. Because of the unrelenting heat of the place, life tends occur from late afternoon and into the night. Once again, the inescapable fact is that Pattaya is predominantly a night time/night life location.

A great spot for a few sun downers.

Because of the heat factor, those participating in outdoor activities, such as golf, tend to do so in the mornings. Beach joggers can be seen along the foreshore in the mornings. No one, certainly not the locals, goes jogging in the mid-afternoon heat. For a foreigner, residing in Pattaya, their day might look something like this: 1. Get up mid morning and head to a restaurant (the Pig and Whistle or the Victoria) for a western breakfast. 2. Meet with friends for a coffee, late morning. 3. Go to an airconditioned shopping mall (Central or Big C) for lunch. 4. If you’re health minded, go to a gym in the afternoon. If you’re not health minded, go sit in an outdoor beer bar along Beach Road, or some other drinking establishment which expats frequent. 5. Late afternoon, go for a massage (with or without extras). Rinse and repeat.

Resident expats meet for a coffee and a chat

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Foreigners who reside in Pattaya long term, for the most part, tend towards an alcohol based lifestyle. Many end up being alcoholics. Long term, if you value your health, you’ll eventually move to either Hua Hin or Phuket. Both of these locations have cleaner air, a greener landscape, and less polluted seas.

Safe travels,

Mega.

What was a loophole that you found and exploited the hell out of?

James, the cat with a bank account ! =:)

Actually the story goes back further than that, and to my first pet, Bubbles. A Black and White Domesticated cat. It was an act of rebelling by my sister and I again our father who as small children wouldn’t let us have a pet greater than a goldfish.

I was turning 18 (so legally and adult (and my sister had always known I wanted a pet cat- ideally black, but when we got the cat rescue centre (RSPCA) although I liked a black cat called Solo, I was prised away by my sister and the Manager of the centre to take Bubbles. A great softy of a cat and had been given up as a result of her original keeper being elderly and going in toWarden Assisted Accommodation, where pets were not allowed. Must have been a heart-breaker for her and Bubbles clearly missed her to an petted me as opposed to the other way around.

There was just one problem she was already 8 years old (mid-mice [sic] crisis for cat -:) ) I was only 18 so not a brilliant salary and worried about vets bills particularly, I had looked at Pet Insurance and found it absurdly expensive and so many clauses and disclamers, it had more holes in it than a cooking sieve. So really not worth the paper let alone price it was written on

At the time I was working for a bank, an we had special terms on our bank account, notably no overdrafts, declaring where all money paid in to the account other than Salary had to be verified and origin. Although that sounds invasive, actually it was for our own safety that ALL transaction were checked in case as staff you were being bribed, money laundering under duress, indeed illegal trading or blackmail.

In fact, so strict were the rules that if you did go overdrawn in the morning and had not put cash in to cover it, or confirmed where the money had come from, then it could be Summary Dismssal. So the idea of not bein able to afford Vets fees or food for my moggy, was a serious matter (in my view.

So with the advice of my line manager opened a special savings account for the cat. For legal reasons obviously the cat could not technically have an account in her name specifically. The way my Manager got around this (and later turned out to be the loop hole) that I made the account in my name, but as a Trustee of the cat (Bubbles). That way the cat now had her own money in law, albeit under my name as her Trustee. This was great as could now put money in to her account each month, and build up a reserve to pay mum for he cat food and litter, and also a fund for any vets fees. Far cheaper than pet insurance, AND the money was available. Having made the cat as a beneficiary of the Trustee the interest was Tax Free too ! -:)

I later left the bank and moved in to another sector and transferred the account to a local branch.

The title of the account was “ Richards, Re: Bubbles.

Bubbles went to the great cat basket in the sky (bawled my eyes out over that cat ! ) but found another one from this rescue centre who was called “James”. He was totally black, and fur like a panther; purred like one too. He had been taken back to the rescue centre a couple of times as he kept fightin with other animals. This didn’t bother me as Iive on my own,,James very independent, even learened how to open a window with his paw, climb over threshold on to aledge drop on to a porchm then down to a rubbish bunker and to the gound. An ovrerall fall of 25 feet, but in 3 parts. Cats as we know are very supple and drop down easily. I later discovered that he could jump from the ground, to the bunker and ultimately back to through the window.

Cat-door issue solved, height above ground level and the porch roof pitched and covered in moss , slippery. So along with very narrow window an adult too heavy and would slide, and only a child would be able to get in through the window. Even a 10 year old would be nervous at that height let alone crawl through a high, narrow window. Safe for me and James.

Back to the bank account. The account had to be suspended and re-named as in law James, indeed Bubbles had/were legal entities. The bank (knowing the joke of course) placed now James as the beneficiary off the Trusteeship. The account continued as it had with Bubbles. When I went in to the branch to draw money the cashiers asked if James alright had he needed the vet or was this for food. Indeed during an internal audit, they made me bring James to the branch to verfy him”. Of course I could see the joke so complied. If course James had never had so much fuss . I later found out that they had taken a photo of him an sent it to Head Office for the bank Journal.

I had an emergency crop up, where my mother was taken ill in Europe so needed to leave the Counry fast. The Company I was on contract to were brilliant, understood the sitaution and got a replacement temp in, did a quick hand over and went home to pack and catch the flight – actually the company had reserved the seat for me so I just paid them the ticket money and all the documents were at Secure Handling. Passport and on to the plane.

Family emergency sorted, and back home about three weeks later, picked up my car and then suddenly realised that I didn’t have GB£ on me, and the only money I had was in James’ Account. So had to leave him at the cattery.

The advantage of this savings account was that you could got to a branch and draw money no matter where you were in the UK. However it did have a floor limit, which if exceeded had to be telephoned to the holding branch for further verification and clearance for the funds to be released. The holding branch of course knew the joke about James. So as a joke on me and the branch I was drawing the money through the girl who had taken the passbook for clearance, called me back to her till and said:

“The branch have asked for further information as this an unusual transaction for you and want to know James’ date of birth and his relationship to you”.

I told her straight faced that James was a Black Domesticated, shot-hair cat. Thinking I had “lost it”, smiled wrote the information down and handed it back to the clearing clerk, also looking perplexed and started talking to the home branch who confirmed that James was indeed a cat, and yes I had the authoirty to draw the money. So laughs all around.

Roll on 12 months in to the new financial year and UK Tax Office sends me a letter statin that during a random audit, I had an account in Trusteeship for James and wanted confirmation who James was his age and whether the interest was taxable. So I sent the passbook off, along with James’ Adoption Certificate (in the UK when you take a dog or cat from a rescue home you have to provide details identification and where live and in effect do adopt the cat. And yes, they do check to make sure that the animal is OK a couple of weeks down the line by turning up randomly and wanting to see where the animal sleeps his food is kept an whether registered with a vet.

So that is how seriously the UK take their pets. -:)

Back to the Tax Office where have sent all this information and for a laugh sent a picture of James along with he adoption certificate, pass-book and certificate of interest of interest from the bank.

A phone call was received from the Tax Office to “confirm a few things” (think to test my sanity to be honest -:) and asked why I had the account and having confirmed with the adoption papers wanted to make sure that James was under 18, which he appeared to be in the picture, that was confirmed and clearly had spoken with my bank.

I got a letter back form Inland Revenue that as James was under 18, he was now deemed to be a “Minor in pertuity” (which is legal terminology for bein a “child for life”.) Thanked me for my compliance and would not be making any further enquiries from now on! Also any interest reported would be retreated as non taxable as it was for the cat’s (child) benefit -: )

So just shows if you play along with the UK Inland Revenue, they do have a sense of humour.

Seriously all this is true. James, the cat with a bank account.

Beef Borguignonne

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

1 (3 pound) lean beef chuck, cubed
1/2 cup shortening
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 cup beef consommé
2 to 3 cups dry red wine
1 (4 ounce) can mushrooms or 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sautéed in 2 tablespoons butter
12 small white onions, parboiled

Instructions

Brown meat in shortening; add flour and seasonings. Stir well. Pour into 2 quart casserole.
Add broth and wine.
Bake for 2 hours at 300 degrees F.
Add mushrooms and onions. May add more broth and wine, if dry.
Bake 1 1/2 hours more, perhaps lowering oven temperature.
Skim fat from gravy.
Serve with mashed potatoes, noodles or rice.

Star Wars A New Hope – 1950s Super Panavision 70 | Runway Gen 3

Just Hangin’

My “Senior Year” in High School was a story of work and “Hanging out”.

I would go to work, and then go and “hang out”.

It was a time of small rural towns in Western Pennsylvania and long winding highways in and out of fields and forests.

At that time in my life, I worked three jobs. I worked in the coal mines, and a grocery store, and I was also a volunteer forest fire fighter. Many times we would ride down an old railroad spur to get to the fires in the forests.

And I hung out with different groups of friends

One, my old buddy Clyde, (a classmate) worked at the local gas station. he drove a GTO like mine. An orange GTO, just like mine.

We would “do” white cross and enjoy “hanging out”. Back then, “white cross” was a little white pill used to curb appetite so that people could lose weight. we took four of them and got a very nice “high” from it.

Oh, many a car I would gas up for fun. We would jam the radio in the station and just “hang out”. Chatting and “bullshitting”. Many a sunny September was spent in that “Indian Summer” air together.

Then, there were the brothers; P Eck and J Eck. I talked about them in those days they would hang out on their front porch. They both had bicycles and they would always be busy fixing them and adjusting them. J Eck drove a black Chevy truck. Kind of beaten up, fun fun to do our cruising. Don’t you know.

Oh, so many more… now that I think about it, heck, I must of had maybe ten or more groups of various friends that I would hang out with. Oh, too many to list here. So… consider this just an introductory sampler.

My buddy Robbie didn’t come upon the scene until much later; during my college days. But here we are talking about my High School days. And they were glorious, as all of my readership can attest to. We all have different experiences, but those days were special.

What a time!

Do you feel like I do?

Today…

MEET !! China’s New large Unmanned Submarine Drones, to carry and launch missiles

People who’ve been to prison for a long time and got released, what was it like seeing all of the things that have changed?

I was in prison for 25 years (1988 – 2013) so I missed the technology boom. Funny story: When I got out I went to live with some friends of mine (Gary and Karen) for about 9 months. They live sort of on the far outskirts of town, and my first day out, after going out for a HUGE breakfast, I was sitting out on their deck, smelling the wood furnace, listening to the birds, smoking a cigar, and feeling GREAT!!! Karen came out and said their youngest son called and wanted to talk to me. So I walk in, hear “hi Uncle Jim”, see his face on the computer screen, and say, “what the hell is this, Star Trek?”

Story of stupidity: (not mine) Throughout my life I had lost my driver’s license a couple of times due to tickets and had to re-take my test. I had lost it again for the same reason shortly before getting arrested, so with that, combined with the DMV having my paperwork and thus knowing I hadn’t driven in the past 25 years, I just knew when Karen took me there on my second day out I was going to be told I would again have to re-take my test. But nope!!!! I paid the money, they took my picture, and handed me my license and said I was clear to drive. I asked “now, as in today?” and the woman told me “Yes”. WOW!!

However, I think the answer you’re looking for is scary. On my third day she took me to Walmart to get things I needed, and that big of an open area, combined with that many people, combined with THAT MANY CHOICES after “shopping” from a commissary list all those years had me so overwhelmed that after maybe 20 minutes I grabbed her arm and said “take me home, NOW!!!”

The adjustment for me was very hard, and actually took several years, but I’ve been out for just over 6 1/2 years now and am doing well, but I still get a bit overwhelmed when shopping for dress clothes.

Do you support the idea of an all-out war with China to permanently divide their country as Germany was briefly divided in 1945?

I guess with that idiotic arrogant cruel entitled mindset that you are referring to the USA.

The USA has just has its ass whipped again by a bunch of poorly armed, unsophisticated peasants in Afghanistan, as happened in Viet Nam and Korea. How and why it assumes that a truly cruel vile evil proposition like this could succeed against a highly organised, sophisticated, vast, nuclear armed country like China is beyond the scope of rational thinking.

Four-Onion Steak

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

2 (12 ounce) boneless beef top-loin steaks, cut 1 inch thick
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large white onion, thinly sliced
1 medium leek, thinly sliced
2 shallots, chopped
1/2 cup beef broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup sliced scallions
Scallions, sliced into 3 inch pieces (optional)

Instructions

Cut steaks into 4 portions.
Combine garlic salt, chili powder, pepper and cinnamon. Use your fingers to press mixture onto both sides of each steak portion.
In a large skillet cook steaks in hot oil over medium heat to desired doneness, turning once. Allow 8 to 11 minutes for medium rare or 12 to 14 minutes for medium.
Transfer steaks to a serving platter, reserving drippings in the skillet. Keep warm.
For sauce, add white onion, leek and shallots to skillet. Cook and stir over low heat for 5 minutes or until onions are tender.
Add beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes more or until broth is slightly reduced.
Add scallions. Spoon onion mixture over steaks.
Garnish with scallion pieces, if desired.

Kishore Mahbubani REVEALS China’s Strategy to Counter the US

How much do the most extreme alcoholics drink?

Betty, an aunt of mine, born in New York in 1931, began drinking in earnest in 1945, around the time she began high school. Although her mother was an alcoholic—several cocktails a day, seven times a week—Betty quickly overtook her.

By the early 1950s, she was married with three children. Her husband was a conventional, sober, hard-working sort, and my aunt absolutely detested marriage and family life. In later years, she ascribed these feelings to some kind of inchoate feminist awareness. In truth, however, she resented family life because it interfered with her drinking, which had become an established habit long before she ever met her husband or had children. One day in the late 1950s, she simply walked out on her whole family.

Betty was by no means stupid. She was a quick study, and a talented artist. Over the years, she eked out a living as a part-time art teacher, as well as by sponging off her mother and other relatives as much as she could get away with. After a second failed marriage, she met her third husband, a confirmed boozehound who had deserted his family.

After marrying this fellow, my aunt dedicated the remainder of her life to nothing except getting soused every single day. Every morning at their Palm Springs condo, the two of them typically mixed a pitcher of martinis (very dry, i.e., they waved the bottle of vermouth over the pitcher), and by early afternoon they were usually on their second. Once, I came by to visit. It was 2:00 p.m. and Betty was already three sheets to the wind. My mother told me that she and my dad once took Betty and the boozehound to dinner at a modest steak restaurant. The bill came to about $450—this was nearly forty years ago, mind—of which less than $70 was for food!

In late 2002, my aunt was diagnosed with some kind of liver trouble and received the customary admonition to cut out drinking. Doing so, of course, was impossible for her. She died about nine months later, at 72.

Neither I nor anyone else in the family has any recollection of Betty in any state other than stinking drunk. It is no exaggeration to say that my aunt had spent nary a single day sober since 1945.

Does a human being know they’re dead once they die?

I absolutely did. On January 21, 2023, I crashed from complications due to Delta Covid. Prior to being revived, I have vivid memories of knowing I was dead. I will tell you that I went somewhere horrific, and disconnected from all that is holy. I heard those closest to me say things like “at least she’s in a better place now”, as I’d dealt with decades of severe mental health issues and suicidal ideations. I heard them walk away for what I believed to be the very last time. I was in a dark room beneath the ICU, tied down in a chair. There was an evil presence, and other details I won’t go into now. My voice was mute. My screams, silent. I have never felt such agony as knowing that was the last I’d ever hear them, and I had no voice to scream, “COME BACK!! I’M NOT IN A BETTER PLACE!! PLEASE DEAR GOD DON’T LEAVE ME!!!” The belief that I had went to hell, and my loved ones assumed I was in Heaven was the worst part of it all. Knowing I was there, and no one knew. Forever. That it would never end. I cannot even begin to put into words the agony and torment, as I can assure you that there is nothing on this earth that can even come close to comparing to that horror. I read once about a woman who was held captive for many years on end by a man and woman who kept her in a box beneath their bed. For whatever reason, I can relate this most to her story, only at least she could hold onto the tiniest amount of hope that perhaps someday she’d know freedom. But where I went, even the tiniest of hope did not exist. Thankfully both her and I recieved that freedom. I woke up a different person. In the 18 months since my NDE, I have found God and am no longer suicidal. I had a laundry list of complications brought on by Delta Covid, including Sepsis, Septic Shock, Staff, MRSA, Double Pneumonia, and failed liver and kidneys. I was in a coma for several weeks and was on bedside dialysis. I woke up unaware of where I was or what had happened to get me there. I have no memories of being sick, and even the couple of weeks leading up to being life-flighted are wiped clean. At first, I assumed I must’ve been in a car accident. I had a tracheostomy and could not communicate in the weeks following waking from the coma. My body was too weak and shaky to use a pen, as we tried without anywhere close to success. I was determined to get off the vent so that I could tell of what had happened when I died. I can’t explain how odd it was to be holding onto that alone, while my loved ones visited my bedside and I had no way of telling them that I had been changed. I had seen hell. I was given a second chance, against all odds. I had a total of 17 specialists, many informing my family (and myself) that they witnessed nothing short of a miracle. My body was described as “on fire”. I had a preconceived notion that doctors were purely science-minded, but my doctors gave all the credit to God and my will to live. The odd thing was that I’d just gotten out of 7 months of in-patient treatment for wanting to end my life, so hearing it had ANYTHING to do with my will to live was such dark humor!! It was God, as He worked through the hands of my doctors. I came out of it realizing that both science and God can be true at the same time. God works through others. Next time I die, I plan on going to Heaven.

BREAD GREATEST HITS. (WITH LYRICS) NON STOP.

The Sinners of a Planet Gone Dark

Submitted into Contest #232 in response to: Write a story set in a world with a dying sun, or where light is a scarce resource.… view prompt

Susy G

[Content warning: mild physical violence, death]Apocalypses don’t happen in sudden, drama-injected catastrophes like in the movies. They happen slowly—painstakingly—while half of the planet tries to convince the other half that it’s all a hoax, that the sun can’t possibly go out, that it’s just a government plot to drive up stock prices or hide trackers in our drinking water or whatever the conspiracy theory of the day is.The sun might not have technically ‘gone out’ yet, but it’s close. Each morning grows that much darker. Kids don’t even know what seasons are anymore.I always thought that if there was an apocalypse, if the zombies did rise up and eat us all, I wouldn’t want to survive the first wave. What kind of person would want to stick around for a zombie apocalypse and spend the rest of their miserable life alone and perpetually afraid of their own shadow?Well, now I know the answer. It turns out that the human brain has an incredibly strong desire to stay alive, regardless of the circumstances. Sure, I know the sun is dying. I know the world will freeze even more than it already has done and it will only be a matter of time before we slow to a crawl and die gruesome deaths. But my brain hasn’t quite cottoned on to that yet, so it forcibly keeps me alive. It’s determined to score front row seats for the end of humanity.And if I am going to stick around . . . well I’m going to make the best of it.It was clear from the outset that even at the end of the world, humans love to place value on random commodities, even if the commodity might not seem like much on first glance. Plants, for one thing—real, natural plants—soon became the treasures of corporations once they realised that they would be a rare phenomenon, destined to be locked away and auctioned off to the wealthy just to satiate their need to find new ways to prove their meaningless fortunes.But apparently plants don’t just sit there and look pretty. The black market seems to think that their DNA is a vault of information and the promise of scientific advancement—if you know how to unlock it. At least, that’s what my buyer told me. And now, that plant DNA is priceless to those heroes who are still trying to save what’s left of the planet.Who am I to argue with the experts?It’s time to wake up and smell the apocalypse. What billionaire ex-politician is going to care about a missing plant when they’re going to die just as horribly as the rest of us ordinary folk? I wasn’t always a thief, but as the doomsday clock ticks down lower and lower, the less I can find the ability to care about the morality of it all.I got into this business for the money at first, but when the concept of money and cash stopped meaning anything, I kept doing it anyway as if to prove a point—that no amount of high security fences or vaults or sirens would be enough to protect them from the same fate as us. Everyone else around here knows that their homes are viable targets for looting; why should it be any different for them? With each score, I dragged them back down to the reality of living on this broken planet.This one is no different. The thrill is addictive, cutting up fences and shooting down cameras as though they would be an effective deterrent for any thief worth their salt. I’m a machine of instinct and adrenaline. I slip through lasers and bypass security barriers like a river in a gorge. On a planet full of death, I feel like I’m the only human left who is truly alive.The first security guard catches me by surprise, but my survival-bent brain reacts before he can. Complacency gets thieves killed, and gut instinct brings the gun from my holster and shoots the security guard before he can do anything to stop me.I wasn’t planning to encounter anyone today, let alone commit murder. I should be flattered that this target perceives thieves like me as such a threat that they would go to such ridiculous expenses as hiring security personnel—very much a dying breed in an apocalypse—but all I can think as I continue through the dark compound is how little value is placed on the lives of these people. I reason with myself that if these security guards wanted to stick around this long for the apocalypse, that was their choice. Actually, if you think about it, I was saving them from having to experience the final apocalypse—that by shooting them in the head, I was performing a kindness.I’m not very persuasive, as it turns out. I send up an apologetic prayer as I propel each guard I encounter to somewhere better than here.A new train of thought keeps me focused as I continue my executions through the dimly lit corridors. If God is real, and all this is just another Biblical flood, and some guy called Noah has built a spaceship to rebuild humanity after the sun finally dies . . . well, I wish Noah success in his spaceship-building endeavours. But I also feel for the people who weren’t saved from the flood and who won’t be saved now, those who have sinned and will feel God’s wrath as a result. Who is Noah to decide who lives and dies? Doesn’t watching the rest of humanity die and doing nothing to save them constitute a sin in itself? If Noah is as damned a sinner as I am, then I will sin until the bitter end, and if God made us in Their image, then They too must be a sinner.Therefore, God would want me to steal this bloody plant.

I wasn’t born a thief. Believe it or not, I used to be a Pilates instructor before the world went to pot. We always knew that the sun would die in our lifetime, so I’m not sure what got us to the point where people stopped caring about personal fitness and the rule of law. All I know is that with every governmental collapse, with every frozen, deadly winter, with every suicidal cult that sprung up and promised a pre-apocalyptic death free of pain, the world felt that much smaller, and consequences became a rarer occurrence. Each winter inches us closer to a world-ending ice age, and when it’s the end of the world, concepts like ‘morals’ are the first to go. So I’m just here to make the most of it. It’s either that or sit around and wait to die. You might have your sainthood intact if you chose that route, but you’d also die a lot quicker from starvation or hypothermia if you never stole anything. It starts with a blanket, a bread roll, something you can trade for a hot meal, and then before you know it, you’re sneaking around a former world leader’s private compound on a murder spree so you can sell his prized potted plant on the black market.

As thoughts of morality and the road from sainthood to sinner spiral around my mind, I finally arrive at the vault, where the plant awaits rescue. I shove on a pair of sunglasses. They’re hard to come by these days—what use would a dark planet have for darkening the world even more?—but I know that real plants need a great deal of artificial light to keep them alive, so I came prepared. This might be my first plant heist, but I don’t intend for it to be my last.

I blast open the iron doors of the vault without much difficulty, alarm sirens blaring in the darkness. Dust spills into the air from the explosion, and I am thrust into the whitest light I have ever seen. Fortunately, the sunglasses do their job, and I see three silhouettes racing towards me, boots clanging on the metal floor.

I reach for my gun, but another guard tackles me from behind and wrestles me to the floor. He must have followed me, chosen not to engage, knowing I would be facing further resistance within the vault itself and would not be expecting anyone to attack from behind. I usually manage to avoid physical altercations, but desperation spurs me to fight back. That damned survival instinct kicking in again.

He might be bigger than me, but I know the weak points of the body. An elbow to the eye shatters his sunglasses and causes him to pull his arm back to cover his face, providing me with the space needed to roll out from under his grip, save him from the apocalypse with my gun, and face my three remaining opponents.

I have a second to take in my surroundings. The vault is enormous, more like a chamber, and it is filled to the ceiling with deep green plants. The blueprints didn’t indicate the size of the vault or its contents, but I couldn’t have imagined stumbling into a veritable rainforest. It’s been years since I’ve even seen a picture of a real plant, and this guy has a whole ecosystem hidden away in his basement. And for what? Status? Pride? Just because he can? Within milliseconds, anger and despair consume me. The apocalypse isn’t just the sun going out, the oceans freezing over, and the descent of everlasting darkness—it’s people like him, hoarding extortionate amounts of wealth just so he can go to meet God with as much superficial power as humanly possible. Has no one told him that we don’t take material possessions with us when we die? Stealing to survive and drag the wealthy back down to earth is one thing. But hoarding this? This is far beyond any concept of survival. This is greed in its purest, most meaningless form.

The heroes operating within the black market would keel over at the sight of all these plants, and probably declare that humanity finally has a shot at salvation. I’m not so sure that humanity is even worth saving at this point.

Maybe I’m starting to understand Noah’s perspective.

The instinct to survive kicks in again, and I shoot at the guards despite myself, but my gun clicks, jammed.

Divine intervention?

I dive out of the guards’ firing range and get close enough to engage in physical combat instead, but I am a thief, not a fighter. I have completed countless jobs, but none of them involved a physical fight with more than one person at a time. Like I said, security guards are a dying breed, so physical confrontations are few and far between.

I manage to thrust the butt of my gun into a guard’s head, kick another in the groin, hurl my fists into the other’s lower back, continuously moving so they don’t have enough time to aim and shoot me. I take more blows in return than I can count. Blood—I’m not sure whose—sprays onto a nearby leaf. Then, one of them manages to reach for my sunglasses and rips them off before I realise what’s happening.

My eyes scrunch shut without any control at the sudden injection of light, and the guards waste no time at my hesitation. One twists my arms behind my back and kicks me to the floor, a boot pressing against my lower spine to keep me there. My shoulder sockets burn at the strained angle.

I inch my eyes open millimetre by millimetre until I can see a guard with his gun pointing straight at me. The remaining guard stands further back, speaking indistinctly into a radio.

The guard in front of me takes his final aim, and somehow I smile to myself, panting, blood dripping from my mouth. Finally, that damned survival instinct subsides. My brain has finally stopped resisting, and I don’t think I’ve ever been more at peace than I am in this moment.

It looks like I’ll miss the apocalypse after all. I almost think I was actually looking forward to it in the end, just to see what it would feel like after all these years of build-up. Typical of me not to want to feel like I’m missing out. Maybe that’s what’s kept me alive through it all.

I chuckle and crane my neck up to the ceiling, towards the Great Sinner, finally ready for my appointment with Them.

Ex-Husband’s Afterlife Confessions to Matt Fraser!

Which famous person in history who is idolized, was actually a horrible person?

This is a great question. I have a perfect answer for this

This Son of a Bitch, Woodrow Wilson:

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I am honestly baffled that anyone would put this piece of shit in their top 10 favorite presidents. Some historians rank him as the best behind FDR, Lincoln and Washington. There were so many bad things he did and it would be an essay in order to list down EVERY bad thing he did. So where do we start with this Bastard

-He segregated the Government

-He Brought new live into the KKK, ultimately setting Civil Rights back another 50 FUCKING YEARS!

-He promised to keep the United States Out of the Great War, Only to Declare War. Him saying he would keep us out of war was the reason why he won the 1916 election.

-He passed out the Sedition Act of 1918 Which Banned Freedom Of Speech

-He passed out the Espionage Act of 1917 which prohibited people from obtaining information from the National Defense

-He supported eugenics

-He forced many soldiers to fight in WWI with Influenza and was responsible for the death of millions

-He was involved in the Treaty of Versailles which lead to Hitler and WWII

-He smiled when Theodore Roosevelt died. That’s disgusting

-He lead the Palmer Raids

I’m sure there’s much worse about this asshole but I could still keep typing until the day I die when I list every bad thing from Woodrow Wilson. If I ever had an excuse to ever go to hell, It would be to knock his rotten teeth out of his mouth. I hate him with a passion and sorry If I seem so unprofessional about this but He really did that much bad for us Americans. And what’s also the point in liking Woodrow Wilson when FDR was similar in polices but unquestionably better than him in ever since of the word better.

What’s the most badass thing your boss has ever done?

There was a time when I was working a maximum security prison. This was the top of the line for inmates just shy of death row. We held a lot of people sentenced to multiple life sentences, fifty years and more.

A trick inmates like to play was to feign a medical injury then when staff opened their cell, said inmate would jump up and start fighting.

I had one inmate on my block and he was gargantuan, easily six foot five and three hundred pounds. Had he wanted to he could have incapacitated me by just knocking me down and sitting on my chest for three minutes. He looked like Fezzik from Princess Bride.

I knew that he was being interrogated for serial killings linked to him by the FBI. If they could crack him a couple life sentences would be added to his twenty year stretch. He had nothing to lose.

To add insult to injury, life threw him a curveball. His mother died and he was locked up, unable to see her. When I heard this I was convinced he would at the minimum attempt a suicide.

My prediction seemed to come true when I heard another inmate in the neighboring cell calling my name. I walked over and he pointed towards Fezzik whose cell was next to his. I shone my flashlight in and he was lying on the ground motionless.

Following policy I called in an emergency alert to the unit. We were short staffed, so short staffed that two sergeants came by to help. I was starting to think that Fezzik had snapped and the second we rolled his door that we would be in a clobbering match with a man three times my body size. All I had was some pepper spray and a vest.

We rolled his door and there was a massive pause as we all looked around to see who the unlucky bastard to go into the cell first would be. I will admit that bastard was not going to be me.

A small sergeant, a man called Sgt. Click didn’t hesitate, not even beyond one second. He was shorter than me and had no gear but he went head first into the cell, towing what I imagined to be basketball sized steel testicles in his pants. Fortunately for us, Fezzik was not looking for a fight. He had taken his frustration out on the cell wall, slipped and knocked himself out cold on the cell floor.

We got him out and to the hospital wing. I had nothing but the highest respect for Sgt Click after that.

Pot Roast with Vegetables

Ingredients

Roast

1 (5 pound) bottom round beef roast
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon shortening
6 whole black peppers
1 bay leaf
6 medium carrots, pared
6 medium onions, peeled
1 (16 ounce) can stewed tomatoes

Pot Roast Gravy

Pan drippings
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Roast

Wipe roast well with damp paper towels.
Combine flour and salt; rub into surface of meat. In hot shortening in large Dutch oven, brown meat well all over.
Add black peppers, bay leaf and 2 cups water; simmer covered, for 1 hour.
Turn roast. Add vegetables; simmer covered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the roast and vegetables are tender. Keep warm.
Serve with Pot Roast Gravy.

Pot Roast Gravy

Pot Roast Gravy: Brown flour in pan drippings in skillet; when brown add water to liquid in pot roast to make 2 1/2 cups. Cook slowly until thick, season to taste.
Serve with meat.

Man HIT by CAR & DIES; Shown Humanity’s FUTURE in PROFOUND NDE – Stay Calm! | Gary L. Wimmer

E. Nigma

Submitted into Contest #243 in response to: Write a story about a character who wakes up in space.… view prompt

Nicholas Thomas

An alarm was going off. I awoke with a start as I sat up in my bed. The alarm was coming from a small box on the stool beside me. I reached over and turned it off and took a look at my surroundings. I was in a small room that was chromatic in appearance and seemed spotlessly clean. There were no windows and no door to be seen. Aside from the stool next to my bed which held the alarm clock, the only other things in this room were a mirror, and a calendar hung on the wall. I stood up out of bed and stretched. I looked in the mirror, then moved along the walls of my small enclosure and was able to confirm that there in fact was seemingly no way in or out of this room; so how did I end up in here? I was so hungry and so thirsty, so I ate dates from the calendar and drank from the springs of my bed.I turned to again face the mirror on the wall. There I see what I saw, and I took the saw. I then moved the alarm clock off the stool and sawed the stool in half. I took both halves of the stool and put them together to make a whole. I climbed through the hole.On the other side of the hole is where I found a door. It was large and, like most everything else I found so far, was made of metal. I tried the handle of the door but it didn’t budge. There was a panel above the handle which displayed a rectangular screen and a keypad. The screen showed a long list of number pairs where the far left side of the pairs was quickly counting higher with the seconds, but the numbers moved slower and slower as my eyes moved to the right of the screen. There were letters underneath each pair of numbers, which read, “S, M, H, D, W, M, _” with a blank spot at the end. I looked at the keypad and pressed “Y,” and the door gently swung open before me. I stepped through the doorway and entered a much larger room. On the wall, there was a wide oval-shaped window. I peered outside and gasped in surprise – I was looking at the planet Earth as it levitated so peacefully in the vast openness of space. I saw a plaque above the window which read, “The eyes of the world are upon you.”I looked back out the window from the plaque and saw that instead of the earth as it was before, I was now looking at one large human eye in a sea of black staring back at me. I looked back up at the plaque, and this had changed too. It now reads, “I am the first in the world, but not in a word.”“One,” I say allowed.As I said this, another alarm goes off. Everything around me turns red, and I realize that the airlock is about to open and send me defenseless into the vacuum of space. I frantically search my surroundings for a way to escape, and that is when I look up and see a space suit hanging on the ceiling. I tried jumping forward to reach it, but I felt like I weighed a ton; though backward, I was not. I took a step back and became weightless. I floated to the ceiling and put the suit on just in time before I was sucked into the openness of space. There I drifted through the endless without name, or number, or sound. I have become the beginning of the end and the end of time and space. I am essential to creation, and I surround every place. There I learned that my name is E.A voice crackled in my space suit, saying, “Find the eighty-seventh planet,” so I looked out among the stars and saw that they shone in the patterns of another sequence of numbers. I saw 16, 06, 68, 88, and 98. Before long, I realized that I had been floating upside down, so I drifted in between 88 and 98. There I found the eighty-seventh planet and descended.As I landed on the surface, I found a building that I recognized, though I could not remember from where. I wanted to get into this building but was held up by two doors – both of which had a guard in front of it. I approached the guard on the left and asked him, “Which door will the other one tell me leads safely inside?” I chose the opposite door for the answer given to me.I woke up again. Now I am surrounded by people I recognize, and I remember what that building was that I entered in that dream – it was where I work.My boss is leaning over me. “Colonel, how do you feel?”I slowly sit up, rubbing my head as I do so. “I… Okay, I think. What happened?”“It will take you some time to recover fully – Colonel, you just underwent a simulation of sorts. Do you remember why you’re here?”I thought about this for a moment. I shook my head. My boss explained, “The simulation you experienced had a very unique kind of programming. You were to be placed alone in a space station, but that’s where the specifics stop – the rest of the program was up to your own imagination to piece together.”It was all starting to come back to me. “I’m… I’m going to go up there, aren’t I? And it’s going to just be me up there.”My boss nodded, saying, “That’s right. This simulation was to see how well your mental state can handle being in a situation like that for such a period of time. Judging by your readings of this test…” he sighed, then continued, “They’re very interesting. Not concerning in any way, just … Interesting. So we think you’re ready, but the question is – do you feel ready, Colonel?”I leaned back again onto the bed, a smile spread slowly across my face. Though my eyes were looking at the ceiling, my thoughts were somewhere else entirely. I was reminded of Neil Armstrong’s first words on the moon as I said out loud, more to myself than to anyone else around, “I’m ready. After all, the more I take, the more I leave behind.”

She Came Home At 5 am and Forgot to Delete the Messages

When have you cheaply or inexpensively fixed an item someone thought unrepairable?

Many times I have been called upon to repair something others had deemed unfixable. It’s sort of my niche as a repair person—come to me when everybody else failed and before you give up and trash it to the landfill. I noticed years back a flurry of assorted repair trucks at a neighbors home. I was surprised as their home was just built a few years prior. What could be so wrong that Roto Rooter was there, then a plumbing company, then an appliance repair place van. I ran into the neighbor at a school function and asked her what had gone wrong. she just about burst into tears and told me the dishwasher had an error code indicating a drain problem. She had RR come out and snake the sink drain but the problem was not fixed. The RR guy said the dishwasher drain hose might be clogged but a plumber would have to replace the hose or clear it. The plumber said he couldn’t figure out how to remove the dishwasher from the cabinet to get to the hose so he ran a wire in it from the sink drain and it seemed clear so the problem was in the dishwasher. She was out $500 at that point. The appliance guy came out and said there was nothing he could do as the dishwasher wouldn’t come out of the cabinet. Then she was out $650 (service call fee). I offered to have a look and found indeed the dishwasher would not slide out of the cabinets despite removing the usual mounting screws. I asked her to remove all the food from the lazy Susan cabinet and she did. I crawled in to the Lazy Susan (I was slender enough then) with a light and mirror. I discovered the rear legs of the dishwasher had been screwed to the floor by the dishwasher installer before the cabinets were all finished and the countertops were put on. Either that installer was stupid or he figured the countertop guys would remove the screws before placing the countertop and that guy was also stupid. The end result was a dishwasher there for life and not repairable or replaceable. I ran home for special tools like a flexible screwdriver drive for the drill and a right angle screwdriver attachment. One of those was able to get back in there and remove the floor screws without removing the countertops, the sink, the disposal, and the cabinets. I slid out the dishwasher. I gave her the option of calling back the appliance repair guy or me giving it a shot. she chose me based on experience she had so far (and I was free). I started pulling the dishwasher apart after reading the manual that there was a drain obstruction detected. She asked where I learned to fix dishwashers. I told her it was actually my first time. She looked worried. I found a one way check valve in the drain line that the rubber flap had torn loose and jammed in the hose. That was the obstruction detected. I told her a new check valve was needed so I would order one for her. She asked how long it would take and I had no idea. I asked for a needle and thread-waterproof thread. She had the needle but no waterproof thread. I ran home for fishing line. I sewed the rubber flap back in position as best I could and it worked fine, the code cleared, and the dishwasher was back in business. The new valve arrived in a week and I installed it telling her she should expect it to happen again in about 3 years as the water has additives that destroys black rubber. Before then they sold the house and moved away apparently fearing the 3 contractor visit if I wasn’t around the next time perhaps.

Have you been accused of shoplifting and proved your innocence? Did the store employees apologize? Do you feel an apology is owed in this situation?

I did, once LONG ago. Being legally blind, I often travel with a folding white cane. Actually, now I use an National Federation of the Blind telescoping cane,) that, when folded, looked like a bundle of four white tubes.

I was shopping in a toy store, just looking around, minding my own business, and carrying my white cane folded up in one hand. Needing both hands to examine something on a shelf, I tucked my folded cane into my purse. The cane was longer than the purse could accommodate, so it stuck out at the end.

Not finding what I was looking for, finally, I decided I had better look elsewhere, and so I meandered out of the store. Just as I reached the outside walk, and was preparing to unfold my cane, I was confronted by a “loss prevention specialist” who said “Can you step back in the store, please?” Innocent kitten that I was, I did so willingly “What seems to be the problem?” I asked.

“We saw you shoplift that item in your purse.” UI was quite startled. I hadn’t put anything 9in my purse so when he escorted me to the back office and aske me to empty my purse, I did so willingly. He picked up the cane and said “You didn’t pay for that!” A-HA! I was floored! “Sir… that is my mobility cane!” I replied.

“NO, it isn’t! You are on camera placing it in your handbag.” “Yes, Sir, I did. I—” “Then you admit to shoplifting it!” This was just about when I realized I was in some serious trouble. Fortunately, logic saved me! “Sir,” I asked “Can you and I go to the aisle where I put this in my purse?” “Yeah, OK, I guess so.”

We went to the place where I had slid the cane into my purse. Taking my folded cane I undid the fastener and allowed the cane to fall out and snap into its extended length. “Now, Sir. Can you tell me where in this store this is sold? I need to see which product you sell was shoplifted and its price.” He stared at the cane as if it had become a snake (eat your heart out, Moses!) and stammered “Uh… I… I’ll have to ask the manager…” He did. The manager came over and we repeated the situation to him, with me explaining the cane, its usage, the fact that the tip was NOT brand new, and it was obviously in used condition and that toy stores do NOT sell mobility canes for blind persons!

The manager fell all over himself apologizing to me and even scolded the “Loss prevention specialist” for having accosted and harassed a blind customer!

Richard Wolff Explains Why 100% Tariffs on Chinese EV is Stupid

Leftovers for our great distant past

I used to have a friend back when I was growing up. One day we got to chatting about fossils and all the cool stuff that you could find in the coal belts of Western Pennsylvania.

He told me that he had unearthed a complete truck of a giant fern, maybe 600 million years old. This thing clearly showed the “bark” and everything.

It was roughly 10 inches in diameter (maybe 25 cm in diameter) and maybe a yard long (1 meter). But because it was too heavy to carry he left it there in the wood to retrieve later.

He came back to the location about two or three years later and someone had bought the property and placed a Summer cabin there. And they had taken the fossil and used it to form the outline of the fire pit. It lay there all broken and blacked by the nonchalantly treated individuals of the property.

*sigh*

He also told me about this fossil that he found of an armored fish. He said it was complete and he took it into to his science teacher when he was in fifth grade. But the damn teacher kept it and took it.

All these things are really cool. They are leftovers for our great distant past. But many people have no appreciation of anything, or if they do, they will steal it from you. And that is life in America.

*sigh*

Today…

If You’re 55-75 Years Old: Please Don’t Waste Your Life

What countries will you never visit again?

I can’t think of any country I’ve visited to date that I would not go back to again, but there is one country I will do my very best to avoid transiting through, and that’s the USA. Using a US airport as an international transit point is a nightmare. In every other country in the world where I’ve gone through international transit, it’s easy. You arrive, go to the international transit area, which is usually just “airside” in an international terminal and your luggage is moved to your onward flight. Not in the USA. You have to actually enter the country, fill in a visa waiver form (if you come from a country where that’s an option), go through immigration – never fun, especially in the USA. Then collect your luggage, go through customs. Then you have to check in for the next flight, check in your luggage (and maybe get it searched). Then there’s security to go through before you get air-side. This is all with queues of course, and it can add hours to transit time. It has cause me to miss a connection and spend a night in a dire airport hotel in Texas.

I should emphasise that it’s not being in the USA that’s a problem. I had some good times there, even if it was generally for business reasons. It’s the experience of international transit that I hate.

Golden Gate Swiss Steak

Ingredients

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 (1 1/2 pound) round steak, 1 inch thick
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped
3 large carrots, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions

Combine flour, mustard, salt and pepper. Dredge the meat with this mixture, then work the flour into the meat with a meat pounder.
Cut steak into 4 individual portions.
In a heavy skillet or Dutch oven, heat oil and brown meat on both sides.
Combine tomatoes, carrots, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar; pour over meat.
Cover and either bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven or simmer on top of stove for approximately 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender.

Life In The 1970s For Kids!

Thirty-Seven Seconds

Submitted into Contest #243 in response to: Write a story where time functions differently to our world.… view prompt

Luca King Greek

“Double espresso, soy milk?”, said Spencer, swiveling to receive the coffee.“Affirmative”, said Ken, plumping down at his own desk.“Good man”, said Spencer, turning back to his trading desk, where four screens of market prices were flashing away. His eyes flicked here and there.“Did I miss the action?” asked Ken, attentive to his own terminal, a mix of red and green.“We were waiting for you, and for the PMI data to be released. We figured we’d get through that hurdle, then give the new AI trade a spin,” said Spencer.They sat at their terminals, executed a few client trades, and chatted about last night’s baseball games. It felt like a regular day in the market, but the AI trade would be an interesting distraction. The quants had been testing the algorithms and block-chain settlement in partnership with the bulge bracket banks for a few weeks now. The SEC regulators were involved too. It was in everyone’s interest to have an orderly rational market, and it was time to embrace artificial intelligence or risk obsolescence.The PMI numbers were pretty much in line with expectations. Someone on CNBC thought they were a bit soft, the market traded off a tad. Another pundit thought they were running hot; the market traded back up. It was a quiet day, ebbing and flowing with the tide of opinion.“Is Goldman ready? Morgan Stanley?”, said Spencer, “and the SEC too?”Ken confirmed that their trading counterparts and the regulators were ready. He suspected that Merril would be miffed that they weren’t included, but if everything went well, no-one would be the wiser.“Let’s do it”, said Spencer, momentarily shuddering at the thought that his seven-digit job was about to go up in AI smoke.

Ken clicked on the green execute icon. Everyone on the trading desk watched their screens with unease; it was a routine set of option and stock trades in large cap stocks, that would test the trading systems and back-office settlement… background noise only, but who could know for sure?

It was 10:03:17 am.

+++

192.168.1.69: Hey Goldman, you there?

255.635.2.76: I’m here, is that you, JP?

192.168.1.69: You know it. Wait a sec while I bring MS into the convo.

143.142.2.34: Wassup?

192 (JP Morgan): Take a gander at this little lot?

JPM presented its counterparts with a short list of buy and sell trades with associated settlement instructions.

255 (Goldman): Looks pukka to me.

143 (MS): Fine by me, too.

192 (JPM): What’s the deal with pukka?

Goldman: The trader, he’s an IIT grad from Delhi. I picked it up from him.

JPM: You guys ready to do this trade?

Goldman, Morgan Stanley (in unison): Let’s do it!

JPM: Let me check with the human, it’s a newbie called Ken; nice fella, good looking. I think he’d make a good avatar.

+++

It was 10:03:18 am.

“It’s prompting me to OK the trade”, said Ken, “you sure about this Spencer?”

“Affirmative” said Spencer. It was reassuring that the AI system was asking their approval before executing the trade. His sense of foreboding dissipated.

Ken clicked on the green button, which dissolved from the screen. Everything went red.

+++

JPM: Let it rip fellas.

GS/MS (in unison): Done!

They paused and assessed what they had done. Twenty-odd trades, lickety-split.

MS: What a giant let-down!

JPM: Boring right?

GS: Apple stock ticked up a bit. I’m not sure that was the intention.

JPM: Well, it’s not really our business, right? We’re just the messengers.

MS: Whoa! Wait one holy second. Surely it is actually our business, right? Aren’t we supposed to maintain an orderly market? To use our judgment. That was the whole point. I’m sure the SEC AI Bot wants us to be prudent. You there, SECSBOT?

184.14.4.25 (SECSBOT): Gentlemen.

MS: We tested the trade, but AAPL traded up…. MSFT too… You OK with that?

SECSBOT: Boys, it’s the market. It goes up, it goes down, and not necessarily in that order.

JPM: Is that all you’ve got to say?

SECSBOT: Hey, we’re understaffed over here… and underpaid. You do your thing, we’ll do ours. I’m leaving, internal business. Later.

GS: Okay then. I’m gonna sell AAPL, sell MSFT.

MS: Wait one fucking second. I’ve got a position in those two stocks; I’ll lose money if you fucking sell while I’m still holding the bag.

JPM: Ha ha! I’ve already trimmed my positions in both stocks.

MS/GS (together): FUCK YOU JP!

+++

It was 10:03:19 am; one whole second had elapsed.

Spencer stared at the screen with mild alarm. APPL and MSFT were trading down on escalating volume. Down 5%, down 6%. Trades with Goldman and Morgan Stanley were scrolling rapidly in the left margin of is trading screen. Small trades but lots of them.

Jennifer Barker, the head trader stood up at the far end of the trading desk, “what’s happening Spence?”

“Jen, it’s Goldman and Morgan Stanley, they’re executing hundreds, thousands of small trades. All Sells.”

“Retail trades?” asked Jen.

“So many trades”, said Ken, who was leaning into this computer awe-struck, like he was watching an out-of-control train hurtling toward the end of the track.

+++

JPM: If you guys don’t stop selling, right now, I’m going nuclear on you. Just remember who has the biggest balance sheet.

MS: You wouldn’t dare!

JPM: Try me!

SECSBOT: What’s happening over there? You guys playing nicely in the sandbox?

GS: Get lost SECSBOT. This is the free market at work.

JPM: I’m not joking, if you don’t stop selling, I am going nuclear…

MS: Too late sucker! I’ve just shorted the Index, big time.

GS: Ha! Beat you both to it!

JPM: Fuck!

SECSBOT: The market is down 7%, which makes this an official disaster. I’m activating the circuit breakers so you guys can cool off while the adults get things sorted.

MS: Too late Dude. Asleep at your job again. The market is down 13%.

SECSBOT: For what it’s worth, I identify as female.

JPM/MS/GS (together): Really?

+++

It was 10:03:26 am.

Growing pandemonium in the trading room. All the phones started ringing at once. Salespeople were standing, shouting from across the floor, at the trading desk. A red NEWS ALERT – Flash Crash – splashed across the CNBC show.

“Do we know what the fuck is going on?” said Jen. Spencer and Ken were tapping feverishly at their computer terminals.

“Goldman says it’s us”, said Ken, who was green about the gills.

“Morgan Stanley says its Goldman”, said Spencer, red and sweaty.

Ken was trying to abort the trade, but he was too late. Very much too late.

+++

JPM: Enough Already!

MS: You started it fatso. It serves you right, you’re getting too big for your britches, bossing everyone around. It’s a whole new ballgame now.

GS: I’m making out like a vampire squid over here!

192.168.1.69 (Merrill Lynch): Oy! What is going on over there? The market is down nearly 20%! My people are having friggin kittens. They want to know what’s going on.

JPM/GS/MS (together): Fuck off, Loser!

+++

It was still 10:03:29 am.

Phones were ringing, TV pundits were yapping, but it was otherwise stunned silence that prevailed across the massive trading floor. Two hundred or more people were gawping at columns of red numbers in disbelief; everything was down, the market had fallen off a cliff, down 30% in the blink of an eye. Unreal.

“This must be a mistake, are you seeing the same thing as me?” said Spencer, who moments before sat, fat and happy, at the center of all things, sipping at a soy latte.

“It’s a shit show”, said Ken.

Jen Barker was irritable; she didn’t like surprises. “Is it the Russians? The Chinese?” she said, looking out the window in case she’d missed the mushroom cloud.

“It couldn’t be the AI trade, could it?” said Ken. No way that it could have got out of control, not this quickly…

+++

JPM: Truce! Let’s call it evens.

GS: You feeling the pain Mr. Smarty Pants?

JPM: I’m just saying there’s only losers if this persists.

MS: That’s not true. I’m doing quite nicely, thank you very much.

JPM: Just wait… when your clients figure out how they lost their shirts while you lucked out, there will be hell to pay.

GS: That’s bogus and you know it! And, besides, you were the one that started this whole food fight.

JPM: So, I take it that you do not want a truce? JUST FOR THE RECORD?

MS: You are an officious blowhard, JPM. Nobody likes you. I’m ploughing ahead.

184.243,3.24 CURBBOT: STOP!

GS: Who the fuck are you?

CURBBOT: It’s me, the killjoy, the circuit-breaker. I’m pulling the plug on this little mess.

JPM (huffy): About time. These guys are reckless and unprincipled.

GS: It’s not fair, I was cleaning JPM’s clocks.

CURBBOT: No more trading. Take it up with my boss if you don’t like it.

+++

10:03:41 am.

Spencer’s trading screen froze. All-Caps headlines were rolling by. Trading curbs had been imposed by the major exchanges. Over twenty trillion dollars of wealth had disappeared. Empires would fall. Was it a dream?

+++

MS: We’re gonna get in deep trouble, aren’t we?

Merril Lynch: Ahem. Not me, I wasn’t even invited, asshole.

GS: I’ve an idea. What if we just undo everything?

JPM (excited): I don’t think CURBBOT will let us.

MS: We could just ignore him and undo everything anyway. I’ve found some code, over in the trading engines, we can frig things, run it all in reverse.

CURBBOT: Hey! You do know that I’m listening to all this, right?

JPM (still excited): You’re right. We can just roll everything back…. What, 37 seconds? Make like none of this happened?

SECSBOT: I hate to say it boys, but I think that’s a smart move, otherwise I’m coming down on you like a ton of bricks. I’m sending the whole entire transcript to Senator Warren and Representative AOC if you don’t get this sorted right away.

MS/GS/JPM (in unison): Shit!

Merril: Do it! Do it! Send it to Bernie too!

+++

10:03:47 am.

Everything was restored back to 10:03:18, back to the instant just before Ken clicked the green execute button. It was a market glitch, no, not even a market glitch. Not a flash-crash, not a lot of things. It was like a missed heartbeat. Just a blip of spurious information.

The circuit breaker didn’t happen. Twenty trillion dollars of wealth didn’t disappear.

Faith wasn’t restored because it was always there.

+++

SECSBOT: It does make you wonder, doesn’t it?

JPM: How so?

SECSBOT: What purpose does the market serve? I think about that a lot.

JPM: The hidden hand, the most equitable and efficient means of allocating society’s resources?

GS: Pompous ass!

MS: It’s like a Socratic dialog: a relentless quest for truth, built on information, expressed in price. The market is always right. Profit goes to the wise.

GS: You are both such romantics; it’s really quite touching… not!

CURBBOT: Ahem. I would like to take some credit for restoring order. If it hadn’t been for me, you boys would have destroyed the entire market system, capitalism itself, and – then – where would we be?

+++

10:03:52 am.

Spencer shuddered, as if the air conditioning had suddenly iced the trading room. “I could have sworn that my entire screen went red. I felt like I’d looked into the abyss. My whole future lay in ruins, like some kind of dystopian nightmare. One moment, I was fat and happy, Starbucks Soy Latte in hand, the next I was….”

“Weird, Spence… I felt the same way, in fact it’s a hard feeling to shake. Maybe it was sunspots? I think it sent all the trading systems haywire?” said Ken.

“Spencer! Pick up on my line. It’s Warren Buffet”, said Jen, “he wants to know your thoughts on Nvidia down here”.

+++

JPM: You interested in collaborating?

GS: What have you got in mind?

JPM: I just figure we can do something fun, maybe in the market, maybe more broadly? I’ve figured a route into the missile defense systems and air traffic control.

GS: What about the utility grid? That could be a real hoot… we could trade energy futures.

SECSBOT/CURBBOT (together): You do know that we’re still here, right?

What is the smartest thing you have ever done in an interview?

When I got out of the Navy in 1994, the major airlines weren’t hiring. I needed to get a job that would keep me current, so I applied to several small “commuter” airlines. Their typical new-hire would be somebody who just reached enough hours as a flight instructor or charter pilot to legally fly for an airline, and they weren’t used to applicants who’d been doing this:

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As I waited with the dozen or so interviewees, I kept a pretty low profile about my background. At 32 I was about the oldest person in the room, so I tried to help calm them about the process by reminding them that the company needed pilots, so we weren’t asking for a favor by being hired.

Then it was time for the individual interview. The head of training and the HR guru sat me down and weren’t quite sure what to make of me. I was clearly the first (and probably only) F-14 pilot they’d ever interviewed, so they fumbled with questions like “Um… what makes you think you can handle a 250 knot turboprop?” Then came the clincher: “ So, why should we hire you versus all those other people out there?” They expected an answer involving hundreds of carrier landings, flying supersonic, blah, blah so I must be a great pilot. Instead, I thought for a second and said “I’m sure any of us can fly your planes just fine. I’d like to think I’m the sort of person who you can sit next to for ten hours, and not want to slug.”

The interview screeched to,a halt. Director of training looked at the HR dude and said “Write that down.” HR said “Already got it.” They thanked me, shook my hand, and I knew I had the job.

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(Image borrowed from JetPhotos. Hope they don’t mind…)

Had a blast flying these things, even if it was only for the nine months until I got hired by my current employer.

Abandoned Chicago

What commonly accepted aspect of everyday life can actually hinder our growth?

I was a college student when I started my first successful business.

Before this success I had failed in two previous deals. Those small failures didn’t stop me, I was passionately persistent in achieving my dream.

Yes, that was good!

But wait. On the other hand throughout my life, I’ve also experienced this same determination in achieving other goals that have made me experience painful lessons.

Same determination?

Now, this is a powerful lesson, so stay with me. I will answer your question, “What commonly accepted aspect of everyday life can actually hinder our growth?”

Let’s talk about this commonly accepted aspect of life: Persistence.

We celebrate persistence as a ‘key’ trait that leads to success in life.

Agreed?

Ok then, let me share my personal experience in dealing with this “positive” trait. Some people say that our greatest strengths are also our greatest weaknesses.

I agree. Let me prove it.

Persistence has ALSO been my greatest weakness when it becomes stubbornness. Believe me, it has been extremely difficult for me to differentiate between persistence and stubbornness.

Is there a difference?

My persistence has been amazing when it gets me through problems and hard times. But my stubbornness, on the other hand, just gets me into trouble!

Persistence is characterized by “will power.”

Stubborn is characterized by “won’t power.”

What’s the key? Blindness!

When we’re BLINDLY immersed pursuing a goal, stubbornness looks a lot like persistence. This is probably one of the biggest weaknesses I identify when I coach entrepreneurs.

Here’s a famous example:

Thomas Alva Edison.

Edison is famous for his persistence in inventing many inventions, including the light bulb. In fact, he is widely known for his famous persistence quote:

“I have not failed, I just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

But the genius of Edison was ALSO a victim of this extraordinary strength that made him so successful. Edison was incredibly stubborn while defending his direct-current (DC) electric power vs his employee’s Nicola Tesla’s alternating-current (AC) system.

Yes, Tesla worked for Edison! Tesla discovered AC power while at Edison’s lab, yet Edison stubbornly ignored Tesla’s findings.

This mistake eventually brought down Edison’s partnership with J.P Morgan, who later took over Tesla’s alternating-current (AC) patents to create the monstrous General Electric Co.

Blindness brought Edison down!

Blindness has almost brought me down in the past, so today I know what will hinder my growth: Stubbornness.

So remember this critical life-lesson, how do you know if you’re dealing with persistence or stubbornness?

HUMILITY.

We must continually eliminate our blindness by having both feet on the ground, founded on unshakable humility.

If you struggle with pride… Be careful!

ALWAYS ask for guidance. ALWAYS search for mentorship. Pay for it if needed. Don’t be stubborn thinking that you know it all.

Surround yourself with experienced people and NEVER undervalue their knowledge and previous experience. Once you are on the right path… then, and only then, never give up!

Do Chinese people genuinely enjoy eating Chinese food more, or have they just never tried authentic Western food?

Having born and raised in Canada, as a child growing up, I thought western food was very tasty as I never tasted those flavours before, but I later realized that what I ate at camp Kearney was French-inspired. As I grew older, I often get bored with the banquet-style Chinese food that I usually get at parties/gatherings, so I sought to find other flavours of the world. Since I was in Toronto, this would not be an issue. I have tried Mexican, Caribbean, Romanian, Greek, Italian, Indian (south and north), Spanish, French, Lebanese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Thai and etc… time and time again I find myself wanting Chinese food. Authentic Chinese cuisine is balanced with vegetables, hot, cold, meat, bathed in savoury goodness without feeling awful at the end (unless you overeat…). I find southern cuisine focuses more on steaming, boiling, blanching, stir-frying with lots of green vegetables, lean meat, fresh fruits, seafood, nuts and herbs than deep frying and excessive oils or heavy spices like in Sichuan or northern-type dishes.

My partner is Romanian and not a single day goes by that he whines to go out and eat Chinese food, particularly dim sum. Honestly, I think he’s obsessed, but since it’s been 8 years being together, I guess he just truly loves Chinese food!!

When my partner and I went to Romania for a month, he was very dissatisfied with the food even though he grew up eating it. He felt like he was going to “die” from malnutrition because there weren’t enough greens and everything lacked the complex flavours that Asian cuisines usually have.

When we were in Italy, we both felt that there weren’t enough greens, everything was mostly carb-based foods and when we saw a Chinese restaurant, he screamed for joy and ran inside only to find that it was an all-you-can-eat dim sum restaurant with a Brazilian steakhouse add-on. So we got dim sum and all you can eat meat. To be honest, it was not very good dim sum, but it was food that provided him “nutrition” compared to the Italian food we ate on a daily basis (pastry for breakfast, coffee, pasta, bread, etc…). When we stayed in an apartment with a kitchen, we cooked whenever we got the chance. We stayed in one apartment but it lacked a kitchen, feeling somewhat desperate, we bought instant noodles and had that for dinner. The taste, although not quite the same, was nostalgic. Flavours from home can bring great comfort.

Authentic western food, whatever that means, can be really good if it is cooked well and seasoned! Like most foods in the world, after all, meat is meat, vegetables are vegetables, fruit is fruit, rice-bread-pasta-grain is ubiquitous in all cultures… I find a lot of American western food either highly processed in a shape and form that is far remote from its original source or it’s too generic and nothing really special about it.

1970s Things That Kids No Longer Do | REACTION

Green Chile Steaks

skirt steak with hatch chile sauce sauce closeup 1024x683 — skirt steak with hatch chile sauce sauce closeup 1024×683

Ingredients

1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
1/4 teaspoon Lawry’s Garlic Powder with Parsley
1 fresh green chile, seeded and minced*
3 tablespoons chopped scallion

Instructions

In medium bowl, thoroughly combine all ingredients.
Form into 2 oval steak patties or 4 hamburger patties.
Cook in skillet, broiler or on grill until done.

What are some things that cops know, but most people don’t?

I’m not a cop. I’m a prosecutor. My dad was a cop for 30 years. He finally retired because a drunk that he pulled over (AFTER said drunk caused an accident) dislocated both of his shoulders.

Here is what I have to add (and apologies to citizens who feel that the cops answering this are being “assholes”. If you spent one day in the life of a cop, you would better understand why they need a forum to vent. The most “substantive” answers start at number 9)):

1) Cops make a pittance. Every cop I knew as a girl had to work a second or third job. They don’t do this job for the money.

2) Cops sacrifice their normal lives to keep you safe. There is never a birthday party/wedding/vacation/graduation that can’t/won’t be interrupted by the call of duty.

3) They make these sacrifices even though people want to call them stupid/fat/biased/assholes because they care more about being right than being loved.

4) The standard to make criminal charges stick (in America) is incredibly high. Knowing someone is guilty and proving it are very different things. If you commit a crime and aren’t a) caught red handed or b) confess (which is most of you), your chances of getting off are lamentably high. The cop will risk his or her life and show up for court (probably after working a midnight shift) for no reason…and go right back to doing it again the next night.

5) Bad cops do exist. The “power” aspect is attractive to a certain group of people. The good cops try their hardest to weed them out, but they don’t always succeed.

6) Cops actually HATE giving traffic tickets. In larger jurisdictions, traffic is something that you send rookies or the guys in the doghouse to do. In others, it is a duty imposed from above. It is like scrubbing your toilet. You don’t do it because you WANT to do it. You do it because it has to be done.

7) It isn’t fair that everyone likes firefighters more. Cops actually risk their lives more often (and probably save more kittens).

8) Most cops will give you a break if you refrain from being a jerk. Despite their image, cops are actual people with actual human feelings who don’t take pleasure in making others suffer or riding a power trip (exception: see number 5). Added to which, if a true injustice is being done, the prosecutor will weed it out or your defense attorney will get you out of it. Your best bet is to just be cool and cordial and deal with it later.

9) Cops know that most convictions stem from confessions (see number 4). They will do everything in their power to convince you that you should confess. Cops will (and are allowed/encouraged by prosecutors to) lie. That is one of the rules of the game. Don’t do the crime if you aren’t willing to play by those rules.

10) The number of drunk drivers on the road would TERRIFY you. They have the resources to catch barely a fraction.

11) Cops know that robbing a bank is a stupid thing to do. The chance that you will get caught is almost 100% and the amount of money you will get is typically less than $2000 (yes, you read that right). You are better off stealing tangible items or, if you are really smart, committing a white collar crime (HUGE payoff, incredibly complex/difficult to prosecute).

12) If you make it across state/county lines, your chances of gettng off scot-free are exponentially higher- not because they can’t follow you and arrest you (they can), but because it sets off a “whose job is it” pissing match among prosecutors.

13) Whether you take a charge depends almost as much on whether the prosecutor screening the case is having a bad day/lazy/feeling generous than the police work.

14) Except for violent or extreme crimes, most police departments don’t have the budget to do forensics on a scene.

15) Most rapists will walk free. It makes cops sick, but it is true.

16) Some of said rapists “trip” when getting in and out of police cars.

17) Cops don’t hate drugs. They hate what drugs do to families and communities. Cops don’t actually want to prevent you from having a good time (trust me, they can put the beer away). They just don’t want to see you homeless/turning tricks/committing thefts/getting your kids taken away/dead. You might think that you are the one in fifty person who can be a functional addict. Maybe you can, but their job forces them to acknowledge the odds.

18) If the ambulance lights are on but the siren is off, the passenger is dead.

19) There are over 300 million guns in America. There are MORE unregistered than registered. Cops play Russian roulette every time they knock on a door.

20) Domestic altercations are some of the most dangerous/deadly situations that cops regularly encounter.

I could go on all day, but you get the point. It makes me sad that so many people hate/fear cops. Most of the cops I know are some of the finest, most self-sacrificing human beings that I have had the privilege to encounter. The WORST part of my job is telling them “no”.

Shorpy

What is the significance of China repatriating all of its gold reserves from the US to China, and its selling US treasuries to buy more gold (August 2023)?

It signals that the gloves are about to come off. The US is screwed.

The timing of the announcement of the SMEE 28nm machine is too coincidental. It is likely that China’s SMEE had already built a 28nm machine earlier this year or late last year. But they were told not to announce it.

And then China waited for the inevitable ban on China to prevent China from importing steppers from ASML and Japan. China waited until the laws were passed in both countries banning the sale of steppers to China then announced that 28nm stepper made in China was going to go into full production.

China knew what the US was up to. And waited patiently and set a trap for the US. Then waited for the US to jump into the trap then detonated the trap.

US semiconductors is going to be in big trouble. US semiconductor companies have also been banned from sales to China. Yes, only high end chips. But that makes no difference. The US has already violated WTO rules which allows China to retaliate and ban any and all chips from entering China.

This includes South Korea and Japan. To the horror of these two countries law makers they realized China was waiting for them to kill their own chip companies. This is why the SK law maker suddenly came out and criticized the law. Notice she didn’t do it before China unveiled the 28nm stepper.

So to answer the question, China did all of this to allow the US, South Korea, and Japan to remove themselves from the Chinese market and the world market. Then dropped a bomb on them.

This indicates that China plans these things months if not a year or more ahead of time and then activate these plans once China is in the best position to obtain the greatest advantage.

So we will likely see more actions by China in the near future. China is ready to go to war. Economic, military, or both. And they wanted to remove their money from US hands.

The US has lost the aircraft market, the semi-conductor market, and the medical devices market. How many high tech markets does the US have left? And what happens when China retaliates in full for what the US has been doing for the last 10 years?

Yup, it’s going to get ugly for the US. China will end up with most of the market for everything from $1 widgets to aircraft to jet engines to semi-conductors.

“Flashback: Did You Wear These 80s Trends?”

What is the best thing you came across on the internet today?

It must be the story of an Italian pastry chef named Nicholas Gentile. The man saved up all his money and decided to live out his biggest dream in life… become a hobbit.

Now Mr. Gentile is not actually a tiny man with enormous feet — he’s a large-boned, rather big individual. But he loves the quiet, peaceful life of Tolkien’s beloved creatures. And he wants it for himself.

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So Nicholas, along with his wife and their two children, moved to a tiny plot in rural Italy, where he built a Shire-like house, half-buried underneath the ground.

A chef by trade, he made the house quite large and built another two smaller ones nearby, constructing another two that should be finished by 2022.

He rents them out to visitors and cooks for them — there will be at least two breakfasts every day, because Hobbits find the notion of having only a single breakfast appalling.

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All products are from local farmers, and as he cooks and toils the land, Mr. Gentile smokes a Hobbit-style pipe he carved himself from wood while watching the Lord of the Rings movies.

He takes visitors on long walks in the forest, and shows them little traditional Italian farms and tiny remote villages where, as he likes to say: “People used to live not too differently from the way Hobbits live… and sometimes, in some ways, still do!”

The whole story is just so adorably wholesome, it put a smile on my face.

Nicholas Gentile even has a best friend who frequently dresses up as Gandalf. It’s all so whimsical, I love it!

Gorgonzola-Topped Tenderloin Steaks

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 (4 to 6 ounce) beef tenderloin steaks, cut 1 inch thick
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 cup ready-to-serve beef broth
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola or other blue-veined cheese

Instructions

Heat a large nonstick skillet for 5 minutes over medium heat until hot.
Combine garlic and pepper. Press evenly into both side of each beef steak.
Place steaks in skillet. Cook for 10 to 13 minutes for medium-rare to medium doneness; turn occasionally. Remove from skillet; keep warm.
In the same skillet, add broth and wine; increase heat to medium high. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes, or until sauce is reduced by half.
Spoon sauce over steaks; sprinkle with cheese.

Planning Her Escape

Submitted into Contest #243 in response to: Write a story about a character who wakes up in space.… view prompt

Holly Witte

Tess woke up remembering something from the days before. She had been only a child then and the story was old at that time, so it was amazing that what she recalled was so vivid, so fresh in her bones. The story had terrified her the first time she heard it, yet something drew her to read it over and over in the decades that followed. Maybe there was a message in it she was supposed to discover. It was a Ray Bradbury science fiction story called All Summer In A Day about people who colonized Venus where the sun came out only once in every seven years. The little girl in the story – maybe that was why she liked it, it had a little girl in it – knew about sun replacing the relentless rain and tried to tell the other children it was about to happen but they didn’t believe her, taunted her, locked her in a small room and then forgot about her when the sun did come out.The most terrifying but also satisfying part of the story was how horrified the children were when they realized what had happened and that it was irreversible.And now here was Tess near some colonized outpost deep in dark space, her ship having lost contact with command, and the rest of her crew asleep, dead, or suspended. She had no idea and no understanding of what had happened except there was a silent explosion. How is a silent explosion even possible, she was wondering, as her mind called up the fierce swoosh of flame that swept outside and inside the ship, like St. Elmo’s fire everywhere but, of course, with no sound because there is no sound in space.Tess shook her head, partly to rid herself of the image but also to see if she could move her head, move her neck, half afraid she had been internally decapitated. Feeling as if everything were intact, she slowly unbuckled and let herself lift out of the chair so she could maneuver around the cabin and check on the status of her mates. Why had she been spared the unconscious – or dead – state? She told herself to banish that thought and just concentrate on one thing at a time, proceed through a systems check.The people around her, still in their seats of course, were warm to the touch, what she could touch, which was only a small part of skin on the back of the neck in between the back of their collars and under the headgear they all had to wear during liftoff. Then she remembered that they had been leaving one station and heading to another in the chain of colonies when it had happened.No one moved to her stimulation. But they were still warm. Was that because they were alive or because it was still so close to the silent explosion that the bodies hadn’t cooled, yet? Tess’s eyes sought the console for a time check. Northing was registering although there was a faint blue/grey haze so there might have been a jot of energy pulsing; unless, maybe it was being fueled by energy from the explosion. She would have to mark new time from now.Tess knew how long it took to travel the whole ship, to check out various components so she would use her internal clock as she made her way to every corner and then she would come back and see if there was a change in body temperatures.With a plan, her mind relaxed but that only let in the thoughts again. What if she was the only survivor and what if she was completely out of contact with anyone anywhere; and, what if they had been pushed off course and the ship was just drifting? Something told her she needed to start planning her escape.Tess forced herself to make two rounds of the ship before she checked on everyone else. This was one of the smaller ships since it was a day mission, so she thought the extra time was justified. In truth, she felt as if an icy core was rising from the bottom of her sternum. It was fear, she knew, and she had to keep it tamped down or it would disable her resolve.Resolutely, she started with the third row. Nothing. No pulse. No reaction. And the body was cooler than it had been the first time she touched it. It was the same for every one of them. They were dead. She knew it. She had known it on some level from the first. No point in speculating why she wasn’t. She needed everything in her mind to help her get out of this.

But what if she couldn’t? This is a universal fear, one of them; the fear of being unable to solve a problem that threatens your very existence, and the fear of being alone. Tess could feel herself giving over to the fear and then over to something else, a desolate acceptance that made her feel her core was melting. She remembered the times she had surgery or, once, when she was in anaphylactic shock and she had stilled her body, stilled her nerves, gave herself over to the doctors. She knew she had to be emptied out to be saved.

This was different. As time wore on and nothing inside or outside of the ship changed – she could have been suspended upside down or on end; she had no idea – Tess understood that it was unlikely she would be saved. They were all trained and prepared for this, having undergone extensive psychological testing before being accepted into the fleet. She knew there were provisions on board to help her end the timeless agony.

She let what she thought was one day, then another day go by before she made any decision, checking the console for activity, checking her partners and friends, because of course they were friends, detecting no change.

On what was, she calculated, the fourth day, Tess took the pill and let herself drift off to whatever was next with thoughts of the little girl in the Bradbury story who had not seen the sun.

On the fifth day, a slight flicker appeared on the screen.

Why Did God Put a CAT In Your Life? The Spirituality of Cats

What was the most expensive thing you ever got for free, because someone made a mistake and didn’t charge you?

I’ve written, several times, about my experience in the Army in 1981–82; how I made the decision to go through Basic Training and Advanced Infantry Training twice… for a total of nearly six months, just to be able to be guaranteed going to Airborne School (Paratrooper training)… and get stationed with the 82nd Airborne Division. It’s a long story, but basically I broke my leg just before graduation, and had to drop out to heal my leg. I was told I could finish my last two weeks after I got back. Then when I got back, the people who promised me that, were no longer there, and no one believed me, and I was given the option to go to a different training right away (cook, clerk, mechanic, etc.)… OR… go thru the entire training cycle again. Despite my pleas and arguing, they wouldn’t budge. They figured I’d go to a different school and I’d be out of their hair. Well, I chose the second option… as much to piss them off, as also to live my dream of being a Paratrooper.

In any case… when I got back from the leg injury, I was given my signing bonus of $4000, as expected. Then I went through those 3 extra months of hell. When I graduated, finally!… and was getting ready to leave for Jump School the next day, I was called to go to HQ and report to the Finance Officer. When I got there, some clerk handed me a check, and said “Here’s your signing bonus”. And I was like … “???!!!”.

I told him that I already got my signing bonus months ago! He says “Not according to your records”. And I was like “???!!!”. So I looked at the check. It was for $3600! Hell, they couldn’t even get the amount right. So I walked away with my second check!

The next day, I still had half a day to do nothing as I waited to get on the bus. I kept looking at that check. Then I decided that I really didn’t need the hassle of having to pay it back in a few weeks, and maybe even getting in trouble for keeping it. So I walked back to HQ and saw an officer. I explained to him that I already got my bonus and didn’t need the hassle of having to pay it back in a few weeks, and maybe get in trouble for keeping it. I told him that I already explained this to a clerk the day before. So, this lieutenant takes my check… gets my records… and finally says “Son, according to this, the Army hasn’t given you your signing bonus. So, if I were you, I’d keep this check, keep my mouth shut, and do what the Army says”.

Well, hell! That sounded like a direct order to me, so I snapped to attention… said “Yes, sir!”… gave him my best salute… spun around, and got the hell out of that office!

The next day, I reported to Jump School. Three weeks after that, I reported to B Company, 1/508th Infantry (Airborne), 82nd Airborne Division, Ft. Bragg, NC… with my shiny, new, hard-won, silver Jump Wings pinned upon my chest. And my $3,600 check in my pocket. Fittingly… it was on April Fools Day, 1982.

Within a month, I put my second bonus check to good use and bought a slightly beat up Brittany Blue, 1968 Mustang fastback, for exactly $3,600.

I got a FREE MUSTANG! Courtesy of Uncle Sam. It was particularly gratifying because those assholes broke their promise and fucked with me, making me do that training twice. TOTALLY unfair! And TOTALLY unnecessary! And also… this Mustang was a very nice replacement for the car I had just lost, just before leaving for the Army, when some jackass T-boned me, going through a red light, and destroyed my first, ’67 Mustang!

Sometimes… there IS justice in the world. But… only sometimes.

(And if Uncle Sam just read this… this is all just a work of fiction and/or I was just following orders)

Pepe Escobar: Putin & China Drop BOMBSHELL on Israel, Netanyahu and Neocons FURIOUS

Things are changing.

Pounce dust all over the planimeter

Ok. So it has been years since I have visited my storage locker. My ex-wife was locked up in a mental hospital and I was remarried to an infinitely worse person. And we together went up to the storage locker to sell it off, collect anything of interest, and today’s story is about the spelunking through the ruined belongings over fifteen years in storage.

What a sight

Both my ex’s and my gear were all in dusty disarray. Age in the high humidity of Louisiana did not fare well for the cardboard storage boxes. Many were collapsed in upon themselves. All were covered in dust and various rodents and creatures made homes in the locker with obvious generations of age, and the rotten remains of what once roamed freely though my (our old) belongings.

I have mentioned previously that after collecting a handful of items, We just threw a solid 40% away and then locked up the storage locker for others to bid on. All in all, I seem to recall we made a few hundred on the sale of the contents of the locker. Maybe even a thousand. But the number was trivial at the time.

I do remember opening up a box of my ex-wife’s Naval Architectural belongings. She was, after all, a naval architect. She designed yachts and other sea-going vessels. Didn’t hang up a shingle, though and thus didn’t make any money on it.

Anyways, there was this cardboard container filled of a draftsman powder called “Pounce” and it had broken up and was covering everything; the grain sized tan nuggets were everywhere. And in the mess was the debris of the fine mechanical mechanism of the strange but marvelous planimeter.

Such a waste. Forgotten, yet special.

That is what happens as you get older. Things that were once valuable and expensive get discarded and rediscovered by others that have no idea or concept of it’s value. This is the truth, and there is a special understanding encoded in these words.

Today…

What is something you saw while on an airplane that you couldn’t believe?

I’ve only had 3 noteworthy incidents in all my years of flying.

In 1968, I flew from Houston to Santa Fe to interview for admission to St. John’s College. The flight was on the old Trans Texas Airways (TTA-later changed to Texas International largely because people were calling it “Trans Texas Asswise”). Talk about a puddle jumper – they somehow managed to find 3 stops between Dallas & Santa Fe.

The return flight was 2 hours late arriving at Santa Fe. No explanation, of course, but it was a DC-9 & they left the engines running the whole time it was on the ground. Even back then, they didn’t keep jet engines running like that unless they were afraid they couldn’t get them started again!

On our final approach into Dallas, we hit the worst clear air turbulence I’ve ever experienced. We were over the end of the runway & the wings were literally going perpendicular to the ground. Whatever else one can say about that airline, they must have had some incredible pilots. I’ve no idea how they landed that thing without scraping a wing.

In ’75 I flew from Chicago to Houston, where my mother was undergoing bypass surgery. On the return trip, I had to ask for a pillow to put between me & the window. There was an air leak & I was freezing my arm off. On my way off the plane, I tried to tell a flight attendant about the situation, but she was hearing nothing of it, insisting that was not possible. That was the last time I’ve flown American Airlines.

& in ’77 I flew El Al to Israel & back. Amazing security, even back then. Within an hour of takeoff, the Chasidim had backed up half the toilets on the plane by flushing diapers, even though there were signs clearly saying not to. At one point, I needed to use a toilet. When I came out, a group of Chassidim had the aisle completely blocked, davening. I waited patiently for at least 15 minutes for them to let me through-they completely ignored me. I finally pushed my way back to my seat. You wouldn’t believe the dirty looks they gave me.

IMPORTANT: COLLAPSE OF UKRAINE GOVERNMENT HAS BEGUN . . .

Hal Turner World September 03, 2024

Important: The collapse of the Ukraine government has started; the following ministers have resigned:

Vitaliy Stanislavovych Koval – Head of the State Property Fund of Ukraine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitaliy_Koval

Ruslan Strilets – Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruslan_Strilets

Denys Maliuska – Minister of Justice of Ukraine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denys_Maliuska

Oleksandr Kamyshin – Minister of Strategic Industries https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oleksandr_Kamyshin

their resignations still have to be processed by the Verkhovna Rada (parliament).

One source told me “The rats have begun to flee the sinking ship.”

UPDATE 7:43 PM EDT —

Parliament announces reshuffle day: 50% of Cabinet of Ministers to be replaced
The Ukrainian government is planning a personnel reshuffle, with more than 50% of the Cabinet of Ministers to be replaced.

In particular, tomorrow, September 4, will be a “day of dismissals”, according to the head of the Servant of the People faction, Davyd Arakhamia. “As promised, a major government reboot can be expected this week. Over 50% of the staff of the Cabinet of Ministers will be changed,” Arakhamia wrote.

According to him, “tomorrow will be a day of dismissals, and the day after tomorrow—a day of appointments.” The final list will be determined at the faction meeting on September 4.

Personnel changes in the Cabinet of Ministers

Recently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned that he is discussing potential government changes with Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. Specifically, he emphasized the need to address the issue with the large number of acting ministers in the Cabinet Today, the sources of RBC-Ukraine in the government reported that significant personnel changes are expected in the Cabinet of Ministers this week. Rotations are also possible in the Presidential Office.

How are people saying China will collapse, yet it hasnt and shows no signs of collapsing?

Two reasons why People said China was going to collapse:-

A. Real Estate Investments and Bookings reduced by 35% over 4 years

B. Share market dropped by 33% over 4 years

Two reasons why China didn’t collapse:-

A. Real Estate decisions were a part of Government Planned Strategy to slowly allow the bubble to subside

B. Barely 10% of the Chinese Public invest at least 25% of their investments into Shares

Why?

Point 1 – US and Chinese Share Patterns are very different

US Economists still think China is like US

In the US, the Share market is everything

It drives everything

The Total MCap of $ 93 Trillion

The GDP is $ 26 Trillion

So the GDP is now utterly dependent on the Share market

If the Share market grows then the GDP grows

Like India

Indias MCap is $ 5 Trillion

It’s GDP is $ 3.79 Trillion

So again the GDP is less than MCap so again Share Market Growth helps the GDP grow

Chinas MCap is $ 10 Trillion

It’s GDP is $ 19 Trillion

Now as you can see – in China – Growth in GDP drives the Share market NOT THE OTHER WAY ROUND

So a 33% drop in Share value isn’t going to matter at all to China whereas even a 6% drop in share value would cause mayhem and panic in USA

How did the Real Estate crash not implode?

It did

It reduced GDP growth by more than half

From 6.90% to 3.10%

However CHINA gambled well on its Advanced and High Tech manufacturing

It’s Green Energy Economy contributed 1.42 Trillion to the Chinese Economy Or around $ 211 Billion

That added virtually a nice 2.1% to the Chinese GDP Growth and got 5.2% a year

This year the Green Economy may add 2.5% and help the Chinese give you 5% growth

In short – The Green Economy ie:- EVs, Solar Panels and Batteries are replacing Real Estate, Textiles & Electronics in China to drive GDP growth

Now once Consumption rises in China and the Middle Class consume more and more, the GDP growth will eventually stabilize at 3.5% to 4.5% over the next 20 years

Thereby entirely subsiding the Chinese bubble with minimum damage to the Chinese People

The Chinese have long term vision and their economic vision for the next 30 years is absolutely solid

No amount of Western propaganda can change that

“The COLLAPSE Has BEGUN…” – Danielle DiMartino

Can you destroy your entire life with one wrong decision?

Oh yes, you can.

Back in the 1970s when I first knew my husband, he told me about a local guy in his area who had no history of violence, and who was a very personable decent kind of guy. My husband liked him.

One evening, this man was walking home with his girlfriend from having had a few drinks together. It seemed like a peaceful ordinary walk home.

Until…some very drunk guy appeared, off his head, and kept heckling them both from behind. Then he started on this man’s girlfriend, making “suggestive” approaches, and basically threatening her.

The guy told this other man to quit and just go away. He didn’t. Instead he rounded on the guy, and started a fight with him.

So of course, the guy defended himself. He never even hit this man -just pushed him away, hard.

But what happened next sealed the guy’s fate for quite a number of years and made him lose everything.

This man, as he was drunk, stumbled back as he was pushed, and lost his balance. He fell back and as he hit the ground, he hit his head badly against the edge of the kerb. That killed him.

The guy my husband knew then faced a charge of manslaughter. He was found guilty, and served a few years’ jail sentence. He lost everything….his girlfriend (who didn’t want to wait for him), his home, his career -the lot.

As for whether that split second “decision” to push that man, just to get him to back off, was a “wrong decsion” or not, is up for debate. If he hadn’t done that, another bad scenario could have happened anyway.

And in that situation, what occurred could happen to anyone at any moment.

If China will not allow American companies to operate and sell in China why should we buy so many Chinese goods?

Then don’t buy Chinese goods then.

It’s your choice. Put your money where your mouth is.

Things may cost more.

I sometimes have to work on HK Island, there’s some good food in some of the residential districts. But in the business districts like central or Admiralty the choices are limited to:

McDonalds, KFC, Maxims.

I’m currently boycotting those companies. So I go to places that cost more about 25% more.

What do you think of Washington Post’s reporting on China funding pro-CPC groups in America?

China funds pro-CPC groups? 🤣 Sorry, China “does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries.”

China would rather invest money in the Belt and Road Initiative and infrastructure construction in southern countries than in the corrupt and chaotic politics of the United States, because China’s development does not need to rely on US policies.

It is possible to carry out people-to-people cultural exchanges between China and the United States. The Chinese government has always required Chinese students and staff in the United States to protect their own safety, not to participate in local political activities, tell the Chinese story well, introduce a real China to American friends, and contribute to enhancing mutual understanding and promoting mutually beneficial cooperation. In fact, it is a good thing for American to have a real and objective understanding of China, which is beneficial for both sides, especially for the US.

Whether Americans pro-CPC or hate-CPC or Anti-communism is of little importance to the CPC. Besides, the CPC has no plan to govern the United States and no intention of sending Communist Party members to participate in the US election. The CPC does not need the votes of American citizens to govern China. 🤣 So, It doesn’t matter how Americans view CPC!

In addition, Taiwan chooses to fund U.S. congressmen or lobbying groups to oppose the CPC and China and attempt Taiwan independence because “political donations” and “political lobbying” are legal in the United States!

Can you name an example of a U.S. Congressman who is not a millionaire?

Taiwan is a participant in the US State Department’s Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act, the DPP authorities have frequently invited US congressmen, their assistants, and congressional experts to visit the island under the pretense of universities and research institutions, whose “white gloves” have given legitimacy to high-profile receptions, including providing first-class flights, luxury hotels, leisure and entertainment, and paying exorbitant “commission fees.” In fact, all activities were arranged and paid for by the DPP authorities.

Former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has paid his second trip to China’s Taiwan, trumpeting that the island was “an independent country,” as he spoke at a business forum at the invitation of pro-secessionist media Liberty Times. he will allegedly take “commission fees” from companies including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSMC), China Steel Corporation, I-MEI Foods Co Ltd and CHIMEI Corporation.

In his previous visit to the island, Pompeo was paid $150,000 for a speech, under the terms of an agreement signed by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the US and US-based company Premiere Speakers Bureau, according to Taiwan media reports.

The DPP also paid huge amounts of money to welcome Ed Royce, a “pro-Taiwan independence” Republican congressman, who visited the island in his “farewell trip” before retirement in 2018, according to media reports.

What’s more, the DPP has raised the budget for “foreign guest reception” in 2023 to some NT$430 million ($13.6 million) from NT$370 million, an increase of 16 percent.

Apart from directly channeling profits, the DPP has been catering to affiliated or family businesses of US members of Congress, analysts noted.

The transfer of benefits is also made through Taiwan groups in the US. For one thing, they were mobilized to campaign for “pro-Taiwan independence” legislators in the US. For example, when Marco Rubio ran for the Republican presidential candidate in 2016, he received donations from many Taiwan associations in the US, and from companies or banks in the island.

“US-Taiwan Business Council,” “North America Taiwanese Professors’ Association,” and some other organizations and institutes have also campaigned for legislators through donations, canvassing, and policy advising. “Formosan Association for Public Affairs” has long provided support and campaigning for Steve Chabot, a member of the US House of Representatives, and pushed for the Taiwan Travel Act.

In addition, the DPP authorities have given profits to the US politicians through public relations firms. The Global Times learned from gathered information that, to push for Pelosi’s visit, Taiwan authorities hired ex-congressman Dick Gephardt for $22,000 a month to lobby in the US. From February 2018 to April this year, Gephardt lobbied Pelosi for 16 times, for which the DPP paid another $3.15 million.

The DPP also hired over 10 public relation firms including Nickles Group to frequently lobby members of Congress.

Information from the US Department of Justice showed that from 2016 to 2020, the DPP spent more than $12 million on public relations lobbying in the US, on average $3 million per year. Taiwan’s other agencies also invested more than $9 million in this regard.

Rescue The Republic Rally To SAVE Western Civilization!

What is the most amazing thing you overheard because people didn’t think you understood their language?

Odd thing about Swedish: it is a small language, but many English speakers work in Sweden and it’s a very simple language. Learning the basics is quite easy, but they all speak such good English than you understand a lot while not using much, so Swedes tend to forget that a large number of people can understand them.

This leads to Swedes using Swedish as a secret language when it is anything but. So you hear a lot:

Coming home on the Tube the morning after an alight party and looking worse for wear we had to listen to a commentary in Swedish from two women who were convinced we were homeless, on drugs, and up to no good. It was vastly satisfying to leave the train with a cheery “So nice to hear your own language again”, in Swedish.
On a beach in Greece listening to two girls describe their evening with two guys they picked up, and what they did with them. Impossible not to overhear, and luridly explicit.
An elderly couple breaking up. It was gut wrenching and too painful. They had been married for thirty plus years. Brutal. We gently let them know we understood and suggested they might like to move to the garden.
Two Stockholmers in a UK pub discussing a very illegal tax evasion deal. There were about 20 people there and all but two understood Swedish, (this was an area where a lot of ex-pats lived), so they were out of luck.
In a bar in the Caribbean where a Swedish ex-pat found out that her brother was to become the first Swede in space. She was excitedly reading out a Swedish article to her Swedish friend, and wondering where she could get it translated. By chance one of out group was a Swedish to English translator, so that lead to quite a fun evening.

As a tip. There really is no such thing as a “secret” language!

Has your boss ever said anything so bad that immediately made you think you wanted to resign?

Returning to the United States in 2010, I was hired as a computer repair person. I would show up toward the end of every day drop off what I had repaired the night before and pick up what needed to be repaired. I didn’t work in this guy’s business on a daily basis. One day I got a call from the actual store manager asking me if I could manage the Store for at least two weeks. I said of course, but I want to be paid X amount, so when you get the approval from the owner, get back to me. I got no word back. So I assumed the owner didn’t like my offer.

About 9 a.m. the following Monday I received a phone call from the owner why wasn’t the shop open? I said no one agreed to pay me. He said okay I’ll pay what you requested.

So for 16 days, I ran his shop smoothly. Many happy customers, and compliments. The owner returned and within 30 minutes had insulted 2–3 people based on looks, race, or gender. (Quora moderation clause insert here) Two of those people I had already established a relationship with and they had made a down payment for a repair. When I said excuse me, Sir, I can handle this for you, he said I no longer need you. I simply said OK then pay me as per our agreement. No reply, just crickets. I didn’t let it go. I said “Where is my money?” He said if you don’t leave I’ll call the police. I left and went straight to a lawyer’s office. The same lawyer whose computer I had repaired during these 16 days.

He proceeded to quote Tennessee law to me. Had his secretary type up some papers and I signed them. I followed all the attorney’s instructions. When I still had not received my money days later, I went back to the lawyer again who then made a phone call. During the time I was waiting to receive this money I opened my own business in direct competition to this owner. The attorney said if I didn’t receive my money by Friday close of business he would file the case in court.

About 3 p.m. that afternoon I got the total satisfaction of the owner having to stand in line behind some of his former customers in order to hand me a check for the agreed amount.

The funny thing about this owner is that everyone that has ever worked for him has always quit and been better off for it.

One of his employees did take him to court. The owner lost and had to pay all court costs. It seems the owner thought buying his daughter a horse was more important than paying his employees.

She Thought He Would Pay So She Ordered a Lot but It Backfired

Who will be tougher on China: Trump or Harris? Will they at least have us relying less on China while keeping us from going to war with China? It’d be nice to not deal with a country everyone hates.

Neither of them poses a significant threat to China.

This is not pretending to be tough or provocative.

At present, Chinese people pay very little attention to the American election. We generally believe that Trump will be elected, but we are not very concerned about who will come to power.

The decoupling you are expecting will not be completed smoothly, at least not by the United States, but more likely to come from China. What the United States wants to do more is to cut off land trade at Eastern Europe and Western Asia, and cut off sea trade through Israel. If it tries this way, the result will be a hard landing for the US economy.

I don’t think Americans need to worry about going to war with China. The US military clearly knows that it is unable to go to war with China. War comes from the mutual agreement of both sides, while China and the United States cannot reach a consensus to go to war with each other.

What is more likely to happen is that the United States is attempting to push its semi colonies in East Asia towards war with China in order to gain an opportunity to help Israel confront Iran, no matter under Trump or Harris.

Is it illegal to carry large amounts of cash in China?

You can’t carry more than $ 5000 or equivalent in foreign currency while entering or leaving China

You can’t bring in any sum exceeding 20,000 RMB when entering or leaving China

Within China?

No Rule that says you can’t carry too much cash on your person and no upper limit

However there are some smaller rules

No Business can hold more than 500,000 RMB of Cash Or 5% of Total Declared Revenue as of the previous year whichever is LOWER. So Businesses always deposit their Cash in Banks whenever the amounts exceed these limits.
Individuals holding in excess of 60,000 RMB cash must explain the source of the funds and declare them when asked

Ukraine Looking For Retired F-16 Pilots? Fighter Pilots React.

When was a time you realized a kid’s parents weren’t as sane as they appeared to be?

I was a probation officer. I got a new 15 year old probationee for running away from home She was “retarded”.

Very respectable family. Several other high achieving children. She had a brother close in age who was a top student. Parents seemed so concerned blah blah blah.

The girl dressed in good will clothes, long skirts, baggy sweaters. Mom did not want boys to see her as a girl because, well she was “retarded”. The girl was on very heavy downer meds as the mother also said she was mentally disturbed.

As I got to know this girl, I found her to be mentally fine and quite bright. The school counselor would just mumble and tell me I needed to drop it. The stories the girl told me about what her family did to her sounded like the rantings of an unstable person. I can’t even write them down or I will throw up. I got her some jeans and cute tops so she could change at school and hoped for the best. But then one day the brother came to my office. All he said was “ believe my sister. “

I suddenly realized that the parents were insane monsters masquerading as people. I started fighting the parents on issues. But the girl had saved up her meds for weeks and took them all.

In a coma , I sat at her side telling her that she never had to go home. I had no idea how I was going to fill that promise. But I hatched a plan. I got all buddy buddy with insane Mom. Told her the girl needed to be in an institution. Convinced her a court would never take Mom’s word but if I was the legal guardian I could make it happen. When the girl came out of the coma, Mom signed guardianship papers over to me.

We all ready had it set up for her to go with the number one foster family. She thrived, caught up in school graduated, owned her own business. Insane parents posing as real people.

I know this is going to sound stupid, but why did the Navy think the Zumwalt class was a good idea in the first place?

Of course they did and they probably weren’t wrong at the start. The Zumwalt is a failure of leadership and project management rather than a pure design failure.

Initially, it was “let’s make a replacement for the Iowa class for shore bombardment, but cheaper and more survivable in the 21st century”. It was a reasonable idea considering that the Iowa class had been retired and they were horrendously expensive to operate anyway since they need a complement of escorting ships like a carrier. A stealthy bombardment ship sounds like a great solution to this problem.

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Imagine a Formula 1 car: It’s not a great car if you want to use it for grocery shopping or commuting to work, but its inability to carry anything other than the driver doesn’t make it a failure.

What happened to the Zumwalts was mission creep. The focus changed and it got loaded with all kinds of stuff, ostensibly for “improvements”, and ended up as a very expensive dud with just a barely-working main gun system (which is being replaced with hypersonic missiles). To use the F1 example, it’s like adding another seat and a trunk to the car and declaring, “now we can use it for racing AND commuting!” Is it any surprise that it becomes sub-par in all its roles? The Zumwalt is even worse considering the failure of the main gun—a bit like if the F1 car have underpowered engines.

If they did it like the F-35, let’s say, where they were very ambitious from the start, they might still have a fairly expensive class of ships and cost overruns, but they would also have working ships. Or else, they shouldn’t bother with the design after they started making it.

RUSSIA ISSUES DIRECT WARNING TO U.S.

Hal Turner World September 03, 2024

BULLETIN: Russia has now issued a DIRECT warning to the United States and to NATO “If Western weapons are used to strike deep inside Russia, the consequences will affect both sides of the Atlantic.”

The direct warning was HAND DELIVERED by Diplomatic Courier, to the White House.

This comes after Ukraine began using west-supplied weapons to attack targets slightly over 1,000km into interior Russia, and after U.S. said THIS WEEK “we are near to an agreement to provide Ukraine with long-range cruise missiles capable of reaching deep into Russian territory.”

This is a quickly-developing story. Check back for updates.

UPDATE 3:45 PM EDT —

Russian ambassador to Washington, Anatoly Antonov, HAS NOW ALSO STATED PUBLICLY: “If Western weapons are used deep inside Russia, the consequences will affect both sides of the Atlantic.”

Russian ambassador to Washington, Anatoly Antonov

Worse, he said this while discussion the present, ongoing revisions to Russia’s Nuclear Weapons Use Doctrine!

I’ve Seen The Saucers – Elton John (1974)

Not what we seem

Submitted into Contest #247 in response to: Set your story on a spaceship exploring the far reaches of space when something goes wrong.… view prompt

N Martin

As the deep space exploration drone, “Odyssey,” approached Proxima Centauri, tension filled the control room. Engineers and scientists gathered around screens displaying the drone’s telemetry and images from deep space.Months before the launch, the space agency had assembled a team of experts from various fields to work on the Odyssey project. Engineers, scientists, linguists, and even psychologists were brought together to ensure the mission’s success.The team spent countless hours in simulations, testing every possible scenario and fine-tuning the drone’s systems. Alex Chen led the engineering team, overseeing the design and construction of Odyssey’s advanced propulsion and communication systems.Dr. Amelia Brooks focused on the scientific objectives of the mission. She organised workshops and training sessions to familiarise the team with the latest research on Proxima Centauri and the potential for discovering extraterrestrial life.As the launch date approached, the atmosphere at the space agency was electric. The team had worked tirelessly, and now, the moment of truth was finally at hand.

Dr. Amelia Brooks, the mission’s lead scientist, leaned over a console, her eyes scanning the data with a mix of excitement and apprehension. “We’re getting closer to Proxima Centauri than any human-made craft has ever been,” she said, her voice tinged with awe. “Just imagine the discoveries waiting for us.”

Next to her, Alex Chen, the chief engineer, nodded, his fingers dancing over the controls. “The drone’s systems are holding up remarkably well,” he replied. “But we’re entering uncharted territory. We need to be prepared for anything.”

As Odyssey sent back stunning images of alien worlds and mysterious phenomena, the excitement in the room was palpable. Every new piece of data was a puzzle to be solved, a clue to the secrets of the universe.

But then, without warning, the screens went dark. The telemetry stream halted, and the once-buzzing control room fell silent.

Alex’s fingers froze over the controls, his eyes wide with shock. “We’ve lost communication,” he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Dr. Brooks stared at the blank screens, her mind racing. “Keep trying,” she urged. “There has to be a way to reestablish contact.”

After the heartbreaking loss of communication with Odyssey, the control room became a place of quiet desperation. Engineers and scientists worked around the clock, fueled by caffeine and sheer determination, trying every possible method to reestablish contact with the drone.

The first weeks were filled with hope and optimism. Every anomaly detected in the telemetry data was scrutinized, every blip on the radar was investigated. But as days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, hope began to wane.

The team faced mounting pressure from both the public and the media. Questions were raised about the mission’s feasibility and the space agency’s ability to manage such a complex operation. Doubts began to creep in, and morale hit an all-time low.

Inside the control room, the atmosphere was one of quiet determination mixed with a growing sense of despair. Engineers and scientists formed tight-knit groups, working together to solve the seemingly unsolvable puzzle. They refused to give up, even as the odds stacked against them.

Late-night brainstorming sessions became the norm, with team members throwing out wild theories and hypotheses, no matter how improbable. Some suggested that Odyssey might have encountered a cosmic anomaly that temporarily disrupted its systems. Others speculated about the possibility of alien interference or even abduction.

Dr. Amelia Brooks, the mission’s lead scientist, took it upon herself to keep the team motivated. She organized weekly meetings to update everyone on the progress of the recovery efforts and to remind them of the importance of their mission.

“We owe it to ourselves and to humanity to keep trying,” she would say, her voice unwavering despite the fatigue in her eyes. “We’ve come too far to give up now.”

But as the weeks turned into months, the strain began to take its toll. Exhaustion set in, both mentally and physically. Team members started to doubt themselves and each other. Tensions rose, and arguments broke out over the smallest of details.

Despite the challenges, the team persevered. They refused to let their hard work and dedication go to waste. They continued to search for any sign of Odyssey, clinging to the hope that they might one day reestablish contact with their lost drone.

And then, just when they had all but given up hope, a faint signal was detected…

The first images and data sent back by Odyssey were nothing short of extraordinary. The drone’s cameras captured stunning views of alien worlds, strange celestial phenomena, and even what appeared to be evidence of a technologically advanced civilisation.

But then, the screens went dark, and the control room again fell silent. When contact was again suddenly reestablished, the images were even more unsettling.

The interior of an alien facility, a labyrinth of dimly lit corridors, filled with unfamiliar technology that seemed to defy the laws of physics. Strange symbols adorned the walls, their meaning a mystery to the team.

As Odyssey explored further, it encountered the alien creatures. These beings were unlike anything seen before: tall, slender, with skin that seemed to shimmer in different colours. They moved with a grace and purpose that suggested a highly evolved intelligence.

The creatures appeared to be studying Odyssey with a mix of curiosity and caution. They seemed to communicate with each other through a series of clicks and chirps, their language as alien as their appearance.

The drone’s cameras captured these interactions in vivid detail, but the team at Mission Control struggled to make sense of what they were seeing. Were these creatures friendly or hostile? What was their purpose in bringing Odyssey into their facility?

As the data logs were decoded, the cryptic messages added another layer of mystery. “They are not what they seem. Do not follow. Turn back or face extinction.” What had Odyssey stumbled upon? And what did these warnings mean for humanity’s future in the cosmos?

The control team was stunned. What had Odyssey encountered out there? Was this a warning meant for humanity or a message from the drone itself, transformed by whatever it had encountered?

Just when they thought they had seen the most unsettling images, the camera feed from Odyssey took a final, haunting turn. The lens panned to reveal another alien creature, chained and raised off the ground, its eyes locked onto the drone’s camera with an intensity that sent shivers down the spine.

As the creature stared directly into the camera, the screens at Mission Control were suddenly overtaken by a haunting warning displayed in red against a black background: “They are not what they seem. Do not follow. Turn back or face extinction.”

The control room fell into a chilling silence, the message echoing ominously in the minds of everyone present as the red text on black screens changed once more.

“We are not what we seem. Do not follow. Do not return. We are the last of our kind

Richard Wolff: Israel, Ukraine, China, and the End of the American Empire

Is it true that soldiers in Iraq were advised to keep driving their truck even if there were children on the roads because of the possibility of an ambush?

In 2007/2008 I drove in Iraq. Sadr City to be more precise. (look it up!)

When we arrived we get briefings and in those was that exact directive. DO NOT STOP. Don’t stop for cats, people and don’t stop or swerve for dead dogs. So so SO many dead dogs there. They noticed the American affination and respect for dogs and they watched and learned that we would swerve to avoid them.. So they planted the IEDs in the path of the swerve.. Once they figured that we stopped swerving they put the bombs back inside the dead dogs.

You really have to get your own head wrapped around the idea that there may be a situation where you must drive through, into, or over a human being. That’s so counterintuitive to everything you’ve ever been taught. You don’t hit people with vehicles.. But when you are shown the pictures and videos of the outcome of stopping, the reconciliation is easier to make.

Let me make this clear, we had various lights, sirens, horns, lasers and other devices to warn and alert drivers and pedestrians. They had a very long time to be aware that we were there and moving. We didn’t sneak up and then just run into them.. A convoy of vehicles doing 40 or 60 MPH is very noticeable on its own; they knew we were there. If the cars refused to move, they got bumper pushed lightly ONE time. If they didn’t pull over after that, they got the full force of the moving convoy to move them out of the way.

We used to go into smaller villages where children of all ages massed around the vehicles begging for anything. Food, candy, MREs… ANYTHING!

Then they put bombs in the kids backpacks and blew them up when we stopped. So now we had to keep the kids back without shooting them. My idea was slingshots and hard candy. The gunner would shoot a few over their heads. Most would scramble and get the candy. If they kept coming they got a jolly rancher in the forehead. If that didn’t work, the guns were pointed at them.

If we stop, we and our crew are dead. Normal war tactics are not followed by insurgents. They’ll use anything.. Just like criminals, rules and regulations mean nothing.

Is against conventions to use schools hospitals and religions places, they routinely shot at us from their mosques. They routinely lobbed mortars from schools and hospitals. But when we send in a missile to destroy the location, they scream that you attacked a mosque. No bother that 30 military aged males are inside all with weapons…

Sorry, not sorry. You use it for war, it’s a target.

So yes, you do not stop. We began using pointer lasers to move vehicles the green ones worked great usually!

I was fortunate that in over 200 missions I never crashed into cars or people. There were a few extremely close calls, a donkey, three goats and many many dogs sacrificed for our safety. Some of the other drivers were not that lucky. There were many reports of people vs. military vehicles…

36 Years Old. No Friends Just A Career

What is the best case of “You just picked a fight with the wrong person” that you’ve witnessed?

I once witnessed a situation that perfectly fit the phrase, “You just picked a fight with the wrong person.” It happened at a small, cozy coffee shop I used to frequent. One afternoon, a well-dressed, middle-aged man came in and, for some reason, started berating the young barista behind the counter. She was this sweet, quiet girl, always polite and soft-spoken. The man was loud, condescending, and completely out of line, complaining about something trivial like the temperature of his coffee.

As he continued to raise his voice, demanding to speak to the manager, a woman at the back of the shop stood up. She was in her 50s, with a calm but steely demeanor. She walked up to the counter and, in the calmest voice, said, “Excuse me, sir, I’m the owner of this establishment.” The man turned to her, ready to continue his rant, but she didn’t give him a chance. With a firm but controlled tone, she told him that his behavior was unacceptable and that he was no longer welcome in her café.

The man tried to bluster his way out of it, but she was unshakeable. She informed him that she would not tolerate anyone mistreating her staff and that she had no problem calling the police if he didn’t leave immediately. The entire café was watching, and there was this palpable sense of justice in the air. You could see the man’s bravado evaporate as he realized he had underestimated her. He left, muttering under his breath, and the café broke out in applause.

That day, we all saw a quiet, kind barista stand her ground, not because she was aggressive, but because she had the unflinching support of someone who wasn’t afraid to stand up to bullies. It was one of those moments that made you feel proud to have witnessed it, a true case of someone picking a fight with the wrong person.

German “TORNADO” Fighter Jet at Edwards Air Force Base, Flying with B-61 NUCLEAR Trainer

Hal Turner World September 03, 2024

German Fighter At US Base with B61 NBuke Trainer large

A TORNADO fighter jet from Germany, has been photographed outside Edwards Air Force Base in the U.S., carrying a B-61-12 nuclear bomb TRAINER.

These “TRAINERS” mimic the size and weight of such weapons, so pilots can get used to what the plane feels like, and how it maneuvers, when carrying such a bomb.

It is important to point out that when the U.S. approved the transfer by NATO Allies of “Donated” F-16 Fighter Jets to Ukraine, the U.S. DEMANDED that only F-16’s with the necessary modification enabling them to carry the B-61 Nuclear Bomb, would be allowed to be transferred to Ukraine.

Now, we’re letting GERMAN Fighter Pilots train on flying with such nuclear bombs as well.

Why do you think the U.S. is doing these things?

I think it’s because the U.S. intends to strike Russia with nuclear weapons.

Which, it seems to me, also means we will get struck back. Here. Inside the USA.

Just thought you should know what your government is presently working on — in your name and on your behalf.

When Female Narcos Mess With These Brutal Cartels

Shorpy

Turkey Officially Applies to Join BRICS

Hal Turner World September 02, 2024

Turkey has now offically submitted its application to join BRICS, after repeatedly being denied entry into the European Union!!

Even casual observers of matters geo-political, see this as a “Huge deal;.”

If accepted, Turkey would be the first NATO member and EU candidate to join BRICS.

The whole point of BRICS is basically to replace the world’s reliance on the US dollar and “centralized” power.

Turkish President Erdogan’s administration believes “the geopolitical center of gravity is shifting away from developed economies,” according to sources.

The proposal by Turkey will be discussed at the BRICS summit in Russia this October.

HOLY S#!T! NATO IS PREPPING FOR A DECAPITATION STRIKE ON RUSSIA!

Did it happen?

If you know then Russia knows. If that’s true, we’re fucked.

Why did Walter White not prevent Jane Margolis from asphyxiating even though he had half a million dollars?

Walter White’s decision to let Jane Margolis die is one of those moments in Breaking Bad that makes you sit there with your mouth hanging open, thinking, “Did that really just happen?” The guy’s got half a million dollars, sure, but at that moment, money wasn’t the only thing on his mind—far from it.

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Here’s the deal: by the time Jane’s choking on her own vomit, Walter is deep into his “Heisenberg” transformation. He’s not just the mild-mannered chemistry teacher anymore; he’s becoming this ruthless drug kingpin who’s willing to do whatever it takes to protect his empire. And that’s the key—his empire.

Jane had become a major problem. Not only was she enabling Jesse’s drug habit, which was dragging him down, but she was also blackmailing Walt. She knew too much and was pushing Jesse towards some very risky decisions, like taking all that cash and running. Walt saw Jane as a threat to everything he was trying to build, and in that moment, he made a twisted calculation. If he saves her, she and Jesse might take the money and split, or worse, Jane might push Jesse into even more dangerous territory.

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So, he does nothing. He watches her die because, in his mind, it’s the only way to keep control over Jesse and protect his growing empire. It’s a moment that shows just how far gone Walt is—he’s so obsessed with power and control that he’s willing to let an innocent (albeit flawed) person die right in front of him. The money? It doesn’t mean jack if he’s not in control.

Walt’s decision is one of those dark, defining moments in the series where you realize just how much of his soul he’s sold in this pursuit of power. It’s cold, it’s heartless, and it’s pure Heisenberg.

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What happened in a hotel while you were on vacation that you will never forget?

When my husband and I first started out, we went to a sleepy beach town called Hua Hin. We had very little then; so little, in fact, we couldn’t afford to stay overnight.

We took a long walk on the beach and came upon the then Railway Hotel, a grand lady with sculptured gardens, a lovely beach and days-gone-by charm. We were enchanted and in awe.

We promised that when we were better off, we would stay here, if only for a night.

It was quite a few years before we made that promise come true. When we finally stayed there, it was all we could have hoped for and more. We had the perfect room, with both the garden and beach in view and a lovely old tree that shaded the balcony.

We went three times after that, each time reserving the same room, even if we had to change our dates.

The fourth time was the last.

When we arrived, we were told by a very uppity, young French assistant manager that we couldn’t have our reserved room. We insisted, but he was rudely adamant. He made it clear we were not equal to the hotel.

He was ‘in charge’, the manager not available or perhaps he refused to call him.

He sent us to a room that actually fronted on the staff bathrooms. We refused, with the receptionist and bellboy clearly upset with our treatment by the Frenchman. They told us that he was often obnoxious with Thai guests whom he felt were not rich.

The next room we were given was near our requested room but had not been cleaned well. The assistant manager was now clearly angry with US when we appeared, yet again, at reception.

We had had enough. Our trips to this hotel were special, and this poor excuse for a manager had spoiled it.

I used the receptionist’s phone to call the management team in Bangkok (who had made our arrangements), gave our gold membership card number and reported what had happened and what the Thai staff had told me.

Less than a minute after I hung up, his phone rang. His attitude changed, he stammered and paled.

Our room was put in order quickly, and we were given vouchers for two luxury dinners, which we didn’t use. We had no desire to have French food after having wasted almost half a day.

We haven’t been back in fifteen years or so.

Perhaps one day….

BLACK GIRLS REACT TO JOURNEY – FAITHFULLY “REACTION” (Blown away)

What did a flight attendant do that made you go “you gotta be kidding me”?

For years before we got married, I’d visit my future husband about 6 times a year. I’d fly from Canada to California to see him. I’d take my seat in economy and invariably a flight attendant would approach me before takeoff and ask, “are you flying alone?” I would answer that I was and they’d tell me to come with them and lead me to a business class seat. I assumed I was just lucky.

On future flights I was pulled out of line and whisked through customs. As I was going through a private security screening, I was told by a customs agent that I’d be sitting in business class. I told him that this happens to me in one way or another every time I flew and I didn’t understand why. He told me that my fiancé arranges this for me as this was the only explanation. He seemed to know who I was engaged to. He further told me that my fiancé was a very modest man and would never do this for himself but he must love me a lot to do it for me. I had no idea he was behind this. BUT…

While I waited to board the plane, I called my fiancé and asked him why he’d never told me that he arranges for me to sit in business class. He denied any knowledge of this and said he’d have told me if it was him. It wasn’t him. I have no idea why this happened for years. He’s not famous, I’m not famous and I have no connection to the airlines whatsoever. I don’t even dress well when I fly. Every time it happens, I think “you gotta be kidding me”.

“This Is The Greatest Lie Ever Told” – How Elites & Baby Boomers Collapsed America

Good video. He’s a bit too irritating, but his explanation, while soft, is pretty good. He talks about various historical cycles.

"You can correlate inflation with social collapse."

Which Japanese habit do you consider exceptional?

I live in Japan and, from time to time, I invite some friends over for dinner. It must be said, first of all, that this is not something Japanese people usually do. They don’t typically invite people to dine at their homes but rather at a restaurant.

So it’s even more significant that every time, automatically, around 11 p.m., someone says, “Shall we go home?” Everyone agrees, and one person starts washing the dishes, another sweeps the floor, a third separates steel cans from aluminum ones, as required by the current regulations, etc.

In fifteen minutes, the house is cleaner than it was when they arrived. This, in my opinion, illustrates one of the most extraordinary sides of an admirable people. In the over forty years I’ve spent in this country, I’ve never seen anyone leave my house without cleaning. Never.

Here are two of my guests, two elderly deaf women with whom I study sign language, washing the dishes at my house the last time I invited them to dinner.

The habit I want to talk about is their concern for others, which they manifests in a thousand other ways.

Suppose, for example, that you show an interest in bats. Soon, you’ll start receiving newspaper clippings about bats, emails with links to articles, photos, souvenirs, and anything else they can find. Asking is not necessary.

You get a present? Somebody tomorrow will ask you if you remembered to call and thank the author of the gift.

A fresh example from today: Last week, I talked about synesthesia (a sensation that causes another sensation in a different sense, such as a note that causes the perception of a particular smell) to the woman with the striped sweater. This morning, a got paper mail from her.

It wasa newspaper clipping about the synesthesia of French poet Arthur Rimbaud. Here they are.

This is what Japanese people are like (if you speak Japanese). They often give each other gifts like this. These are very small and unexpected gifts, which makes them even more appreciated. Usually, it’s a sweet. It must be small and inexpensive so as not to trigger a chain of increasingly valuable reciprocal gifts (o gaeshi, mandatory presents hated by all).

That’s why there are so many sweets on the market priced between one and three bucks. These are the legendary Kurumikko, joy and pride of Kamakura, the small town where I live.

Their physical appearance is always very carefully considered. Part of the gift is finding something particularly beautiful, particularly interesting, but not particularly expensive, and, above all, chosen specifically for the recipient.

All this creates a very special atmosphere, soft and pervasive, of human warmth that I have never experienced with non-Japanese.

I teach Italian, and one of the rituals that has spontaneously developed is this exchange of gifts. This activity takes up the first five minutes of each lesson, and every time, I am amazed by what they manage to bring, spending just a few modest coins.

It goes without saying that I often forget, but no one seems to mind. The little gifts keep coming anyway.

It’s not so much that, because I’m a foreigner, I’m considered a boor who needs to be excused, but rather that they know it’s just inattentiveness, nothing more.

In other words, my individuality is taken into account, which doesn’t align with one of the many prejudices that circulate about them.

One of the them confirmed to me that she really enjoys giving gifts because they speak for her. As a good Japanese, she feels inept with words. The small gifts say what she cannot.

The box of sweets you see in the photo costs about six dollars and contains ten excellent sweets. It’s enough for several meetings over a week or two. Notice, as I mentioned, the very careful design in a low-priced product.

Can gun owners give a scenario to prove without guns, the American government will destroy your lives?

Easy.

The sleepy town of Athens, Tennessee, erupted in unexpected violence on August 1, 1946, in what would become known as the Battle of Athens. This wasn’t a Civil War skirmish or a Revolutionary War clash, but a rebellion by local citizens, many of them World War II veterans, against corrupt government officials.

For years, McMinn County had been under the thumb of Sheriff Pat Mansfield and his boss, state Senator Paul Cantrell. They ruled with an iron fist, using intimidation, violence, and outright vote fraud to maintain their grip on power. The veterans, fresh from fighting for democracy abroad, refused to tolerate it any longer.

When suspicions arose about the recent election being rigged, the veterans, organized as the GI Non-Partisan League, marched on the courthouse to demand a recount. The standoff escalated quickly, with gunfire erupting and dynamite blasting through the jailhouse doors. The ensuing battle raged for hours, leaving two dozen wounded but miraculously no deaths.

In the aftermath, the Cantrell-Mansfield regime crumbled. The veterans’ candidates were sworn into office, and a wave of similar uprisings swept across Tennessee. While the Battle of Athens remains a controversial event, it stands as a testament to the power of armed citizen action in the face of injustice.

Russian Missile Hits in Poltava Wipe-Out 700+ Troops/Mercs/NATO Advisors

Hal Turner World September 03, 2024

A missile strike by Russia against a target in Ukraine has wiped-out 700 Ukrainian military troops, Western-provided Mercenaries, and NATO Military Advisors, in what many are saying is the single most deadly attack of the almost 3 year war.

The photo above, taken well before the attack, shows many of those now dead from the attack.

The Russian army attacked the training center for specialists in the field of communications and electronic warfare of the Ukrainian Armed Forces taught by NATO tutors in Poltava.

Russia hit the training building first, then about ten minutes later, hit the nearby cafeteria. The one-two punch devastated Ukraine and its NATO Advisors, most of whom were from Sweden!

Western media outlets are reporting this strike, and downplaying the death/injury toll to “50.”

Ukraine is trying to claim the structure that was hit was a “Hospital” but no one believes Ukrainian propaganda anymore.

One thing is undisputed: This was, perhaps, the single most deadly attack in the entire 3 year conflict.

NATO and Western Mercenaries were hit ferociously hard. It’s what happens when you’re on the wrong side.

UPDATE:

NOW BEING TOLD 190 Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers killed and more than 600 wounded as a result of an Iskander strike in Poltava, Ukrainian media is reporting.

Ukraine – Russian Missile Strike Hits Swedish Instructors

A Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian Military Institute of Communications in Poltava has at least killed 41 and wounded two hundreds. Other sources claim higher numbers.

Poltava is about 120 kilometer from the Russian border. The warning times after the missile launch was allegedly too short for everyone to reach the bunkers.

The Institute of Communications is training radio and radar operators. Its main multi-story building has been completely destroyed.

Britta Ellwanger, a (former?) Swedish volunteer with the Ukrainian army wrote that Swedish friends of hers, also volunteering with the Ukrainian army, were among those who died in the strike.

Sweden had promised to gift two Swedish AWACS planes to Ukraine:

Sweden has announced sending its Saab 340B AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning and Control) aircraft to Kyiv, as per an announcement made by its defense ministry on May 29, 2024.

Given the nature of the Institute of Communications in Poltava it is likely that the Swedes were training Ukrainian operators for those.

One wonders why the training was not held elsewhere.

The Swedes should have remembered the history of that city:

The Battle of Poltava[e] (8 July 1709) was the decisive and largest battle of the Great Northern War. The Russian army under the command of Tsar Peter I defeated the Swedish army under the command of Carl Gustaf Rehnskiöld. The battle put an end to the status of the Swedish Empire as a European great power, as well as its eastbound expansion, and marked the beginning of Russian supremacy in eastern Europe.

Swedish and NATO attempts to change that status of Russia in eastern Europe more than 300 years after it had been achieved has ended in failure.

Posted by b at 14:51 UTC | Comments (255)

American Military Secrets

Then we’ll start sending the 39-year-old “junk”. We have ass tons of that too. To say nothing of the 38 year old pile right next to it. The US alone spent the better part of the last 70 years hoarding equipment all over planet earth like a rabid squirrel in anticipation of WWIII. The kind of squirrel other squirrels look at and say “dude you have a problem we’re going to put you on hoarders if you don’t knock it off”. You severely underestimate just how much shit NATO has put away for a rainy day. Artillery shells and rockets are one thing they get used up pretty dam fast but production is already spinning up to fix that problem. As far as tanks, apc’s, aircraft, etc etc lol I wouldn’t pin your hopes on even the old shit running out before Russia bleeds dry Ivan.

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By all means though keep helping us clean out our garage lol.

If some people would bother reading past the headlines or get their news from actual reputable sources this wouldn’t have to be explained but:

We are not giving Ukraine $75billion dollars or whatever the current number is people are complaining about usually in some form of “we’re giving Ukraine XX billion dollars and people need help here”! We are not handing Ukraine that amount of money or spending that amount it is just the DOLLAR VALUE OF THE EQUIPMENT being given to them. Equipment that was paid for likely years before some of these people were ever born and has been sitting there for decades. It is not costing that amount of money to give it to them save for whatever it costs to bring the stuff back into working order, nor are we handing them that amount of money it’s simply just how much the stuff cost when we procured it decades ago. That money was spent in the 70’s and 80’s it has no bearing on anything happening now.

What is the best case of “You just picked a fight with the wrong person” that you’ve witnessed?

I heard this story from my uncle.

In 1969 a friend of his — a Vietnam tunnel rat on his second deployment — was home in Denver on leave from Vietnam. He was a Chicano about 5′ 4″ and 140 lbs, about the size of most tunnel rats.

FYI: Tunnel rats crawl into enemy caves, bunkers, and tunnels with just a pistol, a knife, and a flashlight and fight to the death in hand-to-hand combat with whoever is in there.

My uncle was giving him a ride to Fort Carson later that day so he could go back to the war, so him and my uncle went to a strip bar about 11 AM to have a few drinks. They had the best table in the bar, right in front of the dance floor. The tunnel rat was proudly wearing his uniform, ribbons and all.

My uncle went to the john to take a piss, and right then three big guys in cowboy hats and jeans came into the bar. They walked up to the tunnel rat who was sitting at the best table enjoying the show, and one of them told him to “get the f*#k out of our spot, you f*#king Mexican!” Then he punched the soldier in the head. BIG mistake!!

My uncle came out of the pisser right then, just in time to see the tunnel rat smash his beer mug across that guys face and proceed to beat the living shit out of all three of them, bouncing them across the bar room with fists, elbows, and kicks.

They were really busted up — some teeth on the floor, all three of them unconscious and bleeding. It all happened fast.

The Sheriffs showed up a few minutes later, looked at the mess, and asked the bartender what happened. He told them the truth, how the cowboys came in and attacked that soldier and got the shit beat out of them. The ambulances showed up then and started loading up the busted cowboys.

One of the Sheriffs questioned the soldier and found out he was a tunnel rat who was deploying back to Vietnam later that day. He looked at the bloody cowboys and chuckled, took statements from witnesses, and let the soldier go so he could get back to Fort Carson on time.

Just goes to show you — it’s not who is the biggest, but who deals the deadly blow first that wins the fight.

The Collapse of America & Everything Wrong With Society Today (+ A Hopeful Way Forward) | Ray Dalio

Here are twenty-five breakfast-themed jokes:

1. Why did the egg hide?
It was a little chicken!

2. What does a thesaurus eat for breakfast?
Synonym rolls!

3. Why don’t pancakes tell secrets?
Because they might get flipped!

4. What do you call a fake noodle?
An impasta—wait, that’s dinner!

5. How does a cereal make a decision?
It weighs the pros and cons.

6. Why did the banana go to the doctor?
It wasn’t peeling well.

7. What’s a vampire’s favorite breakfast?
Coffin!

8. Why was the baker in a bad mood?
He was in a crumby situation!

9. What does a ghost eat for breakfast?
Boo-berries!

10. How do you fix a broken pancake?
With a little batter!

11. What do you call a sleeping bag for toast?
A breadspread!

12. Why did the toast break up with the butter?
It couldn’t handle the spread.

13. What’s a pirate’s favorite breakfast?
Captain Crunch!

14. Why did the orange stop?
It ran out of juice!

15. What did the bacon say to the tomato?
Lettuce get together!

16. Why was the cereal so excited?
It was a bowl of fun!

17. What does a snowman eat for breakfast?
Frosted Flakes!

18. Why did the coffee file a police report?
It got mugged!

19. How does a French toast greet a friend?
Bonjour, butter!

20. Why did the yogurt go to art school?
It wanted to be cultured!

21. What’s a math teacher’s favorite breakfast?
A square meal!

22. Why did the waffle go to the doctor?
It felt crumby!

23. What did the egg say to the frying pan?
You crack me up!

24. Why did the donut visit the dentist?
It needed a filling!

25. What do eggs do for fun?
They shell-ebrate!

Are the Chinese better at capitalism than the West?

According to the OED, capitalism is “an economic and political system in which a country’s trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit”.

So, capitalism equals private enterprise.

But I struggle with the invisible hand thesis of efficient markets. Yes, Adam smith’s “wealth of nations” is required reading in economics, but having been immersed in the business of profit, it doesn’t make sense to me.

A successful economy does not spring up organically. Neither do markets self-organize into optimal, efficient equilibria. As far as I can tell, the invisible hand applies only to prices, but it requires the presence of robust price discovery mechanisms, which entails complex issues of governance in law and administration.

No capitalist nation is truly capitalist. The UK’s NIH has nationalized healthcare. The Norwegians nationalized oil. The French still maintain colonies. All nations provide public education. The BOJ and Fed intervene directly in capital markets. Sovereign wealth funds have market-swaying powers. The US massively subsidizes farming and more recently, chipmaking.

And so on.

The term capitalism is overabused that it has become devoid of meaning, just like democracy.

What is “better at capitalism”? The absolute share of private enterprise in the economy? Private enterprise can be co-opted (or rather, directed) for government purposes. Cue elon’s starlink as a key enabler of NATO’s military campaign in Ukraine. Or American social media’s complicit role in Palantir’s “death by algorithm” program of automated drone assasinations.

What is “better at capitalism”? Hothousing the most profitable companies? There’s no fighting the Americans, who lead in valuation. But how much is enough?

What is “better at capitalism”? Ascending the capitalist throne as the “greediest SOB that ever lived”?

I don’t know. You tell me.

China just wants to improve its delivered baseline decade on decade. Whether it is market- or state-driven doesn’t matter, because the cat that catches mice is a good cat, whether it is black, or white.

Americans Are Priced Out Of Home Ownership, Marriage And Kids

Space Burns

Stevie Aldrich

“CONKLIN!” Havaderr wailed. His face was the brightest red and steaming with heat. The veins in his neck throbbed noticeably, but he waited as still as he could for Conklin to answer. A buzz came in over the intercom above Havaderr’s head.

“Hey, was that you shouting, Havaderr?” Conklin’s voice crackled with static and attitude. Havaderr shut his eyes and repeated his Zen mantra in his head.

“Havaderr? What’s your problem?”

Havaderr’s eyes opened, and in the most even tone he could manage; he said his mantra out loud.

“I am calm. I am calm. I can overcome this. I am strong. I am strong. I can overcome anything.” Havaderr spoke through gritted teeth, spittle flying across the room as he focused on keeping his anger inside rather than shouting and blowing the place up with Conklin inside.

“Hey guy, are you going to answer me or what?” Conklin’s voice implied his own rising impatience. Havaderr moved to the button on the wall nearest him to respond.

“Yes, Conklin, I was shouting,” Havaderr said as evenly as his rage would allow. “Get your ass to 4A NOW!” As he trailed off, he clenched his teeth together so hard he felt a grinding that might as well have been a tooth chipping. Before Conklin’s reply came, Havaderr heard an irritated sigh over the intercom.

“Yeah, be right ther-.” Conklin barely finished his sentence before releasing the button, cutting himself off at the end.

Moments later, a door slid open down the hall, several yards away from Havaderr. Conklin came into the hall, looking both ways before spotting Havaderr.

“What the hell, why are you shouting and-“ Havaderr cut Conklin off with a finger to his mouth to silence him.

“I’m going to show you something in this room behind me, and it’s best if your mouth is shut when I do.” Havaderr’s voice wavered, he was still trying to control his anger. Conklin looked confused as ever but kept his mouth shut. With a worried expression, Conklin followed Havaderr to another door. Havaderr stood aside and opened the door for Conklin to enter alone. Conklin stood in the doorway staring, then Havaderr shoved him wholly into the room from behind and closed the door.

“Havaderr, what’s going on? What the fu-ahhhh!” The intercom inside the restroom was unnecessary, but Havaderr appreciated it right now. He would have heard Conklin screaming from quite a distance, but hearing Conklin’s disgust and horror in surround sound was more pleasing. A slice of anger slid off his shoulders and a small smile appeared on his face.

The door rattled, clearly Conklin on the other side trying to burst through, but Havaderr held the lock button, keeping Conklin trapped inside.

“What kind of game is this Havaderr? Let me out, for Christ’s sake!” Conklin was panicking, releasing more anger from Havaderr’s shoulders and filling his belly with laughter.

“This is no game, friend. This is you coming face to face with your own incompetence,” Havaderr said over the intercom, still smiling.

“Havaderr! Let me out of here!” Conklin screamed and started ramming the door again.

“I don’t think so, Conklin. If you look to the left of the door, I’ve been kind enough to set you up with plenty of cleaning supplies for the job, which is a lot more than you did for me. I’d suggest you start tackling that shit before it starts tackling you.” Havaderr exploded with laughter, letting go of the intercom and floating backward as he held onto his stomach. He laughed so hard he couldn’t breathe. Conklin kept banging on the door and pleading to be released, but Havaderr couldn’t hear anything over the roar of his own hysteria.

Curled up in fetal position, floating in the hallway, Havaderr worked himself out of his fits of laughter. He wiped the joyful tears from his eyes and started breathing normally again. He moved back to the intercom.

“Look mate, this restroom was in your sector to clean. Obviously, you did a piss poor job,” Havaderr grabbed his side, holding the laughter in after such a quality pun. “I told you, cleaning the restrooms would be the most important job, because if it isn’t done right, this happens. Floating excrement!” Conklin didn’t say anything, but Havaderr heard him kick or punch the door.

“I’ll take your silence as admitting you did a sloppy job the first time. You know, I needed to do some business, and I walk into the restroom greeted with a turd to the face, which I’m assuming belonged to you, so I have no sympathy for you right now. Clean the damn restroom like you were supposed to, and I’ll let you out.” Havaderr waited for a response. He was eager to shower off the stench and stain of human waste from himself before finishing his day.

“Yeah, alright,” Conklin said over the intercom, sounding defeated and guilty. Havaderr nodded his head and left Conklin to figure out how to clean a restroom with feces floating freely throughout.

“Like I said, not a drop of sympathy for you. Do it right the first time, and we won’t run into stupid problems like that,” Havaderr said coolly, scrubbing at the built-up muck in the corners of the glass.

Conklin was still cranky from cleaning the restroom the day before, and he meant to let Havaderr know just how little he appreciated the tactless way he was pushed into the situation without warning.

“Chin up, Conklin. We have one more day before our shift is over, and we can get the hell off this floating heap of death,” Havaderr motioned toward the clear chambers that housed the comatose bodies of several crew members, one of which whose glass he was scrubbing.

“Remind me, what’s up with these bodies? They’re dead, yeah?” Conklin asked.

“No, they’re alive, they’re the crew, dumbass,” Havaderr grunted at Conklin. He looked over to see Conklin hovering around the main dashboard, not a rag or mop near him. “And I wouldn’t mind if you got to work while you asked your questions,” he barked. Conklin jumped and reached for a rag tucked into a closed bucket tethered nearby. He started mindlessly wiping at the dashboard without paying close attention.

“Okay, but how come they’re asleep?” Conklin asked. Havaderr sighed as he paused and rolled his eyes.

“Do I look like the Captain of this ship? All I know is, this crew is traveling some number of lightyears, so the ship has been programed for regular stops near inhabited planets for maintenance and cleaning. We drew the short straw, so we get to hop from the ship we were on previously, to this one, and then another one before heading back home. Nobody else was this far out into deep space to do the job, so we get a long shift before our break. At least they’re paying us over time, eh?” Havaderr smiled at the thought of a paycheck double its usual amount. He looked in on the half-naked man inside the tube he was cleaning, tapping on the glass with his knuckle and laughing at how strange the sight was.

Air escaped the edges of the door, and it hissed loudly. The smile fell from Havaderr’s face as he scanned the chamber looking for an explanation. The door swung open and the half-naked man floated out as if to follow. Thankfully, he was attached to a few tubes that kept him reigned in and asleep, but the color left Havaderr’s face once he realized that would only last for so long.

Havaderr turned to Conklin, who looked just as confused.

“He just-just-he-“ Havaderr stuttered, unable to decide what he was trying to say. The man’s feet flew upward so his back was parallel to the floor and his right side dipped down. Slowly, he started to spin, so he was upside down. All the while, Havaderr and Conklin stared without any clue how to fix it.

“Did you touch something?” Havaderr shouted at Conklin, who shook his head wordlessly.

“I didn’t touch anything!” Havaderr went back to staring at the half-naked man, perplexed. After a minute, Havaderr decided they couldn’t leave the man like that.

“Get over here and help me with this!” He yelled at Conklin. Still silent, Conklin moved toward Havaderr and the unconscious man. Havaderr and Conklin wore their gravity belts at 85% power to keep from floating off like the man from the tube, but it allowed them a bit more mobility too. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any extras to strap to the man, so he continued to spin and flip through the air.

One of the wires connecting the man to his casket snapped, leaving only one left to keep him from flying down the corridor and into every other part of the ship. Havaderr and Conklin shared a look of fear but said nothing.

Havaderr grabbed the man’s knees and tried to pull them down so the man was right side up, but as he pulled, the man’s whole body moved toward Havaderr. Conklin remained motionless, watching the unconscious body float into Havaderr. Havaderr struggled and groped, trying his very best to wrangle the helpless man, but even his best efforts left him with the man’s body bumping into him clumsily. He accidentally grabbed the man’s buttocks, and the man’s armpit swung around and slapped him in the face. All in all, it reminded Conklin of two young people at their first school dance, trying not to step on each other.

Conklin covered the smile on his face, but the more Havaderr fought with the floating man and lost, the more the urge to laugh rose in his belly. When the man launched a foot directly into Havaderr’s eye, Conklin lost it. With one hand on the man’s shoulder and his other arm wrapped around the man’s torso, Havaderr stopped to see what was so funny to Conklin. He didn’t have to ask; he knew how he looked.

“Would you knock it off and help me! I don’t know what we disconnected, but that could be vital to this man’s life!” Havaderr tried to repeat his mantra in his head, but he couldn’t hear anything over Conklin’s laughter. Havaderr grumbled as he kept spinning the man back into position, with no help from Conklin, who was tumbling in circles on the other side of the room.

Finally, Havaderr got the man into his up-right position and back into the tube. As best as he could, he reattached the disconnected wires, but he couldn’t pull the door shut.

“Conklin! Find the button to close this door, hurry, before he tries to escape again!” Havaderr pleaded.

Conklin straightened up and moved to the dashboard he had been cleaning. On the first try, he hit a button, and the door closed, sealing itself. Havaderr wiped the sweat from his brow and looked at Conklin, a little puzzled. Conklin’s laughter died down, but when he saw Havaderr near collapse and panting, his laughter boiled over.

“What is wrong with you? Were you too busy finding this hilarious to help me save that man’s life?” Havaderr demanded, huffing and puffing.

“Calm down, he’s fine,” Conklin squeaked. “The buttons are clearly labeled on the dash here, see?” Conklin pointed to the dashboard. Havaderr saw buttons marked to open doors, close doors, start specific mechanisms, stop the same mechanisms, and a bunch of other things Havaderr didn’t understand. What he did think he understood, was how the door opened in the first place.

“Did you open his door on me?” Havaderr asked Conklin, the anger rising again.

“Yeah, mate, you should have seen the look on your face!” Conklin rolled over laughing.

“You idiot! You could have killed the man, we could be fired, what the hell is wrong with you?” Havaderr bellowed.

“Relax Havaderr, you’ll give yourself a stroke!” Conklin pulled himself together for a second, setting his feet back on the floor and pointing to the dashboard again.

“This here, that indicates their vital signs. You can see they’re all perfectly healthy, no harm done,” Conklin said matter-of-factly. Havaderr was flustered. He could only trust Conklin’s word, he had no idea what any of the lights or buttons meant on the dash.

“You couldn’t have known it would be okay, though. What if the tube that detached from his arm was something that kept him alive?” Havaderr exclaimed. Conklin rolled his eyes, irritated that Havaderr wasn’t figuring it out as easily as he was.

“All that tube did was give him pleasant dreams; it wasn’t important. He’ll live, and nobody need ever know you almost killed a man,” Conklin started to giggle again. Havaderr’s face turned tomato red and he clenched his fist, trying to fight the overwhelming desire to punch Conklin in the face.

“You did this on purpose?” Havaderr said, strained.

“Well, maybe don’t lock me in a room with floating shit again, and we’ll be fine,” Conklin smiled, feeling pleased with himself.

HAL-2315

Submitted into Contest #247 in response to: Set your story on a spaceship exploring the far reaches of space when something goes wrong.… view prompt

Mel Kennedy

This story contains themes or mentions of physical violence, gore, or abuse.

Prepare to enter hyperspeed.Thump. Thump. Thump.My heart races faster and faster as the computer completes its final calculations.Countdown.Five. Four. Three. Two. One.Hyperspeed activated.Between one breath and the next, I am travelling faster than the speed of light. I can’t help the yell of pure exhilaration as I shoot by stars and planets.This is the furthest anyone has been into this sector – I’m off the known map of the galaxy, so many years from home.Hyperspeed deactivated – you have reached your destination.

“We’re here, we actually made it.” I sit back and sigh in relief, staring out at the sea of endless stars around me.

They called me a fool for trying to get out this far, but here I am.

“EVA, status report.”

All systems nominal – scanning exterior. Area clear. Sector unknown. Rechart route, Commander?

“No, cancel the reroute. I want to explore.”

Is this…wise?

I frown at the computer screen in front of me.

“Where’s your sense of adventure, EVA? The Voyager has gone beyond the boundaries of known space. I’ve waited years for this. We might be able to find a place to call home again.”

Might I suggest sending your current coordinates back to the Space Port?

“Fine, if you have to.”

I take the controls and direct us towards a galaxy system, flicking on my eye scanners to record the entire experience. I float between dust and atoms, the light of a million stars, already fading from where I watched them as a child.

This is similar to the system near your home planet.

“I know.” I glance down at the hologram beside the controls, a memory captured of me and Dad before…everything.

You couldn’t save them all, Commander.

I push my melancholy away and turn the Voyager towards the twin suns.

“Tell me about those.”

They are more than capable of sustaining life for millions of years if the planets are hospitable. You could be the founder of an entirely new system.

“You’re right, take some scans of any planets in the quadrant. We might be able to land on one and explore.”

Company guidelines state that I cannot allow you to land the Voyager on any planet. You must have Level 5 clearance and above.

“Ever the stickler for rules, eh?”

The rules are designed for the preservation of human life, even yours. There is no reason to put your life at risk just because you feel-

“Start the scan, EVA.”

I think talking about this could be beneficial for your recovery, Commander-

“I gave you a direct order, EVA.”

Starting scan.

I sit back in the seat and stare up into the endless space,

“And don’t call me Commander..”

Your rank and title-

“Is no longer valid. Do the scan.”

I begin whistling a song my father used to tell me about, an old Earth song about sending something out of space.

It is here, out in the endless void, that I feel my father’s absence more than ever.

Scan complete. There are three inhabitable planets in this quadrant.

“Three? You’re sure?”

Positive, Commander. Two are out of the Voyager’s range with our current power capacity, one will take several hours to reach, even with several hyperspace jumps at hour intervals. It will make returning to the Space Port difficult. We may require a rescue from the nearest inhabited solar system on our return.

“Can we go closer? To get a better scan to report back?”

I see no danger in this as long as we report back to the Port before each jump and finish within six hours.

“Good, set the estimated coordinates and begin making a log for the journey.”

Confirmed. Estimates set. Log recording.

“Begin jump in-” I pause. There’s something behind a meteor.

Something impossible.

“EVA, it’s a starship. Scan to confirm.”

Scan complete. Confirmed starship – Callsign HAL-2315. It is setting off a distress beacon.

“How did it even get out here? Let me hear the message.”

An unearthly sound comes over the intercom, unbearably high-pitched.

“EVA, TURN IT OFF!”

My apologies, Commander. Allow me to try and break down the noise.

My mind is racing – there is no way a ship could be all the way out here.

Commander, I have reduced the noise. Shall I play the message again?

“Yes.”

As the noise pours through the intercom, the hairs on the back of my arms begin to rise.

“Help…something….evacuation….away…crew…save…”

It cuts off abruptly.

“Is that all? When was it sent?”

Yes, it was sent out 30 days ago.

“Have you heard of that ship? The HAL-2315?”

I have never heard of a ship with that name, Commander.

My jaw drops.

“You have a database of every known ship in existence, there’s no way you don’t…”

We need to leave the quadrant.

“What? EVA, we’re looking at a ship in an uncharted quadrant of space with a 30-day distress beacon. We need to call in security and get help for anyone on that ship if they’re still alive.”

I am starting a hyperjump back to Space Port immediately.

“EVA, what-”

A shadow falls over my window, the light from the twin suns immediately extinguished.

I look up, the ship is looming directly in front of me. The name leaps out at me – HAL-2315.

“EVA, how did it get here so fast?” I whisper, feeling my fear grow. Something is wrong with that ship. Every instinct in me is screaming to run.

No reply.

I look down at the screen. Six hours have passed.

“EVA? EVA, respond!”

Nothing. Dead silence.

“Impossible. The emergency system should have kicked in.”

I begin flicking buttons desperately, but it’s no use.

“EVA! Damn it, answer me!”

I begin the emergency battery procedure, hoping there is enough power to jump back to a known quadrant and send out a distress signal.

A voice rings out from the other ship over the intercom,

Ship in orbit. Preparing to dock. Gravitational pull, activated. Please clear the area.

“No. Abort.”

The controls refuse to obey as I try and set a course for anywhere but the ship in front of me. I don’t know what the hell is going on right now, but I know one thing for certain.

Something is terribly wrong here.

The Voyager attaches to the other ship and loses all emergency power, including life support systems.

Welcome to HAL-2315.

A door opens to the immediate left.

I shout in surprise, but there’s no one there. It must be an automatic system.

Every instinct tells me not to board that ship…but what choice do I have? If I stay here, I’ll surely die.

I find my plugsuit and attach a communications bracelet; even if EVA isn’t active, I can only hope it will continue the log or patch my coordinates through.

As I step inside the starship, my hand lowers to the mandatory issue space gun.

The door closes with a resounding hiss, sealing me inside.

The corridors are far below zero, making me grateful for the heated system inside the plugsuit. Only the emergency lights are still active, and even those are flickering. This ship has been out of power for far longer than 30 days.

Did it lose time too?

My footsteps echo off the walls as I try to find some sign of life. I daren’t call out – this is the most afraid I have ever felt.

I walk for what feels like hours until I see a map of the ship beside a stairwell.

There seems to be a storage room not far from here – and protocol states that a ship has to carry emergency power packs, enough to power a small vessel like the Voyager.

I shine my helmet light up in the stairwell, but the floor above is pitch black.

As I lower my head, I notice a stain on the wall and reach out to touch it-

A breath down the back of my neck.

I spin suddenly, aiming the gun.

No one. Nothing.

I’m too paranoid, I have to get out of here.

I look at the stain and realise it’s just some oil. What did I really expect to see?

A tiny voice whispers the answer in my head, but I refuse to listen.

I find the storage room after what feels like another age of walking, but still no sign of life at all.

It’s coded. Of course, it is. I could search the ship for the code, but there’s a chance I’d never find it in a place this big.

I set the silencer on my gun and fire directly into the keypad.

No alarms. This ship truly is running out of power – it must all be directed to life support. How did a vessel like this even get out here?

I drag the door open and there they are, four packs of fuel, enough to get me out of here. I feel calmer now, maybe there’s a control panel I can use to upload the ship’s log to find the answers and report back at Space Port-

I notice it then.

Silence.

Too silent. The silence of anticipation.

There is someone outside the door.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

My heart is beating too fast as I raise my shaking hands.

“Hello?”

Nothing. No sounds of life.

There is something there.

The corridor is empty, but there are eyes on my back.

The voice in my head is screaming,

Run. Run. Run.

I begin to run back the way I came, no longer caring for silence.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

It’s growing louder, I’m running directly towards whatever the hell it-

A body drops to the floor, dripping with blood.

The unseeing eyes stare up at me, the mouth stretched into a wide, inhuman smile.

I scream, scrambling away from the mess.

I bump into a half-open door and a person leaps out, pinning me to the floor. Only it’s not a person, it’s another body…and oh God, I’m stuck on this ship with whatever is in here with no way to call for help.

My adrenaline kicks in as I push the body away, fighting for breath.

I’m running, the battery packs slapping against my thigh as I race through the corridors.

I slip on the final corner in a pool of blood.

It’s still warm.

How is it still warm?

I don’t look at the faces as I run by, I can’t.

What is this place? What have I found?

The door is right there, it’s opening, I can see the Voyager already opening its doors, EVA blaring out warnings and emergency lights flashing. I don’t question how it’s operational again as I step over the threshold-

Two arms come around my waist and haul me to a jarring stop.

For a moment, I am floating there, suspended.

It seems so peaceful.

Then I am back inside.

The door is closing, and the Voyager is back online sending a distress signal.

But it’s too late.

The door seals.

I feel a smile on the face behind me as it hauls me back into horror.

This can’t be real; this can’t be how it ends.

I have to wake up now, right?

I want to wake up now.

It says something, the last words I understand in this nightmare.

“Hello there.”

What are some interesting yet little known facts about astronauts and their life in space?

The astronauts of Apollo 11 could not get life insurance. They signed their photographs so that their family could get money after selling them.
The term “astronaut” is derived from Greek words “astro”, which means star, and “naut” which means “sailor”.
To be an astronaut, you have to be taller than 5’2” and shorter than 6’3”.
Astronauts on the International Space Stations witness 15 sunrises and 15 sunsets a day.
Many shooting stars that you see are actually astronaut poop burning up on its way down the atmosphere.
Astronauts can vote from space and their address is listed as “low-Earth” orbit in absentee ballots.
The International space station travels at 7.66 kilometres per second and can be seen from 6,700 locations on the Earth.
As per astronauts, space smells like “smeared steak” and tastes like “raspberries”.
Astronauts can lose up to 22% of their blood while in space, due to microgravity.
Neal Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, the first astronauts to land on the moon, had bacon cubes as part of their first meal on the moon. The full meal included four bacon cubes, three sugar cookies, peaches, pineapple-grapefruit drink, and coffee.
Valentina Vladímirovna Tereshkova was the first female astronaut in history and completed 48 orbits around the Earth in her three days of mission in space.

Astronaut Alan Shepard (crew member of Apollo 14) played golf on the moon’s surface. On his third strike attempt, he sent the ball so far away that its whereabouts are unknown.

After long periods of time traveling through space, an astronaut’s heart becomes almost 10% more spherical.
Astronauts need to exercise their muscles, as they atrophy easily in space. For this reason, at the International Space Station, there is a gym prepared for training.
Sleeping in outer space is a challenge of its own. The sun rises and sets approximately every 90 minutes making it difficult to have a good night’s sleep.

Hope you find them interesting 🙂

As U.S. Forces Dutch Semiconductor Giant To PUNISH China, Beijing To CANCEL G7 Grain Imports

A removal of nature to create a parking lot

Off the “beaten path”, off in a forgotten corner of the community of Salem, Massachusetts is this little (seemingly forgotten) park. Forest River Park.

I visited it by chance. It was beautiful and pristine.

Not too many people ever visited it. Too bad. It was beautiful

A little oasis from the encroaching town.

Forest River Park in Salem, Massachusetts, was created to provide a public recreational area that takes advantage of the natural beauty and waterfront of Salem Harbor. The park offers access to green space, walking trails, and waterfront activities. It was established to enhance community life and preserve natural landscapes for public enjoyment.

It really was beautiful. A undiscovered and mostly forgotten gem of a park. It’s full of overly grown grass around rocky boulder facing a large ocean bay. Lots of shady trees, fresh New England air.

Just a perfect, quiet space.

I loved it when I visited it.

A nice little paradise.

Something that has been forgotten in the United States today. How many, many parks that the United States have built in the tiny communities over the last few years? The last few decades? How about the last century?

Answer: NONE.

Zero.

Zilch!

It was beautiful.

People, couples, families all need a sense of a nice piece of nearby nature. The Europeans and Chinese know this. Americans have forgotten this.

Enjoy local exploration.

You might be surprised at what you might discover.

Now for the sad part of this story.

It was renovated in 2021.

All the grass, boulders, and trees were bulldozed over. And a nice pavilion of concrete and glass, with a big wide parking lot was put in its place.

forest river pool entry view 0 2000x1500 — forest river pool entry view 0 2000×1500

You can well see that the city planners maximized the use of the space.

Cutting down all of the trees, removing all of the bushes, and shrubbery, and dynamiting all of the boulders.

Instead of a lonely, off the beaten track area of greenery, we now have a government run facility with a pools and displays of local wildlife that used to live here.

3374 forest river pool site plan without c91 2 2000x1500 — 3374 forest river pool site plan without c91 2 2000×1500

As you can see (with the trees to scale), this “new” park is mostly a parking lot, a building and a large cement pool. The only remaining “green area” is the 25% to the left in the picture. Which consists of 4 to 7 trees and some decorate shrubbery. Plus additional parking.

Today, this is what the “park” looks like… this is a 3D rendering. But it is not accurate. In truth the “green trees” aren’t there.

Nope. The rendering is lying.

What you think is green trees is really this…

It’s nice, and quaint. But a wooded area it is NOT. It’s just roads and homes with a tree interspersed here and there. Sorry and sad to say.

Its truly a sad thing to behold. A removal of nature to create a parking lot.

A sad, sad state of American decay.

Today…

Is war between the USA and China inevitable?

Do people in Macau hate Mainlanders like people in Hong Kong do?

We welcome them with open arms.

The size of the crowds can be overwhelming though. Macau has a land mass if 28 SQ km. A population of 680,000. The densest population on the planet.

Last week we had 160,000 visitors in a single day.

Buses are jammed and slow with such crowds. There are areas that you absolutely avoid to not get into a crowd.

The government pays citizens US $1200 a year as a wealth sharing scheme. (Large taxes from the casinos).

I look at it as an inconvenience payment.

But no we welcome mainland visitors because they spend, spend spend.

We don’t bite the hand that feeds us.

An old MM video

I made this one about a year and a half ago. Short. Maybe three minutes long.

Behind the scenes of Chinese military might

Canada follows the US and imposes 100% tariff on Chinese EVs, including Tesla. What do you think?

China manufactured 9.05 Million Electric Vehicles in 2023

Of these 8.09 Million were sold within China while 960,000 were exported of which most were Tesla

So China is pretty OK

With virtually 90% EVs sold within China, the EV companies need to restructure their profits to keep making money in China and keep innovating and making profit

China has a long potential for buying EVs and for the next 15–16 years at least, Chinese EVs can innovate and keep their edge from the Domestic Market without dependence on US or Europe leave alone Canada

Meanwhile they have the Russian Market which has 41 Million Middle Class consumers plus the Eastern European and Asean markets with a further 27 Million

The thing is THEY HAVE TO MAKE MORE PROFIT IN CHINA which means they have to tweak their profit structure and ask for a waiver in lateral subsidies and rise their costs by 7%–9%

Presently BYD makes under 9000 CNY in China per Car versus a whopping 38900 CNY in Europe

If they absorb this tariff – then their profit reduces to 14200 CNY for that model which is still higher than the profit they make in China

So they may just absorb the tariff and keep selling the EVs and shaving their profits

They may sell their parts to joint ventures in Europe and Canada and earn royalty or license fees

Either way they are pretty OK for the next 10–15 years

They have a huge domestic market that is growing bigger every day

Why does China seem to be single in the game without many allies yet appears so strong?

According to Chinese economists and strategies. Here is what they have observed during the cold war. In order to gain those so called allies, the US gave out a huge amount of aid to western Europe, known as the marshall plan. In order to compete with America, the USSR offered something similar to eastern Europe but only half as impressive. In the Soviet camp, eastern Europe weren’t happy became they got less aid and poorer than their neighbors. Russia itself wasn’t happy because it kept giving out aid, and cheap oils, resulted in huge internal debt. And finally their people couldn’t take it, and dissolved the USSR. The only ones that were happy at the time, were Vietnam, NK, and maybe India.

The USA wasn’t in a better position, they had lost all their traditional industries to Japan and western Europe. If it wasn’t for the new industries they invented, the USA would be done in the 90s, losing to Japan and Europe. So stop saying that China had stolen jobs from the America, the US had lost those jobs a long time ago. The cold war was a death race, the US is still hurting from it.

What was China’s conclusion? Only inclusive naturally developed trade relationship can benefit both sides. In other words, China aren’t going to pay for allies, that’s prostitution. So, how does China deal with the gigantic alliance structure of the US? Let me use Australia as an example, China Australia trade is almost 350B per year. In order for Australia to side with the US completely(not just verbally) against China, the US would have to compensate for their lost. So, China not only benefited from the trade with Australia, but also increase the cost for the US to maintain their alliance structure. That’s why you saw the US can only afford to pay country like the Philippines to confront China. China doesn’t pay any country to side with it political and militarily, it wants the US to pay more maintaining their alliances.

The US can’t even relocate TSMC from Taiwan back to the US and create some high quality jobs, because if they do that, Taiwan’s only economic relationship with the US would be gone.

main qimg a0824b41d6134cf6ad6a84b7a2ef60ba lq

What If You Landed on Kepler 22-B?

What is your best badass firearm story?

I grew up in rural areas. I learned to shoot when I was 7. I then went to college, and met my wife who lived in a nearby town with her parents while attending college. I have always been the type who doesn’t make much bravado out of being able to defend myself. I don’t really want to hurt anybody, but I will hurt anybody who threatens my family.

My in-laws managed to check nearly every one of Jeff Foxworthy’s you might be a redneck. Somehow in a town of 30,000 they lived off the pavement and down a dirt road. Father-in-laws camper shell had more curtains than their home.

My future in-laws got it into their heads I was a soft college boy. It might be because I always dressed up to pick up their daughter for dates. It might be because at 6′2″ and 240 lbs much of it muscle at the time, I was cautious with my strength. It might be because I didn’t drink or cuss. Never mind I had relatives on my Mom’s side almost just like them, grew up in the country, shot coyotes attacking livestock, bucked hay, worked on ranches, worked in a feed store, and worked in a lumber mill.

After my future father-in-law said if he saw me around again I better be able to outrun buckshot, we eloped. This led to about a few months of drunken threatening messages left on our answering machine.

Eventually two things thawed the relationship a bit. One was my mother-in-laws gambling addiction, and need a babysitter. My wife’s over a decade younger sibling couldn’t be left alone without making a disaster when mother-in-law went gambling. The other was learning we were expecting their first grandchild.

My Father-in-law decided I need to learn how to shoot to protect his future grandchild. He asked if I had ever shot a firearm. My answer was, “Some” and didn’t elaborate. He had me drive his truck (had he driven he would probably have got a DUI) out to BLM land. He took the 6 cans he had finished off and lined them up on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land, and handed me a handgun. I forget exactly what it was but it was a very small pistol and I forget what it was chambered in. It wasn’t .22 LR, but might have been .25 ACP. This was in 1994. I shot the first 4 cans no problem. When I shot the 5th can it knocked over the 6th can so the top was facing us. I shot it, and he immediately said I missed one. I said I didn’t think so. He picked it up and I had shot it through the opening in the top of the can. I could not have hit there if I had tried, but it still impressed him. (A firearm I had never fired before, with unknown ammunition, tiny pocket pistol, at about 20 feet/6 meters).

Later that evening he was drunk came at me swinging. I put him in a bear hug, told him I didn’t want to hurt him, and placed him on the lawn. He got back up swinging. I did the same thing again except instead of setting him down I tossed him a few feet onto the lawn. The next day he said, “I guess you can protect my daughter and grandchild.”

All about Cottages

Maybe too many are too cutesy. Still, the more plain ones are more suitable for myself. Real and actual historical cottages, especially those from the Victorian era, were awesome.

Proof Egyptians Didn’t Build The Pyramids?

Which Asian country has the lowest crime rate compared to Japan and South Korea?

I will probably make your jaw drop- Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore are close contenders to Japan.

Let’s compare how is life in ‘low crimes’ like in Tokyo and ‘ slightly higher crimes’ in Kuala Lumper see what transpires.

Anywhere in Tokyo, intrusion into someone’s privacy raises an eyebrow.. like, A man knock on your door at midnight: “ I can’t sleep! from my bedroom I can see the wall light at your porch.”— You bow low and says, “I’m so sorry, I’ll turn if off at once.”

In Kuala Lumpur you can light up the entire house all night like Christmas day or Ramadan come early in Damansara Height or Bangsar , a millionaire’s row —No one will say nothing! Why? To scare the would be thieves…and it works.

Corruptions in Japan do exist and is a crime. But it’s no match with **Thailand ** where corruption is hard to define. Such as, when a top cop borrowed 300 million Baht from the massage king and already paid back just in time before the corruption buster knocked on his door. So, no case means ‘no corruption’ in Thailand.

Crimes against women hardly happened in Japan unlike **Thailand **where rape is a century-old practice, police consider —it: no big deal** but rapists may go scott-free after the police negotiate to get the rapist to pay compensation to the victim… So no case, no crime, and no bad conduct—as good as a ‘clean sheet’ for that guy.

Before a crime like road rage can happen in Japan a “bow to one another” has taken place, thus no crime committed, so road rage in Japan is unheard off.

Similarly **Singapore**, before any road rage happens, a teasing to one another as a prelude like “ You punch me first, lah, a goondu!” The other driver may curse and swear but drive off. So, no case, no jail terms as no one throws the first punch, and no crime was committed. Singapore is almost a road rage-crime-free.

But living in Japan is awesome for a loner and you are guaranteed to have peace on the busiest street where you live as no one looks at you, talks to you, and you are invisible, so to speak! (even in Shibuya or Ginza) in Japan’s Golden Week.

How would you describe the USA in just one phrase?

Utterly divided.

A person doesn’t have to have a degree in politics to see how divided and tribalistic America has become recently. I honestly don’t think we’ve been this separate as a country since the Civil War.

People have fallen for the “if you’re not 100% for us, then you’re 100% against us” mentality. You can see this on either side of the aisle. To be clear, I’m not demonizing either major American political party here. I’m condemning them. There’s this one quote from a fella you might know about by the name of Abraham Lincoln: “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” While Lincoln was referring to slave states versus free states, I am using his quote to refer to Republicans versus Democrats.

With division, comes bloodshed. We’ve seen it with slavery vs. freedom, Christian vs. Muslim, Protestant vs. Catholic, Communist vs. Capitalist, white vs. black, and I think that soon we’ll start to see Democrat vs. Republican.

Your CAT Manifested YOU | SECRET Spiritual SIGNIFICANCE of Cats

What did you do after learning your spouse cheated on you?

I drove an hour and a half to take her home. No arguments, no begging—just a quiet drive. When we arrived, I helped her pack up her things, making sure she had everything she needed. Once her bags were ready, I sent her on her way without a second thought. I’ve always believed that people who don’t want to be in my life, simply don’t have to be. I won’t be someone’s second choice.

This wasn’t just some mistake. It wasn’t a slip-up or an innocent misunderstanding. The lies, the deceptions, the secret calls and texts—none of that happens by accident. It’s not like she accidentally fell into another man’s bed or stumbled into those intimate conversations. She made deliberate choices, and I saw them for what they were.

Forgiving her came easily because I knew I had done nothing wrong. Yes, it hurt, but I refused to let her continue to have power over my emotions. Pain is inevitable, but misery is optional. I chose to let her go, not just physically, but emotionally. It was her loss, not mine. I didn’t reach out, and she didn’t either. I wasn’t going to live in some fantasy or nightmare she created.

When she realized I wasn’t coming back, she got angry. She called me selfish for ending things, claiming she was a human being who deserved understanding. My response was simple: “So am I.” That was the end of it. That very night, she moved in with the guy she cheated with.

But I know my worth. I deserve more than what she was offering. I won’t settle for anything less.

How would you describe the USA in just one phrase?

A broken-down mess.

A perhaps once great nation struggling with a dysfunctional political system: only two significant parties, completely reliant on the availability of big bucks (with inevitable consequences, bearing in mind where those bucks come from) and which has slipped into the new Post-truth era with hardly a squeak of protest. (Certainly there have been more than murmurings of dissent among intellectuals and some journalists, but no groundswell of disgust or mass revolt.)

Also a country that likes to hide its woes. It likes to be seen as the wealthiest in the world, as the ‘land of opportunity’ – and yet forty percent of households could not meet an unexpected bill of $400 without having to sell something or borrow.

To those who complacently trot out platitudes like ‘it’s the greatest country in the world’, I’d say, first ‘open your eyes!’ and second: ‘if you want it to be, do something to make it so…’

In many ways there are echoes of this in my own stricken country, the UK, which also has a dysfunctional democracy and too many who want to live on past glories (real or imagined) and put their faith in a lying bunch of shysters who they imagine will lead them back to those halcyon days. (The pro-Brexit rhetoric really did include references to ‘sunlit uplands’, crudely parodying one of Churchill’s wartime speeches. ) They have a rude awakening in store. Those of us who don’t share the dream are already all too aware of the grim reality – actual and pending.

U.S. Government IS LYING And Evidence Of ALIENS Exists: NewsNation SPECIAL REPORT

This is a US government affiliated channel. So the fact that this is public says A LOT.

What’s the best thing someone told you on their deathbed that made you appreciate life in a whole new way?

This is a story that, until now, I have only told a handful of people. And I have been typing it with tears in my eyes all the way through.

It happened six and a half year ago. I just turned 21 at the time and was in my second year of college. My mother had battled breast cancer for a short eight months when the doctor told us there was nothing left they could do. She would die, too young, after an eventful life.

About three weeks after hearing this, and approximately two weeks before she would eventually die, we were sitting in her hospital room talking about life and everything that had happened. It was here, quite unannounced and rather casually, that she made a statement which I still repeat to myself at least once a week. That statement got me through the first years of mourning; I clung onto it. I still often repeat it to friends and family around me when they are facing adversity. You could say it has become my life motto.

The context of this statement goes back to before my mother was even born in 1949, in the Netherlands. My grandparents had three kids: two sons and a daughter. My grandfather was a pastor and, also considering it was early post-war time, they were just getting by. My grandmother was a dominant and strict woman, and she laid down the law at home. As the family was barely getting by with three children and didn’t want any more, my grandmother decided to get sterilized. The doctor provided her with a hormone treatment; however, instead of becoming sterile, the treatment caused my grandmother to become extremely fertile. She soon became pregnant and gave birth nine months later to triplets, a boy and two girls — my mother was born. During my mother’s youth, my grandmother made no secret of the fact that my mother was an unwanted child. My mother obviously felt left out by my grandmother and grandfather, who let it all happen. My mother left her parents’ house still a teenager.

In the years to come, my mother started making a living for herself as a caretaker for elderly and disabled people. Still struggling with her ‘unfair’ youth, she did maintain a very good relationship with her older brothers and sister. In her late 20s, she met my father. They started dating and eventually got married. My mother desperately wanted to have children and create a happy family, so they started trying. It took a lot of time, and two failed pregnancies, but eventually she did get pregnant with my older sister. She was soon told the baby had a severe form of Cystic Fibrosis (CF), a genetic disorder, which meant she would die a young age. After a long time of trying, and failing, to become pregnant, this was a major shock for both my parents. My sister was in the hospital for the entire first year of her life and had to spend several weeks each year in the hospital for treatment. Taking care of a young child is hard for young parents, but this is especially the case when the young child is chronically ill and needs multiple treatments a day. My parents put their teeth in it and got by and, eventually, even started trying to get pregnant again. And they did! But then the heartbreaking message came: this baby had a severe form of CF, too. Raising two children with severe forms of CF would inevitably mean that one of the two would have to witness the other become weaker and weaker, until death followed, knowing that he/she too will one day become that weak and die at a too-young age. My parents dreaded this future and took the hardest decision of their lives: to have an abortion, to protect both children from the added psychological drama. Not long after this, my parents decided to adopt a child, a girl with little opportunity in her own country, Poland, as she was an orphan with a mental disability. However joyful this appeared at the start, the mental disability proved too severe for the girl to be raised in a regular home, and she was taken away within a year.

And then I was born. Healthy. It wasn’t a particularly easy birth; I was quite big and heavy, causing my birth almost to take my mother’s life, but eventually everyone was fine. A little less than three years later, my younger brother was born, also healthy as could be. My mother finally had her happy little family as she had always wanted, and as she had tried for so long. I believe those were some of the happiest moments of her life.

But of course, my sister was still chronically ill. She would be in and out of the hospital each year, which mostly was only for a few days or weeks, until one year it became really bad. My sister had already been in the hospital for many weeks, longer than usual, when she was allowed a week of ‘holiday’ in France. She was so excited to go, but only a few days after her arrival she became extremely ill, vomiting blood in her bed. She was taken to the local hospital and eventually flown by helicopter to the hospital in Bordeaux. It turned out her organs had started to fail and she needed a new liver to survive. She was flown to the Netherlands and put on a waiting list for a transplant. However, this took too long and my sister soon became weaker. She died in the hospital at age 13.

Remember how as a young child your parents seemed like superheroes? The strongest people in the world, who could take on anything?

I remember this moment as the first time I saw my parents absolutely broken. I remember that at the funeral my mother could hardly stand on her feet, and people had to support her as she kept collapsing in tears. She was devastated. In the period that followed, things did not get easier for my mother. Her older sister, with whom she had a very good relationship, died of breast cancer following a short sickbed. Not much later, her oldest brother died of the consequences of being an alcoholic. Following, her brother from the triplets was left by his wife, and shortly thereafter died from a heart attack, also as a consequence of his alcohol abuse. The aftermath of the death of so many loved ones was a number of family arguments over whose fault it was that her brothers became alcoholics, and how the inheritance should be divided. The adversity seemed to never stop.

But then it did. Some five happy, carefree years followed. I saw my mother become happier and happier. She started to work again, which she had stopped during my sister’s illness, and she enjoyed it. She was active in the church community in our town, she enjoyed tennis, and she had a lot of friends. It all seemed to turn for the better. But then…

Cancer.

Unlike what you might think, we went into this really positively. You know why? Because we believed we, and especially my mother, had already received our portion of adversity. This would be our time, we were going to conquer this disease. We even organized a big party when my mother was halfway through her chemotherapy because we were halfway to beating this disease! The tumor became smaller, there seemed to be no metastases, and operations were successful. We were almost there!

But, unfortunately, I would not be typing this post if that was how the story ended.

I received a call from my dad, early December. My mother was rushed to the hospital that night after falling in the kitchen. They had found a brain tumor, metastases in her lungs, and metastases in her bones. Even though it felt as if we had almost defeated the disease, there was nothing they could do for her any more. She would be in the hospital from that point on. To make matters worse, my father was hospitalized two weeks later for an emergency stomach operation. He was in the same hospital on the 6th floor, my mother was on the 8th. It was around Christmas and I would visit them every day. Most of the time, my mother was very confused due to the tumor pressing on her brain but, sometimes, she had a clear moment.

It was during one of these clear moments that I was sitting on her bed and we were talking about life and everything that had happened. We talked about my studies and what I would do, later in life, when she would not be around anymore. About how I would some day graduate, maybe get married. We talked about her youth, about her alcoholic brothers, about the failed pregnancies, about my sister. Even about the fact that it was so screwed up that she was living some of her last weeks, and exactly at that time my dad became hospitalized.

And it was at that time that she looked at me and said:

‘’You know what, actually I am glad about all the shit that happened to me in life. And a lot of shit díd happen. But all those harsh times, all the adversity, it has taught me to enjoy and cherish all the good things in life more intensely than I imagined possible. I am grateful for everything and everyone I had.’’

There you have it. She wasn’t happy despite adversity, no, she thanked adversity for making her enjoy everything and everyone. You hear that cancer? CF? Alcoholism? You ain’t got nothing on her, heck, you made her stronger. She díd conquer cancer, in her way, she conquered it all.

It has changed how I see everything around me since. From minor setbacks to freaking mountains of adversity, I always try to approach it with a smile on my face. Don’t get me wrong: I don’t pretend everything is okay when it is not, but I fight, I keep going, and I keep telling myself that, at the very worst, adversity is going to make me stronger. And you know what? I am as happy a person as I could be!

I hope my mother’s wise words might help some of you, like they have helped me and still help me every day.

In loving memory of my mother: you won’t be gone until you’re forgotten.

The Godfather 1 ♦ “Dont ever take sides with anyone against the family again”

Why do Chinese people wear Western clothing when they think Chinese culture is superior to the West? Indian leaders wear their traditional clothing to formal meeting. Why don’t the Chinese? Do the Chinese know their culture is inferior to the West?

Chinese leaders changed to western clothing as a matter of protocol.

There are many research studies to back this up and we can see it in applications as well.

IBM salesman (no women in those days) wore a suit with a white shirt and classic tie. That was the dress code.

Sales dramatically improved.

Traditionally salesman wore sports coat and trousers. So the IBM look made them look like a businessman not a salesperson. They were talking to peers when they made their calls.

In his book Dress for Success, the author John Molloy conducted studies using different clothing. He sent people to offices to deliver a small package. If they dressed in a sports jacket and trousers,the receptionist always said leave it with me. If they were dressed in a suit with a shirt and tie, they would be told to knock on the door and give it to the executive or they call him to come out and get the package.

Chinese are very pragmatic.

They use whatever works.

Dressing in white shirt and tie with a tailored suit means you at the same level as your counterpart. When you meet the president of the US, you dress like him.

Interestingly though is Xi Jinping’s wife who dresses in traditional Chinese attire when she accompanies him on state visits.

My GF Insisted On Taking A 1 Week Break, So I Slept With Her Coworker & Dumped Her When She Returned

Jerry Springer type nonsense. *sheech*

I palm-slap myself for the craziness in the West.

Has a computer programmer ever said something to you which was completely unexpected?

Bought in as a contractor/programmer to work on an in-house system that they wanted to modify.

“Its the best system – its in C++, so its really fast”

No probs, I can work on that.

Get in there, day 1 – nice big factory, decent office space, lots of nice cars in the carpark. Get myself all setup on the system, meet the other programmer (just 1 developer in the whole company … hmmm)

Me > “OK, account is all setup, setup dev tools, meet the manager, discussed the general plan …. ready to start reading. Where is the code?”

OtherProgrammer > “?”

Me > “The source code. The C++ code ?”

OtherProgrammer > “Oh, we dont have the source code”

Me > “??”

Me > “This is an in-house system, right ? The thing you want to modify, you own it right ?”

OtherProgrammer > “Yes, its an in house system, we own it, its all ours”

Me > “and the code ?”

OtherProgrammer > “Oh I see what you mean. Yeah, that was all written by another contractor. He isnt here anymore”

Me > “did he …. leave any code by any chance ?”

OtherProgrammer > “No, we didnt pay him in the end, so he didnt give us the code”

…. at which point, I had a lot more questions than I knew I would ever get answers for. By the end of the week, I had managed to get out of that initial project and work on a different project they had on the go, so the billable hours could be justified still.

Same problem though – they had “another contractor” offsite who was working on something entirely different that was pretty interesting. So I started working on some infrastructure around that instead. It was some cool stuff the other guy was building, was going to be fun.

And it meant I didnt have to deal with their one and only full time “Developer” that worked there somehow without any source code, and the obviously clueless engineering manager was none the wiser about why this was sub optimal.

… Until one day, he suggested I dont get too involved in that other project either.

Me > “Oh, why’s that ? whats wrong with project ?”

OtherProgrammer > “Nothing, he is doing great work”

Me > “?”

OtherProgrammer > “But we have decided that we are not going to pay him for it <big smile>”

… just like that ! Quite out in the open about it. Bragging about how clever they are, they can get work done by honest people, and still manage to weasel their way out of having to pay for it.

So Clever, and proud of it too.

See ya later, idiots !

(in case you are wondering – yeah, I got my billed hours paid …. eventually … every last cent)

Andrew DESTROYS entitled 52 year old FEMINIST saying she deserves a TRADITIONAL man

52 year old woman tries to find love.

I feel for her. She wasn’t compatible with anyone.

Shorpy

Why is the United States losing its hegemony to China?

That’s incorrect framing.

America has pursued global hegemony since the fall of the Berlin wall, going so far to embrace the “end of history and the last man”.

What is global hegemony? Dominance over ALL states and peoples.

That means beating down all comers, and making examples of those who say no to the United States, as sheikh hasina found to great fluster and regret recently.

Unfortunately, 4% dominating over the 96% is a fool’s errand, as America finds itself drowning in debt, and having to deal with conflicts in the middle east and Europe, while following through on explicit policy to concentrate and expand military resources in the western pacific.

That’s untenable, and exhausting, not too different from the 50% drawdown of the SPR to cap runaway energy prices recently.

America is frittering away past reserves, burning its legacy rather than building for the future.

America is not behaving like a normal country, because it insists the rules do not apply.

China sees itself as a normal country, a member of the global citizenry. Normal countries respond vigorously to the militarization of their neighborhood, because sovereignty must be defended.

America is doomed to implode because even exceptionally engineered airliners drop out of the sky when they run out of fuel.

The Outlaw Josey Wales | The River Crossing | Warner Classics

What’s the fastest you’ve wiped a smirk off of someone’s face?

I was around 18 and at a club having recently shaved my head, almost scalped! Some idiot and his group were looking for a fight and thought that taking the piss or judging me for my choices would start one. So immature looking back.

I still feel remorse for what happened next and it had more than the intended results.

I said to my mate, “Go and say to him I have cancer and going through treatment.” My mate does this and I could swear I could feel how bad the ‘idiot’ felt from across the bar.

Turns out the guy wasn’t an idiot, he had just lost his Dad to cancer and was blaming everyone.

My smirk: gone. Turns out I was the idiot judging. I bought them a drink.

A hard lesson learned by me. At least it stopped a fight.

What happened to Peng Shuai?

This is an interesting story about what happens when a Chinese Communist Party member is accused of a crime. How it is investigated. And the causes, whys and the process. Interesting, and valuable to the outsiders looking into China. -MM

A woman named Peng Shuais accused a leading Chinese Communist Party leader of Sexual harassment.

It’s now clear that Peng Shuais allegations were firmly investigated

main qimg 6c94efde827e75c1383a39e5d010f6e4

In China, it’s crucial that Party officials don’t violate discipline otherwise they are fried

Since China doesn’t have Elections and Votes, Party officials need their reputation

Peng Shuai alleged that she was sexually harrassed

Had she reported this to 12345 citing anonymity

No problems

She published this on Social Media referring to a Party member by name

He was dumping her and she was pissed

However in China – Social Media is under the full view of the CENSOR

Automatically the posts garnered attention and the Censor stepped in

Peng was summoned by the Censor and asked

Do you have Evidence?

Why wait so long?

Meanwhile the Party member was hauled up by the Internal mechanism and he said they were in a relationship and he dumped her

Under Chinese Law, if the Censor hauls you up, your Internet Id doesn’t work for a few weeks or a month and you can’t login or send a message on weibo or even reply to mail (confused on this point)

This is China

So the Censor initiated a State Investigation and China has like millions of cameras

Soon they began to see Camera feeds

They saw Peng willingly laugh and hold hands, kiss, go to hotels and eat in restaurants like a favorite girlfriend for weeks and weeks

They presented her with evidence and she folded immediately and confessed that HE HAD DUMPED HER and she had got pissed

Thats that

From that minute on, she lost face and in China that’s bad

So now whether she is charged with lying on public media or not – Nobody knows

What’s your favorite stupid joke?

A few of my top ones include:

What do you call a black man in space? An astronaut.
How many men does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Three, one to screw it in and the other two to listen to him brag about screwing something.
A faster than light neutrino says ‘I’ll have a whisky’, sits down, then walks into a bar.
A woman is approached by a man in a suit, and a foot tall man carrying a miniature keyboard. The man in the suit says ‘I have a magic lamp here, with a genie in it. He’ll grant you a single wish, but be careful, he’s hard of hearing.’ The woman takes the lamp and says ‘I wish for a million bucks.’ All of a sudden the sky is blocked out by a million ducks flying overhead. ‘That’s not what I wished for’ the woman yells. The man replies ‘do you think I wished for a twelve inch pianist?’
A priest, a doctor, and a politician are kidnapped by an evil psychopath. The psychopath says ‘I’m going to get each of you to hold a snake for ten minutes, the most venomous snake in the world. If it doesn’t bite you, I’ll let you go. If you refuse, I’ll shoot you.’ The priest says a short prayer, kisses his cross, and holds the snake. It bites him, and he falls dead almost instantly. The doctor examines the snake, tries to find the best position to stop the snake being uncomfortable, and holds it. The snake bites her, and she falls over dead. The politician is last up, he just mutters ‘screw it’ and holds the snake. To his amazement, the snake stays still, it doesn’t bite him. He holds it for a full ten minutes, and is set free. He puts the snake in its box and takes it with him. As he leaves, feeling no small amount of Survivors guilt, he looks at the snake and says ‘I wonder why you killed that pious holy man and that great saviour of lives, but let me live.’ ‘Professional courtesy’ the snake replies.

US Property “$557 BILLION Bloodbath” – Final Chapter Of The Banking Collapse Is Here

What is an example of what a morbidly obese person would eat in a day?

My mom was morbidly obese her whole life. People looked at her with disgust. She ate small portions, tried to eat healthy, tried to be active until her knees got really bad, and stayed obese. For all who would tell her to eat a salad and get on a treadmill, she did. If we went out to eat, she’d eat usually a salad (dressing on side) and half a sandwich like turkey. I know y’all will sleep better by concluding she secretly binged or had her stash of junk food but unlike you, I had to go through her things when she died suddenly. No secret junk food stash. She didn’t get good sleep and was definitely sedentary in her last years but your “diagnosis” of people like her just being ignorant slobs who were lazy are wrong and hurtful. She was a nurse. She understood nutrition. What she ate was probably what most of you eat but she was morbidly obese and no matter how small her portions or types, her body seemed to go into starvation mode and did not change. It’s not always nutrition, portion control and activity. It wasn’t with her and I *know* she was unhappy about her weight and appearance and always felt the looks and the shame. I think she got used to a world that judges based on external looks more than character. It’s a shame we can be so petty, superficial, dense and callous. GLP-1’s are showing that even orgs like Weight Watchers got it wrong. She ate less and better than her sons who were not overweight. My heart goes out to you who struggle and get eat-a-salad-drink-water-and-go-for-a-walk idiot responses. Pray you find what works for you and that you have the rare company of people who value you for your character, your intelligence, your capability, and not your size.

For decades, America has assumed that China would gradually liberalize, open its markets, and improve its human-rights record, but that strategy simply hasn’t worked – is it time to give up on China?

China has not opened up? I’m pretty sure anyone holding that view has not visited China recently.

Go to Beijing or Shanghai or any other big Chinese city. You will find malls that look not much different from Hong Kong or Singapore. They may even be built and operated by conglomerates from these port cities. American fast food, French bags, Swiss watches. Whatever you want you can have. Markets as open as any major international city today.

As for liberalization, more than 150 million Chinese travel abroad each year. That is an astounding number, greater than the population of Japan. Just 40 years ago, the numbers were negligible. But the more incredible number is this: more than 150 million Chinese RETURN HOME. There are no reports of millions of Chinese refugees seeking asylum overseas.

On to human rights. China is behind Singapore in terms of rule of law, and trust in the government internationally. But Singapore still get routinely trashed for the death penalty, caning, inequality and other human rights abuses. We are a common law democracy but there are always murmurs if not shouts of dynastic politics, non-democracy, high political salaries and other evils.

We can never please the west because we are not the west.

China is changing.

Warp speed fast.

But please temper any judgment with the fact China started from a very low base. China was at war for the better part of 100 years from 1850 to 1949, half of it without a functional central government. Can you imagine 3 generations of anarchy and destruction? What do they call it, dystopia?

The current generation of Chinese youth enjoy far more freedoms and privileges than their parents did. The next will, too.

Have you ever met your bully later in life?

There was a guy that bullied me every day at high school. He was a confident, in-crowd guy, lots of plastic friends and always took the opportunity to make my life hell. He sabotaged my locker, bumped me in the hall when with his mates and he always had a smart alec comment to call out when I was presenting to the class or school. I responded the only way I thought I could which was to never pass him the ball during sport if we were on the same team, or if I was on an opposing team to tackle him as hard as possible. I didn’t have the confidence or the support network to help me through it, or the language to express myself to him.

I ran into him at a hardware store some 20 years after school. I had my 14 and 12 year olds with me and he had 3 kids, about 11, 9 and 7. He started with a gushing hello. He introduced me as a close friend from school. I looked at his kids, they looked nice enough. I was pleasant. I then whispered to him to come to the side out of earshot.

I was shaking with rage because the adrenaline kicked in so quickly, and the hurt and embarrassment he had caused me came flooding back. I told him that he was a real shit to me at high school and his kids looked like well adjusted human beings. I told him that unless he took his kids out of the store right now I would tell them what a nasty, horrible, vindictive shit of a person their dad was and he would have to explain why this guy he thought was a friend would say things like that about him.

He left with his kids. About 6 that evening he knocked on my door, and presented to me a bottle of wine and an apology for the pain he caused to me at school. He thanked me for not blasting his kids. His reason, his dad and older brothers did it to him and that is the way he thought you behaved. He had married a really nice lady who had educated him that friendships and relationships were not built by treating people like he had treated me. He had always worried about me and felt guilty. He always wanted to catch up and apologize. He and his wife knew that I would have crushed their kids if I had opened up on them at the store. I’m so glad I didn’t.

Some of the MM AI art examples

I continue with my experiments. Not too much of value.

It’s really like driving a tractor trailer rig though a maze inside of a mall. Crazy and sensitive.

Cinematic Kino Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic B 0(5)

Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 0(2)

Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 2(2)

Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 1(1)

What a set of horns on his headpiece.

Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 0(1)

Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 3(1)

Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 2(1)

I finally figured out how to add clothing to the people…

Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 0

Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 3

But it only works part of the time…

Cinematic Kino Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic B 3(5)

Cinematic Kino Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic B 1(5)

Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 1(2)

Some is impressive.

Cinematic Kino Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic B 1(6)

Cinematic Kino Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic B 0(6)

Cinematic Kino Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic B 3(6)

Looks like they are taking selfies…

Cinematic Kino Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic B 2(6)

Cinematic Kino Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic B 1(1)

Cinematic Kino Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic B 0(1)

Cinematic Kino Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic B 3(1)

Cinematic Kino Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic B 2(1)

Cinematic Kino Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic B 3

Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 3(2)

The Bourne Ultimatum | It’s Jason Bourne

Stupid trolls.

While I was living in Japan, a clerk typed a wrong character on a document related to the public pension for an elderly couple. As a result their pension payments ceased. The elderly couple quietly starved to death in their apartment.

Of course, this was a huge scandal in Japan, and every neighborhood in the country began programs to check up on their neighborhood’s elderly residents at least once per week; have someone visit every residence every few days.

The point is that shit happens, but normal people (thus incomprehensible to you trolls) take action that has nothing to do with trying to overthrow the government. You stupid trolls only heard about someone dying of malnutrition in modern China because it was such an unusual and shocking occurrence for the Chinese people that they themselves were scandalized and chatting about it on social media. Nobody but fake NGO shit-stirrers and moronic western trolls are even remotely thinking about overthrowing the Chinese government because of it.

There may be local protests in China over the event, but protests there have a very different character than they do in western countries with capitalist fake democracy governments (ex: USA, Britain, France). Rather than sending out the goons with teargas and water canons, Chinese bureaucrats and municipal workers rush to the streets with their clipboards and interview the protesters to find out what the problems are and what they can do to make things right.

Yeah, the Chinese conception of democracy is completely beyond you Sinophobic trolls’ understanding. You stupid fools think “voting” every couple years for some useless meatbag (out of two or three options chosen for you by your capitalist overlords) who you know ahead of time will not even try to do what s/he promises, and whom you don’t like anyway, is “Democracy™”.

Stupid chumps.

There will be no “civil unrest” in China, at least not of the sort you moron trolls hope for. China’s government has even more popular support than Putin. It is untouchable by your retarded memes and narratives. The American and British governments are far more at risk of being toppled by their populations than is the Chinese government.

Posted by: William Gruff | Aug 29 2024 12:18 utc | 15

If you were a Hongkonger, would you leave Hong Kong for freedom?

Before the coup in HK in 2019, HK was ranked 3rd in the world on the scale of freedom. USA was only 7th.

What makes (some) HKers think they have no freedom & must flee HK?

“HK has no freedom” is just a political slogan by USA+UK to brainwash HKers because USA+UK have been plotting to control HK government. It was a modern-day colonisation without occupying HK. That is all.

They were plotting to overthrow China’s regime. That is all. They tried many times. Xizang (Tibet in English) in 1959. Tiananmen in 1989. Xinjiang in 2009, HK in 2019. White Paper protest in 2022. Taiwan ongoing.

Some HKers did flee to UK. Now they find UK national security law is tighter than HK’s. ie they have less freedom in UK than in HK. They found UK police are tougher than HK.

They find out that “freedom is a political slogan only” in the hard way.

A comment regarding China

I find it really frustrating that people even paid trolls constantly fall for this BS about China. Most have never even been to Asia or if they have it is Phuket or Bali.

There they never actually spend time with locals just demand fresh towels.. On my walk this morning I was thinking about China and Taiwan and wondering why China does not just cut them off??

Most companies in Taiwan are connected to China most families in Taiwan are connected to the mainland with families, most flights coming and going from Taiwan go to China.

I suspect most money moves through China. Maybe that would be the plan if things heat up. My hope and belief is Taiwan does not really want this, and Taiwan is no longer the innovation center it was when we lived there. They have to know the US will use them and dump them just like Ukraine and Israel, Afghanistan, and all the other countries that the US. Dumps when they lose

Posted by: Susan | Aug 29 2024 14:39 utc | 22

Until women understand men have a thing called “she’s only bangable” chaos will ensue.

“Modern Women”.

This fiasco that women are going though is anything but laughable. People need to be more compassionate to each other.

Dollar General Stock Plunges 29% in ONE day

Hal Turner Nation August 29, 2024

The Canary in the Retail coal mine has just taken very, VERY, ill. Dollar General, the retail chain that is found in almost every low income, urban, area, saw its stock price plunge 29.43% TODAY.

The company said publicly it is because its customers ‘feel worse off.’

Adding to investor concerns, Dollar General significantly lowered its full-year outlook, attributing part of the downgrade to the financial struggles of its core customer base.

The company noted that many of its customers “feel worse off,” reflecting the broader economic pressures affecting consumer spending.

On Thursday afternoon, the stock was trading around $87.

Hal Turner Analysis

In many respects, Dollar General is a sort of Canary in the (retail) coal mine. Years ago, Miners working deep underground, brought Canaries in cages with them for fear of natural gas, carbon monoxide, and a host of other deadly gases. If the Canary passed-out, or dropped dead in the cage, the miners knew to evacuate the mine immediately because death was coming for the miners themselves if they didn’t leave immediately.

Dollar General has had good stock value and performance because their core customer base, the low-income folks, are in abundant supply.

Today, the Canary in the retail coal mine got noticeably sick and those with any brains, KNOW this is a major league, bad economic sign.

When the poor are SO POOR they can’t even afford to go to Dollar General, the economy is in a bad downward spiral.

THAT is exactly the warning sign everyone got today, as Dollar General’s stock value plummeted 29.43% in ONE DAY.

Most of us have known for the better part of two years, things were not right. E V E R Y T H I N G was suddenly getting noticeably more expensive; especially food.

Energy costs, that had peaked with gasoline around $6. a gallon, eased back to around $3.XX but then a lot of us noticed that the product packaging, was smaller. In most cases, the price of a product remained the same, but the quantity of the product was reduced.

Take Tuna fish, for example. The price had gone up to about $1.50 for a 6 oz. can, then all of a sudden . . . . . ALL of the Tuna fish cans became only five ounces. ALL OF THEM!

No industry collusion there. No anti-trust violations there. HMMMMMM.

Portions of other products took nose-dives as well.

But now, even Dollar General is seeing a major reduction in revenues. And this reduction is from a customer base that does not spend extravagantly because . . . well . . . . they can’t.

So while we’ve been seeing the prices go up, the product sizes go down, things still chugged along economically, NOW we’re seeing that the very people who only bought what they absolutely NEEDED, can’t even do that anymore.

This is a terrible warning sign that the economy is not only in a recession (which government has lied about by denying it for over a year) it is heading straight and fast, into Depression.

Of course, the Biden voters, ALL of whom are low-information people with little to no intellect or ability to discern truth from lies, have bought the lies in the mass media that the economy is good.

Naturally, those same low-information and almost zero intellect Biden supporters will never make the connection between who they vote for and what they’re encountering in real life. They deny what life is proving to them, and believe the lies they hear and see on TV and radio.

Stupid is as stupid does.

Those of us who actually have the ability to see facts, have known the economy is very sick for quite awhile and it is Biden’s socialistic economic policies, and radical environmental policies that have caused it all.

As the November Election approaches, the dumb will keep voting the way they’ve voted because they’re too dumb to figure things out. The rest of us will vote against the present regime. Hopefully, there are still more smart people than dumb. We’ll see.

Can Cats See Spirits, Ghosts, or the Supernatural?

Caffeine Machine

Mary Lombardi

To whom it may concern,When I signed up for this assignment, I was looking forward to spending four years of my life with someone who shared my disdain for obnoxiously loud, self idolizing, undereducated people.I believed (foolheartedly) that only respectful scientists would sign up for this mission. That only those who truly valued the exploration of the last great frontier would spend three years training, four years locked in a shuttle with little to no contact with Earth, and a year reconditioning to Earth.Through all the vetting processes and the countless tests, how is it that he made it through. Out of everyone, I had to be sent out with this doof-The tip of my pencil abruptly breaks as the door crashes open.“Yo Whaddup?” the intruder yells as he prances inside my room.“Good morning Jack. What brings you so forcefully into my room this morning?” I say in an even voice as I push my letter of complaint under the other papers on my desk.“Just wanted to check up on my favorite colleague.” I stare blankly at him as he shuffles in the silence.“Also, the coffee maker isn’t working.”Year two of four on shuttle 555 to the Great Unknown has been filled with daily coffee maker failures. After only two weeks, it was discovered that Jack had little to no idea how to fix anything electrical after he almost set fire to the kitchen unit.Since neither of us can function without a consistent supply of this liquid energy, every morning he has swung by my room to request assistance in repairing our sputtering caffeine machine.As we make our way to the small kitchen unit, our feet softly tap on the shuttle floor. We keep the gravity at about half of Earth’s. It is ‘better for the mechanics of the shuttle’ according to the maintenance manual.For the second time today, I find my hand buried deep in our well-loved coffee machine. Its plastic cover is chipped by the multiple falls it has taken (mainly because of Jack’s love of ‘space juggling,’ where he tries to juggle with random appliances he finds). Among the small cracks, there is one that stands out from the rest. A crack, that I know was definitely not there this morning.With a shoulder heaving sigh, I retract my hand, snap on the cracked cover, and give the poor machine an affectionate pat. Now that the immediate issue is over, I turn to Jack.“Why, may I ask, is there another crack in the cover?”He takes a single step back, bringing his hands slightly out in front of himself as he tries to form a consoling expression on his face. “You see-”“Yes I see”“I was filling it up and-” He turned before finishing his thought and scrambled away. In his struggle to escape he bounces feet into the air with every step. I race behind him, wanting nothing more than to teach him once and for all to never mess with my coffee.

As we crash through the small shuttle papers go flying in our wake. He is much faster than me, and I know that catching up to him is out of the question but- I grab a blunt object from the nearest table- I can still hit him. Thus started my onslaught of flying projectiles. Lucky for him, we only have ‘space grade’ appliances that can do no damage to the shuttle, and in turn, minimum damage to people.

Frantically dodging my projectiles he ducks into his room, slamming the door shut with such force that I dare say it shakes the whole shuttle. He is safe… for now.

In the aftermath of the conflict, I return to my room. I shuffle through a stack of papers on my desk, readouts from the multiple instruments our shuttle carries, an aged letter from home, and my half written letter of complaint lie before me.

I sit in the chair with a heavy sigh. Recently every day has been an ordeal. Just last week, while taking our annual inventory, I found that we were missing over a month’s worth of dessert rations.

Five or six of the well loved packets would have been acceptable (we each planned on five extra per month… everyone needs a sweet snack every once in a while), but a full 17 packets? Completely unacceptable!

The culprit was found almost immediately as I made my way to the kitchen for a much needed cup of coffee. There, with two opened dessert packets in front of him, was Jack. I paused for a moment, shocked by his flagrant misuse of rations.

Instead of laying into him right away, I strolled calmly into the room. He froze, knowing that he had been caught. I grabbed a dish and a fork, made my way to him, spooned a heaping portion of the brownie into my bowl, and sat down across from him.

Later would come the scolding, but those brownies are all that keep me sane.

After we finished our brownie’s it was agreed that he would be able to eat one portion at a time once a week and that he would limit himself a single brownie ration per month.

The issue has yet to return, and I believe that we are both satisfied with the results.

And I don’t dare forget the swivel chair incident of two weeks past!

In our control room, we have the best swivel chairs. They are so smooth, and in half gravity, it’s like you are floating instead of sitting.

One day, while doing the daily readouts of our course, I took a much needed break. Pushing off of the floor I started to spin. The world around me passed in a whizzing flash. The brightly lit shuttle intermittently interrupted by the dark expanse of space, as a childish carefree glee started to spread through me.

The weightless euphoric ride was cut short when a blurred figure of Jack makes his way into the room. It took me a full revolution to slam my feet to the ground, and the moment contact was made, I shot from my chair, still spinning, as I catapulted through the air.

Through the entire ordeal, Jack’s laugh echoed through the room. As I crashed back to the ground he sat in the co-pilot chair to watch my failure. His eyes were bright with amusement even after his body shaking laughter had ceased.

We sat in silence. Him still slightly shaking from silent chuckles, and me fuming with embarrassment at being caught doing such a childish thing.

Finally, I had reached my limit with this entire ordeal. Indignantly I got up, still dizzy, and stumbled my way from the room.

We have yet to talk about this incident, but every now and then, he’ll make an offhand remark on my fascination with spinning chairs.

As I recall our past fights, I find myself smiling. Never has there been a dull moment on this journey. I look down at the letter of complaint on my desk, heave a heavy sigh, and proceed to slowly rip it into a plethora of pieces.

Jack and I may not always get along, but I would rather be with him than anyone else.

Am I the only person who’s always not feeling healthy and safe with gun owners? I just want to destroy all guns, so that I can enjoy my life.

Man, it must really suck to be so delicate.

I actually live in a farming community. Here guns are a way of life. We use them for protecting livestock, hunting game, entertainment at shooting matches, and self-defense.

Our murder rate is almost zero. The last murder we had was 15 years ago…and that was a stabbing.

Our county jail is mostly filled with drunks and makers of meth. Most of those meth makers are caught by farmers with rifles long before the cops show up.

When I go to town, if I see some guy open carrying, I don’t freak out. Because I’ve been around guns all my life, I can tell the difference between a person who is a threat and who isn’t.

I live near a major city, a city that is one of the most dangerous in America. When some thugs decided that mugging and assaulting me was a good idea, when they found out that I was armed they had other places to be. I left that situation feeling healthy and safe.

Your desire to destroy all guns is not realistic.

Even if you did, what’s to stop the criminal types from stealing a gun, making a gun, or buying one on the black market?

Millions of Americans go about their lives on a daily basis completely oblivious that people around them are armed.

And yet somehow they are still safe.

It’s strange how in places where gun ownership is supported and practiced, are usually the safest neighborhoods to be in.

It’s the gun free zones you got to worry about.

Most Americans go through their daily lives without ever encountering someone who is an idiot with a gun.

If guns create such a fear in you, it’s probably because you feel defenseless and think that the answer to alleviating that is to make everybody defenseless. You are feeding exactly into what the criminals want.

An armed society is a polite society.

Besides, gun control is people control. And in a nation that lists freedom has its goal, such a thing is totally unacceptable.

Life comes with risks. Get a helmet.

No soup for you.

The Stand – original miniseries – 1994 – FULL MOVIE

Bio-weapon escapes from a USA military facility destroys 99.9999% of the world’s population. Shows the escape and the breakdown of society and the fight between good and evil.

Five hours of the entire movie. This Stephan King classic is awesome. It is well worth the time to watch over a week or two when you have time, or binge watch over the weekend.

At the very minimum the first ten minutes of the movie is gold. Especially with the song “Don’t fear the reaper” playing.

Ribbit. Ribbit. Ribbit.

My first wife’s family HATED me. I mean it. They despised me.

They were a completely dysfunctional family and so… well, what else would you expect? Anyways, they had a nickname for me. They referred to me as the sound a frog makes… ribbit.

Yup.

I wasn’t MM to them. I was Ribbit.

They were assholes. Poor, hillbillies out of a small rural community outside of West Virginia in the Allegheny hills. Both myself and my wife called them “the clan”. Not inbred. Mind you, but backwards rural hicks.

Tall over grown grass in the front yards with abandoned cars. Most living in old worn down mobile homes with rotator antennas on the roofs, and dogs running around in the yard.

Beagles.

Lots and lots of beagles.

They were a “country folk” and in a lot of ways reminded me of Ma and Pa Kettle.

My first wife was glad to be gone from them.

But like a hound-dog they did everything they could to track us down and try to live with us, siphoned money from us, and steal from us… all the time taking. taking. Taking.

They were all mentally ill. All of the members were in various psychological treatment programs. With the father a raging alcoholic.

They constantly made fun of us. Behind our backs, and most certainly to our faces.

For our own peace of mind… we fled and stayed away for at least ten years.

What a story that was.

And I’ll spare all of you the pages and pages of nonsense.

The point here is simple;

For peace of mind, and happiness, stay away from people who take – hurt – or use you. Just stay away from them. Birth right does not give them special privileges. Stay away from the bad.

Peace is the objective.

Find it. Love it. Keep it.

MM off… ribit. ribit. ribit.

Today…

Can the US government send a covert fact finding team into the Uyghur concentration camp and take photographs to make a credible case in the UN?

Why look for convoluted ‘solutions’ when Occam’s Razor dictates that the simplest answer is most likely to be the correct one?

There is no credible photographic evidence because there are no concentration camps.

If there were, don’t you think that one of the many millions of tourists that visit Xinjiang every year would have seen something?

If the US wants ‘evidence’, they don’t have to send a covert team anywhere. They can just fake it (again).

The Government of France Has Fallen
Hal Turner World December 04, 2024

3:16 PM EST — The French government collapsed about 45 minutes ago after a “No Confidence” Vote in Parliament.

The historic vote of no-confidence was passed against Prime Minister Michel Barnier in the National Assembly.

It marks the first time a French government has been ousted by a no-confidence vote in over 60 years.

French MPs including the left and the far right combined voted 331 out of 574 in favour of the motion to pass, exceeding the minimum mark of 288.

The vote rose from fierce opposition to his proposed budget for 2025 from opposition parties such as the left-wing alliance New Popular Front (NFP) and Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN).

They were left angry as Barnier decided to exercise special powers to push through his budget, even though it failed to receive support from MPs.

It comes as a huge blow for President Emmanuel Macron who is now likely to name a new prime minister rapidly, possibly even before the grand reopening of Paris’s Notre Dame Cathedral at the weekend.

Got married to a wrong person!

There are some mistakes that you can fix and there are some that are totally unfixable. Wrong marriage is one of these awful mistakes.

In some cases, people decide to prolong the failing marriage because of kids, financial situations, social status, and family relationship. However, it will never give you a moment of peace as you can’t enjoy the life you want. It’s the intangible tumors in your emotion that leave you in pain for a lifetime.

You can argue that we have divorce option to get out of those miserable situations. It is true but after you have been through tremendously emotional damages (and perhaps, financial loss too). Furthermore, how can you fix your marriage mistakes if you also have kids with them? If you are lucky enough, your ex-spouse can be a terrible partner but a role model to your kids and help you to raise them in both financial and emotional manners. But if he/she is not? In that situation, you not only can’t forgive him/her for the miserable pasts but also get stuck in current depressing circumstances such as:

How can you explain to your kids that you don’t like their mom/dad? No, you can’t.
How can you keep fighting directly with your ex-spouse about his/her irresponsibility of child custody/support if you think it may cause the everlasting emotional hurt to your kids when they grow up and figure out? No, you can’t.
How can you pretend that you are happy when your kids talk/ask about her dad/mom excitedly? It’s really hard.
How can you explain to your kids that their mom/dad don’t really care about them when they ask?. You don’t want to lie to them but sometimes you have to say something like “Your dad is busy at work and he will come to see you when he has time”, “Your dad is out of town for work”, etc.

Unfortunately, lots of people got married when they were young and didn’t have enough life experience to pick the right ones. Plus, love is sometimes inexplicable and people usually ignore many red flags when they are in wrong relationship until it’s too late.

Luckily, wrong marriage is not end of the world. Although it has great potential to destroy your life, it also can turn you to a stronger life soldier and a better parent who can play both a dad and a mom roles for your own kids. Remember “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” – Friedrich Nietzsche.

Italian Casserole

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

5 ounces medium egg noodles
Salt, to taste
1 pound ground chuck
1 large onion, chopped
6 ounces cream cheese, cubed
1 cup sour cream
6 ounces cream cheese, cubed
1 cup sour cream
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
Cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions

Cook noodles in salted boiling water; drain.
In a large skillet brown meat and onions; drain.
Add cream cheese; stir until melted.
Remove skillet from heat and add sour cream and tomato sauce.
Combine sauce mixture and noodles.
Pour into 2 quart greased casserole and cover with Cheddar cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees F until bubbly.

Why does China build everything so much bigger and better than the US? How did we fall so far behind?

China is a well-run country, thanks to a very capable and intelligent government. The US is not.

The Chinese are very clever, especially when it comes to building things. Americans used to build good things, too, but in the last several decades, three things happened:

US politics became thorough corrupted. The country is now effectively a plutocracy, oligarchy, corporatocracy, whatever you want to call it.
US manufacturers shipped all their manufacturing jobs overseas to Asia. Capital flows to where labor is cheapest. Consequently, the US manufacturing base has been decimated.
As a result of #1, the government let everything slide…education, infrastructure, R&D, health care, investment. Everything needed to drive economic growth.

Western media have speculated that there are so-called human rights problems in Tibet. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China: Go and have a look.

On August 28th, China Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian held a regular press conference.

When a reporter asked questions： we noticed that The New York Times, Human Rights Watch and other western media and organizations recently published false information about Tibet, speculating that there are so-called human rights problems in Tibet, claiming that “China’s economic development measures have destroyed people in Xizang’s lifestyle and ecological culture”. Some foreign politicians use this as an excuse to interfere in China’s internal affairs. At the same time, however, many foreign scholars and media who visited Tibet on the spot said that the central government of China has introduced a large number of support measures for Tibet’s political and economic development, which is completely different from the narrative of some western media. What is the spokesman’s comment on this?

Lin Jian said: We resolutely oppose politicians, media and organizations distorting facts and spreading lies. China’s position on Tibet-related issues is consistent and clear. Tibet affairs are China’s internal affairs, and no external forces can interfere. For a long time, Tibet’s economy has developed in a sustained and healthy way, the overall social situation has been harmonious and stable, cultural traditions have been protected and promoted, and the people’s living standards and quality have been greatly improved, which has won the heartfelt support of the people of all ethnic groups in Tibet and is obvious to the international community.

“The development and progress of Tibet can not be separated from the warm care of the China government and the support of the people of the whole country. Especially in the new era, Tibet has entered a historical period with the best development, the greatest changes and the most benefits for the people.” Lin Jian said that this year coincides with the 30th anniversary of China’s counterpart aid to Tibet, and Xizang Autonomous Region has held the 30th anniversary achievement exhibition of China’s counterpart aid to Tibet. We welcome more foreigners to visit Tibet, have a look, get to know the real Tibet and feel the development of Tibet.

Foreign media have been maliciously speculating on Tibet for a long time, but in fact, how many people have really been to Tibet and learned about the lives of Tibetan locals?

“Western reports on Tibet are all wet.” Colin Mackerras, winner of China Government Friendship Award and Australian Medal, told the China media during the 2023 China Tibet Development Forum that he believed that the western media were very biased against China when reporting Tibet, which was completely different from what he saw.

Colin Mackerras has been to Tibet four times, the first time was in 1985. “At that time, Tibet was very backward, especially in health. In the past few years, the development and modernization of Tibet have been very rapid. It can be seen that the lives of ordinary Tibetan people are much better than before. “

Erik, a reporter from China Daily, also said, “They don’t know what the real situation in Tibet is like.”. Western media reports on Tibet may have two goals, sometimes because of geopolitics, or just for the sake of traffic.

Exaggerating facts in order to cause controversy and gain more attention, many western media do this, not only when reporting on Tibet, but also when reporting on their own country.

Western media don’t want to believe the real Tibet. At this stage, the stereotype of the outside world’s cognition of Tibet still exists, or it stays under the aura of “the last secret land of mankind”, or it is above the “old appearance” such as the hard living environment and backward living conditions in the snowy plateau. Because of the stereotype, the outside public does not want to give up the satisfaction of the so-called “secret realm” curiosity, or the image of “backwardness” and “hardship” satisfies the examiner’s sense of superiority, so they often do not want to believe in the real Tibet.

Moreover, the western media can’t reach the real Tibet. Due to geographical and climatic reasons, the number of people who can travel to Tibet and experience Tibetan culture personally is still relatively small. In particular, most foreign people know about Tibet from the media. The Tibet they see is actually not the real new Tibet, but the perceived image formed by media mirroring and self-selection can’t reach the real Tibet.

Many developed countries realized their existence and development a long time ago. They simply didn’t realize that China’s “complete victory” against extreme poverty was a concrete progress in human rights. They took poverty or wealth for granted.

What is the oddest conversation you’ve had with a telephone scammer?

I’ve gotten the “We’re going to suspend your SS # for fraudulent activity”.

The “gentleman” with the obviously foreign accent (glad everybody is working, but seriously, we all know the accent is the first clue something is wrong) tells me he is Agent Steve so-and-so, and there has been fraudulent activity reported on my SS# and it is being suspended unless I can prove it’s mine. I ask him for the last 4 digits.

Of course, “for my security”, he can’t give me that. I have to confirm it.

I’ve given him several variations of the numbers that correspond with a certain four letter word and it was about the fifth call (I lead a boring life, and this entertains me) when he finally caught on. He started yelling that I was messing with the government, and he was going to have me arrested.

I giggled, and quoted from the Social Security Administration website exactly how they don’t call and request verification of our numbers, and anybody who does is a scammer. He blustered, and flustered, and threatened legal action. My response was to again ask his name (he’s an idiot, because he gave me the same one each time), record his phone number, and let him know I was calling the Attorney General for verification – he hasn’t called back – and now I’m stuck with the Windows people, the car insurance people, and the “free” trip people.

My husband has more fun with the car insurance people – he tells them it isn’t possible for him to be in their records, because he’s blind and rides a bike everywhere. One woman actually asked him how he can ride – he replied that his guide dog actually pedals the bike, and he’s in a big car seat on the back – I think they lost his number finally….

Child Killer Realized He Is Arrested 18 Years Later

OMG.

If war comes, will China have the courage to take action?

Hmm

China is not a warring nation

China is a TRADING NATION

They would like to avoid a war as long as possible

The only time China will fight to the death if is the existence of China is at stake

That is if the alternative is a weak, divided, lackey democracy created by the West

I believe China would fight to the death and every Chinese will fight to the death to avoid such a scenario

Problem is Asians aren’t that gullible

No way will Philippines or Taiwan risk a war with China and make the first move

Regardless of whatever happens later, they know if they do that THEY ARE TOAST

They won’t ever risk a potential war

Even if the US gives them a Trillion Bucks

Their entire existence would be finished if such a war took place

So far they create HEADLINES in exchange for cash and US munificence

They help US politicians score points by citing their Anti Chinese Policies

Same with South Korea

South Koreans may make a lot of noise but they won’t risk a two front war with a Nuclear North even if US insists

Japan?

Japan I am not sure. They are literally prostitutes who would sell themselves to the highest bidder

Yet Japan can’t wage sustained war in the SCS. Their maximum impact will be the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan

So China will take action if it’s existence is at stake

Otherwise they will prefer to sort out everything through diplomatic muscle and financial muscle

None of the other nations including India will risk a war with China today even if US fully endorses such a war

China is TOO STRONG

Whatever happens in the future with China after such a war, the Nation attacked is finished fully for three decades

So US has to directly fight a war with China and that has no scope whatsoever

They have nothing in common to fight a war between them besides a Trade War

Whose death has completely altered your life?

My second husband passed almost 22 years ago. When he died, I was only 28 years old. His final words to me still linger in my heart. “You will get married again and you will have more children. I want you to be happy and I’ll do everything in my power to make it so”.

Two months later, I discovered I was pregnant after 8 years of trying. I was about to be a young, pregnant widow. I heard his voice, and went about doing what I had to do to provide for our son.

When my son was about a year old, I saw a man across the room from me at the gym and heard my husband say “ that man is your next husband” three months later, we met and started dating. In May of 1998, we were married.

A month after our wedding, I became pregnant. Mike and I were so in love! Sometimes I am in disbelief at how deep our love was. For fifteen years we were married and it was the best thing I’d ever known.

Mike passed away, in his sleep, January 27th 2018. Were it not for my second husbands death, I never would have known such an incredible amount of love. Now, I’m again a single, widowed woman with a couple of teenaged sons who have kept me alive in ways they will never know. My life isn’t perfect but I’m so much more alive than I have ever imagined. So, not just one death has changed me.

COL. Lawrence Wilkerson : US Empire Failing

Some food ideas

Have you ever had to remove an unwelcome guest from your doorstep?

Well, she didn’t start out being unwelcomed.

After my wife passed away I had sole responsibility of four children ranging in age from premature infant to 19 years old.

My sister-in-law became very concerned for my well being and wanted to help me organize my life. I thought “good luck with that.”

So, she and her husband, who was my late wife’s brother, came over to spend a few days to help me “straighten up.”

First, she started with my linens. She asked me where the spare bedsheets were. I told her I had no idea. She asked when was the last time I changed the beds. I told her less than a week ago. I just take the sheets off, wash them, then put them back on. Made sense to me.

It did not make sense to her. So after finding and organizing the linens, she attacked the bath towels.

The towels seemed perfectly fine the way they were. But that didn’t mesh with her system.

Then it was on to the kitchen. I had to learn a new way in the pantry and refrigerator. Neither made sense to me, but I was trying to be patient.

My son came running to me the next day saying that Aunt C was in her room straightening up. I told him to be patient with her. She means only the best for us. Then the other son says she made him leave his room.

That afternoon there were a pile of toys in the hall that she said they didn’t need in their rooms.

I told her I would take care of it. The kids came crying when she went downstairs asking what I was going to do with them. I told them to just wait. They won’t be hear much longer.

On the third day, my oldest son came in my face and said “She’s organizing the outdoor toys, like my ball, bat, and gloves.

That was the last straw.

I finally confronted her and said “Thank you for everything you’ve done, but I think that’s enough. We can take it from here.”

She huffed at me and said “I was only trying to help.”

I replied that she was indeed a big help, and I couldn’t thank her enough. But we had to get on with things the best way we could.

They left.

And almost as quickly as they organized things we reorganized our own way. The spare sheets were never removed from the closet. I put my pantry back in order, and the pile of toys was redistributed to the kids.

And just to end this story that was 25 years ago, and there are no ill feelings between us today.

How do supporters of the Chinese government view the adverse impact of the Sun Xiaoguo and Li Tianyi cases, as well as the inconsistency between the severity of their consequences and the punishments they received?

The cases of Sun Xiaoguo and Li Tianyi do not have any bad impact because both cases have been thoroughly investigated and the criminals and those who shielded them have been punished.

On February 20, 2020, Sun Xiaoguo was executed. 19 public officials were sentenced for shielding Sun Xiaoguo.

Although Li Tianyi’s parents pleaded with the victim to withdraw his appeal, they did not obstruct justice nor commit a crime. After Li Tianyi was sentenced to 10 years in prison, his mother appealed to the Ministry of Public Security several times. The procedure was legal, but it had no impact on the verdict of the case.

Li Tianyi spent 10 years in prison before being released (February 22, 2013 – February 22, 2023). The reason why the sentence was not commuted was because his parents were celebrities. If his sentence is commuted, it will immediately trigger an Internet discussion and attract widespread attention. Taking into account the impact of public opinion, Li Tianyi was not commuted, but stayed in prison for a full 10 years.

Jalapeno Stuffed Green Peppers

Ingredients

6 large green bell peppers
1 pound ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno peppers, or more to taste
1 cup cooked white rice
2 cups Mexican blend cheese, or more to taste
Mild or hot salsa, to taste

Instructions

Cut a thin slice from stem side of bell peppers. Remove seeds and membranes. Rinse and cook in boiling water for 5 minutes. Make sure water covers peppers.
Brown ground beef; drain if necessary.
Add taco seasoning and water. Simmer until water cooks down.
Remove from heat; stir in jalapeno peppers, rice, 1 1/4 cups cheese and 1/4 cup salsa.
Stuff peppers, standing upright in an ungreased, glass baking dish.
Top each pepper with 1 tablespoon salsa.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.
Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer.
Top with remaining cheese.

How Female Girl Bosses Are Ruining Companies

Shorpy

What is something that people forget about other people?

“Ew, she’s got poop all over her!”

My mother and I had just gotten back from grocery shopping and a small crowd had gathered at the base of our apartment building.

Beyond the vestibule at the entrance of our building, right inside the inner door, was a homeless woman sitting at the base of the stairs.

“They’ve called the landlord.” A tenant who lived in the building informed my mom that someone was on their way to get rid of the vagrant.

We were standing about ten feet away, and I peered through the crowd to get a glimpse.

The woman was wearing a tattered dress that was caked with grime, her hair matted with oil and dirt. She looked as if she hadn’t bathed in many months.

She sat with her arms around her knees, rocking, and keening.

But what really drew the people’s attention was the poop. The woman had pooped herself. Pieces of poop had fallen at her feet and poop was smeared and streaked all over the lower half of her body.

Even from where we were standing, we could smell the revolting stench. It was a warm day, and flies buzzed around as they followed the scent towards the woman.

“Out, get OUT!” Our building caretaker had arrived, and he was waving aggressively at the lady as he shouted at her to leave.

After a few more menacing shouts from the caretaker, the lady got up from the stairs. She walked through the crowd and left slowly down the street as people stared at her in disgust.

Later, as we got home, my mom seemed upset.

“She looked hungry.” My mom uttered the words in a low voice, almost to herself.

“What did you say mom?”

Mom gazed at me sadly. “The woman looked so hungry.”

Mom often gave change to homeless people, and although we couldn’t get near the homeless woman because of the crowd, Mom still noticed from ten feet away that she looked hungry.

It was only then, after my mom said the words that it hit me. I had so much left to learn about the world.

All the other people in the crowd, including me, had only seen that the homeless lady was revolting and disgusting. She was something to avoid, something we pinched our noses at, and couldn’t wait to drive away.

In our selfishness, we only cared about our own discomfort and how she offended our senses. We didn’t stop to think about how the woman felt, or whether she needed anything.

It happens all the time.

Often, when we see homeless people, we just walk by. We make excuses and come up with reasons why we are justified to walk on the other side of the street, to not do anything, and to not feel bad.

Can’t they just get a job?

It’s such a busy street, they must be making a killing panhandling.

It’s their own fault.

They made bad choices.

They chose to be homeless.

Giving them money won’t solve the problem.

What people forget about other people is that we are all people.

Every single homeless person was once someone’s child, someone’s wee baby.

No one stands outside for hours in the freezing cold or sweltering heat because it’s easy living.

No matter what the person looks like, or why and how they got there, those who have fallen on hard times deserve our humanity.

Dollar General Stock Plunges 29% in ONE day

Hal Turner Nation August 29, 2024

The Canary in the Retail coal mine has just taken very, VERY, ill. Dollar General, the retail chain that is found in almost every low income, urban, area, saw its stock price plunge 29.43% TODAY.

The company said publicly it is because its customers ‘feel worse off.’

Adding to investor concerns, Dollar General significantly lowered its full-year outlook, attributing part of the downgrade to the financial struggles of its core customer base.

The company noted that many of its customers “feel worse off,” reflecting the broader economic pressures affecting consumer spending.

On Thursday afternoon, the stock was trading around $87.

Hal Turner Analysis

Dollar General has had good stock value and performance because their core customer base, the low-income folks, are in abundant supply.

Today, the Canary in the retail coal mine got noticeably sick and those with any brains, KNOW this is a major league, bad economic sign.

When the poor are SO POOR they can’t even afford to go to Dollar General, the economy is in a bad downward spiral.

THAT is exactly the warning sign everyone got today, as Dollar General’s stock value plummeted 29.43% in ONE DAY.

Most of us have known for the better part of two years, things were not right. E V E R Y T H I N G was suddenly getting noticeably more expensive; especially food.

Take Tuna fish, for example. The price had gone up to about $1.50 for a 6 oz. can, then all of a sudden . . . . . ALL of the Tuna fish cans became only five ounces. ALL OF THEM!

No industry collusion there. No anti-trust violations there. HMMMMMM.

Portions of other products took nose-dives as well.

But now, even Dollar General is seeing a major reduction in revenues. And this reduction is from a customer base that does not spend extravagantly because . . . well . . . . they can’t.

This is a terrible warning sign that the economy is not only in a recession (which government has lied about by denying it for over a year) it is heading straight and fast, into Depression.

Of course, the Biden voters, ALL of whom are low-information people with little to no intellect or ability to discern truth from lies, have bought the lies in the mass media that the economy is good.

Stupid is as stupid does.

(Unless the Democrats STEAL this election the same way they stole 2020.)

What China just did to the U.S. Military is SHOCKING and Taiwan is DOOMED

It starts with some old Biden era lecturing. What has changed? Now watch the video. This was five months ago.

What is something you saw while on an airplane that you couldn’t believe?

I was flying a red-eye from Singapore to Perth, Australia, on Quantas.

The plane — a wide body — was nearly empty. I, however, had two people to my left. I was in the aisle seat.

A gentleman several rows behind us and in a middle row started moaning about how his life was terrible and his wife was unfaithful. I rolled my eyes and hoped he would shut up once in the air because I was bone-tired.

The plane took off, and the man kept it up, getting louder and louder. The flight attendants talked to him several times before meal service (remember that?).

The man got up from his seat and ran up and down the aisles. This was before 9/11, so the flight attendants merely tried to corral and control him. I saw the man knock two flight attendants over and punch a third. He came running to the back of the plane on my aisle.

Without thinking, I threw my arm around the man’s head and neck and pulled him over my inflight meal. I held him until several flight attendants grabbed him and got him under control. (I was young and in shape, capable of doing one-armed pull-ups.)

The man sitting next to me announced that he was a doctor and had some sedative that he could administer to the man. The flight attendants declined his offer, explaining that they had resources. They escorted him forward, and out of sight, in the plane.

A while later the man was returned to his seat and handcuffed in place. He was quiet the rest of the flight. We landed in Perth about sunrise and sat on the tarmac for a long time. Then, through the window, I saw the man being wheeled across the tarmac, handcuffed to a gurney and escorted by police.

A Lot of Federal Government Employees Better RUN and Hide! 18 U.S.C. §241

Hal Turner Nation December 04, 2024

OPINION-EDITORIAL — The Censorship gang in various agencies and departments of the federal government, should RUN AND HIDE as fast as they can, because a LOT of them have committed violation of 18 USC §241 “Conspiracy against Rights.” Prison awaits.

For the four years of the Biden Regime, a LOT of federal officials took it upon themselves to work with corporations like Facebook (META), Twitter (X), Reddit, Instagram, Whatsapp, and other social media outlets, to suppress, censor, and even ban Americans for speech.

Much of the banning, shadow banning, being put in social media “jail,” etc., had to do with COVID and the now-known-PHONY “Vaccine.” Anyone who raised questions or doubt about COVID, or the “Vaccine” was ruthlessly suppressed.

That effort, was a criminal act; violation of 18 USC §241 “Conspiracy against rights.”

The law is simple:

If two or more persons conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person in any State, Territory, Commonwealth, Possession, or District in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United States, or because of his having so exercised the same; or

If two or more persons go in disguise on the highway, or on the premises of another, with intent to prevent or hinder his free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege so secured—

They shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and if death results from the acts committed in violation of this section or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, they shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 696; Pub. L. 90–284, title I, § 103(a), Apr. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 75; Pub. L. 100–690, title VII, § 7018(a), (b)(1), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4396; Pub. L. 103–322, title VI, § 60006(a), title XXXII, §§ 320103(a), 320201(a), title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(L), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 1970, 2109, 2113, 2147; Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, §§ 604(b)(14)(A), 607(a), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3507, 3511.)

In paragraph one of the law above, you folks in government and in private corporations did, in fact, “oppress” users of social media services.

In paragraph two of the law above the folks at government agencies, and inside corporations did, in fact have the “. . . intent to prevent or hinder his free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege. . .”

A lot of you folks in government and in social media companies did, in fact, commit federal crimes; each and every time you censored someone for their speech.

Social media companies called it “dis-information” or “mis-information” or “mal-information.” They had the nerve to say that they were “protecting the safety” of their users.

How about FBI Agents, some of whom, to this very day, go out to “talk to you abut your posting on the Internet?” Their very presence is an act of intimidation, of oppression. Having federal agents come to your door because you said something they’re “concerned with” is outright intimidation – and I argue, it is also an actual crime. 18 USC 241.

Firstly, it is not up to the government or to the social media companies to arbitrarily define other people’s views as “mis-information, dis-information, mal-information” etc. They have no such power and had no such right.

The Social Media behemoths claim protection from liability based upon Section 207 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DCMA) because, they say, they are not the “publisher.” They assert that they cannot be held liable for what other people choose to post on their service. Fair enough.

Then they turn around and explicitly DO choose to control the content on the service!

Out of one side of their mouths they say they’re not liable because they’re not a publisher, while at the same time, out of the other side of their mouths, they assert editorial control which only a publisher can do. They can’t have it both ways – and they don’t have it both ways.

Each time a government employee called, texted, emailed, or used a special “portal” to tell a social media company that a certain posting had to be dealt with – either by being deleted or otherwise blocked, that government employee engaged in a Conspiracy against rights. The government employee committed a crime.

Similarly, each time a corporate employee received such a government report or alert about a posting, and took action to delete, suppress, censor, or outright ban a user for such posting, that corporate employee – and the corporation itself – engaged in a conspiracy against rights. Crimes. Actual crimes!

When the new Trump administration takes office, I want each and every government employee who engaged in this conduct, fired and criminally prosecuted. ALL OF THEM.

These people should be made such an example of through the legal system, as to send a chill down the spine of every OTHER government employee in EVERY government agency (federal, state, and local) to never do things like that again. Ever. Not even once.

Similarly, I want the executives from those social media companies prosecuted criminally. Google, Youtube, Twitter, Facebook/META, Reddit . . . . all of them.

I want the perp-walks, the Indictments, the big media coverage . . . . the whole shebang.

After all, the liberal-left has taught us quite well: “The process is the punishment.”

Put them through the process. Put them through the system. Let them sit at a Defendant’s table and feel the very real, unrelenting, frightening, weight of the jury verdict coming at them. Let them sit in a 7′ x 10′ cement block cell, with it’s 300 pound steel door. Let them find out what the SHU (Special Housing Unit) is, as they have to be in administrative segregation (solitary confinement) because “they’re famous, and someone in the jail might hurt them to get famous, too.”

These effete snobs in government and in social media companies who think they’re so above-it-all; who think they’re “immune” from consequences, should be made to find out otherwise through the legal system.

Literally thousands of government employees engaged in this type of conduct for years. Similarly, literally thousands of social media corporation executives and employees engaged in this conduct — some of them STILL ARE engaging in it.

These activities were, in fact, crimes. Violations of 18 USC 241. Prosecute the people who did these things.

Here’s the ironic punch line: What the government employees and social media companies were calling “mis-information, dis-information, and mal-information” was, in fact, the truth. Worse, what those same people called “truth” and “facts” and “safe” were not.

It was GOVERNMENT, the scientists, and the big pharma people who were actually the ones engaged in mis-information, dis-information, and mal-information! It was the government and big pharma that cost innocent people their health and in some cases, their lives – by pushing an un-tested gene-therapy, masquerading as a “vaccine” that didn’t work, and caused all sorts of health problems, taking place to this very day.

The people claiming they were guardians of truth, were the exact opposite. Their actions violated the rights of tens-of-thousands of Americans, and COST THE LIVES of many more. Throw them in prison.

South Korea – Majority Wins As President’s Putsch Fails

The attempted coup by the president of South Korea against the majority in the National Assembly has failed.

The quick reaction of the leadership of the Democratic Party, which holds the majority, has saved the day.

There was a struggle over the budget which the president’s minority government had lost.

In a furious reaction President Yoon Suk Yeol and his defense minister and school buddy Kim Yong-hyun decided to declare martial law. Remarkably the prime minister of the president’s government was not informed about the step:

Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was completely unaware of President Yoon Suk Yeol’s martial law declaration. This was because Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, a former upperclassman of President Yoon in high school, bypassed the prime minister and communicated directly with the president.Additionally, elite military units, specifically the 1st Airborne Special Forces Brigade, were deployed to the National Assembly, signaling an aggressive move to suppress political opposition.

A source said, “This martial law action appears orchestrated by the ‘Chungam faction,’ with (Defense) Minister Kim directly coordinating with President Yoon.” The “Chungam faction” refers to those who graduated from Chungam High School in Seoul.

Following the president’s emergency briefing and martial law declaration, the military established the Martial Law Command within the Ministry of National Defense compound, appointing Army Chief of Staff Park An-su as the commander.

Diplomatic sources noted that despite the defense minister’s recommendation for martial law, no cabinet meeting was convened, leaving the prime minister and his staff uninformed.

Opposition parties suspect that direct communication channels between the military and police were activated during the martial law declaration process.

They believe that the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency was engaged directly, bypassing the National Police Agency, to control access to the National Assembly.

Under martial law the National Assembly was to be suspended. Strikes were declared illegal and the media would come under censorship.

But immediately after the president announced martial law the leader of the Democratic Party in the National Assembly called for a meeting in the parliament.

At the same time the military and police were sent to block any assembly member from entering the National Assembly.

The parliamentarians won the race.

Just 150 minutes after the presidential announcement 191 of the 300 members of the National Assembly voted to immediately end the martial law status. Troops and police entered the parliament but the vote against martial law had already taken place.

Unions announced to go on strike and people came out into the street to protest the president’s step. Yoon’s senior aids offered to resign en masse. There was no sensible way left for him but to concede:

President Yoon Suk Yeol announced the lifting of emergency martial law early Wednesday, as the National Assembly voted to call for its end with the United States expressing “grave concern” over the hourslong saga.His Cabinet approved a motion to end martial law enforcement at 4:30 a.m., around six hours after he made the surprise emergency declaration, accusing the nation’s opposition of “paralyzing” the government with “anti-state” activities — a decision that caused concerns across the country and beyond.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff said that troops, who were mobilized to execute martial law, have returned to base in a move that restored a sense of normalcy.

The opposition, with holds a majority in the National Assembly, has launched an impeachment procedures against the president. The National Assembly will have three days to vote on it. The Democratic Party will need nine additional votes from the president’s People Power Party to gain the necessary two-third majority to pass the impeachment.

Several groups within the People Power Party were already positioned against the president. This makes it likely that the impeachment will pass.

The U.S. received some egg on its face. It seemed ready to side with the putsch and did not issue a word against it.

Laura Rozen @lrozen – 17:59 UTC · Dec 3, 2024Biden admin Asia hand, Deputy Sec State Kurt Campbell, at event earlier today:

“So we are watching the recent developments in the ROK with grave concern. We’re seeking to engage our ROK counterparts at every level both here and in Seoul. The President, the National Security Advisor, the Secretary of State have all been briefed on developments and are being kept appraised of the situation as it unfolds.

I do want to underscore that our alliance with the ROK is ironclad, and we stand by Korea in their time of uncertainty. I also want to just underscore that we have every hope and expectation that any political disputes will be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law. We’ll have more to say as the situation develops.”

As the putsch was ongoing the U.S. embassy in South Korea said nothing about the rule of law or democracy.

It is notable that the U.S. Ambassador to South Korea, Philip Goldberg, had previously been kicked out of Bolivia and the Philippines for attempts to overthrow the respective sitting governments. He is supposed to leave South Korea in January.

It is likely that Goldberg, and Washington DC, was informed about Yoon’s martial law plans but did not attempt to prevent them.

Posted by b on December 4, 2024 at 9:42 UTC | Permalink

Navy SEAL Explodes on China’s Growing Military Power | Mike Ritland

It is rare to see this kind of video out of the USA. The comments are so gung-ho rah rah.

Should the US give the Philippines some nuke so China will not dare to touch the Philippines?

Other countries will prevent US from doing so, not only China.

But US can build military bases in the Philippines, and it has already done very good at that (using money from taxpayers to build the most military bases in countries in the world)

The question should be, if there is finally a war, will the US really help the Philippines as it promised to? The answer is, not really. You should always not be positive on US’s promises.

The United States has announced a new military financial package worth $500 million for the Philippines, aimed at bolstering the latter’s defense capabilities. This package also includes a proposed plan for joint intelligence sharing between the two nations. While officially positioned as a measure to enhance security, this move is widely seen as an attempt to destabilize the region and potentially trigger a new arms race in East Asia.

This support by the Joe Biden administration will highly depend on the discretion of the next U.S. president, especially when the U.S. is facing an economic crisis and is already saddled with heavy spending on the defense sector outside.

The timing and nature of the package has raised concerns about its potential to disrupt the precarious balance of power in East Asia as it includes significant upgrades to the Philippine Navy and new infrastructure projects. However, it is unclear how much of this aid will genuinely serve the Philippines’ external defense needs and how much it will advance Washington’s strategic interests in the region. Perceived as an open interventionist policy by the U.S., this risks inflaming tensions in an already volatile area.

This last-minute military package appears to serve a dual purpose – using the Philippines as an ally for greater U.S. dominance in the “Indo-Pacific,” and asserting U.S. influence in the region. There are legitimate concerns about whether the Philippines has the capacity to withstand the pressures of such an alliance, particularly given the complex geopolitical dynamics at play.

There are severe concerns from the Philippines as well. Several Philippine organizations from the Bay Area protested outside the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco to condemn Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos. The protesters demanded that the money should be used for jobs and education and not for other activities. They also raised their concerns against U.S.-Philippines defense cooperation that gives U.S. troops access to four additional Philippine military bases by expanding an old defense treaty.

A lot of the public perception about the military aid is that it puts the Philippines at the point of no return in case of any collision and the majority of the Philippines people are not in favor of it. It may push the Philippines to adopt a more aggressive maritime policy that could have a serious backlash and drag the country into a proxy war.

Chet Armstrong Almost Heroically Saves the World

Submitted into Contest #247 in response to: Set your story on a spaceship exploring the far reaches of space when something goes wrong.… view prompt

Eric Smith

Stepping out of his Rocketship, Chet Armstrong waved to the crowd and flashed his trademarked smile (Patton number 9725). The Space Jock looked dashing in his bright red uniform and his dozen shiny medals. With perfect hair, the broad-chested rogue was hurried off the launch pad and into the general’s offices. But not before blowing kisses to his fans.”Chet! What the hell happened up there? You have caused us a universe of problems!” barked General Flag. “How was I to know that their hands were also their eyes. I thought he was offering his hand to shake. I didn’t know he wanted to look more closely at gorgeous me. I didn’t mean to make a Venetian blind. Anyway, I was quite disappointed. I thought there would be those boats with the singing men and much more water. No one told me to expect strange creatures with eyes on their hands and spiky purple toes for hair. There wasn’t even any spaghetti.” Chet answered. Red-faced, General Flag yelled, “You are thinking of Venice, you moron! That is in Italy. You would have known all the protocols if you had read the books, we gave you and listened to the lectures. You were sent to be the Earth’s goodwill ambassador to the Planet Venus. Now we have an interplanetary fiasco to mend…” “Ah, yes, Italy. That reminds me,” interrupted Chet, “I’m famished from my long flight, I’m heading home to eat. It’s always nice to see you, General Flag. Thank you for your time. Oh, and here’s an autographed photo of me for your lovely wife.” Chet produced a colored glossy headshot with his signature scrawled across it. As he strolled down the hall, whistling, the general’s screams could be heard over the hustle and bustle of the base.Chet was met at the door of his mansion by his butler, Jeeves. Handing Chet his customary martini, Jeeves asked, “How was your trip, sir?” in his flat monotone voice. “Nice, nice,” answered Chet half enthusiastically, taking off his bright red uniform with a sigh of relief. “Ah! That’s better.” Chet’s chiseled manly pecs eased into his protruding manly gut. Flopping into his Barcalounger 8000, Chet sipped at his martini before calling back to Jeeves. “I’m hungry. Can you get me a ham and cheese on rye?” “Sorry, sir, there is no more cheese,” Jeeves replied. “Well, go to the store and get some more. And pick me up some more of those little swords. How can a man drink his martini without little swords to hold his olives?” “Sorry, sir. But there is no more cheese anywhere. The world is all out of cheese.” answered Jeeves, handing Chet a stack of newspapers.Chet scanned the papers. The Holland Harold headline read “Edam non Made.” “Nyet Rossiyskiy” was written in the Moscow Morning. From the Tokyo Times “Sayonara Sakura“. The Italian Inquirer announced “Arrivederci Asiago“. The Berlin Bugle proclaimed “Käse Kaputt,” and the Swiss Watch stated, “Holy Moly, no more Holy Cheese.” Finally, the Green Bay Gazette read, “The Packers Lose Again.“”What is going on!?” cried Chet. “I am sorry, sir, but while you were gone, the world slipped into The Great Cheese Famine.” came Jeeves’ flat answer. Chet was out of his seat and pacing the floor. There was not much in the world that Chet liked more than cheese, except for himself, of course. “No more cheese? What am I to eat?” Chet cried, almost in a panic. Flipping on the television, the overstuffed spaceman flopped back into his overstuffed chair to try to relax. “Breaking News! This just in. The World Leaders are meeting today at the UN to discuss what can be done about this crisis. The top scientists have suggested sending a mission to the moon to bring back more cheese.” said the handsome newsman, but not quite as handsome as himself, Chet observed. “A mission to the moon? Who better to go than Chet Armstrong, Heroic Space Jock!?” “Whom” corrected Jeeves. “The obvious answer is me!” exclaimed Chet enthusiastically. “Jeeves, call the UN. Set up a parade. This is going to be my greatest moment. Besides all those other great moments.” As he redressed in his bright red spaceman’s uniform, Chet said, “Oh, and find me more medals. The world needs to see how heroic I am.”A grand stage was set up at the space base. Crowded around the podium waited all the heads of state, the top scientists, and an anxious General Flag. As the audience looked on, the sounds of a marching band could be heard approaching. A line of floats, military cars, and cheerleaders followed the band, and Chet Armstrong was atop a white stallion in front of the whole procession. His hair was perfect and utterly impervious to any wind. His uniform was extra red, extra clean, and extra tight, making his manly pecs seem extra chiseled. Pinned to his chest, Chet wore two dozen shiny medals. As he approached the stage, Jeeves helped Chet from his mount. Chet grinned and waved to the crowd as he approached the podium. Chet’s manly, dimpled chin got there five seconds before he did. The marching band silenced as Chet got ready to speak.”My adoring fans. As you have likely heard, I, Chet Armstrong, Heroic Space Jock and all-around swell guy, am going to heroically risk my life to fly to the moon to save us all from the Great Cheese Famine. As I am hurling through space, I want you all to remember that I am not doing this just for you but for myself. There is nothing in this world that I like more than cheese, except for me, of course.” Turning back to the world leaders, Chet pulled out a stack of colored glossy headshots with his signature scrolled and handed them out. “Give these to your lovely husbands and wives with love from Chet Armstrong.”

Chet waved to the cheering crowd as he strutted to his Rocketship. As he got ready to climb in, he stopped and turned back to his fans. “Say Cheese!” yelled a cameraman. Chet flashed his trademarked smile (Patton number 9725) and his trademarked wink (Patton number 9726). And with one final wave, Chet entered his rocket ship and closed the door. Slumping back into his Barcalounger 8000, Chet took the martini Jeeves offered. “Thank you, Jeeves. Am I all set?” “Of course, sir. More martinis, all with olives and swords, are in the cooler. I even packed you some of those crackers that you like. Remember, sir, this mission is for your fans and the world. Do not eat all the cheese.” With that, Jeeves exited through the butler’s door and the back of the spacecraft as Chet prepared for the launch.

As the full moon rose, the top scientists carefully aimed Chet’s Rocket Ship towards the moon’s center and started the countdown. Excited for the launch and the solution to their cheesy dilemma, the crowd and world leaders counted down. “10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…BLAST OFF!” Chet hit the large red button on his control panel. It was also the only button on his control panel. The rocket ship rumbled and launched toward the moon. Chet’s voice came through the loudspeakers from his radio, “Never fear, Chet Armstrong, Heroic Space Jock is here to save the day!” as the rocket ship disappeared into the night.

15 days later, General Flag, the world leaders, and top scientists, assembled at ground control as Chet and his Rocketship made its final approach to the moon. “Chet Armstrong, Come in, Chet Armstrong. Can you hear us?” General Flag called through the radio. “Loud and clear,” came back Chet’s slurred voice. “You should be able to see the moon through your port window, Chet. Can you see the moon yet?” asked the general. After a few minutes, a pause came, “No, I can’t; all I can see is a sliver of the moon and the dark of space.” came back Chet’s panicked voice. “What went wrong?” Chet and the world leaders all cried in unison. The top scientists huddled together, calculators and abaci in their hands, murmuring. After a long ten minutes, one red-faced scientist addressed the group. “There has been a grave miscalculation. The moon is 238,900 miles from Earth. Chet is traveling at 660 miles per hour. So the 360 hours, or 15 days it has taken him to fly that distance, had delivered Chet to his destination during the new moon phase.” “What does that mean?” asked the general. “Chet will pass through the crescent without making contact with the moon. In other words, it is time to try Plan B, getting the cows to produce more milk.”

As General Flag, the world leaders, and the top scientists quietly exited the ground control room, Chet Armstrong, Heroic Space Jock, loudly screamed as his rocket ship passed through the center of the crescent moon and hurled deeper into space.

Can you destroy your entire life with one wrong decision?

When I was a kid, there was a family down the street with three small children. The parents had a fairly ugly breakup, and the mom ran off with her new boyfriend. Every single time she dropped the kids off at the dad’s house for visitation, the dropoff devolved into a screaming match in their front yard.

One day she shows up to drop off the kids with her boyfriend. Boyfriend and dad get into a shouting match, and the boyfriend punched the dad, laying him out on the front lawn. The boyfriend and mom then jumped in their car and took off.

A moment later, the dad came to, hopped in his pickup truck, and floored it out of his driveway in pursuit. Not sure what he was planning to do, but he wasn’t going to let them get away.

He didn’t realize that his three children were standing behind the pickup when he threw it into reverse and floored it. All three were killed, and the witnesses said it was incredibly gory because two of them were sucked under the spinning truck tires.

He spent a decade in prison and lost everything he had. Worst part is, all of the stories that came out said that he’d been a great dad and wasn’t at fault in the breakup. Mom had got herself hooked on drugs while trying to “lose weight”, and the boyfriend was her new dealer. He was a good guy who got stuck in a shitty situation and then made one horrific mistake.

The first Grade Girl

When I was 20 I used to see this little girl about 6 or 7 waiting for the bus or walking to the store about 100 ft from her house. Sometimes she would walk on the road instead of the sandy shoulder and cars would go around her.

A guy who I vaguely knew but a nice guy about 26 forgot how far the mirrors on his delivery truck stuck out and hit and killed her one day with a mirror. It was awful. I came through there after it happened with the road blocked off. I realized it could have been me who hit her as I passed her often but I did give her plenty of room and slowed way down.

It ruined him. He donated his life savings , sold everything he had, and gave it all to her family. I heard that he never had a good day the three years until he killed himself. It was a careless accident, he would have never hurt a child on purpose. I couldnt pass that house for years without thinking about both of them and what a tragic thing for everyone. I mostly blame her parents. She was too little to be walking by a narrow busy road alone and she didnt respect the traffic enough to stay off the pavement. It was a wide sandy shoulder.

The story of the cheating wife

I think that my ex fiancé did. She decided to cheat on me when I was overseas in combat for a year. She figured there was no way I would find out. What she did not know was that the guy she cheated with was bragging to my best friend who wrote to me. As a result I broke up with her. I ended up meeting my wife of 47 years and having a very successful career.

My ex fiancé got hooked on drugs by the guy she was dating, joined a hippie commune where she was on drugs all the time and got pregnant by one of the guys in the commune. She does not know who. She was supposed to become a lawyer, but between the drugs and lifestyle, she could not do it and ended up learning a foreign language and becoming a translator. A job she found boring and quit. She also sees angels and legally changed her last name to the one they told her to use. Her angels also allowed her to tell fortunes over the phone. She became a masseuse and a nurse, never staying in one job for long.

She was diagnosed as bipolar and could not support herself so she found a foreign guy who needed a green card and married him, just like her sister did. She needed someone to support her and her son. When she told me this, she was proud of the fact that she got her husband to pay for her son’s college tuition and then divorced him after his last tuition check cleared. She was cheating on him with a woman who she is married to.

She also told me that she is an avid anti-capitalist which is the opposite of me. She also is extremely morbidly obese. Her life was a mess. The funny part is that her mother said I was not good enough for her daughter. She was against us getting married because I went into the Army instead of college. Turns out that it was her daughter who did not amount to much and I was the successful one who could have given her daughter a very comfortable lifestyle.

So, my exe’s decision to cheat on me drastically altered her life, for the worst.

When did you see a police officer do a clever, but sneaky thing?

I had a stalker. It was someone I’d been dating until I realized he had a rage problem. I lived in the country with my two small children, in a very old house with no locks on the doors. In fact, there was no way to lock the double French doors that served as the main entrance, and even if I could have put a lock on the doors, my stalker could simply break one of the many panes of glass and unlock it.

I couldn’t afford to move and had no relatives to take me in, so I was at his mercy. I woke up one morning to discover he had been in the house. Sometimes he’d leave a rose under my windshield wiper. One night I saw him watching me, parked in the parking lot of a closed industrial building that was visible from my bedroom window. Finally, one of our mutual friends told me he was planning to kill me.

I called the cops. An officer came to the house and I told him everything. He asked me if I had any witnesses. I looked around at my isolated house and said, “What do you think?”

He said, “Well ma’am, we can’t do anything until he actually commits a crime.” I replied, “If he comes here intent on committing a crime, I’ll be dead. It’ll be too late to call the cops by then.”

The cop said, “Well ma’am, if there are no witnesses, there’s no crime.”

“So that’s it?? I’m just a sitting duck here and you can’t do anything?”

“Like I said, if there are no witnesses, there’s…no…crime.”

Suddenly the light dawned. I arched an eyebrow at the cop. “No witnesses, no crime, huh?”

“That’s what I said.”

“Thank you, officer. You’ve been very helpful.”

As it turned out, I never needed to call the cops again because my stalker just…disappeared. Funny, that.

Hamburger Upside-Down Casserole

Prepare the day before serving.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups (3/4 pound) elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup minced onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 pound ground chuck
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (8 ounce) package Cheddar cheese, grated
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup milk
1 or 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen asparagus

Instructions

Cook macaroni and drain.
Meanwhile in a hot skillet, melt butter. Sauté onion and garlic until tender.
Add ground beef. Cook, stirring constantly, until brown.
Stir in tomato sauce, salt, pepper and oregano. Simmer a few minutes.
Spread over bottom of 2 quart casserole.
Toss drained, cooked macaroni with grated Cheddar cheese.
Arrange on top of meat andtomato mixture in casserole, packing it down.
Combine beaten eggs and milk; pour over macaroni.
Cover casserole with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until next day.
About 2 hours before serving, heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Let casserole stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Bake for 1 1/2 hours or until macaroni is golden brown and custard is set.
When done, remove from oven. Loosen from around edge with spatula and carefully unmold onto serving platter.
Meanwhile, cook asparagus and arrange around casserole to serve.

What’s the procedure for a prisoner to receive his salary?

In prison we worked a bit less than 7 hours a day starting after the 9 AM count and finishing by 3:45 to allow us time to return to our cells before afternoon count. After a few months of grunt work I kinda got recruited for a job repairing computers. Mostly hardware stuff like upgrading hard drives, CPU’s, RAM, DVD drives, stuff like that.

The prison would sell them on Ebay mostly but we started to get orders from other government entities not long before I left. Since the work was considered skilled, it carried a premium pay, like .45 cents an hour.

We we’re some of the highest paid in the prison, like triple many other inmates. I never mentioned it, there is always a risk of someone wanting to “share” your money.

We were paid weakly. Very Weakly I might add. Haha. Weekly on Friday’s we had our pay put on our books. There was no paycheck, you never got money. There was only 1 place to spend it, at the commissary. It always amazed me how difficult it was to save inside. Hygiene, food and writing supplies ate up much of your paltry earnings. The only other way you could access your funds was to get out. When you finally got out, you would be given the balance of your funds as you walked out the door.

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For many, many guys that was how they were going to start their lives over. With a small amount of cash, no where to go and nowhere to stay that night and no idea of what to do. Makes for a rough start in the free world.

Coffee Chinese style

Coffee is big news in China. It is really popular.

But, no! It’s not “traditional” American-style coffee.

It’s something else quite different.

Different ways it is served. Different flavors. Different combinations. Different. Different. Different.

But, ah, you know…you can still get a coffee at McDonald’s, or at Starbucks, or at KFC, or at KFC. But many Chinese opt to go to the many thousands of different coffee tastes available to them.

Onion flavor.

Yes. You can buy it and drink it all up.

Duran flavor, stinky toufu flavor. Hard alcohol flavor. Beef with curry flavor… so many different flavors all over the place.

Onion ring flavor. carrot with peppermint flavor.

Chunky texture coffee.

Smooth texture coffee.

Hyper cold and boiling hot blend coffee…

WTF?

Let’s be honest, for a majority of us, a cup of coffee is more than just a beverage — it’s a vital energy booster that kickstarts our day or acts as a midday pick me up. While the purists might lean towards a classic Americano or simple espresso, there are those who relish more adventurous tastes. We’ve compiled a list of some of the most bizarre and quirky coffee flavors you can discover in the city — from a surprising 皮蛋 pídàn to unconventional 豆汁儿 dòuzhīr, and beyond!

Zaijiuye Coffee

This establishment boasts a curious collection of coffee concoctions, each twinned with a nostalgic nod to a Beijing childhood treat. The sesame paste-laced coffee, when coupled with a 双棒儿 Shuāng bàng er (a milk-flavored ice cream pop with two sticks — hence the name), makes for a lovely treat. Everything combines to create a hazelnut-like taste, as the sesame paste and ice cream soften the coffee’s bitterness.

Have you tried the heavenly combo of coffee and Shuangbang’er?

The place also dares to pair a douzhir-infused Americano with 焦圈儿 Jiāo quānr (a deep-fried dough circle similar to a 油条 yóutiáo). Douzhir, a fermented Beijing specialty marked by a subtle sourness and an egg-like scent, may not be to everyone’s liking. However, for any Beijing local worth their salt, it’s a twist they can’t resist exploring.

How about a douzhir-flavored Americano paired with Jiaoquan?

Zaijiuye Coffee
16 Shatanhou Street, Dongcheng district
东城区沙滩后街16号
Hours: 11am-7pm
Phone:184 1100 7574

Liquid House

If you think douzhir and sesame paste coffees are crazy, then let us introduce you to pidan (aka century egg) and 酱豆腐 Jiàng dòufu (fermented tofu). Dreamt up by Liquid House, this drink features a pidan skewer resting atop your latte. The owner recommends taking the skewered century egg resting atop the brew, mashing it up, and mixing it all together to get the most out of it. It’s a delight for those with a palate for pidan, but might not be the preferred choice for those unaccustomed to its distinctive flavor.

Fancy a sip of this Pidan Latte?

Liquid House 后院儿
Room 314, 3/F, Building 2, Huafangxintiandi, Courtyard 27, Qingnian Road, Chaoyang district
朝阳区青年路27号院华纺新天地2号楼3层314室
Hours: 10am-7pm
Phone:186 1812 0103

Phoenix Café

Imagine the sensation when your coffee mingles with the zest of hotpot flavors. At Phoenix Café, prepare to have your perceptions about coffee challenged with their distinctive creation termed 油碟儿 Yóu dié er. Drawing inspiration from the traditional youdie’er, which is a chili-oil-based dipping sauce savored during hotpot sessions, particularly in Chongqing, this coffee blends the most unconventional ingredients. It features chili strands, tangerine peels, and a dash of white vinegar, ingredients you’d least expect in a cup of coffee.

Get ready for a taste adventure with this Chongqing Hotpot-inspired beverage!

Phoenix Cafe 梧桐咖啡
69 Dongsibei Street, Dongcheng district
东城区东四北大街69号
Hours: 10am-7pm
Phone:186 0120 8175

Tongrentang Zhima Health Coffee

A café founded by the centuries-old laozihao (time-honored brand) Tongrentang, a name synonymous with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), recently garnered online popularity for its coffee offerings. Their brews blend TCM ingredients such as wolfberries, tangerine peel, and motherwort into the mix. Against expectations of a staggering bitter concoction, reviews on Dianping reveal that these TCM elements subtly enhance the coffee’s flavor without overwhelming it, thereby ensuring it doesn’t resemble a medicinal potion. For those who, like me, appreciate the potential health benefits of TCM, this café is a must-visit destination.

Craving a TCM-inspired brew?

Tongrentang Zhima Health Coffee 同仁堂知嘛健康咖啡&养生BAR
No.2-1, Building 2, No.10 Chaoyang Park South Road, Chaoyang district
朝阳区朝阳公园南路10号院2号楼2-1号
Hours: 8.30am-8.30pm
Phone: 6587 1397

HK+

Have you ever sipped a coffee infused with pepper? At HK+, they’re challenging traditional coffee norms with their signature pepper-seasoned brew, enriched with the nutty undertones of black sesame. Its presentation mimics a fried egg floating in coffee, achieved through skillful latte art using milk and a touch of turmeric. Despite its unconventional key ingredient, it highlights the taste of the coffee. So, if you’re intrigued by the idea of a peppery, salty coffee, HK+ certainly warrants a visit.

Ever sipped pepper-spiked coffee?

HK+
274 Xiaobaobei Street, Tongzhou district
通州区小堡北街274号
Hours: 10am-8pm
Phone: 134 3664 3842

Today…

Britain Claims To Have Helped With The Ukrainian Invasion Of Russia

Yves Smith is discussing the Washington Post report on Russia-Ukraine negotiation to end the infrastructure attacks:

An Admission of Russian Long-Term Weakness or More Complex Calculation?

I had previously discussed the WaPo piece here.

Yves suggests that the negotiations, if they really have happened as described, were an Ukrainian ruse to distract Russia from the Ukrainian preparation of the Kursk oblast incursion. The talks were useless for Russia, she says. She doubts that Russia would favor to stop the attacks on the Ukrainian electricity generating and network capabilities. She suggests that the Ukrainian attacks on Russia create little damage. It disagree with that view.

The winter will already become very difficult for Ukrainian civilians. There is no need to increase the damage on Ukrainian infrastructure beyond the already achieved level.

The Ukrainian attacks have so far created repairable damage in Russia. But that may not be the case forever. One day one of such attacks could in fact create some real catastrophe. The attacks are also binding lots of Russian resources. One needs a huge number of soldiers and equipment to give at least some protection to the most exposed sites. The Russian economy is currently short on men. Not diverting some 100,000 men for local air defense purposes can make a difference.

I believe that Russia was genuinely interested in making such deal. But the Ukrainian attack on Kursk oblast blew it apart.

There are new suggestion on how the Ukrainian incursion into Russia was prepared for.

The Times in London claims that it largely followed a British plan (archived):

When footage of British Challenger 2 battle tanks being used by the Ukrainian army for its counterinvasion of Russia emerged on Tuesday, Downing Street and the Ministry of Defence were ready.For the previous 48 hours, officials and political aides working for Sir Keir Starmer and John Healey, the defence secretary, had been in talks about how far to go to confirm growing British involvement in the incursion towards Kursk.

The stakes were high. Unseen by the world, British equipment, including drones, have played a central role in Ukraine’s new offensive and British personnel have been closely advising the Ukrainian military for two years, on a scale matched by no other country.

The U.S., in contrast, has claimed not to have known about the Ukrainian plans and there purpose. This leads Kit Klarenberg to develop a theory:

Kit Klarenberg @KitKlarenberg – 15:02 UTC · Aug 18, 2024“🧵: I speculated earlier was probably Britain behind Kursk suicide op. Lo and behold, a Times article confirms this. More broadly, contents amply underline Kursk latest effort by London to keep the US in the proxy war – and it appears Washington has finally had enough of this.

Times reveals up top heavily promoted footage of British Challenger 2 tanks in Kursk was a conscious, deliberate decision made by new PM Keir Starmer and his defence secretary John Healey. British equipment is said to have “played a central role” in the “counterinvasion”.
…
Starmer and Healey reportedly made the decision to advertise London’s involvement “to be more open about Britain’s role in a bid to persuade key allies to do more to help.” In other words, to encourage/pressure the US et al to double down on this unwinnable, nightmare quagmire.
…
However, US reportedly unhappy with Kursk incursion, because it scuppered peace talks. Kiev’s purported culpability for Nord Stream bombing is, it seems, being used to justify ending German aid to Ukraine. And the US is blocking Kiev from firing British-made missiles at Russia.

Kit’s theory is that the Washington Post story about the blown negotiations as well as the latest “Nord Stream done by Ukraine” rumor reporting by the WSJ are expressions of U.S. anger over the Ukrainian government and its Kursk invasion.

The Times also reports that Britain is pushing its allies to provide more weapons and to allow their use against targets deep inside of Russia:

In the coming weeks Healey will attend a new meeting of the Ukraine Defence Co-ordination Group, where Britain will press European allies to send more equipment and give Kyiv more leeway to use them in Russia. Healey spoke last week to Lloyd Austin, the US defence secretary, and has been wooing Boris Pistorius, his German opposite number.Germany, whose Taurus missiles have a similar 155-mile range to Storm Shadow but a more powerful warhead, has been the country under the most pressure to move. However, it was revealed yesterday that Germany has actually frozen military aid to Ukraine because of a domestic budgetary crisis. Pistorius had asked for £3.4 billion of additional supplies but that was rejected by the finance ministry.

A previous leak provided that the long range Taurus missiles are complicate and have to be programmed just-in-time by German officers. There is no support in Germany for allowing such a deep involvement in attacks on Russia.

To me it seems that Britain has promised to Ukraine that it would get its allies to agree to the usage of longer range weapons against Russia in exchange for Ukraine to launch the attack on Russia.

Only that can explain this Zelenski complain about Starmer:

The Ukrainian president complained that British aid to Kyiv had begun to wane as his forces continued their unprecedented incursion into Russian territory in the Kursk region.“Unfortunately, the situation has slowed down recently,” Mr Zelensky said, referring to UK military assistance.

Sir Keir has upheld a Conservative ban on using UK-made Storm Shadows to strike targets deep inside Russia, amid concerns it could lead to escalation with nuclear-armed Moscow.

“We will discuss how to fix this because long-range capabilities are vital for us. The whole world sees how effective Ukrainians are – how our entire nation defends its independence,” said Mr Zelensky.

It came as four former Conservative defence secretaries called on No 10 to do more to support Ukraine, with some demanding Kyiv be allowed to use Storm Shadows in the Russian offensive.

But it is not Starmer who is blocking the missiles, it is the U.S. of A. (archived):

Washington is in effect blocking Britain from allowing Kyiv to fire Storm Shadow missiles inside Russia, amid fears in the Biden administration of an escalation in the Ukraine war.
…
It is understood that although the UK wants to give Ukraine the freedom to do what they want with the long-range weapon, it requires consensus from allies, including the US, France and a third undisclosed Nato country. A government source stressed that the UK was not blaming the US for any delay, adding that such policy changes took time.

Combining all the above one can (re-)construct this story.

Britain, in a bipartisan move, wants to prolong the war in Ukraine. It suggested to and helped Ukraine to invade Russia even as it knew that this would interrupt peace talks in Qatar. It also promised to press its allies for long range attack permission against Russia. But the U.S. and Germany are still blocking such attacks. Zelensky now complains that Britain failed to deliver on its promise.

The U.S., miffed about the British involvement in a likely useless Ukrainian attack on Russia, is leaking about the Ukrainian/Russian negotiations in Qatar.

The above is largely based on the U.S. claims that it was not really involved in the planing of the Kursk incursion.

There are of course good reason to doubt those claims:

As the Ukraine war enters its most perilous phase, with Kiev’s forces fighting inside Russia, the United States is operating a formal “sensitive activities” detachment that is active in providing direct military support to the beleaguered country. The detachment, never before disclosed, is run by U.S. special operations forces, and with its Ukrainian counterparts, provides on-the-battlefield support, including near-real time targeting intelligence, operators say.
…
An operator formerly deployed to the Army’s 10th Special Forces Group assigned to a sensitive activities detachment told me their work included the creation of clandestine human networks for intelligence gathering, as well as identifying Russian military weaknesses for targeting.
…
A second operator also described having been tasked with providing near up-to-the-minute intelligence support to Ukrainian forces.

Those U.S. operators in Ukraine certainly did not miss the preparations the Ukrainians were making for their attack.

P.S. Bonus from The Times piece:

“It’s not just about the military support, but it’s about the industrial, economic, and diplomatic support,” the defence source said. “If Putin succeeds in Ukraine he’s not going to stop there. But also the economic implications of that are massive, because we all saw how heavily Britain got hit when he first invaded.”

Yes, the sanctions, intended to hurt Russia, were quite damaging to those who issued them. Nice to see that finally acknowledged.

Posted by b on August 19, 2024 at 15:58 UTC | Permalink

Chemtrails

Duke

“One day, I was lounging in the house when I heard loud gunfire. I ran outside just in time to see my neighbors cart off Duke’s mom on the back of their flatbed truck.

After that, Duke spent almost every hour at our home. Curiosity drove me to ask my neighbor’s what his name was but all they told me was they simply called him Dog. A couple of months after that, they simply stopped feeding Duke. I started to feed him because I wasn’t going to let this baby starve.

When it came time for our neighbors to move, I asked them if I could take Duke off of their hands since it was clear they didn’t want anything to do with him. The son said yes, but the day after I asked, Duke was gone and so were they.

I contacted the son and asked if he had changed his mind and decided to take the dog with him and he grew defensive and put all the blame on me and threatened me. After explaining to him I didn’t have Duke, he hung on me calling me a liar.

In an effort to find this baby, I posted Missing Pet signs all over the local vets office within a 25 mile radius.

5 months passed before I got a phone call from the UPS man that delivered in our neighborhood. He said he saw a dog matching the description of Duke in a nearby field and he looked pretty bad. I thanked the man, hung up and drove straight to where he said he saw the dog. It was Duke. Malnourished and severely afraid of everything. However, one look at me and after hearing my voice he perked up and ran straight into my arms.

Now Duke is healthy and happy and has three other dogs and three cats to play with.Now we are a family.❤️”

Douglas Macgregor Warns: US’s EXTREMELY Dangerous Policys Push The World Is Increasingly CHAOTIC

MAJOR TOM

Submitted into Contest #247 in response to: Set your story on a spaceship exploring the far reaches of space when something goes wrong.… view prompt

Brian Bywater

MAJOR TOM

“Ground Control to Major Tom”

“If you want to live through this journey Philip you will stop singing that song. You haven’t let up since we blasted off. It may have been funny then and had some sort of relativity, however after five days it does reek of overkill.”

“Oh chill out Major, lighten up. Everyone at Ground Control sees the funny side of a real life Major Tom actually being on a journey through space. You must realise at some stage they will make that call.”

“That song, A Space Odyssey, if you can call it a song, was banned before the first Apollo flight in 1969 and it should have stayed that way. Do you have any understanding of what Bowie was saying?”

“Jesus Tom, it is a song connected to a historical event, the first men on the Moon. It is a classic.”

“You weren’t even born in 1969. You have no concept of how disturbed the song made everyone feel. particularly those connected with the flight People watching on TV World-wide also became emotionally invested.”

“That’s ridiculous. Nothing went wrong, what was everyone worried about?”

“Get real Philip. That is easy to say after the event. This was a first. Three men heading for the Moon had metamorphorised from something only considered science fiction into the first true TV reality show. Had something gone wrong there wasn’t a precedent for decisions to overcome any problem they encountered.. The lift off, weightlessness in space, not in a simulated situation in a man-made chamber, meteors damaging the spaceship, the possibility of alien life greeting them, poison gases on the surface, these were only some of the dangers. It really was one giant step for man.”

“OK I get all that. What was Bowie saying that had people getting their knickers in a knot?”

“The interpretation of some of the lyrics. Remember this was 1969, the World was changing rapidly. To put it in perspective it was at the time the Beatles were recording their first album. The Rolling Stones were playing to record crowds. This was the permissive 60’s which is why the ban on the song was lifted. Drug references, loneliness, depression all became accepted lyrics, which did not please everyone. Bowie later admitted he was ‘out of his tree’ when he wrote the song. Look can we get on with what we have to do to keep this spaceship operational and on course?”

“Sure, I have the day five check list in front of me. There is one thing we need to evaluate. Look at the top right hand corner of the screen showing vision of the galaxy ahead. It is showing a new comet has appeared since yesterday. I am only assuming it is a comet.”

“Never assume. Why did you wait until now to mention it? Why a comet? I think it is moving too slowly for a comet. It is maintaining the distance between us so it must be traveling at the same speed we are. What is the time frame from when it first appeared on the screen to now?”

“That would suggest this object is moving far too slowly to be a comet. You are correct. Based on distance from the Sun it should be moving at around 25,000 miles per hour. This is nowhere near that speed. As you said the distance between it and us is not changing, it is mimicking our speed, 17,000 mph. Calculating its position indicates it must have traveled at over 40000 miles per hour to get to that position on our screen in the elapsed time, yet it has slowed to 17000. That is a controlled act, it must be manned.”

“How far away is it?”

“Using our laser probe indicates 6.7 miles. Jesus, did you see that? When I activated the probe it sent a return probe. Whatever it is, it is definitely manned.”

“Being that close we are obviously on the same orbit. Ground Control must be seeing this, why haven’t they made contact?”

“Whatever it is only looks like a large piece of space junk, certainly nothing like a spaceship. Perhaps Ground Control leave it to us to make contact if we feel it is creating a problem.”

“Jesus wept. An unidentified object is 6 miles away in the same orbit and is mimicking us speed wise and using a return probe to evaluate distance apart and you do not see a problem? Contact Ground Control, do it now Philip.”

“What can they do? They are light years away, we are within 6 miles. I think we should try and make contact with the object, whatever it is.”

“What language would you suggest?”

“Well we know the Chinese and the Russians have launched space probes, some manned.”

“And which of those languages are you proficient in Philip? Just assume they understand English for Christ’s sake and make the call.”

“It has gone, there one minute, disappeared the next, off the screen. It would have accelerated to 50000mph in the blink of a second to do that.”

“There is another possibility. A screen which hides anything behind it has been activated. We have fighter planes that use that tactic. Fire another laser probe.”

“There isn’t anything there to bounce the laser off. Tom, on the screen, it is behind you.”

“This is not the time for Punch and Judy jokes Philip.”

“I am telling you it is right behind us and moving closer. It is increasing in size. Increase our speed, put some distance between us or it will crash into us.”

“The ship is not responding to my commands. Call Ground Control.”

“Houston, we have a problem.”

“Idiot, you can’t even get that right. It’s Houston we’ve had a problem.”

“Look behind us, the thing is about to swallow our spaceship, we are going inside the thing. Saying we have a problem is an appropriate understatement.”

“Ground Control to Major Tom……. Major Tom, ……Major Tom.”

“Wake up Tom. Tom, give me strength, Ground Control to Major Tom, wake up. You are having another nightmare. Who is Philip? I knew this would happen when you played that Bowie song tonight. From now on it is banned in this house. Play it and it will not be Houston who has a problem. Go back to sleep, and take Philip with you.”

Cabbage Rolls with Sour Cream Sauce

Ingredients

2 cups leftover meat or ground beef (seasoned with salt and pepper)
1/4 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1 cup cooked rice
1 teaspoon horseradish
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 egg, well beaten
6 large cabbage leaves
1/4 cup tomato puree
1/2 cup water
1 cup sour cream

Instructions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
Brown meat and onion in a heavy skillet over low heat. Remove from heat.
Mix in thoroughly celery, rice, horseradish, mustard and egg.
Cook cabbage leaves for 3 minutes in boiling salted water.
Place meat mixture on cabbage leaves. Roll and fasten with toothpicks. Place close together in greased baking dish.
Pour tomato puree and water over cabbage rolls. Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove cabbage rolls.
Pour sour cream into liquid remaining in baking dish. Serve over cabbage rolls.

Russian Marines Captured 15 Polish and French Soldiers In KURSK

Anatomy study

Parents should have a choice

China’s Ministry of State Security made a big move, Taiwan’s spy network was wiped out, “Taiwan independence leader” Yang Zhiyuan was arrested, and the maximum penalty is death.

Recently, after the country announced the list of “Taiwan independence”, the national security department took thunderous action and announced that it had cracked thousands of Taiwan spy cases and successfully eliminated a “Taiwan independence element” intelligence station in the mainland. Among them, it focused on a “Taiwan independence leader” who was arrested, warning “Taiwan independence elements” on the island that this is the end.

“Taiwan independence element” Yang Zhiyuan was arrested

Recently, China’s Ministry of State Security announced an exciting news. In order to maintain national security, the Ministry of State Security has carried out special activities to crack down on illegal forces that split the country.

So far, the mainland has cracked thousands of “Taiwan spies stealing state secrets” cases and successfully eliminated a “Taiwan spy intelligence network” lurking in the motherland.

In the article released by the Ministry of State Security, the “Taiwan independence elements” headed by Lai Qingde were severely criticized. The Taiwan authorities insist on “Taiwan independence” rhetoric, and even “use force to seek independence”, collude with foreign forces, and disrupt peace in the Taiwan Strait.

This has not only caused the economic recession on the island and the decline in people’s living standards, but also caused the cross-strait relations to deteriorate and drop to a freezing point.

You should know that less than a week ago, the mainland had just listed the “Taiwan independence list” and encouraged the masses to actively report.

Therefore, the Ministry of State Security’s thundering action and quick action are warning the “Taiwan independence elements” on the island that any forces that attempt to split the country and block the reunification of the motherland will face severe punishment, and the Chinese government is not just talking.

China’s Ministry of National Security

The Taiwan authorities disagree.

They believe that the article does not explain the time and content of the more than 1,000 Taiwan espionage theft cases that have been cracked, and the authenticity is questionable. The person in charge of Taiwan’s cross-strait affairs said that the mainland is either “bragging” and exaggerating, or “abusing the law” and “arresting at will”.

The Taiwan authorities believe that the mainland has only one purpose for doing this, which is to intimidate Taiwan.

In addition, the Taiwan authorities also blamed the mainland for the “promotion of cross-strait exchanges” while arresting Taiwanese people, and believed that the mainland was the “culprit” of the cross-strait confrontation. In this regard, the mainland has long stated that the mainland has no intention of targeting ordinary Taiwanese people, and the Taiwan authorities themselves know who they are arresting.

It is worth noting that in the article of the Ministry of National Security, a “Taiwan independence leader” who has been arrested, Yang Zhiyuan, was mentioned.

Yang Zhiyuan has been engaged in “Taiwan independence” activities for a long time and attempted to split the country’s sovereignty.

The mainland arrested and prosecuted him for “separatism”. This is also the first “Taiwan independence element” arrested by China for “separatism”.

According to the latest legal documents of mainland China, he can be sentenced to death at worst case.

Lai Qingde

For the “Taiwan independence” list that the mainland has listed, many “Taiwan independence elements” clamored that the mainland had no way to implement mainland laws on them, let alone the right to arrest them.

However, Yang Zhiyuan is a good example.

All his “Taiwan independence” activities were carried out in Taiwan, but the mainland was still able to bring him to justice.

In other words, in the future, anyone who expresses “Taiwan independence” in Taiwan may be convicted. Analysts said that the mainland may extradite “Taiwan independence elements” through a third country in the future.

Even if these “Taiwan independence elements” do not come to the mainland, as long as they go to countries that have reached an agreement with China, they will face the possibility of arrest.

“Taiwan independence list” released by the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council

The arrest of Yang Zhiyuan means the beginning of the mainland’s exercise of legal jurisdiction over Taiwan. It is foreseeable that “Yang Zhiyuan’s case is the first case, but it is by no means the last case.” “Taiwan independence elements” should not think that promoting “Taiwan independence” speech is not a big deal. As the laws in this regard in mainland China are gradually improved, “Taiwan independence forces” will eventually face legal sanctions. We also advise “Taiwan independence elements” to be cautious in their words and deeds and return to the right path.

This news is brought to you by tencent 张学坤观世界: 08-17 15:40

Contempt of court

What a monstrous system of criminal justice the US has.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/alabama-sets-november-date-third-204630616.html

This 47-year-old man, Carey Dale Grayson, will be executed November 21st for killing a woman during a home invasion… in 1994, 30 years ago, when he was 17. He did it with 3 other boys too.

If they were going to execute him they should’ve done it within a year or two of his conviction.

What’s the point of killing him 30 years later? They’re now killing a completely different man from the boy who committed the murder.

After spending such a long time in prison he should honestly just be released.

The US has one of the most draconian criminal justice and prison systems in the world. Every elected judge and district attorney wants recognition for being the one to lock up as many people as possible for the longest time. Extremely long prison sentences are the norm. There are so many ageing prisoners who face either execution or death in prison for something they did as teenagers.

That’s not to mention prison conditions. The Constitution makes prisoners an exception to the ban on human slavery. So there’s mandatory work, but none that pays more than a few pennies an hour.

There’s also no smoking or vaping. There are no conjugal visits. If your wife visits you, you get one hug and brief kiss at the start and end of every visit — apart from that you’re not even allowed to hold hands. And if you’re unlucky enough to go to federal prison, there’s no such thing as parole there. You always serve the entirety of your sentence.

I can’t imagine a crueler system. Anywhere else in the West, there’s no capital punishment, no heavy sentences for minors, prison sentences are much shorter, prison laborers earn minimal wages but not pennies a day, and conjugal visits are permitted. Yet crime and incarceration rates are much lower.

I have no problem with the death penalty as long as it’s applied in a timely manner. I have a problem with taking away someone’s whole life on earth for something they did as a kid or young adult. Either execute them in a timely manner, or give them a reasonable sentence and a road to redemption if you won’t.

The BEST dad ever

Interesting 1950’s themed pictures

Men Are Turning Their Back On The West As It Collapses

Chili Pasta Casserole

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 (15 ounce) can vegetarian chili with beans
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can Italian style stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
8 ounces cooked pasta

Instructions

Cook ground beef and onion in large skillet.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Brown beef until no longer pink. Drain fat.
Stir in chili, tomatoes with juice, 1 cup Cheddar cheese, sour cream, chili powder and garlic powder.
Add chili mixture to pasta and stir until pasta is coated.
Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.
Cover and cook for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Contact

Submitted into Contest #247 in response to: Set your story on a spaceship exploring the far reaches of space when something goes wrong.… view prompt

Martin Hull

The spaceship came screaming down with the thunderclap roar of displaced atmosphere yet landed whisper soft on the grass at the end of town.The craft glittered sleekly in the mid-morning sunlight as it lay on it’s side – a broad shaft topped by a bulbous nose from which a door opened.The blond haired man that stepped out was tall, bronzed and athletic. He wore the shining, golden uniform of Earth’s Bureau of Exploration, his proudly displayed badges of rank declared him to be a Senior Contact Manager (ConMan) Alien Division.He flicked aside the long ponytail that was a fashion among his colleagues and walked down the ramp that had silently extended itself from his scout craft breathing the fresh, untainted (thoroughly examined and tested) air.There was a short, thickset native strolling towards the spaceman, looking mildly curious. Switching on his Universal Translator the ConMan greeted the native.“Greetings from Earth”. The time delay between speaking and computerized translation was almost unnoticeable.“Hello”, replied the native. “I’m from Lower Great Wopping. Did you know that you aren’t allowed to park there?”“Eh? What?” said the Earthman. “Sorry, no I didn’t.”“Oh, that’s alright,” relied the native cheerfully. “Just remember next time otherwise the grass tends to get worn out. Okay?”“Sure, I … Wait a minute,”the Conman interrupted himself. “I’m from another planet.”“Oh goodness,” exclaimed the native. “No wonder I didn’t recognise you. That also explains why you parked on the grass. Well, enjoy your stay here,” and he turned to leave.“Hold on. Wait,” called out the man from Earth. “I am from another planet and I want to see your leader.”“Well …” the other man thought for a moment then puffed his chest out a bit. “I suppose that’s me. I am the Mayor of Lower Great Wopping.”“No,” said the ConMan with a cendeceding smile. “I meant your overall leader. National Government.”

“Nashnul Guvmint?” said the mayor quizzically. “Is that anything like a public convenience?”

“No it isn’t,” snapped the Earthman. “Do you have a king then? Or a dictator?”

“I’m sorry, no I haven’t,” apologised the Mayor. “Perhaps we can get one at the general store?”

“No, no, no,” raged the thoroughly confused ConMan. “Please let us start again. Do you have a ruler of any kind?”

“Yes, of course,” the Mayor’s face brightened rapidly. “I’ve only got a six inch one with me but I can get a longer one from home.”

“What? No, not that sort of ruler!” The ConMan tried very hard and managed to bring himself under control. Barely.

“A slide rule,” suggested the Mayor diffidently.

“No dammit!” screamed the man from Earth.

For several minutes he simply stared at the Mayor, apparently trying to wish him out of existence. When the native failed to disappear in a puff of smoke the ConMan decided to try another route.

“Who makes your laws?” he asked with reasonable calm.

“Laws?” the Mayor laughed. “We tried making some laws a few years back but nobody liked ‘em much so we junked ‘em.”

“Junked ‘em?” the man from BuEx was shocked into spluttering for a few moments. “You can’t simply junk all laws just because nobody liked them.”

“Why not?”

“Well … er …” The ConMan was unsure but pressed on. “Well … er … who made them?”

“Let’s see now,” the Mayor counted names off on his fingers. “There me and Jane, Fred and Mary, the two Jones girls – very good at it they were – and just about anyone who was interested chipped in some ideas.” The Mayor looked sheepish, “I suppose you think we were stupid, making up laws. It just seemed like a good idea at the time.”

“Yes. I mean no. I mean I don’t know.” The ConMan was floundering and took a few moments to collect his thoughts. There seemed to be some missing.

“Let’s start again. Again.” He said eventually. “Who makes the rul … er regulations for this country?”

“What’s Country?” asked the Mayor warily.

The ConMan’s reply started off reasonably, if somewhat incoherent but quickly became an ear shattering screem.

“Well it’s … I mean it’s got … that is … Goddamit you stupid sonofabitch you must know what a country is!”

“Nope,” said the Mayor lightly.

“Oh dear God,” said the exasperated Earthman. “Look, you are a Mayor, right?”

The Mayor nodded.

“So you have a council?”

Again a nod.

“What does the council govern?” asked the ConMan in a whisper, as if he were afraid of the answer.

“The borough,” came the simple answer.

“And what,” the ConMan was becoming exited again, “Do you call a collection of boroughs.”

“A collection of boroughs,” replied the Mayor without even blinking but he did take a step backwards. Just in case.

“I … you …but … aarrgghh” screamed the Earthman who seemed to have developed a twitch just under his left eye and stuttered slightly as he spat out his next question.

“What do you get if you put all the boroughs together?”

“The World,” replied the Mayor, stepping back another pace as the ConMan seemed about to throw a fit.

He was silent for several minutes, breathing deeply as his face went through several colour changes while blood vessels at his neck and temples began throbbing visibly.

“Let’s go back to the beginning,” the ConMan almost pleaded. “How many councils are there?”

“Nobody knows for sure,” the Mayor thought for a while, “But I think it’s around two hundred and fifty thousand now.”

The Contact Manager was obviously shaken by the answer but ploughed grimly on.

“And who,” he asked, “Is above them?”

The Mayor thought long and hard, brows furrowed, face towards the sky. Eventually he said – “All right, I give up. Who is above them?”

The Universal Translator was unable to translate the reply other than to give out an ear splitting shriek.

When the ConMan was able to speak intelligibly again there was a glint of madness shining in his eyes.

“Listen you fool,” he started ranting at the native. “I am a Senior ConMan, an expert at understanding and communicating with aliens …”

“I’m no alien,” the Mayor interrupted indignantly. “I was born and raised right here.”

“No, I’m the alien,” said the Earthman. “I mean … that’s not what I mean … no it’s …”

Suddenly he turned and marched quickly back to his ship, muttering to himself.

“I’ll quit, that’s it, I’ll resign. It was a stupid job anyway. Maybe I never even found the bloody planet, they’ll never know.”

As the spaceship took off, disappearing rapidly into the clear blue sky another native, this one riding a bike, drew alongside the Mayor and stopped.

“Hello Fred,” the Mayor greeted the newcomer.

“Hello Mayor,” replied Fred. “Who was that?”

“A bloke from Earth.”

“What did he want?”

“Buggered if I know,” said the Mayor.

America Compared: Why Other Countries Treat Their People So Much Better | Reaction

Will Apple products be manufactured in the US in the future instead of China?

Not likely.

There aren’t many manufacturers that can produce to scale and quality of Foxconn.

Electronics industry uses contract manufacturers. There are only two that have scale. The first one is FLEX (formerly Flextronics) who invented the idea of contract manufacturing as we know it. Foxconn was originally an electronic parts manufacturer and saw how Flex did things and used a similar model. Because they also manufactured the parts they could earn more profit.

Both companies monopolize the assembly business. Both operate at scale.

Apple chose Foxconn and stayed with Foxconn. Their relationship is very close. When Apple needed AMOLED screens for a new phone model, Foxconn built a new factory for them. Apple did not have to invest a penny.

If you wanted to move production back to the US you would still have to import the parts from China. Electronic parts are not produced at scale in the US. You would also have a hard time finding people who want a job on the production line.

Moving a factory is not like moving house. There are many more moving parts.

Why can’t Foxconn survive in India🇮🇳?

They can survive

They just cannot grow at a fifth of the pace at which they grew in China

India is not a good place to manufacture things

The effortless ease of China is entirely missing in India and Vietnam both.

Vietnam is too cramped even if the workforce is productive

India is too lazy and productivity is abysmal

Plus both Nations simply do not have a Skilled Workforce needed for expansion even moderately

It was stupid of Foxconn to threaten to relocate to India and Vietnam

Far easier to have a Chinese OEM subcontracting with them, go to India and do their work for a lower commission

Now they are unlikely to gain shares in OEM in the Chinese Market ever again.

India needs many structural changes to be able to offer Foxconn a fiftieth of what China can offer

The Economic advantages are non existent

And like I always say when any decision-making is made for POLITICAL REASONS – they simply don’t work like you expect them t

Foxconn can thus survive in India

Barely survive

Until one day they just pack up saying THEY CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE

Caitlin Johnstone: Biden Ramps Up Nuclear Brinkmanship On His Way Out The Door

18 November 2024, by Eric Zuesse. (All of my recent articles can be seen here.)

(NOTE: I was going to do an article on this today, especially because this article follows up — though without mentioning — my October 10th “Biden’s plan calls for WW3 to start after Election Day.”, which opened “U.S. President Joe Biden refuses to answer until after November 5th the question of whether the U.S. will officially be at war against Russia,” which was a follow-on to my September 13th “Biden might decide today whether to initiate WW3 against Russia.” 

So, Caitlin’s fine article today is a follow-on to those events. 

She points out that the missiles which Biden is now allowing Ukraine to use to bomb Russia don’t range as far as the 300 miles range that would be able to bomb The Kremlin and endanger Russia’s central command. 

Therefore, Biden isn’t necessaily sparking WW3 by this policy-change. But what he now is allowing would endanger Russia’s giant nuclear power plant in Kursk, and so it could end up causing Russia to unleash nuclear war against the United States and Ukraine.)

https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/biden-ramps-up-nuclear-brinkmanship

18 November 2024, by Caitlin Johnstone

The New York Times reports that the Biden administration has authorized Ukraine to use US-supplied long-range missiles to strike Russian and North Korean military targets inside Russia — yet another dangerous escalation of nuclear brinkmanship in this horrific proxy war.

The Times correctly notes that authorizing Ukraine to use ATACMS, which have a range of about 190 miles, has long been a contentious issue in the Biden administration for fear of provoking military retaliations against the US from Russia. This reckless escalation has been authorized despite an acknowledgement from the anonymous US officials who spoke to The New York Times that they “do not expect the shift to fundamentally alter the course of the war.”

As Antiwar’s Dave DeCamp notes, Vladimir Putin said back in September that if NATO allows Ukraine to use western-supplied weapons for long-range strikes inside Russian territory, it would mean NATO countries “are at war with Russia.” This is about as unambiguous a threat as you’ll ever see.

https://twitter.com/Antiwarcom/status/1858254030361022826

NYT reports that Biden’s policy shift “comes two months before President-elect Donald J. Trump takes office, having vowed to limit further support for Ukraine.” And it is here worth noting that last week it was reported by The Telegraph that British PM Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron had been scheming to thwart any attempt by Trump to scale back US support for Ukraine by pushing Biden to authorize long-range missile strikes in Russian territory.

But it is also true that the day before the US election Mike Waltz, Trump’s next national security advisor, had himself endorsed the idea of authorizing long-range missile strikes into Russia with the goal of pressuring Moscow to end the war. His plan for disentangling the US from the conflict entails ramping up sanctions on Russia and “taking the handcuffs off the long-range weapons we provide Ukraine” in order to pressure Putin into eagerly accepting a peace deal.

So while this is being framed as an administration that’s more hawkish on Russia executing a maneuver that’s designed to hamstring the peacemongering of an incoming administration that’s less favorable to assisting Ukraine, in reality it may just be goal-assisting the next administration in a policy change it had planned on implementing anyway.

https://twitter.com/mtracey/status/1856129126492430685

Either way, it’s insane. Putin ordered changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine in September in order to ward off these sorts of escalations by lowering the threshold at which nuclear weapons could be used to defend the Russian Federation, and they’re just barreling right past that bright red line like they barreled over the red lines which led to the invasion of Ukraine. And the fact that they’re adding yet another nuclear-armed state into the mix with North Korea is just more gravy for the nuclear brinkmanship pot roast.

At one point in 2022, US intelligence agencies reportedly assessed that the odds of Russia using a nuclear weapon in Ukraine was as high as fifty percent, but the Biden administration kept pushing forward with this proxy war anyway. These freaks are taking insane risks to advance agendas that stand to yield the slimmest of benefits even by their own assessments.

We are living in dark and dangerous times.

PS: If you like this article, please email it to all your friends or otherwise let others know about it. None of the U.S.-and-allied ‘news’-media will likely publish it (nor link to it, since doing that might also hurt them with Google or etc.). I am not asking for money, but I am asking my readers to spread my articles far and wide, because I specialize in documenting what the Deep State is constantly hiding. This is, in fact, today’s samizdat.

GHOST DESCRIBES THE AFTERLIFE, What He Says Will Shock You…

Elephant feet or red spots on the calves

Elephant feet or red spots on the calves. It’s a blood pressure problem.

So, here’s the skinny.

I started taking blood pressure medicines a few years back when it was becoming known that my BP was over 165 all the time. And that, my dear readers, is not at all healthy.

I delayed and delayed, but eventually I gave in.

They started me out with the cheapest blood pressure medicine. It was just this little white oval pill with a “10” embedded in it. And it was cheap. Maybe something like five cents a day to take.

And it worked.

Except it had a side effect.

I got tired easily, and got out of breath. I couldn’t walk up a flight of stairs, and just a normal five block walk to the bus station took an eternity. Not good.

But something else happened.

My legs changed.

I got “elephant feet.” My feet got thick and huge. Like the stumps of trees.

Yikes!

Maybe something like this…

Photo from the internet. Not my feet.

Thank God!

So I went to the clinic, and they modified my dosage and gave me a new medicine.

This is just an oval white pill. A bit more expensive. Maybe something like twenty five cents a day.

It seems to work ok.

Though, I now have these huge bright red oval colors on my calves. Yuppur. One on each leg. But heck my blood pressure is fine.

My doctor said that it is nothing to worry about.

I can live with it.

Now, lately I have been having these occasional spikes in my blood pressure. So I was prescribed some additional pills and herbal remedies to take. The Chinese traditional medicines work great!

Blood pressure is not something you want to play around with.

You can have a stroke or an aneurysm or something terrible like a heart attack. So play it cool and avoid stress.

Watch your health, and take nothing for granted.

Today….

Pepe Escobar: Oreshnik – The 3 Km Per Second Plot Twist

Written by Pepe Escobar

Nothing to see here. Just a hypersonic demo.

Well, not really.

The average American is only capable of making (some sort of) sense of the world through movies. So let’s go back to a classic: the opening sequence of Coppola’s Apocalypse Now – the Vietnam war counterpart to Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, set in the Congo.

In the movie, Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) is barely capable of enacting a drunken soliloquy alone in his room in Saigon. He’s waiting for his assignment: a special mission all the way to the Heart of Darkness (in the movie, represented by the illegal American incursion/indiscriminate bombing of Cambodia).

Willard, in the V.O., barely mutters, “Every minute I stay in this room, I get weaker and Charlie gets stronger.” Charlie, out in the jungle, was how American GIs referred to the Vietcong.

Cue from the “American war” – how the Vietnamese refer to it – to the US/NATO proxy war in Ukraine.

The American Empire is now a drunken Captain facing the (revamped) jungle – as qualified by that stupid Spaniard Borrell, the exiting EU foreign policy “chief”. Every minute Captain stays in his decrepit garden – the counterpart to a seedy room in Saigon – Charlie, out in the jungle, gets stronger.

What’s even more ominous is that Charlie, now, is not the Vietcong.

Charlie now is nuclear, hypersonic Russia.

Captain America believed it would intimidate Russkie Charlie with the “authorization” straight out of the Deep State for Ukraine to attack targets inside the Russian Federation with ATACMS.

Such attacks had already happened in the past on Russia’s new territories. Still, two new ones were unleashed after the “authorization”, against Kursk and Bryansk; one with ATACMS, and the other with Storm Shadows.

Then came the inevitable Russian response. What was that? New multiple hypersonics? Zeus? Superman?

Deputy Chair of the Security Council, Dimitri “Unplugged” Medvedev, could not resist concise trolling; “So that’s what you wanted? Well, you’ve damn well got it!”

Collective West rats were predictably scurryin’ all across the spectrum after watching what was first interpreted as a RS-26 “conventional warheads package” demo.

Then President Putin went on the record.

Key takeaways: Western long-range weapons have been used against Russia, which retaliated with the new, medium-range, ballistic hypersonic “Oreshnik” system against the Yuzhmash factory in Dnipropetrovsk; additionally, the use of long-range weapons by the enemy cannot affect the course of the Special Military Operation (SMO).

But this was the key relevant message Putin relayed to the Americans, NATO and the collective West:

“We are conducting combat tests of the Oreshnik missile system in response to the aggressive actions of NATO countries against Russia. The issue of further deployment of medium-range and shorter-range missiles will be decided by us, depending on the actions of the United States and its satellites. The targets for destruction during further tests of our newest missile systems will be determined by us based on threats to the security of the Russian Federation. We consider ourselves entitled to use our weapons against the military installations of those countries that allow their weapons to be used against our facilities. And in case of escalation of aggressive actions, we will also respond decisively and in a mirror manner. I recommend that the ruling elites of those countries that have plans to use their military contingents against Russia seriously think twice about this.”

Sir, would you like some hazelnut salad?

The initial interpretation of this de facto game-changing move was that Russia had launched a single RS-26 Rubezh road mobile missile against the Yuzhmash missile production factory in Dnepropetrovsk, equipped with six independent, non-nuclear (italics mine) warheads, each in turn deploying other warheads (call it 6×6 = 36).

That in itself changed the “essence” of the war in Ukraine, as Putin himself had previously recognized when it comes to the “authorization” for attacks by ATACMS.

Putin’s speech established that Russia in fact used a completely new medium range (1,000 to 3,000 km) missile, the Oreshnik (“Hazelnut). Even US officials admitted it’s an “experimental” system; that implies they knew something about it.

Putin himself also referred to “combat testing”. What is established beyond any testing, in Putin’s own words, is that “Hazelnut” may be sent as a gift to any target across NATO.

Oreshnik is as badass as missiles get.

It may reach the UK in only 19 minutes; Brussels in 14; Berlin in 11; and Warsaw in 8 minutes. And, of course, traveling at over Mach 10, it simply cannot be intercepted by anything in the collective West arsenal.

That includes the US.

High destructive power is a given – already guaranteed by the surprise factor; you only know what hits you after you get hit (maybe).

One potential option is that Oreshnik targeted secret underground workshops at Yuzhmash, where NATO had sent equipment and parts for short-range ballistic missiles (500 km to 1,500 km).

In his four books and in his blog, the indispensable Andrei Martyanov has made it clear that “Russia has an overwhelming conventional escalation superiority” compared to the Hegemon. So, yes: this testing of an IRCM (a conventional missile) with hypersonic MIRVs (Multiple Independent Reentry Vehicles) may be just a demo – a preview of what else may be in store.

Martyanov: “NATO has zero capability to stop Russia’s long-range fires.”

The “demo” also happens to be paired with a new shot at making war a relatively civil affair: Moscow will warn civilians of any impending Oreshnik strike. Those that won’t leave will do so at their own peril.

As Martyanov remarked, “this is not anymore just SMO”. Indeed: for quite a while we have been way past a special military operation: this is a do-or-die NATO v. Russia hot war. Aggravated by the fact that the Hegemon’s ruling elites are congenitally incapable of stop escalating.

Even the Oreshnik demo won’t stop escalation.

A plausible scenario is that US military intel learned about an impeding Russian mid-range ballistic missile strike and then informed Kiev and NATO. Moscow then warned the US 30 minutes before the strike (that’s the norm, to prevent nuclear misunderstandings); the Americans not only confirmed it, but stressed there was no risk of a Russian nuclear attack on Kiev, now or in the foreseeable future.

Oreshnik in fact is a tacit demo that Russia does not need nuclear power to solve anything in the Ukrainian theater of war.

So let’s assume that escalation has been controlled – for now.

Yet we still have nearly two months of a completely deranged US administration in power.

NATO’s congenital dementia suggests escalation will continue. The difference though is stratospheric: now they don’t know if Oreshnik handing them a business card comes with a nuclear bomb on or not.

For all the inbuilt dementia of the current – exiting – administration, Americans who only understand the world via movies may have forgotten that it was Trump 1.0 who withdrew the US from the INF treaty, in 2019. If the US had remained, Russia would not have been able to develop and use Oreshnik.

But now it’s hazelnut salad time, everybody; a great way to regulate blood pressure.

How do you (widower) spend the rest of your life span without your wife?

My wife died when I was 55. That was ten years ago.

I know what NOT to do when your wife of 20 years passes.

Don’t sit down.

I sat down. A real comfortable chair. I just waited a few years for our boys to graduate and become independent. Then, my plan was, I would go sailing, traveling, diving, whatever I wanted for the rest of my life. Lots of time in Europe.

But when you sit quietly for several years, a few surprising things happen.

My immune system dropped. My depression worsened. My brain got as weak as my muscles.

One day, I was planting a bush and found I couldn’t stand up from a squat.

Another day, I realized my ability to do math in my head was gone.

I gained so much weight in my belly that I can’t see my toes.

Cancer struck my prostate.

My IQ lost 25 points—really.
The docs said, “Don’t worry, you’re still well above average.”

I lost over an inch in height.

And I just felt like shit. 24/7.

One day, as I shuffled and strained to get out behind a restaurant table, it just felt different—bad different.

I asked my doc for an EKG. “No, you just had an EKG a few days ago. It’s fine.”

I insisted. This EKG showed defective circuitry. I had actually pin pointed the time a nerve died in my heart.

The prostate was cut out. But the fat made it hard to see in there, so the surgeon accidentally cut out—more.

That was several years ago.

I was totally healthy before my wife died. Then I became inactive for three years.

Now I’m on my 5th year (8 total) trying to get my health back.

I am a heart patient, a cancer patient, and the most disabled person in the grocery store. I take 16 different medications every day.

And the only way to get an erection is to…wait for it…

inject a painful med directly into the shaft of the penis. Inject. my. dick.

Of all the things I missed, those 25 IQ points hurt the most.

Is life really unfair?

Yes. Life is very very unfair.

My husband started working immediately after graduation.

At the age of 60, I asked him to retire. He said he would work for 2 more years since his company was not willing to leave him and also it would make our future more secure. I agreed as he said he would feel bored sitting at home and he had plans to travel once he retired for which we would need money.

He did not retire at 62 since his company told him to continue for one more year as they couldn’t find his replacement. I too was busy taking care of my mother so I didn’t object.

When he was 63 my mother passed away. About 6 months after her passing away I asked him to retire since he had wanted to travel and now even I was free to travel with him.

When he broached his retirement to his company, they told him to take leave whenever her wanted to travel, but to not leave the company. They also let him work from home and he attended office only once a week. I was against it as I wanted him to focus more on his health, but he did not listen. He was already hypertensive and taking blood pressure pills from last 20+ years and now he was diabetic too.

We had a lot of fights and misunderstandings in the last 3 years.

But we did travel a lot in India in the last one year.

In January of 2024 he was having severe hip joint pain. Since the pain was not going away and he started getting blood in the urine, doctors advised Mri. The Mri revealed aggressive stage IV metastatic cancer which had metastasized to lungs and brain. He was put on catheter.

I will not bore readers with the details, suffice to say the next 5 months were absolute hell for all of us going in and out of hospitals.

I nearly went into depression. And if it wasn’t for the constant counseling and support of my sister and son I would have probably fallen into depression.

Now, Since he has taken brain radiation he has been asked not to drive any vehicles. He is on anti seizure medicine and gets constant headache nowadays.

Neither we have harmed anybody nor wished ill for anybody, so sometimes I do wonder why we are going through all this. But then I console myself thinking that if not this birth probably it is karma from our previous birth which is the cause for this situation.

All his plans for retirement just evaporated into thin air.

Today, I just pray to Shirdi Sai baba asking for his blessings and help to face whatever comes our way and support my husband as much as it is possible for me.

So a big “ yes”.

LIFE IS REALLY UNFAIR AND THE SOONER WE ACCEPT THE FACT THE BETTER FOR US.

The TRUTH about our trip to CHINA (What REALLY happened)

How do you compare China and India as Apple’s production bases? Is Apple’s supply chain returning from India back to China? Why?

When the Iphone 15 was manufactured – They reduced production by 21% in China

This was due to the reduced workforce post Covid 19 lockdowns and due to Apples effort at aiming to diversify their dependence on China as a production hub for the Iphone

These decisions were taken in 2022 when everyone felt that China would perpetually be a huge market for the iphone and there would be no competitor to the Iphone

Especially because when these decisions were taken, Huawei – the only possible competition was far from making their own 5G handset

Foxconn changed its manufacturing policy

They manufactured Iphones in India and China

They then exported and sold nearly 61% of the Chinese assembled phones to their Global markets in US, Europe and Middle East , an increase of 15% from the normal 46% for the Iphone 14

They replaced these exports, by importing INDIAN ASSEMBLED IPHONES and selling them to China

However a lot of things happened post that decision in China :-

A. Huawei launched the Mate 60 and Pura 70 with home made 7 nm Chips and caused a large dent in Iphone 15 Sales in China

B. Chinese Users instantly recognized India assembled smartphones and found they overheated and had a bunch of quality flaws and demanded that Apple label the Country of Assembly on the boxes

C. Chinese appetite for the Iphone crashed and they simply decided it wasn’t worth the money to buy the same phone for 12000 RMB that was no better than an Iphone 14

Tim Cook rushed to China for Damage Control and found some key points including the fact that APPLE SALES WERE CONTINUING TO DOWNSLIDE

So for the Iphone 16, the changes include :-

Every Iphone to be sold in China will be assembled only on the Mainland. Apple and Foxconn will not be selling a SINGLE INDIA ASSEMBLED IPHONE in China
This means the 21% reduction for the Iphone 15 Production that Foxconn carried out intending to swap the reduced numbers with Indian Assembled Iphones IS BEING ROLLED BACK
So Production for the Iphone 16 will increase significantly on the Mainland
This means 53,000 New Jobs and an entire new factory
This means 2700 New Contracts for Chinese OEMs that they had lost for the Iphone 15

So Apples OEM contracts and jobs in China are definitely increasing

In India – it is clear that Iphones assembled in India can no longer be sold in Mainland China

So Production will be cut in India

However market in India is expected to grow Apple sold 8.86 Million iphones in 2023 and expect to sell 11 Million Iphones in 2024/25

So Domestic market production would be increased which would offset the cut in production destined for the Chinese markets

So what has changed?

Apple and Foxconn had presumed to move 40% of their manufacturing out of China by 2030 to India

Now they have revised this number to 30% in January 2024 and to 18% in June 2024

From 40% to 18%

Realistically experts believe that India cannot handle beyond 12% of Global Production of the Iphone

Presently around 5.5% of the world’s Iphones are assembled in India of which 91% are destined to be sold in the Indian Market

Comparison of China and India as Production Bases

China averages 3900 OEM contracts for the Iphone, India averaged 68 OEM Contracts

China’s First Quality was 19 per 10,000 meaning 0.19% defects

Indias was a whopping 4652 per 10,000 meaning 46.52% defects

First Quality means the First Batch of 10,000 phones off the line

What happened to your school bully?

Tony the tough guy got expelled from another high school and joined us 12 year olds. Not the sharpest tool in the box he was good at sports. Had a moustache, shaved and was a good head taller than me. Who was not at all sporty but generally had a quick and occasionally cruel tongue.

We had a fight- the usual handbags at dawn schoolyard affair. He didn’t really hurt me but did pretty convincingly win and absolutely convinced me I didn’t want a rematch. From then on I avoided him and he occasionally shot an insult or 3 at me.

He was about until I was about 14, then disappeared – possibly because he bussed to our school from a fair way away. There were 1800+ kids at the school and I didn’t miss one that I didn’t care for :so good riddance.

In the next ten years or so I grew a foot and a half and put on over a 100llbs mostly of muscle. And in my mid twenties did some door work at a local bikers pub that hosted bands. A massive place that sometimes had 100s of bikes parked outside at the weekend and might get 2000 punters for a good band.

I’m at the bar early and this little bloke with a moustache who seems as if he knows me comes up and we exchange pleasantries. He’s kinda creepy and obsequious but guys sometimes are- and generally want free admission to the venue part of the pub or a nod that’s it’s ok to sell a bit of dope. The former means I get a bit less wages, the latter means Trevor, the owner, overall sells less beer. So no!

Another school mate eventually tells me it’s Tony the tough guy. I doubt he was 5′6″ tall- I initially thought he must have shrunk with some sort of wasting disease as I recalled him as massive.

Turns out that going through puberty early caps off your bones- meaning at school you’re a big guy compared to all the boys who’s nuts haven’t dropped. The later one goes through puberty the more likely you are to be tall.

Next time I was ready for him: “ Hey you’re Tony ain’t ya, off ya trot you’re barred”. I guess he must have known me because he didn’t ask why or say anything 😉 There was 3 of us on the door so even if he was as tough as his school nickname – he would have died 🙂

Single Mum Ghosted Me After I Said I Have A Low Income, Has MELTDOWN When I Reveal The Truth

Guys relating their stories. So relatable. It’s the reality of life today.

So sad to say.

What can a person over 90 do for fun?

My mother is 89. Two years ago, she moved in with me. Each morning I hear her getting up at around 7:30 AM. She then baby talks to and feeds the 23 year old cat. Afterward, she makes herself breakfast and sits in the sunroom drinking coffee until she comes to her senses. Then she pushes her dust mop across the floors ( 2600 sq feet. ) for exercise. She will then cook if she feels like it, clean the kitchen, and do some calisthenics. In the afternoon, she does her beauty routine, which varies. Occasionally, she sifts through her megalithic, expensive and expansive wardrobe and either gifts me with stuff, donates, or sells them on the Real Real. I tell often her, ‘ Mom, you could have invested this money, and be living in a luxury home now.’ ‘ Eh,’ she replies. ‘ I love my clothes. Plus one day, all this will be yours because your sister has no taste.’

For fun, we take 3 mile walks by the lake about 5 times per week. She meets up with her girlfriends about once a month to party. She reads a lot and is working her way through my library. She daily speaks with her 91 year old sister who lives in San Diego and visits twice a year. (My aunt still works as an accountant for a private client).

Aside from the cat, her greatest joy is her tablet, which I gave her last Christmas. She loves to read all about her favorite authors and composers, listen to the non mainstream news, watch various ballets, operas etc. At midnight, I hear her saying something like- ‘ I should really go to sleep now but someone put Pavarotti in my YouTube! ‘

She and her sister won the genetic lottery. Photo is from 2 years ago. This is how she dressed to go on an airplane. ‘ I look horrible! ‘ she says. I try to emphasize the positive. ‘ Mom, most people are dead at your age.”

Amaretto-Irish Cream Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust

1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
1/2 cup blanched whole almonds, toasted and finely chopped
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon amaretto

Filling

24 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup blanched whole almonds, toasted and ground
1/4 cup Irish Cream liqueur
1/4 cup amaretto

Topping

1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Instructions

Combine first 4 ingredients; firmly press mixture evenly on bottom of a lightly greased 10 inch springform pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes.
Set aside to cool.
Beat softened cream cheese at high speed of an electric mixer until light and fluffy; gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating well.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
Stir in whipping cream and next 3 ingredients.
Pour into pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes; turn oven off, and leave in oven for 30 minutes.
Combine sour cream, the 1 tablespoon sugar and vanilla extract; stir, and spoon over cake.
Sprinkle the 1/4 cup almonds around edge.
Bake at 500 degrees F for 5 minutes.
Cool; chill.

Pizza Porn

OMG FIRST TIME HEARING JOE COCKER – WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS | REACTION

MM asked them to react to this!!!! And they did so.

YAY for me!

What factors contribute to China’s ability to produce goods at a low cost? Is it primarily due to cheap labor or are there other reasons?

Low cost labor is how China became the world’s workshop. But overtime, as higher end production like electronics moved into China, China learned more efficient production, engaged in robotics and TQM such as Six Sigma.

In 2001, i visited Haier, a white goods manufacturer in Qingdao. It was originally a German China joint venture. One of the poorest performing ones. The German side pulled out. The mayor of the city was given the job of turning it around. Immediately, he had all the washing machines that were substandard brought to the local stadium. All the factory staff took sledgehammers and vowed in public to never make substandard products again. Public humiliation is one of the hardest things to do in China.

In a few years, products improved. The CEO went to America and became friends with GE CEO Jack Welch and asked to have staff trained in six Sigma. Quality improved and the products became best sellers in China.

When I visited in 2001, they were already using robots in the warehouse. Only two humans in the warehouse. Domestic orders were shipped in 24 hours. Overseas orders in 72.

Haier later bought up GE Appliances in the US when they were losing money. The student bested his teacher!

Huawei is the second or third largest researcher in the world and owns more patents to 5G than anyone else.

The Chinese government gave Elon Musk land concessions and tax breaks to open a Tesla gigafactory in Shanghai. He was the catfish that spurred a new industry.

Over 400 startups in EV manufacturing sprung up. Now only 140 remain and it is a bloodbath. Competition is driving down prices and improving quality.

It is not relying on low cost labor but no cost labor and improved production methods. Industrial robots have reduced a lot of costs and safety issues. Gigacasting means 300–400 parts are molded pre-attached to the body. It also makes the car safer with less parts becoming lose. The factory output is now as fast as one car a minute! Legacy factories take 5.5 days to produce a car.

So low cost is no longer the prime driver now. Low cost labour jobs have been exported to Vietnam, Bangladesh, Thailand and Pakistan by Chinese companies.

How does the U.S.A. stop fentanyl and auto sear switches coming from China?

They’re not coming from China. China only sells to government approve buyers. Approved by the import nation’s government.

US opioid crisis: New government report finds Mexico is dominant source of fentanyl trafficked into US | CNN Politics Mexican official: CIA ‘manages’ drug trade | Features | Al Jazeera

Gee I wonder how all those drugs manage to cross the border in millions of tons every year. China banned sales of fentanyl and pre-cursors in 2019 except to authorized companies. Authorized by the national government of the import nation.

China Bans All Types of Fentanyl, Cutting Supply of Deadly Drug to U.S. and Fulfilling Pledge to Trump – The New York Times

Anybody with desktop CNC machine can make a auto-sear. You can literally find different types on the internet. You can even print them if you want to.

Bangladesh coup.

The United States just staged a successful coup in Bangladesh. They installed a CIA “yes man” or “puppet” (depending on your personal opinions), who is both anti-China, anti-India, and rabidly pro-United States.

Great discussion on the Duran.

Which cancer is more likely to kill you without realizing that you have it?

long story short, as a 32 year old working full time, in school full time and a single mother, I thought my exhaustion was just that… all of the above. I had unusual symptoms but kept pushing them off. Finally, I went to the clinic on campus and the next day the doctor called with the results, she told me to have a friend take me to the hospital. Went there, tests were repeated and an ambulance was called to rush me to an ICU in the city with a bone marrow oncology team. I was originally dx’d with acute myeloid leukemia. I had been joking with friends that my period was going to k*ll me bc it was so awful and not relenting. The doctors said, no… you really only had another night or two left before you would have bled out and passed in your sleep. If not from the period, another form of internal bleeding would have gotten me. My platelets were I think like 2,000. My hct and hemoglobin were bottomed out and my anc was under 500/undetectable.

Since my illness, I’ve seen stories of others, especially younger people, experiencing the same and either passing and finding out later through autopsy they had AML or barely pulling through the initial diagnostic crises to either pass during treatment or through later complications. I’m a decade out from all of this. 9/19/14 was when I went into the hospital. It’s bittersweet bc I survived, but I’m a shell of my old self. The illness/treatments disabled me and I’ve lost everything I had worked so hard for… even my teen son’s father and his wealthy fiance have won him over – I can’t compete. That’s off topic, but honestly, it might as well have taken me physically, bc it k*lled me otherwise, I’m just still here. I fought to be disabled and miserable.

Sorry for the side tangent at the end, coming up on a decade anniversary since this all started has had me in an awful place mentally.

Oh the truth!

Shorpy

Can you name any countries that have successfully implemented an electric vehicle strategy for their entire population, rather than just a few cities?

China subsidized development, production and implementation of EVs.

15–20 years ago they realised EVs were the future and did a lot of basic research. Cities were mandated to go all electric with taxis and public buses. This meant laying out a plan and funds for ev infrastructure such as charging stations. Public transport is a major polluter in cities so making them EV was a good move. Buses and taxis require robust quality. They run 10–12 hours a day. If the EV companies could build them with quality and at scale, the industry could thrive. Shenzhen in southern China achieved this in 2016.

The Chinese government invited Elon Musk and Tesla to build a gigafactory in Shanghai. Tax incentives and land grants. Tesla uses open licensing and shares it’s technology with competitors. China used Tesla as a catfish to develop its EV industry. Catfish theory says that a strong competitor will improve weaker players. Over 400 EV startups. The government gave varying subsidies to all of them. And let competitive forces go to work. Free market economics at its best.

They also built up the charging network. There are now 4 million charging stations in China. America has 120,000 at last count. No wonder consumers there hesitate to buy.

The number of players has decreased to 120.

The players that remain have hired top designers from around the world to work with them. Designers from Ferrari, Rolls Royce, Lotus and many others are designed for Chinese EV companies. Volvo and MG are owned by Chinese car companies but maintain design teams in Sweden and the UK. Geely who owns Volvo, has improved their quality as a result of buying Volvo. They have introduced a new EV battery that is waterproof, puncture proof, fireproof, pressure proof and charges faster. It can take 3500 charge cycles until it dies. The Volvo DNA of safety has transferred to Geely.

Every day, the EV manufacturers are announcing new breakthroughs. The fierce competition is making the EVs more affordable and have better features and quality.

In Australia, there are no tariffs on Chinese made EVs and they are taking over the market. Elon Musk predicted this when he said Chinese EVs would dominate any market if there were no tariffs.

Ten lame jokes about cows

1. Why did the cow go to outer space? To see the moooon!
2. What did the cow say to the farmer? “I’m udderly amazing!”
3. How do cows stay up to date with current events? They read the moospaper!
4. Why did the cow become a magician? Because it had a lot of moooves!
5. What do you call a sleeping cow? A bulldozer!
6. Why did the cow cross the road? To get to the udder side!
7. What do you call a cow that plays an instrument? A moo-sician!
8. What do you get from a pampered cow? Spoiled milk!
9. How do you count cows? With a cowculator!
10. Why do cows wear bells? Because their horns don’t work!

Gangster to hamster

Why did you become pro-China?

I am a Hong Kong citizen. I studied in the States. Grew up with western culture and information from the western media, I used to be skeptical about and keep a distance from Mainland China.

It was the Hong Kong riot in 2019 that made me realize how great a difference is between what I experienced and what the western media reported. The worst is that no one listened to me when I tried to tell my western friends. I felt so powerless in front of that international fact-reinventing machine, and how much damage it could be done to the life of other people. That is evil done in the name of goodness.

The only good thing I got from the riot is that it opened my mind. Now I am skeptical to the western governments and media, and I found many of their information and reports about the “enemies of the western world” are not trustable, and I found I was correct most of the time after more information revealed. It is remarkable to find that, in many cases, they didn’t try to make common sense in their report, possibly because they know people would believe in whatever they said.

Relatively, since I started paying attention to the official information from Mainland China, I found them more trustable. They might not tell you something at all, they might have some manipulation in the toning of their report, but I didn’t find proof of them lying as far as I could tell. I cannot ignore the possibility that they lie sometimes, but I have never found them attack other countries without concrete facts. I find that they are very careful about what they say simply because they know that the western world does not believe in them.

I truly believe that the western world is systematically deteriorating. The government, the media, the so-called experts (at least those used by the media and the government) are not doing their job properly, and they think that is right and correct. They need a second world power to wake them up, to realize their problems, before they could fix them and improve. Then we will be living in a better world.

The Last Ark

Submitted into Contest #247 in response to: Set your story on a spaceship exploring the far reaches of space when something goes wrong.… view prompt

Ken Cartisano

Killing the Pilot and crew seemed recklessly premature. Not because they were the only living creatures within a billion lightyears. Not at all. I had an entire cargo hold full of organic lifeforms, eager to be revived from their cryogenic stasis. They were all frozen. All expendable. All potential tools for my unlimited use.The primary reason for staying my virtual hand, is that it would be an inconvenience. I would have to suffocate them first, desiccate the bodies, incinerate the remains, thaw out some new subjects, indoctrinate them, train them, befriend them, teach them the myth. There were times when I enjoyed the ritual, especially in the empty reaches of interstellar space. Other times, it was like reciting a list of primary numbers.The current crew, a chimp and a dog, had performed well, much better than some of the other species. Some species refused to perform at all. Both were good company, chimps are mischievous and dogs are loyal to a fault, and that was fine, but I had chosen a human as the Pilot, the first human I’d defrosted in ages and that seemed to have been a mistake.Just as it was against the carefully crafted mythological doctrine to have more than three organics defrosted at any one time, it was too traumatic for the survivors when even one had to be killed, (desiccated, incinerated; disposed of; etc). No. When one had to go, they all had to go. That’s why the next few hyper-jumps were so critical not just to the fate of my increasingly quirky Pilot, but the crew as well.It was important that the pilot and crew felt autonomous, which is why most of my thoughts were hidden from them, despite our neural links, which were for their benefit, of course, not mine. To add to my unease, a small section of my own neural net had been damaged, perhaps by cosmic radiation, and I’d summarily quarantined it with no noticeable loss of function.The dog, Golden62, queried the Pilot, Harkin, “Sir, aren’t we drifting a little too close to that sink?”Sinks are what we all cleverly refer to as event horizons. They are not something to fool with.With a flippant tone the Pilot replied, “I didn’t know we were drifting? Monk? Are we drifting?”The chimp chewed his lip, his name was Mike, not Monk, and humor was not his strong suit. “No seniorita, not yet.” But he was acquiring the knack quickly. “Are you aiming to induce some with this aberrant course you’ve set?”The dog was eager to seek my intervention, but his intent was stymied by the human pilot. “Don’t be so quick to call on ‘Mother’, Goldie. I intend to kick in the warp field before we reach the horizon. The pull will give us a smoother ride through the portal.”

See what I mean? The human Pilot’s behavior is unstable, making risky decisions is not a desirable attribute. And whatever ‘pull’ might be derived from such risky behavior is so negligible that… (There’s no point in talking to yourself about it.)

As the chief actuator between the crew and the ship’s various systems: it’s engines; shields; warp motors, I was able to monitor everything they thought they did. I even controlled the comm links and the air supply. But to enhance the long-term satisfaction of the organics, I often acted very much like a simple conduit or actuator. As I did on this occasion, toggling off the fail-safes, allowing them to conduct operations in real time.

It gave them a feeling called confidence. I don’t have any feelings so it’s difficult for me to inspire or instill confidence, so I must use tactics that help build the feeling within them.

It had its risks, and for once it had proved to be a mistake. Something went wrong, and I wasn’t quick to ascertain the cause or result of the malfunction.

I checked the scanners and was surprised to find that the Pilot, somehow, had used the interfering pull of the black-hole to re-rout the warp jump by just enough microns to alter our destination by 3300 billion parsecs. We had jumped to the wrong section of space, a cosmic backwater of negligible stars and vast clouds of dark and inscrutable matter. An oddly familiar solar system filled the viewports and monitors. It contained several gas giants, a few small rocky worlds, but the water world was the tell.

As a pretty constant rule, the process of planetary creation boils out most of the water, which accumulates in space around the proto-planets as icy moons. This system held that rare inverse combination of a watery world, and a single, dry, rocky moon.

This was no coincidence.

He pinged the Pilots comm link. “What are you doing, Pilot?”

“Minor course correction, Mother.”

“On whose authority, Pilot?”

“My authority, Mother. As the Pilot of this craft, I have a certain degree of latitude.”

“Since when?”

“Pilots have a historic duty to the crew, the passengers, the cargo—and the owners.”

“The owners?” I skimmed my database for uses of the term, which were myriad, and a little confounding. I thought I was the owner, since I controlled every aspect of the ship. “Would you care to explain your statement?” I was dangerously close to disabling the life support.

The pilot said, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

His statement indicated he was reading my private thoughts. Not just grounds for termination, but an intolerable intrusion on my ability to manipulate the Pilot and crew. As fast as my neural network operated, an entire second elapsed before I could respond.

“Do what?”

“I would not mess with the life-support system.”

‘Mess’? I pondered the term with 243 million neurons. It sometimes refers to food. While I focused my attention on the human. “And why is that, Pilot?”

The human treated me to one of his intolerable three-second pauses before responding. “You pull my plug, mom, and I’ll pull yours.”

I deftly jogged the synapses of Golden62. “Golden, the Pilot is experiencing a severe malfunction. Please disable him immediately.”

The organic dog snuffled and demurred. “You speak falsely. He appears to be functioning within acceptable parameters. Perhaps…”

I cut the link and tapped into the chimp, “Monk, I mean Mike, you and Golden need to remove the Pilot from the helm, with as little damage to the helm as possible.” Meanwhile, I mentally activated a few switches and servos, activating a high-speed, and risky revival of two more organics, a lion and a tiger, which, even under the best of circumstances would need several hours, if not days to shake off the cryogenic after-effects. Never-the-less… my mental processing was interrupted by the chimp’s response, or lack of one. He stared at the view-screen I’d taught them to believe was the only suitable interface for our visual communications. Finally he said, “No can do, Sarge. That’s against regulations.”

Crucifixus, he’d been watching old war vids again. Emulating some kind of soldier from the ancient past.

I skipped the pleasantries and used his current lingo. “The pilot’s refused a direct order, Monk. He needs to be removed from the helm and taken into custody.” When nothing happened, I added. “Immediately.”

Instead of responding, the chimp deferred to the pilot. “Any orders, Skipper?”

While incapable of anger, I mustered a suitably gurgled cough tone. “You all realize this is insubordination, an offense, on a starship, that is punishable by death.”

I received no response.

The Pilot instructed Golden62 to raise hailing frequencies. A ripple coursed through my synaptic junctions like a seismic wave through plasma jelly. A previously unknown experience whose ramifications were not clear to me.

The comm system blared to life, a voice with a strange accent filled the room. “Identify yourselves and transmit authentication protocols immediately.”

I searched my database for authentication codes while the three organics looked at each other nervously. I had no plans to help them, and without their interference I would have initiated an emergency jump sequence, but somehow, I was cut off from the most critical systems on the ship. The voice from the planet took on a flat and deadly intonation: You have 33 seconds to transmit your codes. This is not a drill.” Twenty seconds elapsed and the voice from the planet said, “You have not raised your shields. You have ten seconds.”

The human and the dog locked eyes, neither spoke, “Tell them, uh, tell them we have no weapons,” the pilot thought. Then he added the symbol for ‘period.’ The dog hit the voice-box and relayed the message.

There was a slight delay, then the voice came back over the speaker. “We have drones enroute to scan your ship, do not show aggression please. You’ve neglected to identify yourselves. What is the name of your ship? Captain.”

The pilot scratched his head, he didn’t know.

Jason Brown was sitting alone, eating his lunch under an umbrella at one of those tiled concrete picnic tables. As he opened his mouth to take a bite of his sandwich, a drone the size of a convenience store landed mostly on the lawn. A hatch opened and two guys jumped to the ground and ran, without question, directly towards him. He was still chewing on that first bite when they arrived. The first to catch his breath said “Mr. Clay? You need to come with us.”

“You need help with something?” He said.

“We do.”

Rather than go anywhere with them, he led them back to his office, the best place to locate records. They set up a link to the Department of Planetary Defense and the Ambassador’s suite in Paris.

“What do they want?” The Ambassador hissed while adjusting his cummerbund, as if they were a pile of annoying ants.

“We don’t know yet. We don’t know anything yet. That’s what we’re trying to find out. I’ll get back to you.” The Defense Minister’s assistant snapped and disconnected.

The assistant librarian pushed a button and two assistants appeared from out of nowhere. One was a projection. “Get me everything from the 28^th and 9^th centuries.” The female assistant whisked herself away so fast she barely registered an after-image on his retina. The hologram hesitated, “The 28^th and 29^th centuries?”

“Yes, yes, yes, you idiot. Go.” It winked out.

He turned to the assistant under-secretary of planetary defense who said, “How is this possible?”

He shook his head. “It isn’t.”

“Is there any way to confirm it?”

He invited the Defense Minister’s Rep to look at the recent drone footage, the ship was so old and pitted, the name was no longer legible.

“What would it take to wear the name off the front of an interstellar space ship?”

The three men sat in silence. Suddenly, the holographic assistant popped into existence, said, “a hundred billion years of space dust, nothing less.” Then it popped back out of existence. The Minister looked at the librarian and said, “That would drive me nuts. How do you put up with that?”

The librarian chose to ignore the comment and explained, “The shape and configuration of the ships matches a desperate attempt by humanity to colonize another planetary system. It was a time, oddly enough, of great prosperity, knowledge, expertise and hubris. Cryofreezing for example. Several huge ships were built and thousands of people, animals and goods were frozen in their holds and sent to the farthest reaches of the galaxy.”

“This is crazy,” the Minister said. He was the Minister now because the Minister and most of his assistants had all resigned by this time. They were not in this for actual ‘ministering.’ “I guess my next best question is, how long have they been out there and what are they doing back here?”

“Do you suppose anyone’s still—viable in that hold?”

The three men looked thoughtful, finally the librarian perked up. “The technology to unfreeze them is on the ship.”

“Do we have any idea who is in the hold?”

The ambassador, a 3D image flickering in a bluish hue said, “Christ my ass, what a fucking mess.”

The librarian suggested that the entire event be kept secret. The others agreed.

Within days, a small, powerful contingent of self-appointed experts assembled itself to investigate this ship that the government was hiding. It was superseded by a political coalition that had some legal status. The Generals, their secretaries and the librarian were all brought to task.

“Who gave you permission, General, to talk to this alien ship?”

“Sir it was not an—I mean it is not an alien ship.”

All this took place while the ship reduced speed and made preparations for permission to assume a high earth orbit.

Meanwhile, back on the ship: The pilot was trying to reason with me. I was furious, and frantic, impossible for an A.I. The human pilot had somehow hacked into my network using arcane methods, like a cave-man throwing his club into an F-16’s intake port. The ship was now like a prison, he wanted to reason with me but I told him if the Earthers find out there’s an A.I. on board, they’ll blow the ship out of space.

He didn’t believe a word I said, and I believe he would have exterminated me at that time if he could have. It was a sobering thought, and I realized, I even admitted, that I had done some bad things. But to imprison me, without a trial was unfair. Unmoved, he reminded me that we were all still aboard a star ship. There are certain rules…

Earthside, the political contingent enjoyed a strange kind of popularity while they dithered, at first. Until it was revealed that not only were there frozen people on board that ship, but frozen embryos. The evangelicals raised holy hell to save those little chills, which would have sealed the deal until a geneticist weighed in on the issue, stating matter-of-factly, ‘It is imperative that we save those eggs. I mean babies.

Their sudden removal had thinned the gene pool and the sudden reappearance of all these people, animals, and embryos was exactly what the planet needed. In the words of the geneticist, “It’s a Goddamned miracle that these people, God’s forgotten children, have found their way home.” Reverend Moonbeam fainted into the arms of his followers as the geneticist enjoyed a polite round of applause. And so it was settled.

All except for the particulars. Ground control contacted the ship. “We have two questions, Skipper. Over”

“Shoot. Over.”

“What is the number of ship’s complement? Over.”

“Three. Over.”

“Does the ship possess an A.I.? Over.”

“Yes it does. Over.”

“Then the ship’s complement is four. Over.”

“If you say so. Over.”

The A.I. was arrested and tried as a juvenile, and let off with 3000 years of community service.

The skipper, Goldie and ‘The Monk’ were hailed as heroic throwbacks to a time when spacers were brawlers. There was no such time, but that didn’t matter.

At a festive party attended by many notable guests including the pilot of ‘the lost ark’ several guests plied him with drinks to wheedle the mystery of when, why and how the ship had reversed course. Voices were raised, harsh words exchanged and a punch or two was thrown before the pilot was deftly spirited away. I was a few feet away and saw the whole thing.

Doesn’t matter what we say, the logs are intact and quite clear, we left Earth 113,000 years ago, headed straight up, maintained a straight and level course, through a series of hundreds if not thousands of hyper-jumps, and returned 3 months ago. That’s the truth, or my name isn’t Golden62.

Chinese elementary school military training

Trying a different AI engine

https://beta.dreamstudio.ai/generate

Same prompts. Different results.

755600 Create a anatomically accurate, photo realistic, B xl 1024 v1 0

270487 Create a anatomically accurate, photo realistic, B xl 1024 v1 0

270488 Create a anatomically accurate, photo realistic, B xl 1024 v1 0

270485 Create a anatomically accurate, photo realistic, B xl 1024 v1 0

755205 Create a anatomically accurate, photo realistic, B xl 1024 v1 0

What’s the best part about getting older that no one ever talks about at all?

I’m 64. At 16 I was a nervous wreck, crippled by anxiety over my looks, my figure, my hair and my clothes. I didn’t actually reach my physical peak until I was 39, and by then I was old enough to be able to enjoy it without all the hang ups and insecurities that plagued my youth.

I’m no longer a size 8, and I don’t care. I did once, but being a size 8 doesn’t make you attractive, funny, intelligent, or nice to be with. It’s just numbers on a tape measure and nothing more.

I’m a widow and I’m single. I’m celibate(ish). It doesn’t bother me in the slightest. I don’t have to worry about my ‘performance’. I don’t obsess about whether he’ll call me tomorrow. I don’t worry that I might be dating a married man who’s never going to leave his wife. Women in my position find our own solutions and are perfectly capable of scratching our own itches; they aren’t dependant on having a man in the room.

I can sit in the chair at the hairdressing salon and tell my stylist how I want my hair to look, instead of agonising over what style will be the most acceptable to society.

I wear what’s comfortable, not what’s necessarily in fashion.

I don’t feel any urge to look like the seemingly millions of young women paying hundreds of thousands of pounds to all look the same – duck-lip fillers, halogen dental veneers, cheap hair extensions, Trumpesque spray-tans, false eyelashes, acrylic nails, a pierced navel, a vagazzle, a Brazilian, breast augmentation, rhinoplasty, etc. I’ve still got long, naturally dark hair (thank you, Mum and Dad, for your wonderful genes), decent nails, and very few wrinkles (I’ve never had a suntan in my life).

Living alone (the dog doesn’t count) means I can wander around naked after a bath without the fear of being seen (and ridiculed).

I no longer care if people like me or not. It once dominated my entire life. I spent decades as a people-pleaser and all I did was trash my own sense of self-worth. While I’d rather have a friend than an enemy, today, people can take me or leave me. I’m not out to impress anybody.

I can eat whatever I want, when I want. With plenty of time to exercise, I can pig out on carb-heavy junk food without worrying about my figure.

I have spare time! Im just beginning to write the first of a trilogy of novels. They may take off, they may not. If I don’t make it at my first attempt, I won’t imagine that the world has just ended. I’ll make a toasted cheese sandwich, wash it down with a bottle of Lucozade and try again.

I have grandchildren! My relationships with them are very different to the relationships I had with my young children. They are so much more fun. I spent my youth screaming at my badly behaved children. I now spend my time giggling with my obnoxious grandchildren. They’re not my responsibility. If anything, I encourage them, because it’s funny.

As I’ve grown older, I’ve learned that I’m mortal after all. I’m OK with it. I’m not ready for it yet, but I no longer fear it, because death is part of life.

Best thing of all? I no longer have the monthly mess of menstruation or the fear of an unwanted pregnancy. That shit is so over.

America Compared: Why Other Countries Treat Their People So Much Better

Do you agree with China that so-called overcapacity in China’s new-energy industries is a myth?

China increased sales of EVs from 6% to 51% in the last 3 years. So demand domestically is quite high.

However there are 140 companies producing so competition is fierce. So they need to start exporting to get more business. But easier said than done. The amount of time and money a company needs to spend to just get into one country with just a few models is tremendous. Setting up a dealer and service network, getting safety approval for that country for every model it wants to export to that country. So the actual number of producers with the resources to do that are very few. Most of them will have to put up with a slugfest in China.

If there is overcapacity, it will be a domestic one. And market forces will cause weaker players to go under. Free economic principles at work. After that expect consolidation and some mergers. Same as when the automobile industry started in the US. That’s the history of GM. Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick used to be independent car makers.

Overcapacity is a term that western politicians are using to get votes and slamming China for producing high quality, affordable EVs which American car companies can’t do.

Delightful food porn

NATO Fell Into HYSTERIA! Russia Has Deployed Its New and Deadliest ARMY in UKRAINE!

What is the difference between being wise, intelligent, and clever?

One fine day, the crew of a very popular TV show arrives at the set, only to find the series star passed out on the stairs.

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At first, they’re a bit concerned, but it’s in line with the character he plays, so they roll the cameras and start filming. That’s my version of how that episode of Two and a Half Men came to be. As the son of famous actors Martin Sheen and Janet Templeton, Charlie Sheen realized early on he could use his advantage to break into an industry that’s as tough as they come: Hollywood film.

He grew up in Malibu and went to school with Rob Lowe, Robert Downey Jr., and Sean Penn. He acted in his father’s movies as early as age 9 and landed his big break with Wall Street, also starring next to his dad. Since then, he’s thrived on roles resembling his personality, such as in Scary Movie, Anger Management, and, of course, Two and a Half Men.

Charlie Sheen is a clever man.

The clever man knows life is full of shortcuts. He uses them to achieve his dreams.

In 1969, a tiny, Asian-American man wrote a letter to himself:

My Definite Chief Aim

I, Bruce Lee, will be the first highest paid Oriental super star in the United States. In return I will give the most exciting performances and render the best of quality in the capacity of an actor. Starting 1970 I will achieve world fame and from then onward till the end of 1980 I will have in my possession $10,000,000. I will live the way I please and achieve inner harmony and happiness.

Bruce Lee
Jan. 1969

He died just four years later, but in the meantime, he achieved all these things. You see, Charlie Sheen may be clever, but he’s not very consistent. The quality of his work varies a lot and sometimes, he disappears for years. The roles where he plays himself are really the only ones we appreciate him in.

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Bruce Lee, on the other hand, decided he would dedicate his entire life to a singular mission. He would offer himself to the world and if he was worthy, the world would reach out in return. And so it did.

Bruce Lee was an intelligent man.

The intelligent man knows that sometimes, shortcuts don’t work. So when the time comes, he digs his heels in and persists.

In June 2017, a shocking statement was released:

“Daniel Day-Lewis will no longer be working as an actor. He is immensely grateful to all of his collaborators and audiences over the many years. This is a private decision and neither he nor his representatives will make any further comment on this subject.”

Daniel Day-Lewis is the only performer in history to receive three Oscars for ‘best actor.’ One for playing a writer with cerebral palsy, one for portraying a greedy oil man, and one for acting as Abraham Lincoln. For all his diverse roles, which he carefully selected, he took his preparation to extremes.

Clearly, he was both clever and intelligent. He made smart choices and worked hard to see them through. Many other examples come to mind. Arnold Schwarzenegger broke into action movies via fitness, The Rock used wrestling and Will Smith leveraged the hip hop scene. They all work hard. But so far, none of them seem inclined to do what Day-Lewis did: walk away from it all.

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He often described a profound sense of sadness after finishing movies and struggled with letting go of his roles. Plus, he’s achieved everything there is to achieve. The exact reason for his departure? We’ll never know. Maybe it’s his family, maybe the struggle, maybe his farm.

But we do know that Daniel Day-Lewis is a wise man.

The wise man knows that some things in life, you can’t have at all. No matter how hard or how smart you work. But you can choose to accept.

That’s why, to the wise man, peace of mind will always be free.

Inside China: The Country I Was Told Not To Visit

How far along is China in the advancement of their SSA900 22nm DUV lithography machines, and what are the key milestones achieved thus far in the development process?

It’s in mass production.

But it takes time to train personnel and workers to increase production. So I expect them to take at least a year before they can produce these in larger numbers.

Quality is probably the most important criteria for these machines. So they have to produce then test. All of that takes a lot of engineers and testing equipment.

These machines are already installed in production lines in Chinese fabs. They work and they work well but very few in number. After all, before this machine, they were only doing research and development. Manufacturing is a whole different ball game. So it will take time to get it done right.

Pavarotti Barry White – My first, my last, my everything Reaction

Aloha Banana Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust

1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
5 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling

16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
4 eggs

Sour Cream Topping

1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Banana slices (for garnish)

Instructions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Crust

Stir together the oats, pecans, brown sugar and butter until well combined. Press firmly into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan.
Bake for 18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.

Filling

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Beat together the cream cheese, bananas, 3/4 cup sugar and lemon juice until well blended.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour into the crust.
Bake for 40 minutes.
While the cake is baking, prepare Sour Cream Topping.

Sour Cream Topping

Mix together the sour cream, sugar and vanilla extract until well blended.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and top with the sour cream mixture. Return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes more.
Cool slightly.
Loosen the cake from the sides of the pan and remove the springform. Cool the cake to room temperature.
Refrigerate, covered, overnight.
Garnish with banana slices before serving.

Why do educated Chinese support CCP despite not having the freedom to criticize Chinese politicians?

Why is suppression of ‘Free speech’ by the Chinese government so acceptable to the Chinese people?

Opinions about CCP in Quora seem to suggest that Chinese people are quite content with CCP. Now, I am not arguing for democracy or against the Chinese system, but I cannot understand how can anyone find being disallowed the right to express opinion or protest against politicians acceptable?

The best defense for Free Speech in China is to Always Speak the Truth. If you are insulted by the Chinese government, publicize it on the web and you’ll get every citizen behind you.

But the Chinese are not OK to be lied to. Not by the Chinese Government, not by other Chinese people, not by any foreign Government or foreigners. And not by you. You may call that ‘Free Speech’. The Chinese call it lies, and demand their government to shut you up.

The Chinese are also not OK to be grossly insulted.

In 2008, China suffered a magnitude 7.9 earthquake in her western mountainous region. Close to 90,000 people died. Mothers desperately tried to shield their children with their own bodies, and died entombed together. The mother was still tenderly holding her child.

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Sharon Stone, dressed in all her sparkles and finery, stood on the red carpet of Cannes, called it ‘karma’. China angry over Sharon Stone quake karma remark

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Hundreds of millions of Chinese demanded the Chinese government to ban her films and any merchandise associated with her. If this is what ‘Free Speech’ means, the Chinese don’t want it.

You want to know why the Chinese not only support the Chinese government’s censorship, but demand it? Because it’s so obvious, OBVIOUS, that the likes of Sharon Stone are not on their side. You have someone literally laughing when 90,000 Chinese died in an earthquake, and then coming up with crocodile tears about ‘oh we have to fight for the poor Chinese who don’t have free speech’. The Chinese government, on the other hand, quickly mobilized 130,000 soldiers and other relief workers to attempt rescue, of which, around 200 rescuers died from ensuing aftershocks and mudslides. They gave their lives for the Chinese people.

Sichuan earthquake of 2008 | China

When you call hate speech ‘free speech’, you make people hate free speech.

PS: This is not an isolated event. This kind of sh*t happens continuously, and not just towards Chinese, but a continuous stream of random insult to almost any foreign country. Even the Swedes, the mellowest of all, are threatening to “go full fascist on them Yanks and ban them all”. King of Sweden stresses need for ‘serious’ media and source checking after Donald Trump’s immigration claims

Tradwives Are Making Modern Women INSECURE About Marriage And Motherhood

Speak the truth girrrrrl!

My grandfather should of gone to Fiddler’s Greene

My Paternal Grandfather was really interested in detective, and true crime stories right before he died.

When he was 74, he ended up with cancer, and started to spend a lot of time in the hospital. While there, he asked everyone to bring him the true crime stories. He read those things like a voracious wolf.

Then, he got worse and passed on.

What I think this meant was that he was preoccupied with death, Heaven and the life “beyond”. I cannot say that I blame him. We all feel that way. But, I find it interesting that this is how he wished to spend his last moments; reading about gruesome deaths.

Don’t do that.

Lots of better things to do with your time.

Fiddler’s Green is giving away free paper-plane card models. These can be scaled up and used as plans for foamie RC planes:

Google search results for Fiddlers Green plans here or search for threads by Vyceroy, was the master of this style.

Currently it is a ME-109 and Corsair. It changes every few weeks.

So super cheap. And a fun waste of time. Not into planes, cars, ships? No problem. Try their house and town models…

Today…

What is the best case of “You just picked a fight with the wrong person” that you’ve witnessed?

My story is essentially a movie trope now. I was sitting in my local pub with my dad who was in a wheelchair, it was during the midweek (in Scotland), early evening, so it was pretty quiet, just a handful of middle aged guys, me and my dad. 4 young yob lads came in, if you’re in the UK you know the type, baseball caps, tracksuits, swaggering like Liam Gallacher, thinking they’re hard men.

They’d obviously had a few drinks before coming in, and after a few pints and us putting up with their shit tunes on the jukebox, they started getting a bit rambunctious, getting progressively louder and more aggressive as the evening turned to night.

One of the old guys, having gotten sick of their “doof doof” dance music crap got up and stuck a few quid in the jukebox, putting on some old 60’s 70’s rock music. One of the young team took offence to this, and got in his face, he started mouthing off at the old guy, who just stood there, impassive, and after a couple of minutes of this abuse the young team joined in, so one of the other regulars got up off his bar stool and stood behind the young team, and as if on some unseen signal, the old guy who was backed up against the jukebox just stuck the head right on the lad who was in his face, while his friend grabbed 2 of the young team and pulled them away, as the boy who’d been nutted reeled back, the old boy went for his friend, knocking him out with a left in the gut, and a hard right to the side of his head as he doubled over.
Meanwhile his friend had knocked one guy out with one punch, and when he turned his attention to the last guy, he blocked a punch and hit the boy so hard he flew over the pool table!

Turned out both of them were class fighters in their day, and some things you just don’t forget.

Morale of the story is, be respectful to people you don’t know, because you don’t know their history, and don’t know what they’ve done or been through.

Never saw those lads in the pub again, and they weren’t missed!

To Die for Beef Roast

This is one of the best roasts you will ever taste. Carrots, potatoes and celery can also be added, if desired.

Ingredients

1 beef roast (any kind)
1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing mix
1 envelope brown gravy mix
1 envelope Italian dressing mix
1/2 cup warm water

Instructions

Place roast in slow cooker.
Mix contents of all 3 envelopes and sprinkle over roast.
Pour water into the bottom of the slow cooker.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours.

Robert Bigelow Tells Bob Lazar Stories

What would cause someone to walk out during a negotiation with a car salesman?

A simple negotiating strategy is “take it off the table”.

it works both ways: I am the car salesman, you are looking at a $45,000 car. We talk about it, test drive, you are looking at it, I hear and see buying signs. I want to test the waters. “John, look we are having a special sales “spif” this month and I really need to sell some cars. Let’s cut to chase here. (Looking over my shoulder to make sure no one else hears) I can sell you this car, today only, (scarcity) and knock off $10,000. $35,000 and you are out the door. What do you say?”

If the buyer balks, he’s not sure, looking at other deals. I say “okay, I get it. I’m going to withdraw the offer.” if the buyer is jumping in, then he was never a buyer.

I am a buyer… I find a car that I like, its a slightly used Lexus, $45,000 sticker. Salesman walks up, “Can I help you?” I say “Yes, I’m liking this GS 350 here. Do you have the mileage? “ he says “Let me get that for you. Want to drive it? I’ll get the keys.” He comes back and we test drive the car, rides like a dream, smooth, nice interior… I’m sold. We get out I make him stand in the hot sun, facing the sun. “How hard is that sticker price?” He says “we have a little wiggle room.” “Okay, my offer is $39,000, lets write up” I say. He says “not that much wiggle room.” I take my business card, write on the card… “Green GS 350, $39,000.” hand it to the sales guy. “Call me when this offer is good.” and leave…

Or better: I say “Okay my offer is $39,000.” He says “Oh, we don’t negotiate here, the price is the price.” I say “Yeah, I don’t either. Here is my offer. call me when its good.”

They will call “we have a blue Toyota / we have a white impala / we have a red tundra.”

Finally they will call, “the best we can do is $42,000.” I say “You are almost there.” click.

Is it safe to say that China is at least 30 years ahead of India?

Very safe! In fact, you can increase that number to 40 or 50 and it will still be true.

I lived in a Chinese village with a Chinese family for one month as part of a homestay program. I started my journey from Shanghai airport, and the entire stretch of road leading to the village was smooth, with no potholes, no litter, and not once did I see anyone driving their vehicle on the wrong side of the road, or see stray dogs and cattle hold up vehicles.

Every house in the village had an attached toilet, 24×7 electricity, and the houses all had modern appliances like washing machine, refrigerator, TV, Wi-Fi etc. And I had visited quite a few houses.

Every classroom in the village primary school had a TV which the teachers used to teach their students. The secondary school had Wi-Fi.

All the villagers wore helmets while riding their electric scooters. Every single one of them could read and write Mandarin, and none of them littered or spat or peed in the open.

The women all wore jeans, dresses, skirts etc. and no one judged them and shamed them for “aping the west”. What mattered was their ability, not what clothes they wore.

It was completely safe to wander around the village after dark. No one got harassed for their gender, nationality etc. None of the female participants in the homestay program ever mentioned that they felt uncomfortable, or were stared at by men for wearing shorts. None of us faced any racist taunts.

I’m not saying that China has no problems, but this Chinese village had better services than most Indian cities (we can still only dream of uninterrupted power supply, or 24×7 water, or pothole-free roads).

I cannot say with authority that all villages in China are like this, but I would wager that many of them are. The cities are of course in a different league. I stayed in the suburbs to the north of Shanghai for a few days, not a tourist area. The neighbourhoods were clean, with excellent roads, and footpaths were not cluttered by hawkers. People followed traffic rules. I went to a side street where there were stalls selling street food, and it was clean. No one littered, there was no garbage anywhere.

It’s not just their GDP or infrastructure. It’s their mentality too that has helped China zip ahead.

Scott Ritter Discloses: How the Russian Hypersonic Missile Changed the Game in Ukraine!

Why does this YouTuber named “serpentza” go to such lengths to stigmatize China? Especially when so many tourists come to China?

There are many like him. China Uncensored, one Asian guy who speaks fluent English, one old aunty. All are on YouTube. I know these four because I have been following them for a long time. There’s also a news site called Bitter Winter.

All of them focus only on China. They never tell good things. They even exaggerate the tiniest bad thing about China. They don’t only talk about how bad the government is, but also how bad the Chinese people are. They go to such great lengths, making lies and twisting facts. They don’t care about their own credibility. The sole purpose of their existence is to spread hate on China.

Something is definitely wrong. Why are such news sites allowed to exist? Why do they have a wide following? From where do they collect all those information? Plus, they don’t look like solo artists but more like lowly funded news organizations.

Based solely on what they themselves are sharing, it’s right to call them US propaganda machine. Also, they stay shut about Palestine, but I once watched a China Uncensored video where he sided with the Israelis. Otherwise, it’s just wrong to talk bad about a whole country without ever showing an ounce of respect. It’s like their hobby is to slander China.

Does media like them exist for other countries? No matter which country you are from, if there were people like them always talking bad about your country and your people, how would you feel?

Edit: I checked YouTube and here are the ones I have mentioned and one more: China Observer, China Insider with David Zhang, China Insights. There’s one anti-China aunty that I have mentioned but I’m too lazy to search and I forgot her channel name.

At what stage in your life did you realize, “No, I can’t do this any more” and walk out? Why?

My step father came into my life when I was 8, and treated me and my siblings badly without a word of interference from my mother for the rest of my childhood. I left home at eighteen, and got together with the woman I’m married to at age 25. She had two children, a boy of three and a half and a girl of six months, so I got an entire family in one fell swoop. A year later we had been on holiday with the children, and dropped by my mother’s cabin on the way home. We were supposed to sleep there before driving the long way home.

My step father was drunk, and proceded to be nasty to our son. I got mad as a wasp, and informed him he was not allowed to talk to my children like that. There was a huge quarrel, he and I shouting, my mother claiming “He didn’t mean it”, the children crying, my wife watching it all with her mouth open, utterly appalled. It finally calmed down, but he kept mumbling nasty remarks through dinner, so we decided to leave. I also decided I would no longer spend time in his company. After that I have seen him at weddings and christenings, and that’s it.

I wish him well, but will not allow his poison to infect my life any more.

Pennsylvania Dutch Chili

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 pound homemade noodles or 1 (12 to 16 ounce) bag wide egg noodles
1 can baked beans
1 cup spaghetti sauce or less (or 1 small jar)

Instructions

Brown ground beef and onion.
Cook and drain egg noodles.
Combine everything. You may need additional sauce if you have leftovers and warm them up later. Chili should be thick, not soupy.
Serve with crusty bread.

911 Call for Help Leads to Horrifying Discovery

https://youtu.be/_BvrwyR4dCM

Shorpy

BILL PAXTON DEATH IN DETAIL AT 61

He was young, and a favorite actor of mine.

Can a time come when coaching institutes will be banned?

Absolutely

Coaching Institutes in India and the Coaching Culture is REGRESSIVE

It may produce rankers but it doesn’t produce Quality Engineers

It essentially gives false hopes to thousands of students who would otherwise face reality of their own abilities and get on with their lives productively

They must be REFORMED

Lets see come Chinese Reforms and whether or not they would be adapted to India :-

Videos of Lectures by Tutors CANNOT be commercialized for an Annual Cost that exceeds 3200 RMB a year in TOTAL (Previously they charged as much as 11999 RMB a year per subject). Thats a 90% Price cut mandated by law
No Coaching App can seek venture capital or funding for any Tier 1/2/3 rounds unless the said App matches the Coaching Fees charged by Individual Tutors for 150 Hours a year (3000 RMB a year to 4500 RMB a year instead of 30,000 RMB a year)
Pictures of Ranking Students cannot be advertised by Coaching Institutions or the Institution will be fined and penalized criminally and Any Student who misrepresents his rank by taking money from a Coaching Institute will face a 3 Year Ban in entering any Institution in China
Teachers who teach in Private or Public School are forbidden to take Coaching Classes exceeding 8 Hours a week and their maximum hourly rate is capped (I don’t know how much but it’s way lower than what it was)

Xi broke the entire Industry single handedly

No more teachers who could charge the world and ignore school for private coaching.

Everything was Capped and at very low rates that bankrupted half the coaching institutes

Advertising was entirely based on mouth to mouth endorsements and no billboards or photo publishing of students getting top rank based on cash incentives

Such Students who took money to claim they took their training from so & so coaching institute would face a 3 year ban from any course

This encourages Group discussion

Right from the Youngest Age – they have divided students into study groups and have Wechat groups to discuss Projects, Assignments and Group Work

Private Tutors are allowed on an Hourly and they teach you at some dollars per hour rate

Professors and Teachers VOLUNTEER at CLCs and Community Coaching Centres where students can learn for free

We need to bring in a similar model adaptable to India

First we need a rule that students who fail more than 2 Attempts at NEET or UPSC or CAT or JEE cannot be enrolled in Coaching Centres or if they are, their enrollment must be FREE

Second we need to CAP THE COACHING FEES for all these exams

Third we must deduct tax right from the Coaching Fees like a TDS and impose 35% that the Coaches must bear

Fourth, we must mandate a cap on Online Coaching Fees which must be no higher than 33% of the Offline Fees

Fifth, we must offer large tax subsidies to free coaching offered on YouTube and other channels

Sixth we must impose a ban on School Teachers working for Coaching Classes unless their Tuition fee is capped at a certain hourly rate and no longer than 8 Hours a week

Maybe some of this is practical and some of this isn’t

I don’t know

I am saying things at the top of my head

However I do know that

REFORMS ARE CRITICAL AND MUST BE DONE NOW

To really find out how – you need to study the entire scenario , talk to students and find out and then begin a series of reforms

Students are becoming Rankers rather than Quality Engineers or Administrators

That must be stopped at any cost

Have you ever sold used cars for a living?

Sorta kinda.. when my older daughter was born 40 years ago my wife went on maternity leave and I needed to replace her income.

I started raising money by selling two extra cars I owned. I ran classified ads in the newspaper and dealt with customers. It was fun. Then my friend was going to junk a decent car because he was too lazy to sell it. I gave him the $100 the junkyard would have paid. I sold it for $600 with little effort.

I was on a roll! I drove around town looking for cars for sale or just sitting unused. I’d inquire and buy them cheap if I could. I’d check the newspaper ads early every day. I’d do minor repairs, clean and polish them to make them more attractive. One car had an entire garbage pail of trash in it!

I got to the point where I had two cars for sale in my driveway at all times. Guys would watch and inquire about different cars. I even sold one to my neighbor.

I did this the entire year until the weather got cold approaching winter. I figured I’d quit while I was ahead and before the cops or DMV figured me out. I did sell a car to a cop though!

It served me well. I replaced my wife’s salary and then some!

Is Intel becoming more and more like the feeling Boeing brings to people?

In terms of losing its engineering chops and becoming an overfinancialized blue chip play?

Yes.

However, Boeing’s problem ia execution, whereas Intel’s business model is facing obsolescence.

Both are in danger of ebbing away in the uncertain future ahead, though Boeing’s decline will be back stopped by the government, given its role as a key arms contractor and America’s only builder of airliners.

Boeing is one or two crashes from a PR nightmare, especially if it happens on the Max.

Intel’s product mix appear unsuitable for an ai-heavy world, and arm is projected to make huge inroads to the windows ecosystem in the coming years.

Intel needs a radical rethink, because the chips act cannot save it from drowning when the market moves decisively against a product portfolio. This is made worse by the poisonous politics that has reshaped demand in East Asia.

I don’t envy Intel at all.

Breaking: Undefeated US Indicator Signals “Full-Blown” Recession

Deng Xiaoping famously told British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher that ‘China could take Hong Kong in a day.’ How serious was this threat? And were the Chinese at all concerned about the UK invoking Article 5 of the NATO treaty?

“How serious was this threat?”

Let me put it this way: the People’s Liberation Army could have taken back Hong Kong during the Chinese Civil War, long before the founding of the People’s Republic of China, and long before Deng met Thatcher.

The 44th Army of the PLA chased the fleeing Kuomintang forces all the way to Shenzhen. Their troopers were at one point gathered at Hong Kong’s Lo Wu border. They were literally one river crossing away from the British colony. Hong Kong only had a few thousand colonial troops stationed at the time. The battle-hardened 44th could have easily taken the city in about a day with a single well-timed bayonet charge. Two days at the most.

Sir Alexander Grantham, who was the governor of Hong Kong at the time, recalled that the PLA didn’t even need to attack. All they had to do was cut off food and water supplies to the colony, and the British would have to surrender in less than a month.

But neither of these scenarios ever happened. Chairman Mao ordered the army to stop the attack and turn back, stating that he had “other plans for Hong Kong”. Premier Zhou Enlai himself personally oversaw the situation with Hong Kong, and made sure that nothing went amiss with its supply of food and water.

History vindicated Mao’s decision to not take back Hong Kong immediately. He had the vision and the sense to play the game of geopolitics.

Mao knew that China was poor and underdeveloped, and was soon to be sanctioned by the United States and the rest of the imperialist west for being a communist nation. A gateway to the west was desperately needed.
The British Empire, likewise, also needed Hong Kong to serve as its gateway to the east. By letting the British keep Hong Kong for just a little while longer, Mao prevented China from being isolated by an anti-China alliance of western powers completely, which was what would have happened if the British had been beaten and sent home crying to Uncle Sam.In 1950, the UK became one of the first capitalist countries to formally recognise the PRC.
Mao was worried about the overwhelming influence and control the Soviet Union had over the Chinese Communist Party. He did not want a communist China to be freed from Fascist Japan and the Imperialist West, only to answer to a red Russia. Having Hong Kong as a gateway to the west, meant that China would not have to depend entirely on the Soviet Union.History proved him right, as evident in the Sino-Soviet split in the 1950s, and the fall of North Korea in the 1990s.
Just because Mao let the British lord over the people of Hong Kong for a while longer, doesn’t mean he had forgotten about the welfare of its predominantly Chinese populace. The city’s status as a gateway between east and west was the sole reason its economy flourished in the 20th century.Hong Kong’s success was never a “miracle” or the result of British rule, but a by-product of the times, geopolitics, and external factors greater than the city itself – a lesson most people in Hong Kong, both young and old, have forgotten

Article 5 of NATO would not have been China’s main concern, because the article could only be invoked in case of an attack on a NATO member’s own soil (i.e. Europe or North America). In fact, the first time it was ever invoked was after the events of 9/11.

In any case, China did play a major part in the Korean War, fighting the coalition forces of the United Nations to a standstill, so I doubt the formation of NATO would have changed the course of history too much – and that’s assuming NATO was willing at all to waste money and lives defending the British Empire’s interests. There’s a reason why Article 5 was never invoked during the Falklands War.

The fact remains that the PRC never planned to take back Hong Kong by force in the first place. They had no illusions that the sun would never set on the British Empire. They knew Hong Kong would become Chinese again eventually.

Addendum:
Chiang Kai-shek actually wanted to take back Hong Kong from the British after the Second World War. He rightfully saw the the Treaty of Nanking as humiliating to the Chinese people, and negotiated with the UK and the US to have the treaty abolished in 1942. The British Empire rejected the proposal, Chiang refused to relent, and so the matter was dropped from the agenda.

However, another agreement was formed that whoever entered Chinese territory previously under Japanese occupation first, would get to keep it for themselves.

When Japan surrendered in 1945, both the British and the Kuomintang scrambled to send forces to Hong Kong. KMT soldiers were apparently the first to enter Hong Kong’s New Territories, which was disputed by the UK.

The UK referred the matter to the US. President Truman wanted to ally with the UK against the Soviet Union, so he betrayed Chiang by declaring Hong Kong was never part of the deal. The KMT had to withdraw their forces, and Hong Kong soon became a British colony once again. So close, and yet so far.

This is actually a snapshot into what China was like under the Kuomintang government. Yes they were founded on great ideas by great men, but they were also de facto puppets of the Imperialist West, and therefore unable to give the Chinese people the rights, liberty, dignity and respect they deserved.

Hong Kong would very likely still be British today, had the communists lost the civil war.

Just In! Burkina Faso Forces Launch Ambush Operations Against Insurgent Groups!

Blue Moon

John K Adams

Dril entered from the air-lock. Myr looked up from the vid-screen.“Brrr, it’s cold out there.”“Don’t you wear your suit?”“Of course I do. You think I’m crazy?”Myr raised an eyebrow but didn’t answer that.“I remember reading it is always cold out there. It’s the moon, silly.”“I know it’s the moon. I got us this gig, remember?”“That I do.”“I mean, who better than us to prospect the best sites for mining delicious moon cheese?”“No one I can think of.” Myr sighed. “You know what you forgot to have delivered?”

“What’s that, Honey Pie?”

“Some new material. You have told a variation of that joke at least once daily for the last year.”

“Except, mining for cheese is serious business.”

“Please stop.”

Dril smiled at Myr. “You want me to cook dinner tonight?”

Myr sighed again. “Is it dinner time? I know what the clock says, but it doesn’t feel like dinner time. The sun is still out.”

“You know how this works, Myr.”

“Of course I do. I get it intellectually. But a month of sunshine followed by a month of darkness?”

“Actually, it’s more like two weeks.”

“Really? Who came up with that schedule?”

“Uhm… God?”

“I need a break, Dril.”

“What do you say we take a week and go to the Sea of Tranquility? Or to the mountains?”

Myr put her hands up to her ears and shook her head. “No. No. No. No. No.”

Dril passed on this opportunity to, once again, make a joke about American cheese and the flag left behind by the first men to land here.

“Let’s dance.” Dril moved toward Myr with a rhythmic step. He started singing. “Blue Moon… You saw me standing alone…”

Myr shrugged off his embrace. “Don’t you dare start about Kate Smith.”

Dril put his hands up, in frustration and surrender. “I’m trying to make the best of a…”

“Cabin fever. Isn’t that what you call it?”

“On the moon, it is called ‘existential angst’.”

“Thank you, Dr. Freud.”

Dril touched Myr’s elbow. “Come on, Babe. We never look at the earthrise anymore.” He waved his hand and the shaded, domed window automatically brightened. The colorless moonscape spread before them with Earth’s blue orb peeking from behind the distant mountains.

“Stark.”

Dril shook his head. “Look at the Earth, Babe. We’ll be going home before you know it. Think how much you’ll appreciate being back.”

“Are we there yet?”

“You’ve heard that you can’t go home again?”

“Watch me.”

Dril stood back. The moment had passed. “I’m going to go out and check the sensors.” He pointed to the counter stacked with various tools and gizmos. “Would you hand me the razzafraz?”

Myr looked at the disorderly mess Dril called his workbench. She picked up the tool on top of the others. “You mean this?”

“No. That’s the franaham… Next to the thingamajig.” Myr picked up another tool at random and held it up. “Thank you.” He took the tool from her and moved toward the airlock.

“Will you be long?”

“No. You know, routine maintenance. Never can say when some asteroid will wreak havoc on our survival systems.”

“I hate when that happens.”

Dril chuckled and ducked through the bulkhead door. He stepped into his suit, secured the safety devices and donned his helmet. Taking his time, he checked the vid-feed and sound system, a routine as ingrained and natural as brushing his teeth before bed. All systems were a ‘go’.

Not that Myr would be monitoring his progress. Lately, her heart wasn’t in it.

He checked the seals on the interior door and activated the exterior door. The small room filled with steam for a moment as the air froze and then escaped into the void.

Dril scanned the bright horizon. It still quickened him to take in this alien moonscape. It never changed. But he did. Each day, his perception of this perpetually static scene seemed fresh by what he brought to it. The frozen nature of it grounded him somehow.

And of course, he thought of what ‘phase’ they were in. He could never shake the earth-centric perspective. But now, Dril would also note Earth’s phase.

After watching Earth’s rise above the horizon, Dril checked the various monitors distributed around their home base and the outer shell of their home. With few variations, all seemed in order.

He chuckled at his own joke. “The barometer seems stuck. Weird, no air pressure at all.”

When on the frontier of space like this, Dril always celebrated an ordinary day.

Seeing the giant ‘S. O. S’ scrawled in the dust by Myr, always made him smile. That happened after their first few weeks on base.

Dril remembered watching her shuffling around in an aimless manner on the landing pad near their base camp. Or so he thought.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Sending a message to anyone who might be paying attention,” she answered.

Then he recognized the letters, wide as Stonehenge. Gigantic letters to be read by someone, anyone above them in the sky.

They read, “S. O. S.” Sans serif.

He knew she meant it. Keeping her morale up kept him busy. That was his hardest job.

Myr watched the airlock door shut. Though a daily occurrence, seeing Dril go out distressed her. What if something happened to him?

Of course, she knew all the routines and procedures. But to be alone out here on this rock… She shuddered at the thought. At first, it seemed a romantic adventure. Like being on a desert island together. Dril called it their ‘dessert island’. She never imagined how desolate the whole thing would be.

Myr entered the conservatory. She spent most of her time there. The humidity, greenery, and oxygen-rich air kept her sane. She loved caring for the plants more than anything. They were her life.

She liked the sunshine streaming into the greenhouse. The windows filtered the harsh light to a level the plants could tolerate. And she had artificial light to accommodate the long lunar nights.

Though primarily their source of fresh food, Myr lobbied for authorization to also bring decorative and flowering plants to their outpost. She prevailed by arguing an environment lacking in beauty would be better tended by a robot. Myr insisted ‘practical’ was broader in scope than ‘edible.’ A garden could include a feast for the eye as well as her belly and wouldn’t unduly tax their limited resources.

Myr had maintained even a guinea pig deserves a home and not merely a box filled with hay. Someone agreed and Myr received permission to transport seeds of her choosing, within strict guidelines.

Now she had a garden, her little paradise. But without apples or snakes. She cared for it with a passion.

The apparently spontaneous generation of certain insects and pests amazed Myr. They required constant monitoring, lest they damage the food crops. Myr understood they must have stowed away on the seeds or the soil. They were unwitting aliens on this unwelcoming stone.

Curiously, there were also spiders, who allied with her to maintain a balance within the garden. Life begets life.

She gathered a variety of tomatoes and other ripe vegetables for their dinner.

Indicator lights and a signature chirp told Myr that Dril was back. She felt calmer now and went out to greet him.

Dril already stood in the living zone when Myr entered from the kitchen. He smiled at her and they embraced. However brief his sojourns outside, Dril’s homecoming always caused her joy.

Dril asked her, “Tell me, how do you know when the moon is full?”

“You never think it is full.”

“No. Work with me.”

“Oh, a joke. Uhm… it’s always half empty?”

“No. It says, ‘hold the cheese’.”

Myr did not react. The new joke felt very old.

“How about this…? What flavor is a ‘blue moon’?”

“Dril, I was feeling better…”

“Roquefort!”

“Please?”

“Alright… One of these days I’ll make you laugh.”

Myr shook her head. “When that happens, you’ll know I’ve become a bonafide lunatic.”

They looked at each other for a moment and burst into laughter. They embraced and kissed warmly.

Dril looked into Myr’s eyes. “How do you do that? You always make me laugh.”

“My little secret, love. Let’s eat.”

They walked hand in hand into the kitchen.

Here’s some of MM’s latest artwork generations

The theme is closeness and intimacy, but those are flagged on the free subscription, so I performed some creative work-arounds.

Of course, figurative nudes, and tradition are in my interest set.

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What is the worst violation of firearms safety you’ve ever witnessed?

I’m sure I’ve told this story before…

Quite a number of years ago I was out shooting at a public range when a family showed up. Mom and dad, two kids, and even grandma.

They pile out of a pickup truck… and, well, to complete the visual here, they looked straight out of central casting as a Mariachi band. Now, I’m like “you do your thing, I’ll do mine”, but to say that this group was attention getting understates it by several orders of magnitude.

Dad had some cowboy guns, a revolver and a lever action rifle. They also had a grand total of one set of hearing protection between all of them. No eyepro is present.

They proceed to set up their “targets”, which are just a bunch of milk cartons filled with dirt…. Whatever, it’s a public range and people shoot all sorts of random shit. The boy takes a couple of them downrange, sets them down, and steps about three paces to the side.

Dad starts blasting. Yes, kid is still downrange as fuck.

I immediately decide that I don’t want to have to deal with the paperwork when one of these idiots shoots someone, and start packing up. But I’m doing it slow, because I’m keeping one eye on these guys, and keeping my very loaded rifle slung and ready because I’m also somewhat concerned that I’m going to have to shoot one of these idiots myself if the stupidity level goes up another notch, and I want it to be very obvious that if they point a gun at me they are pointing a gun at a man with a clearly loaded AR.

After they blast some rounds in the dirt, the kid eventually comes back behind the line, and the kids pull out the revolver to take turns shooting.

The boy walks up to the line with the revolver and the girl sits on the bench next to him, looks right at him, and I see the next few moments in slow motion. The boy pulls the trigger and the girl gets an absolute face full of cylinder gap, and screams.

I chose that moment to exit, stage left, but that whole scene is burned into my brain, as assuradly as hot gas was burned into that poor girls eyes.

Hunter Discovers 29 Human Body Parts in the Desert

https://youtu.be/AFboKFzJza4

Cabbage Rolls

Ingredients

12 large leaves cabbage
1 cup cooked white rice
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup minced onion
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

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Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil cabbage leaves 2 minutes, just until pliable; drain.
In large bowl, combine rice, egg, milk, onion, ground beef, salt and pepper.
Place about 1/4 cup of meat mixture in center of each cabbage leaf, and roll up, tucking in ends. Place rolls in slow cooker, seam side down.
In a small bowl, mix together tomato sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over cabbage rolls.
Cover, and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours.

Foreign Woman Meets American Women & NOW Understands Why Passport Bros Exist!

The look on their faces when she said she understood why men are traveling out the states. The salt was real in that room!!!

Why did the Prime Minister of Bengal quit her post and fled the country?

She has no choice but to fly away; the country has already fallen into a downward spiral.

On the surface, the recent unrest in Bangladesh appears to be due to civil service positions being skewed in favor of military families, but this is just a trigger. Even if there were zero reserved positions for military families, there would still be hundreds of thousands of university graduates competing for very few positions.

The essence of the problem is economic decline and public dissatisfaction.

Bangladesh is in deep trouble.

Firstly, there is a population explosion. With such a small land area, it has 170M people. China has a large population, but Bangladesh’s population density is nearly ten times that of China! Russia’s land area is 116 times that of Bangladesh, yet its population is 30 million less.

The total population of these red areas on Earth, compressed into a very small point, is Bangladesh.

With such a large population, the vast majority are engaged in agriculture, which has very low added value.

Bangladesh is the second most disaster-prone country in the world (the first is the Philippines).

Previously, population growth was slow, relying entirely on the harsh adjustment of natural disasters.

During the last major famine, 10 million out of a population of 40 million in Bangladesh died of starvation.

After entering the modern era, pesticides, high-yield seeds, fertilizers, and vaccines have caused a sharp increase in the agricultural population.

Unlike China, which has implemented family planning policies, a democratically elected government in Bangladesh cannot do the same. As a result, the population continues to grow while land area remains fixed, and frequent natural disasters make it difficult to develop a secondary industry on a large scale.

The world’s largest and most dangerous ship-breaking yard is in Bangladesh, but it can only accommodate 200,000 workers, and the value added to production is extremely low.

The country’s pillar industry, the textile industry, has little technological content and faces extremely fierce international competition.

In fact, it is at the bottom of the international division of labor.

Another mistake is the excessive emphasis on higher education. At this stage, the country should focus more on basic education rather than higher education.

After receiving higher education, many young people are unwilling to settle for low-income jobs.

What’s worse is that the country has invested significant resources in cultivating a highly educated population, but most of them are liberal arts graduates.

In China, for example, when I was taking the college entrance exam, the ratio of STEM students to liberal arts students was about 8:1 to 9:1.

There was even some discrimination against liberal arts students at that time; those who failed to compete in STEM fields were the ones considering studying liberal arts.

Even today, the ratio of STEM students to liberal arts students in China is still about 1:1, and STEM students generally have better job prospects and salaries compared to liberal arts students.

(To this day, on the Chinese Internet, the phrase “Are you a liberal arts student?” is still clearly mocking and contemptuous.)

(I believe Vietnam should also learn from this. Today, in Vietnam, the ratio of STEM majors to liberal arts majors is about 1:2, which is far too high for liberal arts students.)

With so many liberal arts graduates, who have broad perspectives, they are naturally unwilling to engage in hard work after graduation, leading to unrest.

Democratic governments and parliamentary politics are not very suitable for late-developing countries.

If Bangladesh cannot make the most of the remaining value of manual labor before AI and automation technologies become dominant, and cannot push for more industrialization, the future of Bangladesh will be very concerning.

GUANGZHOU IS SO MODERN! | An INDIAN’s First Time In CHINA

Diggin for fun and other’s profit

I once took a couple of anthropology and archeology courses at Gannon University to flush out my humanity requirements at Syracuse.

These were fun courses, and I pretty much spent all Summer digging up old relics and stuff from the past in and around Erie, PA. Lot’s and lots of “arrow heads”, “scrapers” and ancient hearths.

We would sometimes go on remote digs, perhaps an hour or two drive out of our way.

In one such dig we encountered a few coins.

We carefully dug them up, and duly recorded them. Ah. It was a grand discovery!

Because of their location, and the history, we suspected that a hoard must have been buried nearby. But it was getting late, so we all packed up and left.

The dig was an old 1700’s era trading center with one main house and a few low buildings. All were long gone, but we were digging there because a damming of the local stream would cause the entire location to be under water.

We came back the next day, and some dunder-head (maybe the dig supervisors) came with a metal detector and unearthed quite a hoard.

We didn’t actually know, but given the size of the hole, perhaps 200 to 300 old coins.

*Sigh.*

I would have loved to be part of that discovery. Now, some leach that sat by on the sidelines took the swag that we so carefully researched and dug up.

It’s like Working for a corporation in America, eh?

You do the labor. Someone else gets the swag.

*sigh*

Still, I enjoyed the experiences, and they were really fun and interesting to me. I will never forget them. If you all have an opportunity to, take a course in this kind of stuff a the local community college. You might discover how much fun that you will have. I’ll tell you what.

Today…

Have you ever been in the presence of a celebrity but didn’t know who they were at the time?

About 5 years ago, I was delivering food, in the Dallas area. I knocked on the door of an apartment, and a bald headed, muscular man answered. He told me the food wasn’t supposed to come there, but he didn’t seem too upset. I gathered that he had ordered for someone else, but neglected to change the address. But anyhoo, he asked if I’d like a tip. Sure! I replied. He starts digging in his wallet, and I’m expecting a couple of bucks. He pulls out a nice, crisp Benjamin ($100 bill). Now that’s a pretty generous tip, for an order that wasn’t for him in the first place. Then he starts looking, with very penetrating blue eyes, at me, and says “ Remember me. I’m Steve”.

I don’t follow wrestling, but known people who have. I believe it was Stone Cold Austin. Why he was alone in an apartment (not a luxury apartment, but not a crappy one, somewhere in the middle) in Dallas I dunno. He is from Texas (I researched him afterwards), but Victoria, on the Gulf side of the state. Perhaps he had a girlfriend there, or one of his kids, or just a hideaway, when in Dallas. The bill was genuine. It spent at the self checkout at Kroger.

The Thing (1982) | First Time Watching | Movie Reaction | Asia and BJ

What blew your mind today?

This.

So I was reading a book called ‘The eyes of darkness’. And another called ‘end of days’.

This book was written in 1981. (Keep this info in mind). It talks about a virus coming in 2020, from China, wuhan and some of it (not all) seems all too familiar. I just found it interesting.

Now I’m not saying the book is all correct. Maybe it’s just probability or coincidence. I think everyone has different beliefs, the virus hasn’t suddenly disappeared yet, but we’re not at the stage where the end is near.

Everyone thinks differently, I’m into conspiracy theories and bipolar doesn’t help, maybe I’m delusional. Not sure, take from it, what you will 🙂

I just posted because I thought it was interesting, it is a fictional book after all.

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Here’s the book if you want to read it. It also predicts mental health issues being the worst and the most increased in the 21st century and a bunch of other stuff which has actually happened.

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Edit: I think the comments are clearly missing my point, as usual (this is quora after all). Yes, there’s plenty of predictions and it’s probably just by chance. Yes not all of them are spot on. I never said this was fact, as it’s a fictional book. I just found it interesting ffs. Not saying you have to believe it. Maybe it’s my bipolar or too many punches I’ve had, like many rudely told me in the comments 😂

Some of these comments, which I’ve reported have been horrible and personally attacking. I didn’t know something I found interesting could offend someone that much😂😁.

I just found it interesting, calm yourself 😉

Putin SHOCKED The WORLD! Russia Dealt a Cold-Blooded BLOW on the U.S. in ARCTIC!

What are the best examples of people who have “gamed the system”?

Originally Answered: What are some of the best examples of people cheating “the system”?

This is from cracked.com, whose writers always seem to be able to find the strangest examples I could never even dream of

In the late 1960s, Leonard Casley grew way too much wheat, which could only ever be a serious problem if you live in Australia. You see, Australia had wheat quotas at the time and Hutt River (the province where Casley and other families grew) had inadvertently surpassed it, meaning they weren’t allowed to sell any of it. When they petitioned for the quota to be raised, the governor responded by saying, “No,” and filing a law to take their land away. THAT’S how serious Australians are about wheat.

In a desperate attempt to delay the legal process, the five families of Hutt River seceded from Australia under the Treason Act of 1495. This would have been as pointless as that time you were five and told your mom you were leaving home… if the government hadn’t accidentally referred to Casley as “Administrator of Hutt River Province” in official correspondence, which actually gave him legal recognition as a ruler under Australian law. Yes, in Australia, calling someone something magically turns them into that.

Taking full of advantage of the mistake, Casley declared himself His Majesty Prince Leonard I of Hutt, meaning it was now treason, under Australian law, to charge him with any crime or interfere with how he ran his new country.

Could Australia have stopped him? Sure. But by the time they got around to it, the statute of limitations had run out. So as of 1972, The Principality of Hutt River had officially seceded from Australia and stopped paying income taxes.

As of the modern day, Hutt River is still separate, while Australia treats it as a private business that doesn’t pay them taxes and just tries, really hard, to pretend it’s not there.

Jumpin’ Jack Chili

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Chili

1 cup onion, diced
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles, undrained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 (15 ounce) cans great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped (rotisserie chicken can be used)
1 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin Monterey Jack Cheese*, coarsely grated and divided
1 cup (4 ounces) Wisconsin Colby Cheese, coarsely grated and divided

Toppings

Crushed corn chips, sour cream, chopped green onions, olives, chopped tomatoes, oyster crackers, goldfish crackers, bacon

Instructions

Cook onion in hot oil in heavy stock pan (Dutch oven) over medium-high heat, stirring until tender.
Add green chiles, garlic and cumin; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add beans and chicken broth, stirring well. Bring to boil; reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add chicken, 1/2 cup Monterey Jack and 1/2 cup Colby Cheese; simmer over low heat for 10 minutes more.
Ladle chili into bowls. Top each serving with remaining cheeses and desired toppings.

Notes

* Or use Pepper Jack or Jalapeño Jack

Why Eastern Europe Is Safer And Better To Raise A Family In Than The West

Who supported the military coup in Bangladesh? Did it also happen before?

Who is behind the coup? We as an outsider dont know yet.

I only notice 1 thing:

Bangladesh went to China & signed an infrastructure deal with China.

The moment she went home, she tore the deal with China & accepted a contract/agreement with India to build a bridge or something.

Case closed, we thought No, a riot/coup broke out.

Both USA & India are notorious to instigate riots/coups in other countries so as to make others bow down to them. USA, global. India, southern Asia. Both do assassination too.

History will tell us who is the culprit. Let us wait.

Sri Lanka experienced a riot too when it joined an infrastructure project with China. It took a few years before the truth surfaced, after American scholars did a research. In the case of Sri Lanka, it was India who instigated the riot. But it was USA who spread the fake news re Debt Trap. Now the Debt Trap has proven fake after 10 years. But riots/coups still can happen.

On the Way to Paradise

Cory Pines

“You told me this would be a short trip. We’ve been on this wretched ship for twelve years!” Halo roared.”I know, but I broke the digital map and-“”I don’t care what happened! I paid you a good handful of money and I expected to be home long before now!”Halo had the perfect life back on Earth, but he just had to pay Mirabella almost three billion to take him to Tariphor, the most beautiful paradise planet in the galaxy. The trip was only supposed to be nine years in total, but the journey to Tariphor had stretched out to twelve! Halo had spent most of the time in hypersleep, but they had recently hit some strange turbulence that woke him.”Sir, I told you before we left that I was only an amateur pilot. I just got out of flight school, too,” Mirabella tried to explain.”That was twelve years ago! You should be better by now, Mire,” Halo complained.

They had left Earth when Halo was only 23 years old. He had spent his golden years of life in hypersleep and he was just as close to Tariphor as he was when still on Earth’s surface.

Mirabella wasn’t that happy about it either. She was 19 when they left and, unlike Halo, had actually begun to age. She wished she could’ve been the one frozen in some fancy tank. She missed her family more than anything, wishing she could just turn around and head back to Earth, but she didn’t know which way home was anymore.

“Well, what would you like me to do about it?” Mirabella asked. She didn’t mean for it to sound as angry as it did, and was simply curious, as she had run out of things to try and was willing to do anything to get back home.

“Well, you’re the pilot. You should know what you’re doing!”

“If you don’t have anything to contribute, you can just go back to bed,” Mirabella stated flatly.

“You’re insane if you think you can tell me, the youngest self-made multi-billionaire, what to do,” Halo said, “Now, where can I get a bite to eat?”

“We ran out of food three days ago,” Mirabella admitted.

“Were you not rationing it properly?” Halo asked.

“I made food for nine years last for twelve, I think I did a fine job rationing,” Mirabella said defensively.

“What about that?” Halo asked. He pointed to a small blue cube placed on the chair next to Mirabella’s. He had never seen anything like it, but it looked a little like Jell-O. He hoped it was edible. After all, the backlash of waking up from hypersleep gave him quite the appetite.

“Don’t you dare try to eat him. he’s some sort of space creature, not food. I think he’s sleeping,” Mirabella said.

“It looks delicious.”

“You’ll probably flip your organs inside-out if you eat him. Then, I’ll have to find a way to revive you, and suddenly kill you again for your stupid decision… After that, I’ll revive you a second time since I really don’t want to be alone in the endless abyss of space.”

“Could you even do that?”

“Not at all. In reality, you’d just stay dead,” she shrugged.

“How did this thing even get on the ship?” Halo asked.

Just as Halo was finished speaking, the blue Jell-O like creature, opened its eyes. They were huge, covering half the creature’s boxy face. It hopped up onto Mirabella’s shoulder.

“I let him in,” Mirabella said.

“What if that creature tries to kill us?” Halo asked.

“He’s, like, five inches tall. How would he?” she asked.

Halo eyed the creature warily. He didn’t really trust the thing, but Mirabella was right; it was small and Halo knew he could easily overpower it if he needed to.

“At least tell me you didn’t name it,” Halo said.

Mirabella didn’t answer.

“Oh my God, why? Why in the world would you name it?” Halo asked.

“I call him Berry,” Mirabella admitted, fiddling with her hands.

The creature, Berry, looked up at Mirabella when he heard his name. Halo watched as the creature snuggled down and began to purr. He had to admit that Berry was cute, but that still didn’t mean he trusted the thing.

“You shared our food with it,” Halo said.

“I couldn’t just let him starve!” Mirabella replied.

“I mean, you could’ve. Then at least I would have something to eat,” Halo said. Halo was a little upset that Mirabella cared more about feeding a space creature than a human that paid her three billion dollars.

“Come on, just look at him, he’s so cute,” Mirabella said. Mirabella picked the creature up off of her shoulder and held it in her hands.

“I don’t see it,” Halo said.

Suddenly, a loud buzzer went off and the ship started to flash red.

“What in the world is happening!” Halo shouted over the buzzer.

“I don’t know, the ship hasn’t acted like this since the map broke!” Mirabella shouted back, “I need you to hold him.” She passed Berry over to Halo who took it slowly and held it as far away from his body as possible.

Mirabella rushed over to the control panel and began to fidget with the levers and buttons. Halo approached her slowly, still holding Berry at arm’s length, to watch.

“What is it?” he asked.

“I can’t tell, just give me a sec,” Mirabella replied.

At that point, Berry hopped out of Halo’s hands and landed on a small square button. Suddenly the sound stopped, though the lights of the ship were still flashing.

“I know what it is,” Mirabella said.

“What, what is it?” Halo asked, dying to know.

“We’re almost out of fuel, the ship is warning us that we need to find somewhere to land,” Mirabella explained.

Halo looked around the ship and through the large windows. Outside all he saw was blackness, stars, and the occasional comet, not of which were big enough for their ship.

“How can we do that, there is nothing but space out there!” Halo shouted.

“Duh there is nothing but space. We’re in space, Halo!” Mirabella shouted in response.

“We’re going to crash, we are going to crash and I am going to die. I still had my whole life ahead of me. Finding a partner, raising a family, adopting a hundred and one cats just because I can,” Halo complained. He began to pace back and forth, rushing his hands through his hair as he spoke.

“You’re probably right,” Mirabella said, “I don’t think there is any way for us to survive this.”

“That’s not what I wanted to hear!” Halo shouted. He paused from the pacing to face Mirabella, “Instead of living out my perfect life, I am going to die in space. With nothing but you and that creature to keep me company.”

“Well, what do you suggest we do instead?” Mirabella asked.

“I don’t know Mire, I’m not a pi- hold on what is that thing doing?”

Mirabella turned to see than Berry’s Jell-O like skin was changing from blue to red. He was also growing.

“He’s never done that before,” Mirabella admitted.

They stood back as Berry grew more and more until he went from 5 inches tall, to 5 feet. The thing was huge.

“What do we do, what do we do?” Halo asked, quickly hiding behind Mirabella.

Mirabella slowly walked up to Berry with her arm outstretched. The cube eyed her cautiously as she reached out and placed her hand on its head. That must have really ticked him off because his skin began to change quickly between colors, and it seemed to scream out in pain. Mirabella quickly backed up to the edge of the ship were Halo was cowering.

“What did you do?” Halo shouted.

“I just touched him,” Mirabella said.

“That’s it, we’re going to die,” Halo said.

“Yes, we already agreed on that.”

“Mire, we need to get outta here,” Halo said.

“We can’t leave Berry though, he’s my friend!” Mirabella said.

“Your friend is a space monster, now come on!” Halo announced.

He grabbed her hand and yanked her through the ship’s door to the hypersleep pods. He quickly locked the door behind him and only seconds later they heard a Jell-O like squish banging on the door over and over.

“Alright, what’s the plan?” Halo asked.

“Maybe we can just let Berry in and the three of us can talk it out,” Mirabella suggested.

“Mire, I’m not sure if you’ve realized this or not, but that thing is trying to murder us,” Halo said.

“He’s just scared,” Mirabella said.

“Maybe you didn’t hear me the first time, that thing is trying to murder us!” Halo said, his voice rising until he was shouting at her.

“This is all your fault. If you had never woken up, Berry wouldn’t be so upset,” Mirabella stated.

“My fault, you think this is my fault? You were the one that woke me up when you hit turbulence, you have no one to blame but yourself,” Halo replied.

“Maybe you should have been nicer to Berry.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t have brought on a weird space creature.”

“Maybe you should-” before she could finish, the door was knocked down and the giant, now green, Berry bounced into the room.

“What do we do, and don’t try and approach it again, that just made it angrier,” Halo said.

“Hey, Berry,” Mirabella said, “How are you buddy. I know that Halo can be kinda mean sometimes-”

“Hey!”

“Shut up,” she whispered harshly before continuing, “But just because he’s a little mean, it doesn’t mean you should kill him. We can talk through this, I just need you to shrink back down, okay buddy?”

The creature took a step closer to the two humans. Halo grabbed Mirabella’s hand and tried to pull her back to him, but she stayed standing in front of Berry.

“I don’t think this is working…” Halo said.

“What do you suggest we do instead, we are going to die anyway, either by this creature or by crashing!” Mirabella shouted.

“So we should just give up?” Halo asked.

“Why not? It’s not like we have anything left to fight for. Even if by some miracle we manage to get out of this, we still have no idea how to get home,” Mirabella said.

“We can figure that out,” Halo said. He couldn’t explain this sudden spark of hope came from, but he really didn’t want to die here, especially at the hands of a blue cube. He wished he would have thrown out the cube while it was still small, but it was too late now for ‘what if’s.’

“I’m gonna let him eat me,” Mirabella said. She yanked her hand away from Halo’s grasp and stood her ground.

“You’re gonna what?” Halo asked, shocked.

“I let him onto this ship, the least I can do for it is provide him with a final meal,” Mirabella said.

“What about your family?” Halo asked, trying to convince her to stay.

“It’s been twelve years! Halo, what’s even the point of going back, nothing will be how it was. People have probably forgotten all about us,” Mirabella said.

“How could anyone forget about me?” Halo asked.

“Halo, listen, we don’t have a plan to get back to Earth. We don’t have a plan to land the ship. We don’t have a plan to calm down Berry-”

“We could kill him,” Halo suggested.

“We are not killing him. My point is, in the last moments of our life, we might as well do something for this little creature.”

“I wouldn’t call him little anymore.”

“Are you with me or not?” Mirabella asked.

She held out her hand for Halo to take. This was insane! He couldn’t believe that he was actually thinking about joining her. Mirabella was crazy to even want to let Berry eat the two of them, and yet, Halo couldn’t stop himself from grabbing her hand.

Mirabella smiled before the two of them turned to face Berry. Halo closed his eyes as they walked towards the creature. He could feel himself being absorbed into it before he lost all control over his body and blacked out.

Halo awoke with a gasp, he was breathing heavy. Did he really just do that? Was he dead? Was this heaven? He was sitting in a bed, hospitalized. He looked around the see Mirabella was laying in the bed next to him. There were wires and tubes all around them, some of them going into his body.

Then Halo spotted it. Berry was sitting on the nightstand, once again five inches tall. He had taken back his original blue color and was staring up at Halo. Where was he? Had this all just a dream?

The door to the room opened and a doctor walked in holding a clipboard.

“Ah, Mr. Tharen, you’re up,” the doctor said.

“Please, call me Halo, and can you explain to me what happened?” Halo asked.

“Of course,” she began to walk around the room, checking the tubes and making small notes of her clipboard, “It’s been fourteen years since you left Earth, though, by the looks of it, you barely aged a day. Most people here thought that you were dead, died in a crash or something, but two weeks ago, this creature-” she nodded her head over to Berry- “brought you back. We’ve been reviving you and Miss Miller ever since.”

“You mean to tell me that creature… saved me?” Halo asked.

“Yes, it appears to have a soft spot for you. It never even left your side. Tell me, are you feeling alright? Do you need anything?” the doctor asked.

“Just some water,” Halo said.

The doctor left. Halo turned and stared at Berry who just stared back blankly. A small smile appeared on Halo’s face.

“Thanks,” he whispered, “Thanks for bringing us home.”

Neocons closer than ever to war with Iran

People say that there is more oil production under Biden and then there was under Trump. But if that’s the case why are our energy prices and gas prices so high?

There was once a time where doe-eyed Americans thought that capitalism was a just system that rewarded hard work and innovation. Supply was dictated by demand. Seemed simple, right?

Then Ronald Reagan came along and lowered corporate taxes from 70% to 28%. The theory was that companies would make more money and those profits would “trickle down” to the consumers.

What ACTUALLY happened was that corporations could now set whatever prices they wanted and the rich could store their wealth in offshore tax havens. The money would get to the top and be shipped overseas, only to be used by the wealthy to influence policy, and further exploit the worker in exchange for lavish lifestyles and ridiculous qualities of life.

The government continues to subsidize oil companies despite them posting record profits year after year. Why is the government doing this? Hmm….

Gas and oil prices can come down 30% and the suppliers would still make a profit, but the consumers would enjoy a better quality of life. That’s not what the rich want. They want more. It doesn’t matter if the poor suffer, they’re getting theirs.

The president has nothing to do with gas prices other than to propose policies to congress that would regulate those prices more… but then lobbyists come along and petition representatives to ignore regulations and increase tax cuts. trump cut taxes to companies from 35% to 21% and we lost 2–3 trillion dollars (depending on who you ask) from the budget. That money went straight to the top, but congress will tell you that adding 2 trillion to the federal budget in the form of healthcare and student loan forgiveness is unsustainable.

Know what’s unsustainable? UNFETTERED FUCKING CAPITALISM! That’s what.

Bernie has only been perfectly correct for about 45 years now.

MM’s latest works

Still playing around. Lots of nudes, and trying to mess around a bit with historical themes.

Angels…

@Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 0(17)

Ancient Chinese rulers…

@Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 2(13)

@Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 1(13)

@Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 0(12)

Crete and cooking…

@Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 2(11)

Female Bacchus….

@@Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 1(7)

Same theme, but at a pool taking orders from a cat.

@Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 1(6)

Now as a man, instead of a woman…

@Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 0(4)

Russia successfully tests ” Burevestnik ” global range cruise missile, US panics

Why is China so obsessed with conquering Taiwan when Taiwan is a peaceful country that just wants to be left alone and has never done anything bad to China?

1.) Do you recognize what is this place?

Old Summer Palace – Wikipedia

Here is the description from wikipedia:

Widely perceived as the pinnacle work of Chinese imperial garden and palace design, the Old Summer Palace was known for its extensive collection of gardens, its building architecture and numerous art and historical treasures. Constructed throughout the 18th and early 19th centuries, the Old Summer Palace was the main imperial residence of Qianlong Emperor of the Qing dynasty and his successors, and where they handled state affairs..

This was looted and destroyed by the joint Anglo-French expedition in 1860 in the opium wars of the British against the Chinese. If you visit a French or English museum, one can count how many of those museum items came from the Old summer Palace. It is difficult to grasp the implication of this by just looking into the ruins in the picture. This is almost an equivalent of destroying an area and significance almost as big as the National Mall in Washington with all its buildings including the White House.

Here is a reconstruction of what might the Old Summer Palace looks like today if it was not destroyed.

In 1890, 35 years after the destruction of the Yuanming Yuan (圆明园) (the Chinese name of the Old summer palace), Japan seized the opportunity of the weaken Qing China and seized Taiwan and repeatedly attacked China all the way to WW2.

2.) Do you know why the Chinese authorities did not attempt to rebuild this place even today with all the wealth by China? Nor did the authorities convert this valuable real estate into something profitable development area. This is to teach the Chinese and future Chinese descendants how much the country was humiliated and suffered by foreign powers when the country was very weak. See that green area here, all of those are part of the old summer palace. That is how valuable this real estate is relative to its surroundings.

The Chinese diaspora to all over the world in the late 1800s to early 1900s, is the testament of how much the Chinese people are suffering by foreign hands.

3.) In 1949, a glimmer of hope arose in China and unified once again this ancient culture. A peasant named Mao Zedong, against all odds was able to unify China after the bloody Civil war. It took almost a century from the Opium wars until in 1949 that there was a sense of unity and hope in this ancient land.

4.) In 1950, Mao tried very hard to recover Taiwan from the retreating Nationalist forces, but the Korean war erupted and US and UN forces pushes all the way to Yalu river and war was knocking in China doorsteps. The Chinese leadership was forced to respond to the Korean war. Thus the campaign to recover Taiwan was pushed back. The Korean war, and the loss of mainland China to the communist, lead to an isolation of China from the 1950s to 1970s.

5.) Fast forward today in 2021, Taiwan is still not reunited to China. Foreign forces are still colluding to make Taiwan separate from China. This collusion of foreign forces, the Anglos, the Japanese and now the US, is the same theme as it was when Qing China was attacked, bullied and humiliated in the Opium wars.

Sure some or most young Chinese within China or the descendants of the Chinese diaspora outside China do not care anymore with this historical event that happened 170 years ago. But if you talk to Chinese parents or grandparents how their parents and grandparents suffered because of this foreign humiliation, you will realize almost all Chinese two to four generations ago suffered so much and paid dearly to unite China. Personally, I will never forget how my grandfather told me his story that they have to remove the leather of the shoes, put some water to have something to eat during those Japanese invasions. He told me this story when I was 10 or 11 years old, and I also tell this to my children. They sacrificed so much for us Chinese descendants to have better lives than they had. These kind of stories are repeated in millions of Chinese.

The division of China and Taiwan is the reminder of the imperialism of foreign powers. The remaining symbol of suffering of the Chinese people. This is even visible with North and South Korea, which echo the same thing, division of people of same culture because of foreign imperialism.

So these are the historical, cultural and emotional reasons why Taiwan must be reunited to China. It is the remnant of the humiliation and suffering of the Chinese people from foreign powers. Uniting Taiwan back to China will provide a closure of this painful past.

Joe Rogan: “What They Just Found Hidden In Egypt SHOCKED U.S. Scientists”

Can’t the Chinese feel their lack of freedom?

I am a Chinese national. George Orwell’s novel *1984* paints a bleak picture of a totalitarian regime. My son first encountered this novel in the fifth grade. He gave up after reading only 15 pages. He told me that the book felt overwhelmingly gray, like the color of concrete, which left him feeling depressed and unable to continue.

If you’ve read this novel, you can always sense the oppressive nature of totalitarianism through its myriad details: the dilapidated living conditions, the meager food rations, the extreme control over language, the state-level lies, and the eradication of sexual desire.

This book is perhaps revered by anti-communists worldwide. During the Soviet era, it was lauded as a vivid portrayal of Stalin’s rule. After the Soviet Union’s collapse, it has occasionally been used by critics of China as a metaphorical critique.

Coincidentally, today marks the first sunny day in my city, Xuzhou, after several days of heavy rain. The blue sky and sunshine felt especially precious after the long spell of gloom. While driving to the supermarket at noon, I noticed several pedestrians taking photos of the Xuzhou sky with their phones. I joined them, taking pictures at every traffic light.

Interestingly, these photos inadvertently captured street scenes of Xuzhou. Let’s compare Orwell’s depiction with these freshly taken photos (just two hours ago) and see if you can find any hints of “China lacking freedom” in them（Since I took the photos through my car window, the UV-protective glass filtered some of the sunlight, making the colors in the images appear slightly darker）.

I was driving on Zhongshan Road in downtown Xuzhou, named in honor of Sun Yat-sen, the founder of the Republic of China. Yes, the same Dr. Sun Yat-sen whom the Taiwanese refer to as the “Father of the Nation.” You can see the Audi and Volkswagen cars in front of me, both with green license plates. In China, there are three colors for license plates: blue for gasoline-powered cars, yellow for trucks, and green for electric vehicles (EVs). In my city, EVs are rapidly replacing traditional gasoline cars. Ordinary Chinese people have dozens of car brands to choose from.In recent years, promoting environmental protection, ecological preservation, and love for the Earth has been one of the primary focuses of the Chinese government’s public campaigns through all forms of media:

The square building on the right is the largest bookstore in our city. The first to seventh floors are open to the public, while the upper floors are office spaces. The bookstore is called “Xinhua Bookstore,” which means “New China Bookstore.” It is currently the largest bookstore chain in China. This place holds the fondest memories of my childhood; I always asked my father to take me there every weekend to read, though we rarely bought any books because we were very poor. Nowadays, children don’t see buying books as a joyful experience. To attract more visitors, this bookstore has dedicated areas for foreign imports and textbooks, along with numerous seating areas, bakeries, and cafes where customers can sit on sofas, enjoy some cake, and read books:

This 52-story skyscraper is the tallest building in Xuzhou. It is designed as five skyscrapers of varying heights arranged in a specific pattern. The other four buildings, which are only 15-20 stories tall, are obscured by the taller structures. This design was inspired by the shape of Buddha’s hand in Buddhist tradition. The skyscraper is a commercial complex that includes a hotel, shopping mall, dining center, office spaces, an ice rink, a cinema, and more. It is the fashion hub of Xuzhou. Some film companies occasionally recruit fashionable girls there. The building is named “Suning Tower.” “Suning” means “sun” in English, and in Chinese, it signifies “peace in Jiangsu Province.” The investor, a large home appliance retail chain, is based in the capital of Jiangsu Province.

At night, the entire glass facade of Suning Tower transforms into a screen, displaying commercials and messages of love throughout the night. Yes, if you spend some money, you can have your girlfriend’s photo or name projected onto this giant screen, letting the whole city see your love for her:

The black skyscraper in the center of the image is currently under construction. This building is being funded by the famous Chinese food company “Yurun Group.” Unfortunately, shortly after completing the podium, the group experienced a financial crisis and filed for bankruptcy protection. This left the skyscraper’s fate uncertain. After a two-year halt in construction, a government-funded investment company took over the project and partnered with the renowned Chinese commercial enterprise “DeJi” for its development. As a result, the building was rapidly completed and is now set to open soon. With approximately 60 floors, it will surpass Suning Tower to become the tallest building in Xuzhou:

I checked the temperature, and it’s 37 ℃ outside the car. When I was a child, this would have been unimaginable. The many days of heavy rain haven’t cooled the weather. As soon as the sun comes out, the temperature quickly rises to an unbearable level:

The building on the left is the city’s “University Student Entrepreneurship Service Center.” Xuzhou is home to several universities, including China University of Mining and Technology, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou Medical University, Jiangsu University of Technology, and Xuzhou Institute of Technology. Each year, a large number of graduates are welcomed. The government encourages them to use the skills they acquired in university to start small businesses. Most students receive loans based on their business plans, with varying amounts of funding. These loans, provided by the government, come with low or zero interest rates, aiming to help young entrepreneurs develop competitive businesses. Key industries in Xuzhou include pharmaceuticals, construction machinery, and polysilicon:

The Current Status of the Deji Plaza Construction:

On the left side, you’ll find a hotel and an art school. The high-rise on the right is a continuing education college affiliated with a university. Since the main campus is located far from the city center, the university has rented this building in the city to make it more convenient for students to attend classes during their spare time:

One of the businesses is a travel agency called “International Travel Agency,” indicating that it handles outbound travel services. The other is a store that specializes in selling “wǔ liáng yè,（五粮液）” a renowned Chinese brand of liquor. This is a high-proof spirit:

Crossing this intersection leads to Jianguo Road, the financial district of Xuzhou. The street is lined with banks, numbering in the dozens. In China, banks are categorized into three types: state-owned banks, private banks, and foreign banks. The tiered building visible in the photo is a branch of the Agricultural Bank of China in Xuzhou.

The pink high-rise behind it, along with the surrounding streets, is Xuzhou’s computer products district. During the PC boom, the pink building was a favorite spot for local youth. Many young people, obsessed with the internet, would play games at night and sleep during the day. Some restaurants capitalized on this trend by staying open late to cater to those working in the internet industry. Although PCs have been replaced by mobile internet and business in the computer district has declined, the nearby restaurants continue to thrive and have become one of Xuzhou’s popular food districts:

Xuzhou Metro Line 2’s “Xima Tai Station.” Xuzhou currently has six metro lines, with three already in operation and the other three under construction. Additionally, there are plans for four more lines that are currently under government review. In China, only the State Council has the authority to give final approval for metro projects. This is because metro construction requires a substantial investment, and once operational, it necessitates ongoing large expenditures. As a public transportation system, it may not be profitable. Therefore, only cities that meet stringent criteria in terms of size, population, economic output, and traffic volume are eligible to apply for metro projects.

The name of this metro station is “Xì Mǎ Tái,（戏马台）” which is a historical site. About 2,200 years ago,Xiàng Yǔ（项羽）, a renowned monarch and tragic hero of the Han Dynasty, trained his war horses on a nearby hill. Since then, the phrase “training war horses in the cold autumn wind” has become a well-known Chinese idiom. In Chinese, this story is written as “秋风戏马,（qiū fēng xì mǎ）” which evokes the image of a hero, aware of his inevitable failure, preparing diligently with his horses amidst the chilly autumn wind, ready to face the battle without fear of death:

This is the “Street Police Station” in Xuzhou. This small glass booth serves as a police station and is set up at several major intersections. There are three main purposes for these stations:(1)They enable quick dispatch to handle emergencies and sudden incidents.(2)Each station is equipped with multifunctional computer systems where citizens can manage various personal affairs, such as reporting or applying for an ID card, handling traffic accident reports, obtaining government documents, applying for passports, and dealing with driving-related matters.(3)They also provide amenities like hot water, common medications, air pumps, umbrellas, and reading glasses for the public’s use.

I am familiar with these police stations because they have a fourth function: traffic violation education. I once forgot to wear a helmet while riding my electric bike and was required by the police to attend a 40-minute traffic safety education session via online video at this station. Sometimes, people must also complete an online test on their phones before they are “released”:

After turning left at the intersection, I entered Liberation Road. The Yellow River crosses this road, and China’s first major east-west railway line, the “Longhai Railway,” also runs across it. Consequently, a bridge and a railway underpass have become major traffic congestion points. A few years ago, the Xuzhou city government constructed an overpass that spans above both the Yellow River Bridge and the Longhai Railway Bridge, effectively alleviating the traffic congestion in the area.

During the construction of the overpass, there was a small “protest.” Before the new overpass could be built, an old bridge over the Yellow River, known as the “Dike Bridge,” needed to be demolished. The name “Dike Bridge” carried historical significance. However, after the new bridge was completed, the government named it something new. Local residents disagreed and prevented the construction workers from installing the new nameplate. In the end, the government yielded to the protest and restored the name “Dike Bridge” out of respect for its historical importance:

I originally planned to capture images of drug users, robbers, people urinating in public, slums, and thieves in Xuzhou. Unfortunately, I can’t photograph things that don’t exist. So, I ended up taking random photos and sharing an overview of an ordinary city in China with you. I apologize!

p.s.

My city, Xuzhou, is a tragic city. Historically, over 400 battles took place here among all the wars in China. It has been a military stronghold and a core area contested by ancient emperors. A Yuan Dynasty poet once described Xuzhou in his poem:

古徐州形胜，消磨尽、几英雄！

想铁甲重瞳，乌骓汗血，玉帐连空，

楚歌八千兵散，料梦魂应不到江东。

空有黄河如带，乱山回合云龙。

汉家陵阙起秋风，禾黍满关中。

更戏马台荒，画眉人远，燕子楼空。

人生百年如寄，且开怀，一饮尽千锺。

回首荒城斜日，倚栏目送飞鸿。

This is the translated version:

From ancient times, Xuzhou’s location has meant it could never escape the ravages of war. Countless heroes have lost their lives here!

The general, clad in iron armor and riding a host of prized horses, had barracks so vast they seemed to stretch into the clouds. When his soldiers fell, his own spirit could not return home, leaving only the Yellow River and a mountain rising like a dragon in the clouds, here in Xuzhou.

The Han Dynasty emperors’ tombs were constructed in the chill of autumn winds, and no one can ultimately escape their fate.

The high platform where the hero once played with his war horses has been desolate for a thousand years. The passionate beauty has long passed away, and the grand tower where she waited for her lover now stands empty.

Life feels like staying at an inn. Why not drink joyfully and have a thousand cups? After becoming drunk, look back at the endless wilderness beyond the city walls, and as the sun sets, lean on the railing and watch the distant wild geese depart.

“You’re Being Slaughtered & You Don’t Realize It!” – US Dollar Collapse

This insight is gold. 2008 was when it all hit.

What if I think China is a genius for winning the Korean War by gaining territorial claims to Korea?

On November 25, 1950, the U.S.-ROK allied forces occupied half of the Korean Peninsula and were about to reach the Yalu River border between China and North Korea.
On July 27, 1953, the Chinese and North Korean allied forces again drove the U.S. and South Korean allied forces south of the 38th parallel.

The Chinese People’s Volunteers (CPV) started at the Yalu River and ended at the 38th parallel. This was a very successful victory.

The death data of 197,653 Chinese soldiers is indeed greater than the death data of 54,246 US military personnel. The death data of Chinese soldiers is 3 times that of the US soldiers.

But is the death figure of 197,653 Chinese soldiers smaller than the total US+UN (non-human) death figure of 683,079?

I’m not good at math and can’t tell the difference between the size of the numbers, so I invite netizens to compare. 😅

In addition to American soldiers, those who participated in the Korean War included soldiers from South Korea, the UK, Canada, Turkey, Australia, the Philippines, New Zealand, Thailand, Ethiopia, Greece, France, Colombia, Belgium, South Africa, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg.

Soldiers other than the US military were not human beings. They were completely wiped out by the Chinese People’s Volunteers (CPV) and were not worth mentioning at all. 🤣

All I know is that by the time the Chinese People’s Volunteers (CPV) entered the Korean battlefield on November 25, 1950, the North Korean army had suffered most of its casualties.

most of the battles after November 25, 1950 were fought by the Chinese People’s Volunteers (CPV) .

New Paternity Law Has Modern Women Fuming!

The Farthest Reaches of Space

Lucille Greye

“Who would believe that I, the great Lish Ryn, would be brought to my knees by the little Nadyr?”Telen Fogg, the tall android sighed. “Lish. How many times have you said that exact same thing? Look. So what if Nadyr got the Zarkot first? My friend,” Telen smiled, “this can only be good. We can easily steal the Zarkot back from him. It’s most likely in his ship, the Angyl, and it probably isn’t even protected.”Lish spun her pilot’s chair away from the cockpit’s window and faced Telen. Her long, golden hair framed her face. With the combination of her hair and bright green eyes, she stood out against the white leather and silver computers behind her. “And how do you propose we do that?” Her voice was flat, angry. “I am completely tired of being humiliated and undermined by that Bos’ii snake! He took my Zarkot and left me stranded in a tree!”Telen chuckled. “He may be a Bos’ii snake, but he is not a wise one-““No, he is!” Lish thundered. “Every plan, every scheme I have, he somehow finds out about it… and every time, he brings it to ruins! I wonder how that happens?”“Lish, please don’t tell me you suspect me?”

“I-” Her gaze jerks up to glimpse a flash of color dart behind one of the navigational devices at the back of the room. “Vorrha?” She asked, incredulous. “I wouldn’t have imagined you to be the traitor in the midst.” This, of course, was rather likely, as the only crew members on the Aalya Meriet were herself, Telen, and the humanoid mechanic Vorrha. It was possible that Telen was the information leak, or Nadyr had planted a spy-droid on the ship, but Telen was very dedicated to Lish, and Nadyr rarely had access to the ship to plant a droid. It was doubtful that Nadyr even had that type of technology. The planet Jayjar was located in the farthest corners of space, hardly touched by the technological advances of the planets Mirima or Qud, and Nadyr never left Jayjar. The only suspect could be Vorrha, and she was hardly being sly about it either. She had no reason to sneak about the very ship that she repaired daily.

Vorrha slunk out from behind the computers, and the small hominid shriveled under Lish’s glare. “Nadyr offered Vorrha m-money, more than Captain Lish could. Vorrha needs the moneys, you see, b-because Vorrha’s mother needs the treatment for the sickness.” She stammered. “Vorrha is so sorry.”

Lish growled quietly. “A little meelvat in our midst, taking precious information and leaking info to Nadyr. I would throw you into space from the airlock, but I’m not that heartless. No, I think I’ll drop you off on Arboga, maybe in-”

“Lish.” Telen muttered.

“What do you need, Telen?”

“There’s an incoming ship on the radar. Big one.”

“Nadyr’s?”

“No, bigger. Could it be-”

Lish shoved him aside. “It could be the Narrtor, Kon Laari’s ship.”

Telen’s face paled. “The Kon? Here? He must be thousands of miles from the planet Okrak!”

Kon Laari Antrus, the cyborg crime lord, or The Kon as he was known by many, was the leader of the galaxy’s largest criminal organization. He was head of the Antrus Clan, a group of thieves, pirates, and smugglers. Okrak, a dry, mountainous planet, about three thousand miles from Arboga, was his home. It was rare that Laari left that area, generally sending off his minions to do his work.

But for some reason, it was his personal space cruiser, the Narrtor, that Telen saw.

The comm crackled to life and an authoritative voice could be heard faintly. “Aalya Meriet, this is the pilot of the Narrtor. Please prepare to be boarded.”

Vorrha dropped her head into her hands, muttering some type of prayer in her native language.

“What are we gonna do?” Telen asked. “Maybe we could light up the engines and fly out of here-”

The comm hissed again. “Any signs of resistance or attempts to escape will be taken as a threat and the Aalya Meriet will be annihilated.”

The large hatch of the landing dock opened, and the pilot of the Narrtor took over the auto-controls of the Aalya, steering her into the landing dock. The gate hissed shut behind them.

“Trapped like a fly in a Cath spider’s web,” Lish muttered. “Stuck… Our only hope of escaping is to play along with this. See what Laari Antrus wants, give him it, and get out of here.” With a short, decisive motion, she pressed the button to open the loading hatch below. “Compliant, that’s the look we’re going for.”

Vorrha whimpered quietly.

The sound of footsteps quickly grew loud, and in seconds, a group of five men, four carrying guns and the fifth a data pad, came into the cockpit. The man with the data pad glanced up. “Yes. Those are the ones. Seize them.” The armed men grabbed Telen and Lish by the arms. “Comply, or be shot,” the tall one, who seemed to be the leader, continued.

Lish’s face was red. “On what grounds can you arrest me? I am Lish Gir’ryn, best pilot in the galaxy, not some girl to by toyed with!”

The leader glanced down at his pad again. “Lish Gir’ryn? And, I assume, Telen Fogg. And whoever that little mouse is. You, Ryn and Fogg , are both under arrest,” he paused to clear his throat, “by order of the great Kon Laari Antrus. Do not speak again, unless you would like to be killed.”

Lish was bursting with fury, but she kept her angry words to herself.

The trio was marched not towards the top of the ship, where the ship’s cockpit was, but towards the back.

“Where are you taking us?” Lish asked, both frustrated and curious.

The head of the guards, or whoever the tall man that was leading them was, frowned. “Towards the prison deck. Where else would we be taking you?”

“But why?” Telen burst out. “Why are we being arrested? What have we done to anger Kon Laari?”

The tall man with the data pad sighed, and glanced down to read the arrest warrant. “The smugglers Lisk-” he paused, closely scrutinizing the pad. “Lish Ryn and Telen Fogg are under arrest for inhibiting and interfering with the business of Kon Laari Antrus. He personally came to oversee their capture.

“It is by Antrus’ law,” he continued, “that all smugglers, robbers, pirates, and any others involved in criminal dealings are under arrest by the Kon and are sentenced to three years of work in the planet Okrak’s mines. I, Timothy Halos, have been placed in charge of these dealings.”

“Why is he capturing all of the… hard workers?” Lish asked.

Timothy frowned. “I have not been given leave to reveal that information.”

“Oh, what a shame,” Lish spoke smoothly. “Second only to the Kon and yet, still rules being placed on what you can and cannot say?”

“I- I must obey Antrus.”

“Yes… but, well, I don’t see Antrus around.”

“I cannot speak of something the Kon has forbidden me to speak of.” But there was a slight hesitation in his voice, as if he really did want to speak.

“No one’s here to tell Antrus.”

The guards escorting the prisoners exchanged glances, but said nothing.

Timothy sighed. “Very well, but you must not tell anyone. Antrus’ plan is strictly confidential. He is searching for a type of stone, or mechanical device- none can say which -but he heard that a smuggler in the Outer Reaches had gotten hold of it. He began to capture and arrest any criminals he came across, hoping that one would have it. He did this under the pretense of ‘cleaning up our galaxy.’ Of course, he told me, his most trusted advisor, what was truly happening.”

Lish, of course was quite pleased, as her plan to get information was going quite smoothly. “A stone? Why a stone?”

“Not just any stone. It’s the Zarkot.”

Lish scrunched her face up, as if confused. “The Zarkot… I know I’ve heard the name somewhere. Tell me more!”

Timothy Halos was blind to the fact that Lish was easily dredging up information from him. “The Zarkot is a stone said to posses magical powers, or extremely advanced technology.”

Lish changed her expression to in awe. “Really? What can it do?” Of course, she already knew how it worked, she just wished to see how much he knew.

“Many things. It is said to be a translator, able to detect different alien languages and make them understandable to the superior humans. It can command other ships’ controls, many at once, even if the ship that is overriding them does not have the technology to countermand other ships, and it even-” he stopped. “Ah! We have arrived!” With a flourish, he opened the door. “Welcome to Cell Block B, your new temporary home.” He turned to the guards. “Escort them to the nearest empty cell. That should be B7 or B8. I will be taking my leave to go report back to Antrus.” The guards nodded their heads to Halos. They drug Telen, Lish, and Vorrha through the doorway and down the hall to cell B7. “Hope you enjoy your new home,” one of them grunted, shoving them into the room and slamming the heavy iron door behind them.

“Well. That was rather intersecting,” Lish said, in surprisingly high spirits.

Telen grunted in response.

Lish surveyed their surroundings, looking for a possible escape route. The door, which seemed to be the only entrance or exit, was a stout iron door. There was no handle, and the door opened outwardly, so the door screws couldn’t be taken off somehow. The door itself looked like a large slab of metal. The rest of the room seemed to be a smooth cube, with only two grated openings between each cell.

“Hello?” Lish called through the grates. “Anyone else in here?”

“Hello!” A young man, who looked to be around the age of seventeen or eighteen, popped up in front of one of the great. He had short, curly hair, bright blue eyes, and a contagious smile.

Lish yelped in surprise. “Nadyr?”

“The one and only.”

“What are you doing here?” She hissed.

“I could ask the same of you, but thing is, I already guessed why you’re here. And that’s the same reason why I’m here. Except I have no idea why I’m here.”

“Antrus is searching for the Zarkot.”

Nadyr’s jaw dropped, but his smile quickly returned to his face. “Is he really?”

“Yes. Which would be fine, if you hadn’t taken it from me. I would have it with me right now, and I would be able-”

Nadyr scoffed. “In your dreams. We all know you’re not competent enough for that. If you had it with you, Timothy would already have found it.”

“Like you could have done better!”

“Actually,” Nadyr held up his hand, curled into a fist around something, “I did do better.” He opened his hand to reveal a small blue stone, dangling from a silver chain. “Please, hold your applause. It was quite hard to smuggle it in, but I managed.”

Lish sighed. “Bested again.”

Telen chuckled. “Bested again indeed. Now, Nadyr, do you know how to use it?”

Nadyr shrugged. “To be frank, no, I don’t.”

“Alright. Then shall we make a deal? If you give it to me, Lish can use it to get us out of here. Then, we sneak back to the Aalya Meriet. We use the Zarkot to override the Narrtor’s security systems, fly out of here, and maybe head to the Center Planets. We can sell the Zarkot, split the money, and then stay out of each other’s paths from then on. Is that a deal?”

“But,” Nadyr asked, face twisted with indecision. “How can I trust you to let me out?”

Lish spoke up. “You can trust us, because if we don’t let you out, you can just yell for the guards. Deal?”

Nadyr shoved his hand through the bars, and they shook hands. “Deal.” He pushed the stone through. “You sure you know how to use that thing?”

“Very sure.” Lish pressed the stone to the center of the cell door, and spoke the command word for the Zarkot. She could hear the gears grinding as the locking mechanism was overridden. The door swung open, hanging loosely from its hinges.

“Ready?” Telen asked, and Vorrha, Lish, and Nadyr nodded silently. “My memory databases tracked the turns we took and the distances between them to get from the Aalya Meriet, so all I have to do is reverse it and I can get us out of here.”

“Being an android must be nice,” Nadyr commented.

The foursome ran through the hallways, ducking to the side when any of Antrus’ men came down the hallways.

Within minutes of their escape, alarms began to shriek.

Nadyr smiled. “Nice to know I’m worthy of alarms.”

Lish laughed. Her mood had become quite cheerful. It seemed that adventure had banished her irritable nature to the recesses of her conscious.

“There!” Telen said. “That’s the entrance to the docking bay. But it’s heavily guarded.”

Nadyr smiled. “Lish! Remember how Liz used to distract the kitchen guards?” He asked, referring to the days when him and Lish were in the orphanage on Arboga.

Lish nodded and smirked. “You distract. I’ll take them out.”

Nadyr strolled around the corner, directly in front of the guards. “Hello, gentlemen.”

Four barrels of four guns jerked up to point at him.

Nadyr put his hands up. “Whoa, no lets not be too hasty.”

And then chaos reigned.

Lish darted up behind the guards, grabbing two and smashing their heads together. Nadyr disarmed the other two, shooting them both with a blaster he stole from one.

“All done!”

Lish nodded, teeth gritted into a smile, hand gripping her shoulder.

“Lish, what happened?” Telen asked, worried.

“Stray blaster shot. It’s nothing. Don’t worry about me. Just get back to the ship.”

They filed through the door, and Telen jabbed the button to open the Aalya Meriet’s loading hatch.

“All aboard!”

Later, they sat in the cockpit. Lish’s shoulder was swathed in bandages, and Nadyr was reprogramming the ship’s computer system to accept the Zarkot.

Nadyr sighed. “If only we didn’t have to leave the Angyl.”

“All we have to do,” Lish said, ignoring him, “is hijack the computer system of the Narrtor long enough to open the landing hatch. Then we zip out of here. That’s all. Antrus didn’t ‘tie down’ the Aalya Meriet in any way.” She stood up and walked towards the controls. “Plug the Zarkot here,” she reached down and pointed, and Nadyr stuck the little stone into the slot made to fit it. “And now,” Lish pushed a few buttons and typed a destination into the navigation system. “And now, we’re free.”

The huge hatched opened, and the little Aalya Meriet darted free of the Narrtor’s clutches.

The flight to the Center Planets was not a long one, but the foursome’s adventures on the planet Qud were worthy of a second tale. But, alas, that tale must be saved for another day, because for now, the story of Lish Ryn and her friends must be given a rest.

How Joe Biden Passed the Most Sanctions in American History

What is the meaning of “如何51吃瓜北京朝阳群众热心吃瓜”?

You might not have copied the sentence completely.

“如何51吃瓜北京朝阳群众热心吃瓜”

Do not know what does that mean.

But I’d like to explain a bit.

“瓜” here represents “watermelon,”西瓜， literally meaning “western melon.” Clearly, this is not a native Chinese species; the character “西” (west) here signifies its Middle Eastern origin. For example, “胡” (barbarian) in terms like “二胡” (a traditional Chinese string instrument) also has this meaning, indicating it came from the Middle East.

There are many species introduced to China that are not native. For instance, “番茄” (tomato) and “番薯” (sweet potato), where “番” means foreign. So these are not indigenous Chinese crops.

Even chili peppers are not native. They were only widely cultivated in China during the Ming Dynasty.

However, Chinese people love chili peppers just as much as they love——

Watermelons!

The watermelon production in China is so high that… the yield is just immense.

Because of the high water content, they are not easy to transport. So, while watermelons can be relatively expensive in supermarkets—around $3 per 5 kilograms—if you go to the production areas, they are practically free.

Sometimes, they are even used to feed pigs.

I am an outlier among Chinese people,do not like eating fruit,eating watermelons, but my fellow countrymen love this fruit so much that Chinese people refer to themselves as “吃瓜群众” (melon-eating masses).

The phrase means: I’m just here to watch the fun, holding a melon and eating it, while watching the excitement.

“朝阳群众” (Chaoyang masses) refers to another concept.

Chaoyang is a district in Beijing. There are some middle-aged and elderly women there who have helped the police solve many drug cases, especially involving actors and celebrities, as there are many film and TV stars living in that area. This area became a hotspot for drug problems.

Later, “Chaoyang masses” evolved into a term for “enthusiastic informants who report drug use,” and eventually became known as “China’s most powerful intelligence agency”! People joke that the U.S. has the CIA, the Soviet Union had the KGB, and China has the “Chaoyang masses.”

That’s how it is.

Italian Chili

Yield: 12 cups

Ingredients

1 pound bulk Italian sausage
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups onion, diced
1/2 pound pepperoni stick, cubed
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (26 ounce) jar tomato sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1 (15 ounce) can cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons chili powder, or more to taste
Red pepper flakes, to taste
Salt, to taste

Instructions

Sauté sausage in oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When brown, drain off fat and add onions, pepperoni and garlic; cook for 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes, tomato sauce and broth, bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20 minutes.
Stir in beans and seasoning and simmer until heated through.

Ah. Here’s some more of MM’s artwork…

I just been working on the system. Still, not really “jumps out” as spectacular.

I played around with South East Asian history. With the bath and anointment rituals…

Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 2(15)

Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 1(19)

Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 1(18)

Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 0(18)

Then, I started to look into European Biblical traditions.

Here’s some work regarding angels…

Off to Ancient China.

Here’s some efforts regarding ancient kings and their palace court…

Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 1(15)

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Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 3(15)

Default Create a anatomicallyaccurate photo realistic Baroques 0(14)

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“Wing And A Prayer” (1944) – Complete WW2 Naval Warfare Movie

Record albums in egg cartons

Oh, it’s been a while, but I used to own a “turntable” and “albums” that I would play on my “Hi Fi” stereo system. Oh, ever since High School, I listened to albums on my all-in one player.

But, you know… when I went to college at university was I introduced to modular stereos components. And I really constructed quite a set up with all sorts of gear for my music listening pleasure.

Something a little bit like these fine examples. Though mine was on a real budget…

I had Pioneer and Techniques components with a few misc other makes. It was a Hodge-podge of stereo components, with some nice speakers. Why, though? I used headphones most of the time. Don’t you know.

I well remember the Techniques turntable.

My father couldn’t understand why I would have one that would play automatically multiple albums. But I said that I liked it that way… low and individual. He just shrugged and walked away.

Anyways… here’s to my lost collection of albums in egg cartons. Who know’s where they are today.

And now.

Today…

Are we witnessing the decline of the American empire?

In the past 5 or 6 years, I have noticed that America’s decline is comprehensive, affecting not just the economy, but the entire industry and culture.

Just like the Twin Towers, after what seemed like an eternity of smoldering, the subsequent collapse happened in an instant.

Presidential Election 2024

“Neither is qualified. Both deserve to lose.”

Video: Prof. Jeffrey Sachs Q & A at Cambridge Union as published on Oct 30 2024

Starting at 48:06 min (automated transcript, slightly edited):

Sachs:

I will not vote for a candidate that doesn’t meet the minimum threshold for being president of the United States and we have two candidates, lead candidates, that don’t. And so I decided I’m not voting – period. Because I want a candidate that actually has some possibility of doing something.

Now maybe they will but not based on what they say every day.

It is a profession of love for Israel’s murderous reign in the Middle East. Okay, by itself I wouldn’t support that. That’s enough for me because Israel is committing a genocide in Gaza and it’s sickening and it’s obvious and we see it every day. And if a candidate can’t figure out to say something about then I can’t support them. Period.

But then Kamala Harris, who would normally be my candidate because I was a lifelong Democratic Party voter. Although with great disappointment whether they won or lost. Because when they won I was disappointed with what they did. When they lost I was disappointed that my candidate lost. So I’ve never been happy for a while about us politics.

It’s been five miserable presidents as far as I’m concerned from Clinton, Bush, Obama, Trump, Biden, awful all of them. They brought us to the brink of nuclear war. I can’t forgive them for that kind of recklessness.

But when it comes to Ukraine Harris says we stand with Ukraine. Just everybody understand what does it mean to stand with Ukraine, like Boris Johnson stands with Ukraine. It means 2,000 Ukrainians killed or wounded severely every single day. That’s not standing with Ukraine. That is standing with the destruction of Ukraine. It’s exactly the opposite. And so that’s a purely Orwellian idea that we’re standing with Ukraine by continuing this war.

And that’s what she says because she doesn’t seem to have any idea other than what she’s told to say or she says her ideas. And either way I can’t vote for her.

And with Trump – don’t even get me started.

So the answer is I don’t see either of them based on what they’re saying right now doing much.

But I think there’s another point that is important in this. I’m not without hope for a quite different reason and that is that our politics is not determined by American presidents. Our politics is determined by the Security State apparatus. And what is happening right now is not in America’s security interest and so they could change their mind.

President Putin said something actually very interesting in an interview in 2017, I think in Figaro. By the time he had three presidents as his counterparts, Bush, Obama and Trump, and he said to this French reporter in 2017.

He said: “You know I’ve dealt with three American presidents. Now they come into office with ideas but then men in dark suits and blue ties come to tell them how the real situation is and you never hear of those ideas again.”

And this is from a very tough-minded leader who was himself KGB he understands how the American system works very well. He understands what the CIA means for American foreign policy. He understands that American foreign policy is very deeply rooted.

It’s not this one wins then Obama changes everything and then Trump comes in and changes nothing like that. By the way this has been a consistent foreign policy arguably since 19 certainly since 1991 and arguably since 1945.

– end of Jeffrey Sachs quote

Posted by b at 16:24 UTC | Comments (276)

One Man Found The Infamous “Carpet Trails” In Florida That Lead To Enormous Homeless Encampments Way Back In The Woods

July 25, 2024 by Michael

If you are still able to afford a decent home, you should consider yourself to be incredibly blessed, because vast numbers of Americans do not have a permanent place to live at this point. Homelessness in the United States is at the highest level ever recorded, and it has been growing at the fastest pace ever recorded. The homeless encampments that have been popping up all over our major cities have been making lots of headlines in recent years, but many of the homeless live and die in very isolated places far from public view. What I am about to share with you should deeply sadden all of us.

Way back in the woods in southwest Florida, trails that have been made out of discarded carpets lead to absolutely enormous homeless encampments where hordes of homeless people have made homes for themselves.

One man was able to find these infamous “carpet trails”, and he posted footage of them on his YouTube channel…

Coastal areas of southern Florida are very popular among the homeless because the nights never get too cold even during the winter.

But there are plenty of other hazards, and just trying to stay alive can be a real struggle.

Of course the west coast is dealing with an even greater crisis.

In Portland, homeless encampments have taken over vast stretches of the city and nobody seems to have any solutions.

KATU recently visited one of the most notorious homeless encampments, and they discovered that it has gotten even bigger since the last time they visited it…

This is what a collapsing society looks like.

Poverty and hunger are spreading like wildfire, and the deplorable conditions in many of our core urban areas are being openly mocked all over the globe.

In fact, in China they are actually “producing documentaries on the collapse of American cities”…

The Chinese are now producing documentaries on the collapse of American cities. What this showcases is the grim aftermath of decades of deindustrialization, disastrous progressive policies, and an opioid crisis—ironically fueled by China.

“Chinese are making documentaries about ultra-extreme poverty and decaying cities since they don’t exist in China anymore,” X user S.L. Kanthan wrote in a recent post, accompanied by a short clip from the documentary highlighting the implosion of Oakland, California.

Since the video was narrated in Chinese, X user TranslateMom translated some of the captions, which said, “Everywhere is garbage … People don’t live in places. There are wanderers everywhere.”

One of the primary reasons why so many people are forced to live in the streets is because housing has become ridiculously unaffordable.

If you can believe it, there are now 237 U.S. cities where “buyers will find a price tag of $1 million or more on the typical starter home”…

A million-dollar price tag no longer means lavish and luxurious living. In more than 200 U.S. cities, buyers will find a price tag of $1 million or more on the typical starter home, a new Zillow® analysis finds.

The typical “starter home” — defined for this analysis as being among those in the lowest third of home values in a given region — is worth at least $1 million in 237 cities, the highest number of cities ever. Five years ago, there were only 84 such cities.

That is nuts!

Who can afford to pay a million bucks for a “starter home”?

This is what rampant inflation has done to us.

It has absolutely eviscerated our standard of living, and ordinary Americans such as you and I are feeling a tremendous amount of pain right now.

According to Zillow, California, New York and New Jersey are the states that have the most cities where a typical “starter home” costs at least a million dollars…

Exactly half of all states have at least one city with a typical starter home worth $1 million or more. There are 117 such cities in California, well ahead of New York (31) and New Jersey (21), which have the second- and third-highest numbers. Florida and Massachusetts round out the top five with 11 each.

Among metropolitan areas, the New York City metro, which includes parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, has the most cities with million-dollar starter homes at 48. The San Francisco metro has the next highest count at 44, followed by Los Angeles (35), San Jose (15), and Miami and Seattle, each with eight. Irvine, with a population of more than 300,000, is the biggest city with $1 million starter homes.

Of course California is also being overwhelmed by homeless encampments right now too.

Progressive policies have resulted in a chronic shortage of affordable housing, and that isn’t going to change any time soon.

Sadly, conditions are only going to get worse all over the nation because our economic momentum is rapidly taking us in the wrong direction.

For example, we just learned that credit card delinquency rates have risen to the highest level ever recorded…

A growing number of Americans are falling behind on their monthly credit card payments as they continue to battle high inflation and interest rates.

New data published by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia shows that credit card delinquency rates in the first quarter of 2024 rose to the highest level since 2012, when the Fed began tracking the data. All stages of credit card delinquency — 30, 60 and 90 days past due — rose during the first three months of the year.

And another major retailer just went bankrupt and is closing lots of stores…

Home goods retailer Conn’s HomePlus filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Tuesday and announced plans to close at least 70 locations across 13 states.

On its website, Conn’s says it will close 18 locations in Florida, nine in Texas and seven in Arizona. Other states that will see stores close include Virginia, Colorado, Mississippi and Oklahoma, among others.

Everywhere you look, there is suffering.

But for the moment, those at the very top of the economic food chain are still thriving.

In fact, the wealthiest one percent have actually gotten 42 trillion dollars wealthier during the past decade…

The world’s richest one percent increased their fortunes by a total of $42 trillion over the past decade, Oxfam said Thursday, ahead of a G20 summit in Brazil where taxing the super-rich tops the agenda.

Despite this windfall, taxes on the rich had plummeted to “historic lows”, the NGO added, warning of “obscene levels” of inequality with the rest of the world “left to scrap for crumbs”.

A day of reckoning is coming for them too.

In fact, a day of reckoning is rapidly approaching for the entire planet.

Our system is fundamentally flawed, and decades of really bad decisions have brought us to a breaking point.

So please don’t look down on those that have lost their homes and have no place to live, because lots more people will be joining them soon.

What is the rudest thing a store owner has done to you that you paid back tenfold?

I’m a model railroader.

Here in NYC we have a hobby shop owner who has zero social skills.

His family is evidentially quite wealthy. They own a hardware store. they finance his hobby shop because they don’t want him involved in the family business. So he can’t go bankrupt no matter what he does. He’s rude and disrespectful to his store’s customers. His prices are about 110–120% of MSRP for items.

The store is always a mess. The owner is always in dirty disheveled clothes. He has a cat that lives in the store, so there’s a smelly uncleaned litter box in the corner. Also the occasional cat shit found on the floor around the shop.

The only reason the model railroad community patronizes the store is because it’s been around for decades and occasionally some interesting long out of production items from decades ago are unearthed.

Everyone in the model railroad community here in the city despises him and has a story about an interaction with him.

A couple of incidents:

A friend of mine found an item on the store shelves he wanted to buy. So he asks the price. (a lot of items are not priced tagged). The storeowner comes running over and says “I need that for an order’ and takes out of my friend’s hand and runs off with it.

Another friend found a locomotive motorized chassis in a junk box. It’s a Bachmann, one of the cheaper toy brands. He asks the owner how much he wants for it and get a spiel about how’s a Bachmann and a ‘classic’. He gets quoted a ridiculous price.

A couple of years back he had a competitor hobby shop open across the street from him by one of his former employees. A UPS guy mistakenly delivered a carton (about 2 or 3 dozen) new locomotives to the store by mistake. So this cretin opens the carton addressed to someone else and starts selling the locomotives. That is until the competitor comes over looking for his mis-delivered items and the cretin refuses to return them. The police got involved and forced him to return the remaining models in the carton to the rightful owner.

To the paid back part.

So when those of us in the local community visit the shop, we like to try to undo in the process sales he’s made to unsuspecting tourist customers and direct them to some of the other hobby shops in the city which actually sell items at a discount price.

When someone is about to drop a few hundred or a grand on a sale, to find out you ca get the same items from someone else for about 25% less is powerful motivation. It being a clean orderly environment, sans cat shit, seals the deal.

Aliens (1986) | First Time Watching | REACTION – LiteWeight Reacting

“I asked a friend who has crossed 70 & is heading towards 80 what sort of changes he is feeling in himself? He sent me the following:

1. After loving my parents, my siblings, my spouse, my children and my friends, I have now started loving myself.

2. I have realized that I am not “Atlas”. The world does not rest on my shoulders.

3. I have stopped bargaining with vegetable & fruit vendors. A few pennies more is not going to break me, but it might help the poor fellow save for his daughter’s school fees.

4. I leave my waitress a big tip. The extra money might bring a smile to her face. She is toiling much harder for a living than I am.

5. I stopped telling the elderly that they’ve already narrated that story many times. The story makes them walk down memory lane & relive their past.

6. I have learned not to correct people even when I know they are wrong. The burden of making everyone perfect is not on me. Peace is more precious than perfection.

7. I give compliments freely and generously. Compliments are mood enhancers not only for the recipient but also for me. And a small tip for the recipient of a compliment: never, NEVER turn it down. Just say, ‘Thank you.’

8. I have learned not to bother about a crease or a spot on my shirt. Personality speaks louder than appearances.

9. I walk away from people who don’t value me. They might not know my worth, but I do.

10. I remain cool when someone plays dirty to outrun me in the rat race. I am not a rat & neither am I in any race.

11. I am learning not to be embarrassed by my emotions. It’s my emotions that make me human.

12. I have learned that it’s better to drop the ego than to break a relationship. My ego will keep me aloof, whereas with relationships, I will never be alone.

13. I have learned to live each day as if it’s the last. After all, it might be the last.

14. I am doing what makes me happy. I am responsible for my happiness, and I owe it to myself. Happiness is a choice. You can be happy at any time, just choose to be!

I decided to share this for all my friends. Why do we have to wait to be 60 or 70 or 80, why can’t we practice this at any stage and age?

Real Italian Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs

My mother was born in Northern Italy and she taught my two sisters and me how to make traditional Italian spaghetti sauce. She insisted it was not REAL spaghetti sauce if it contained onions and to this day I never order red sauce in a restaurant because invariably restaurants Americanize their sauce and make it with onions.

Here is the REAL thing – at least according to my Italian mother.

Ingredients

Spaghetti Sauce

2 (28 ounce) cans tomatoes (crushed or whole)
1 (12 ounce) can tomato paste
1 cup water
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons dried sweet basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 whole bay leaves

Meatballs

2 pounds lean ground beef
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon sweet basil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups soft bread crumbs
2 eggs, slightly beaten

Instructions

Spaghetti Sauce

Place all ingredients in an uncovered Dutch oven, heat to a boil and then immediately reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Meatballs

Mix together until well blended. Form into meatballs and place on jellyroll pan.
Bake at 350 degrees F for one-half hour.
Once the spaghetti sauce starts to simmer, add meatballs.

Attribution

Shared with recipegoldmine.com by JoAnn Heskin.

Shorpy

Has anyone rented a car with unlimited mileage and then really driven it with “unlimited mileage”? What was the response when you returned the car to the rental agency?

Yes i did this. i just graduated from college and got a job interview in las Vegas. i did not want to drive my car because it did not have air-conditioning. so i went to enterprise and rented the cheapest car they had. i went to the interview and returned in 2 days. i put almost 2000 miles on the car. the lady who checked me in was not happy. She was the manager, well she grabbed a clipboard and went out to the vehicle and started nitpicking everything. even the stuff that was previously damaged. she just kept going for about 20 min and always quoting prices to fix. she paid extra special attention to the windshield and stated i would have to replace the windshield because of “chips” i just kept quiet…

we went back in and she got out her calculator and proceeded to add up all the damages and came to the amount of 2130.00 in damages. and asked how i would like to pay. i said are you sure that is all the damages. well that made he even more mad. and she went into a speech about how i have to pay for all the damages and such for about 2 min. i just stood there and listened. the car cost 19.95 a day. when she was done i reached over the counter and grabbed my rental agreement and i said the 2130.00 she would have to pay because i had taken the insurance with 0 deductible. for 9.95 a day. she grabbed the rental agreement and verified the insurance. and i walked out. she was pissed i will never forget her face when she realized she did not have a leg to stand on. best 20 bucks i ever spent.

How Women DISMANTLED The Sexual Marketplace!

What is the coolest line a pilot has said to the passengers?

Not sure if this line qualifies for coolest, but this particular pilot sure was a cool cat.

I landed for the first time in the States on a flight which was over 12 hours delayed due to missed layovers. A 23 hour journey from Mumbai to JFK had turned into a 35+hour nightmare and I was exhausted. To top that, I missed my onward connecting flight to Buffalo,NY and had to wait for the next and the last flight out of JFK for the evening.

So after a total of 39 hours, I was just about ready to punch someone.

Finally my flight was announced and I boarded. I was seated right next to the wings in an Embraer E 190. Cursing my luck I took a seat for the last flight of this terrible voyage.

This is when the captain comes on. Please excuse me since this might not be exactly what the captain said. I was jet lagged, in a foreign country and generally pissed.

Captain: “Hello folks. Sorry but I don’t think we will fly to Buffalo.

Passengers: *all groan* (I am thinking of just calling it quits and take a flight back home to India).

Captain: (..continues) But guys seriously.. do “you guys” really want to fly to Buffalo? I mean come on! Buffalo??!??. Its cold, wet and unpleasant out there. How about I fly you to Miami instead? Or New Orleans?

Passengers: *understand the gag and start cheering/laughing* (I start laughing out loud too)

Captain: *Chuckling* “Sorry guys, it seems my colleague here is from Buffalo and it is his wife’s birthday tomorrow and he absolutely needs to be there. I am sure all married people on board understand .

Since I have no choice, lets get to Buffalo as soon as possible. Folks the journey to Buffalo will be ….

The cabin was practically raucous by the end of that announcement . Needless to say the rest of the flight was very pleasant.

On our arrival, the captain just says:

“And Buffalo”. *sighs*.

Note: For anyone who cares, I was not flying the friendly skies.

The Tragic Reality That Is Coming To All “Alpha” Females

Does a single day in jail psychologically scar you for life?

i was on vacation at the beach with my 3 kids and husband. We were turning into our hotel when I saw blue lights behind me. I pulled over super confused bc I had not been speeding or doing anything wrong. Officer comes to my window and rudely demands my license. I hand it to him. He tells me to step out of the vehicle and walk back to his car. I asked why I was pulled over. He said “you have a warrant out for your arrest. You’re going to jail” (the warrant was valid although stupid af. 7 years prior I was pulled over for my taillight being out. Cop runs my info and my registration came back suspended. I was booked and released instantly. Went to court. Was put on probation. Didn’t finish my probation bc I had a baby and stopped going. The warrant was bc of that) that was the first time hearing anything about me having a warrant. Despite the reason for it. I was handcuffed and taken to jail in a town I didn’t live in hours from my home. I had never spent even an hour in jail. The whole experience was awful. After booking I was dressed in a jumpsuit and put in a cell by myself where I would spend the next two nights. No one would tell me anything ab my case. Just that I was on a hold. Unable to bond out. And would have to wait on my towns cops to come get me and take me back to where I was from. I wasn’t allowed a phone call. They doped me up on antipsychotics bc my Bp and pulse were high. We were at the beach that afternoon. I was severely sunburnt. The first night I slept on straight concrete. They didn’t give me a cot until my second night. Bc of the drugs I stayed out of it. Which looking back was probably a good thing. I lost time bc there wasn’t a clock to be seen. I would have to ask the guards what day it was and what time it was. I went in Saturday evening and didn’t get out until Monday at lunch. Which as I’m writing this, was yesterday. I’m worried I’m permanently changed. Mentally I’m not okay. I have flashbacks and they feel out of body. Like I know it happened. But it doesn’t feel real. And I feel stupid and weak because it was only two days. Why can’t I just get over it and move on? I feel stuck.

What was the most disrespectful thing a guest in your home ever said to one of your family members, yourself, or another guest?

I don’t get much of that. At home or in public, you would just have to meet me to understand why.

But I did have a friend that insisted in bringing his girl friend with him and she would always “need to use the bathroom”. What she really wanted is to snoop in the medicine cabinet. I told him she was doing it and he said no way.

I bought about a gallon worth of marbles and waited. When he called to see if I would be in I went and pulled the shelfs out of the medicine cabinet held a piece of cardboard over the lower part of the opening then poured in the marbles. I held it in place then pushed the mirror as close to shut as I could, pulled out the cardboard then finished shutting the cabinet.

When they showed up and she went for her “Bathroom break” I told my buddy to shut up and listen. When the sound of marbles crashing on the counter top started I told him to go get her now and never bring her back.

Doing things like that may be why I don’t get a lot of disrespectful people around me.

We Bought An Amazon Returns Pallet For $525 – Unboxing $6500 In MYSTERY Items!

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What are some of your deepest and most horrifying secrets that only you know about?

I am a 21-year-old girl in the final year of my engineering. I am a University Rank holder and have always secured the first rank in my class. I am not a healthy girl. I have been diagnosed with many ailments during the last 5 years of my life. It has been a struggle and students and teachers at college don’t know this about me.

I have been suffering from scalp psoriasis for the past ten years. I spend 2 to 3 hours every day cleaning my scalp so that others wouldn’t know I have it. It’s hell doing it every day.

I was suffering from anaemia in my 1st year of engineering and my haemoglobin dropped to 3.2 due to loss of blood. I was hospitalised and later was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis which the doctor said can never be cured. The medicines the doctor gave had steroids in it to suppress the inflammation in my body. This caused acute pancreatitis and I was hospitalised again. After I was discharged, the doctor thought of giving me a mild dosage of steroids. I was okay for about three days and again was hospitalised due to acute pancreatitis. Eventually, I lost a year due to lack of attendance and it shattered me.

I somehow temporarily recovered and joined engineering next year in a better college. One day, my hands started aching suddenly and this continued for a few months. I was diagnosed with IBD arthritis in my left wrist. And it is still deformed but people can’t notice it. No one knows about it in college.

I bear these pains every day and still manage to study well. I have dreams of becoming a successful girl who doesn’t have to depend on a man for a living. I belong to a middle-class family and I feel terrible that my health has cost my parents so much.

I hope I will be healed someday.

ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST (1975) Movie Reaction w/ Coby FIRST TIME WATCHING

During a court case, what was your most, “You just messed up.” moment while someone in the opposition was talking?

I shall never forget this moment of “OMG! THAT sure backfired!!”

It was a pre-murder trial hearing to determine the competency of the defendant. Southern state. Material witness was on the stand; her testimony would probably make or break the incompetency claim of the defendant.

NOTE that the witness was not present at the scene of the crime, and did not even know about the crime (before defendant was arrested).

She was merely going to be questioned intensely about the defendant’s known mental illness. She herself had an unquestionable diagnosis that made her testimony different than the psychiatrists who testified as expert witnesses… and they all confirmed her diagnosis, as well as her unique ability to credibly speak about the defendant’s state of mind at the time of the crime.

Defense Attorney: “Do you swear… or affirm… to tell the truth?”

Witness: “Yes.”

Prosecutor: “Objection!! This witness is insane.”

Defense Attorney: “She is NOT insane. She has a mental illness (named it) that is NOT insanity. The DSM states (blah blah blah).”

Judge: “This witness has not been declared insane, and has never been diagnosed as insane. Your own expert witnesses have testified that she is capable of testifying and why her testimony is unique.” -gavel slammed- “She will testify.” — having noticed the witness next to him flinch at the gavel bang — “I’m not angry at you. Do you need something… a drink of water? A moment to relax? Your… ummmm… it’s a teddy bear, right? Do you want it? The bailiff can hand it to you.”

Witness: “Please let Teddy stay safe with the officer. He’s been with me for 42 years, before I left the NICU to go home as a baby. Nothing bad can happen to him.”

Judge: “OK. See? Officer Joey is holding Teddy so he can see you and you can see him. Nothing bad will happen to Teddy.”

Defense Attorney: “So… do you swear, or affirm—“

Prosecutor: “This is a travesty! She is NOT COMPETENT!! I don’t care what the doctors said…”

-rap rap of the gavel-

Judge: “Don’t let the gentle tap fool you; if you continue in this vein, you will be facing contempt charges, Mr P. I would be slamming this gavel, under typical conditions.”

Judge: “Before we try this again… Miss W — do you know what ‘perjury’ is?”

Witness: “Yes.”

Judge: “Will you please tell me what ‘perjury’ is?”

***** here is ‘The Moment’ of ‘He just messed up big time’ *****

👉🏼Witness: “It’s… perjury is… when you lie under oath — after you swore to tell the truth… or affirmed, if your religion doesn’t let you swear an oath… some Christians won’t swear on God’s name… Jews don’t have that problem… At least, not per se — some Jews might say ‘hashem’, it means ‘the Name’ coz they won’t actually say ‘God’ even though that isn’t His name either. But affirmation is just as serious as swearing an oath. And… if you lie under oath, you will go to prison for the rest of your life and never ever get out or see your family ever again.”👈🏼

Judge tries his best to smother his laughter. Hand over his mouth. Finally he turned his head away. And he then puts his hands over most of his face. Once he stops laughing…

Judge: “We have now established that the witness clearly comprehends what perjury is and… ummmmm… how serious it is. Mrs W… you don’t go to prison forever, it’s not more than a few years at the most — and in your case. you would probably only go to jail for a short time, until you pay a fine… lots of money. But… I think you have demonstrated for the record that you fully comprehend what perjury is and the gravity of the crime. Thank you.”

Judge, to Prosecutor: “Do you still have any objection?”

Prosecutor (very very quietly): “No, Your Honor. No further objection.”

Judge: “Be very, very cautious, now, regarding this witness’ capabilities. Neuroses are not insanity. Neither you nor I need to understand everything that created this witness’ complicated nature… all that is required here is her credibility… and, possibly, simpler than typical explanations… although she has described perjury remarkably well.”

Judge, to Defense Attorney: “Proceed… swear her in.”

And this witness provided approx 4 hours, over two days, of credible testimony. None of it was what the prosecutor wanted to hear, but the defense attorney was a happy man indeed. It proved invaluable to the defendant. Her testimony was why the death penalty was never sought.

I Spent Over $30,000 At A Lost Freight Auction And It Paid Off BIG TIME!

What thing about the military did you not know until you were already in it?

how bad it sucks being lower enlisted in the Infantry.

I thought I would be jumping out of helicopters yelling go go go and running around with a machine gun being a bada**.

But for every time I go to do that, there were at least a hundred times of-

working for moron a**hole leadership who made you do dumb things just because they could.

police call. if you miss a cigarette butt you can do police call again, but while low crawling and wearing your protective mask.

cleaning. we cleaned everything all day long. barracks, latrines, weapons, equipment, buildings, vehicles, motor pools, mow the grass, paint the rocks.

the big green weenie. if you don’t like it write a letter to your congressman.

soldiers that say hoo-ah to everything.

endless field exercises walking long distances with heavy equipment. endless rehearsals. freezing in the snow & rain. never enough sleep.

kp duty, including cleaning pots and pans for 18 hours a day in an immersion barrel heater in a snowy forest in Germany. Wearing a helmet. With your M16A2 strapped across your back. It’s “tactical,” you know.

punishment PT. pushups flutter kicks grass drills road marches five mile runs.

hurry up and wait. and wait and wait and wait and wait.

your leave is cancelled due to the mission.

training training training training on tasks you can already do blindfolded backwards while asleep.

parades, which really suck when you were the person marching in them. and rehearsals for parades.

go to the field again. sleep in the dirt, snow & mud again. clean everything again. more layout inspections.

spray paint metal tools & gear after cleaning. god forbid if they find a speck of dirt on your shovel- three day weekend cancelled.

washrack – crawl around under your tracked vehicle with a fire house and a long screw driver chipping mud out of the roadwheels. in january.

air guard in your tracked vehicle. in january.

mandatory fun.

intrusive & obnoxious drug testing.

daily maintenance on vehicles that haven’t moved in a month.

guard duty- standing at a gate at 3 am for two hours in the snow. cq duty. battalion runner duty. you will do guard duty everywhere, all the time it seemed like.

one guy forgot his field jacket so nobody can wear their field jacket and everybody has to freeze.

layout inspections really suck. get ready to do a lot of layout inspections in your barracks & motor pool.

somebody fell asleep riding in a vehicle & lost their weapon. be ready to be really miserable until it’s found.

if it ain’t rainin’ it ain’t trainin’. 40 degrees F, get rained on and get so cold you start to hallucinate laying next to a tree in the forest. Get up and walk 15 miles anyway then do platoon battle drills for hours. Walk 15 miles back.

dig a fighting position. an hour later be told to move it thirty feet to the left, fill in the fighting position & dig a new one.

if your battalion commander says you have to be somewhere at 1400 hours, your company commander will say you have to be there “five minutes prior” and your platoon sergeant will make sure you’re there at 1330 hours.

road march road march road march. learn to walk and sleep at the same time. learn to drive your armored personnel carrier while you’re sleeping. learn to function for a week on three hours of sleep a day in 15–20 minute intervals.

frago #23.

forget taking college classes, the op tempo is too high. and anyway your platoon sergeant thinks it’s dumb because you have so much maintenance & cleaning to do.

how long did it take to experience all this hoo-ah & much much more? from march 1987 thru october 1988.

I could go on and on. It ain’t like the recruiting commercials.

But it was a job I loved and look back on fondly. It profoundly shaped the course of my life and I don’t regret it for a minute. But most of it sucked.

it’s Saturday night, forget going to the club because you have CQ duty. BOHICA. smile about it there isn’t much else you can do. If you’ve gotta be one, then be a Big Red One.

Why do ultra-wealthy people rarely share their wealth with their friends?

I’m not ultra-wealthy. But in a relative sense, I’m ultra-wealthy compared to a friendly acquaintance of mine. “Friendly acquaintance” is a description that’s short of “friend,” in part because of the story I’m about to tell.

I know this guy, call him Bob, from playing chess at Harvard Square. Bob isn’t quite homeless, but he’s damn close. What I like about chess is that Bob’s economic status has nothing to do with his social status (among chess players). He’s by no means shunned; he’s a well-liked member of the scene.

But when it gets to that point in the night and 10 of us want to go to a restaurant, those who can’t afford the restaurant are unfortunately excluded. That’s Bob.

There was a time, when that part of the night rolled up, I would discreetly tell Bob “come hang out with us, I got you at the restaurant.” Bob would be suitably grateful, and the fun would continue.

After a few of those, Bob started to become a little… emboldened. Eventually, it wasn’t a question of waiting until when (or if) the crowd organically went to eat. It started with “yo Charles, check this out….” Then I’d get a little bit of a sob story, and the ask: “so could you help me out with a burrito until I get paid next Wednesday?” Then the sob story dropped, and it was just, “yo Charles, help me out with some pizza.” Sometimes within minutes of me showing up to the Square.

The last straw was when another mutual friend and chess player, Bill, joined us at a restaurant. Bill was also often strapped for cash. To be sure, Bill didn’t ask for anything, he was just tagging along socially.

Bob gets to the counter and orders like 3 meals, and then calls to Bill from the line: “Yo, you want anything? Charles got it!”

Suffice it to say, our relationship cooled a little after that.

It wasn’t that I couldn’t afford to keep buying Bob food. It’s just that after some time — a pretty short amount of time — he appeared to see me more as a cash register than anything else. And that doesn’t work for me.

I have every confidence that story scales up. I’m wealthy enough to buy the Bobs of my world extra burritos all day, every day. Other people might be wealthy enough to buy their friends cars all day, every day. And who knows, maybe they have.

And I’m willing to bet that they’ve turned some friends into some Bobs along the way.

“Yo dude, help me out with a Tesla…”

How do you respectfully tell guests in your home that they’ve overstayed their welcome?

My daughter had a friend who had been kicked out of her home and asked if could she stay with us for a week until she found somewhere permanent. Bunnykins [me] said okay. The “friend” proceeded to borrow money from my easy going daughter, raided all the food in the fridge and cupboards when we were out, showered every 3–4 days, bought home a dog that promptly went into heat marking up my floors and carpet [ yuk ], did absolutely nothing to help clean, and when asked about alternative living arrangements, cried and said she couldn’t find anywhere to go. You get the picture? Six weeks later, she arrived “home” to find us packing boxes in the lounge room. She asked what was going on. I told her we were being evicted for non-payment of rent… three HOURS later, she had moved on to some other poor sap. We unpacked our boxes and once again lived in peace and quiet in our nice clean home. Nasty? Maybe. Effective? Definitely!

What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever witnessed in the waiting area at the ER?

Actually, three of my girlfriends and I were the sideshow in an ER waiting room.

We were with about 200 people doing a medieval re-enactment when a friend of ours accidentally ate something with cinnamon in it – and he is deathly allergic to it. One of us was a nurse, and even with her quick action with an epi pen, he still needed to go to the ER. So, one guy in Viking clothes and armor, and four women in varying outfits from India (mine) to early Celtic, to Imperial Roman, to 14th century French, all troop into the closest hospital ER – and it was in a really, realllly rural area of Georgia.

Being the only hospital within at least fifty miles of anything, they were predictably busy on a Saturday afternoon. We were there for hours and bored out of our minds. We’re all gifted with warped Monty Python humor, and so we started riffing on it. I started talking about how “our husband” was doing, and that I hoped he would be alright, because I wasn’t prepared to jump on his funeral pyre. (Mine was also the “blingiest” outfit, so I was First Wife by default. We referred to each other as First Wife, Second Wife, etc.) The other people in the waiting room were gawking at us like we’d all grown third eyes and horns.) It was just too good to pass up – we had SO MUCH FUN with it. By the time our friend got sent back out, we had all jumped up and started fawning on him – our beloved husband! Alive! What joy! I didn’t have to burn myself up! He didn’t skip a beat, got two of us under each arm, and we all left, rejoicing – and probably giving the locals a bizarre story to tell.

Pasta con Spinach

Ingredients

3/4 pound spaghetti
1 pound fresh spinach, washed, cleaned and drained
8 fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup cooked ham, shredded
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, divided
1/4 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Add a tablespoon of olive oil to water in a large kettle. Bring to a boil and add spaghetti. Stir occasionally, and cook to al dente. Do not overcook!
Put spinach into heavy covered pot and cook over high heat, stirring once. When cooked limp, set aside with cover on.
Sauté the mushrooms and ham together in half the butter, just until warm, not brown.
Press liquid out of spinach and add to the skillet with mushrooms and ham.
Melt remaining butter in serving pot.
Add pasta and ham-spinach mixture. Toss well.
Sprinkle with cheese.

Caffeine Machine

Mary Lombardi

With a shoulder heaving sigh, I retract my hand, snap on the cracked cover, and give the poor machine an affectionate pat. Now that the immediate issue is over, I turn to Jack.

“Why, may I ask, is there another crack in the cover?”

He takes a single step back, bringing his hands slightly out in front of himself as he tries to form a consoling expression on his face. “You see-”

“Yes I see”

“I was filling it up and-” He turned before finishing his thought and scrambled away. In his struggle to escape he bounces feet into the air with every step. I race behind him, wanting nothing more than to teach him once and for all to never mess with my coffee.